I had never seen the original Mystery of the Wax Museum until I rented House of Wax on DVD a year ago. It was the dual sided DVD that had the original movie as a bonus. I couldn't believe how good this movie was and even more astonished at how much better it was then the remake.
For 1933 the movie seems so fresh and vibrant and, in comparison, House of Wax comes off as dated, melodramatic and the only good thing about it was Vincent Price's performance. The original was made Pre-code and you have to wonder how much more better movies would have been if the Government and the Catholic Church hadn't of stuck they're noses into the film business.
I wonder just how many great moves like this we're made and lost because few people back then had the foresight to preserve old prints. This movie was considered lost until a print was discovered in Jack Warner's vault and thank Christ for that otherwise we would have never had the pleasure of watching this classic.
It’s weird that this movie co-starred Fay Wray and came out the same year as King Kong and while that movie has, undeservedly, achieved legendary status, MotWM has remained a cult picture when it’s a better movie by far. It’s also fascinating that Director Michael Curtiz would go on to make Casablanca nine years later, that man was a fucking workhorse.
My favorite thing about the movie is the cinematography. The DVD transfer is so gorgeous and the two-strip Technicolor process used gives the movie a really weird, lurid look that I love.
For 1933 the movie seems so fresh and vibrant and, in comparison, House of Wax comes off as dated, melodramatic and the only good thing about it was Vincent Price's performance. The original was made Pre-code and you have to wonder how much more better movies would have been if the Government and the Catholic Church hadn't of stuck they're noses into the film business.
I wonder just how many great moves like this we're made and lost because few people back then had the foresight to preserve old prints. This movie was considered lost until a print was discovered in Jack Warner's vault and thank Christ for that otherwise we would have never had the pleasure of watching this classic.
It’s weird that this movie co-starred Fay Wray and came out the same year as King Kong and while that movie has, undeservedly, achieved legendary status, MotWM has remained a cult picture when it’s a better movie by far. It’s also fascinating that Director Michael Curtiz would go on to make Casablanca nine years later, that man was a fucking workhorse.
My favorite thing about the movie is the cinematography. The DVD transfer is so gorgeous and the two-strip Technicolor process used gives the movie a really weird, lurid look that I love.
