The Official Filmstruck Blog – Revisiting The Terror (1. Blu- ray. TCM. I was so bowled over by the quality of the disc that it made me reconsider my long held view of this low- budget Gothic horror film. The film suffered the unfortunate fate of falling into public domain decades ago so it became a staple of late night television and was repeatedly released as part of cheap video and DVD compilations typically sold in bargain bins. In my own defense, it. Now, thanks to the fine folks at The Film Detective and their extensive restoration of The Terror on Blu- ray, I. Wearing one of Marlon Brando. When our hero awakens (or does he?), he meets a woman named Helene (Sandra Knight, who was married to Nicholson at the time) and the graceful brunette beauty helps him recover before she seemingly vanishes into the ominous ocean. The disoriented lieutenant becomes obsessed with the mysterious woman eventually finding sanctuary with an old gypsy crone (Dorothy Neumann) and her simple- minded lodger (Jonathan Haze). After learning that the woman he seeks might be residing at a nearby castle occupied by a Baron (Boris Karloff) and his butler (Dick Miller), Nicholson. The combined talents make this one of AIP’s most prestigious pictures despite its spotty reputation. Leo Gordon and Jack Hill provided the slim script that was based on an idea from Corman while editing duties were left up to Stuart O’Brien who was assisted by Jack Hill. Editing must have been an extremely difficult task considering the piecemeal nature of the production and one has to wonder how much credit O’Brien and Hill deserve for the final product. After seeing The Terror presented on Blu- ray where the colors popped and the images were sharp, clear and true, I was able to fully appreciate the filmmaker. Particularly Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur, which was also used as a backdrop in Corman. I also ogled the imaginative, low budget and surprisingly gruesome special effects involving eyeball gouging, translucent phantoms and melting corpses. The film is lit beautifully at times especially in and outside the Baron. And as my fellow Morlock Richard H. Smith pointed out in his superb write- up about the film for the TCM website, it can also be appreciated as an interesting predecessor to Chinatown (1. Jack Nicholson repeats his detective act while pursuing a mysterious woman. However, my own instinct is to place the film within Corman.
The disjointed narrative and languid pacing evoke Poe. In fact, the film could easily be retitled after Poe. Although it’s worth pointing out that editor Stuart O’Brian and composer Les Baxter both eventually worked on another low- budget horror movie similarly titled Annabelle Lee (aka Diabolique Wedding; 1. I haven’t had the opportunity to see it so I don’t know if it actually shares any similarities with Poe’s poem or The Terror but I wouldn’t be surprised if it did. Limited resources didn. Karloff is always fun to watch and despite his limited screen time, the 7. Jack Nicholson is out of his element in this period piece but his urgency and early commitment to the role is admirable. He also shares some genuine onscreen chemistry with real- life wife, the lovely Sandra Knight, who is memorable in her dual role as the enigmatic Helene/Ilsa. The Film Detective Blu- ray comes with no extras, which is unfortunate given the rich and complex history of the production. There are plenty of film historians who could have provided an interesting commentary for the film and many people associated with The Terror including Roger Corman, Jack Nicholson, Francis Ford Coppola, Monte Hellman, Jack Hill and Dick Miller are all still with us. Arranging a round table discussion or video chat with the cast and crew might seem like a farfetched idea considering the film. This is a BD- R disc and the print has been restored from 3. The quality of the picture and sound have been greatly enhanced and with a retail price of just $1. Kudos to the fine folks at The Film Detective for saving The Terror from bargain basement bins and restoring it to its original full- color splendor. I suspect the film will eventually acquire many new admirers besides yours truly. 100 Greatest Foreign Films: Movieline Magazine selected The 100 Greatest Foreign Films - 100 of the all-time greatest non English-language films in the. Diabolique Wedding (1974) That's Entertainment! Online shopping from a great selection at Movies & TV Store. Diabolic Wedding (also known as Diabolique Wedding), General Film, 1971. Thorsen, 1974, daughter: Mary. Career: Child model at age three.
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