1950s Horror Cinema

Out of 1950s horror cinema, Horror Stew picks these sweet sixteen! From 1953's "House Of Wax" starring our main man Vincent Price, to the end of the decade in 1959's "House On Haunted Hill" starring Vincent Price again, we have you covered! We swear, the guy had the decade of Elvis Presley and sock hops covered with his unearthly presence! We ask that you please forgive our apparent biased-ness regarding the movie picks. We are always open to suggestions of any 1950s horror films that we may have overlooked! With that in mind, let's proceed into the dark, cobweb covered crypt of the 1950s horror vault.......

1950s Horror Films	Title	Year
	The Thing From Another World	1951
Some people wonder why John Carpenter went overboard with the gory special effects in his remake of this film with his 80's version of The Thing? Well, now it's 2007. Do they want to talk runaway gore now; just look around?!?! The great thing about both "Thing" movies is that it's a great story that holds up well in the original and the remake! James Arness (yes, Marshal Matt Dillon of Gunsmoke fame!) plays an unknown being frozen in a block of ice. That doesn't scare you? Well, a fly frozen in an ice cube floating in my drink scares me! Scientists and Researchers try to figure the mystery out; meanwhile the ice thaws and the destructive power of an alien being descends upon weak, frail, humanity!
	House Of Wax	1953
A top contender because it was made as a 3D film (one of the first), Vincent Price stars as a talented sculptor who gets screwed over by his partner because he wants to collect a little insurance money. How, you may ask??!? Well, by burning Price's beloved wax figures with whom he shares a creator/fatherly, possessive bond with. The partner and Price get into a fight and Price is left for dead in the burning building and his partner cashes the insurance check. When people start dying and a new wax museum opens with creations that bear amazing resemblances to dead people, then the suspicion starts!
	Creature From The Black Lagoon	1954
A prehistoric fish/man gets captured by scientists while they are on an expedition searching for fossils. The thing breaks free and comes back to hook up with the yummy Julie Adams. A classic 1950s horror film!
	I Vampiri	1956
Drained bodies are being found in a river floating. Police start investigating the so called vampire murders which ultimately lead to the horrific knowledge that a mad scientist (of course) is harvesting babes to sustain a vampire Duchess's life!
	The Bad Seed	1956
Patty McCormack plays Rhoda, a young girl with some mental problems.....you see, she's a cold blooded murderer. Not bad for a pretty blond haired, big, blue eyed, loving girl, huh? In this case, you really can't judge a book by it's cover! Her agonized mother suspects the truth, but doesn't quite know what to do. Nothing like a mother's love!
	Night Of The Demon/Curse Of The Demon	1957
"Night" is the British version and "Curse" is the American version of this movie that stars Dana Andrews as Doctor Holden who goes to London for a speaking engagement. He has the interior objective to show up a devil worshipping cult leader Julian Karswell, and expose him for what he is, a fake! Karswell plants an old paper with a death curse on it in the good Doctor's papers and makes a believer out of him in the form of very strange events happening in Doctor Holden's life. The only thing for Holden to do is get that paper back to Karswell at any cost!
	The Curse Of Frankenstein	1957
Out of all the 1950s horror you see here, at least see this fine Hammer Studios production of this Frankenstein movie! One thing about Hammer films; they are lovingly shot in Technicolor film, the likes of we'll never see again in any modern movie. Everything’s brighter, more colorful; the blood is bright red! Over and over in Hammer films, you'll see the names Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, dare we say, the heart of Hammer films themselves? Lee plays the monster and Cushing plays Victor Frankenstein, an obsessed scientist who creates a man from body parts. A damaged brain makes the monster a homicidal maniac, who not only threatens Victor's sanity, but his fiancée’s life! Great British horror at it's best.
	I Was A Teenage Werewolf	1957
This werewolf movie launched the career of Michael Landon, star of many sitcoms, most notably Little House On The Prairie as "Pa"! Playing a smoldering, rebel "nobody understands me" teen named Tony Rivers; a Doctor tries to help him through hypnotherapy. Instead of helping him, the Doc experiments with him which ultimately turns young Rivers into a werewolf!
	Horror Of Dracula	1958
Another excellent Hammer Horror production with the great Christopher Lee (Lord Of The Rings, Star Wars: Episode II-Attack of the Clones & Episode III) as Dracula and Peter Cushing as Dr Van Helsing. After finding his friend, Jonathan Harker missing, then undead when he winds up at Dracula's castle, Helsing stakes him. Dracula escapes Helsing only to prey on Harker's fiancée Lucy. Knowing exactly what the strange marks are on Lucy's throat, Van Helsing leaves instructions on her care. Heavy garlic arrangements, anyone? The film cumulates with one heck of a showdown between Dracula and Van Helsing!!
	The Blob	1958
The always great Steve McQueen, the epitome of cool, stars as a teenager who along with his girl tries to warn the whole town about this blob that eats everything in its path through the process of osmosis. Yes, the effects stink. Yes, it's campy. Yes, it's totally B-movie. Yes, we still love this 1950s horror movie!

1950s Horror Movies	Title	Year
	The Revenge Of Frankenstein	1958
The Hammer Horror sequel to The Curse Of Frankenstein. An angry Victor Frankenstein escapes from the guillotine because of the original experiment in which he created a monster! He quietly practices as a general doctor but is recognized by another Doctor. Together they start to make another monster with devastating results. Some say this 1950s horror movie was far better then The Curse Of Frankenstein.
	I Bury The Living	1958
Stars Richard Boone as a cemetery manager who accidentally sticks a black pin into a map of an empty plot of his living plot owners, and they die! Whoops! There should've been a white pin in that spot signifying that the owners are alive. Jeeze, Louise, does he have the power of life and death? This film explores that!
	The Bat	1959
Vincent Price stars in this 1950s horror gem about an old house that's terrorized by a bat. There's also supposed to be one million dollars stuck in the walls of this house that's owned by a novelist. The house has traps and secret passages that people disappear into. Who is the bat? Where's the money? Get it and see!
	House On Haunted Hill	1959
Vincent Price again stars as a well off playboy who hosts an unusual party for his dear wife in a house that’s haunted. He invites five people to spend the entire night and gives them a little coffin with a gun inside and the promise of $10,000.00 to whoever makes it to morning still alive. Price is awesome as the host who looks like he swallowed the canary. What the hell is he hiding, anyway!?!?! A great movie!
	A Bucket Of Blood	1959
This is a must see B by Roger Corman concerning a busboy at a coffee house full of the artist types and beatniks hang out. The busboy, Walter Paisley, creates his own little macabre sculpture of a dead cat, he is accepted with open arms by the community, but they want more. Unfortunately for his victims, Walter must deliver.
	The Mummy	1959
Our last entry of great 1950s horror, The Mummy! This is another wonderful Hammer Horror production with Christopher Lee as the Mummy who is bent on destroying the archaeologists that violated Princess Ananka's tomb. Peter Cushing plays one of the archaeologists who battles the mummy.

Now, our recommendation is to try not to view these movies with a 2007 and up mindset. Remember, this was the 1950's; their horror was a more suspenseful type horror then the cut-em-up horror we have today. We are more desensitized now then they were then. If you're interested in 1950s horror, keep an open mind while watching these and you'll enjoy them. Be assured that these are a good start to the best of the horror decade of the 1950s!