The Baltimore Sun from Baltimore, Maryland • Page E10

Dracula was an entirely new says the studios were frankly worried about whether the public would buy the fantastic No problem.Audiences eager to embrace scares not rooted in the vagaries of the human condition they had enough of to the very real horrors of the Depression?) get enough of the film. Seen nature of Bela performance as the bloodthirsty count remains intact.And despite the lugubrious pacing of the latter part of the suggests director Browning had simply lost first in deliciously creepy. Frankenstein into production on the heels of Dracula prove a far better movie. English director James heavily from the German a world in which scientist Henry delusions of Godhood seemed both natural and understand- able.As the monster cobbled together from dead body Karloff brought an unexpected pathos to the screen.Yes,his monster was in large part to make-up master Jack memorable prosthetics.But this was clearly a creature that deserve the depraved hand he was dealt. By the time Frankenstein opened in months to the day after Dracula New York Hollywood studios were in a horror- movie frenzy.The following New production of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde on Robert Louis tale of an upper-class scientist who invents a potion that unleashes his dark the fray.

Like Frankenstein Rouben film depended on make-up for much of its impact, as handsome actor Fredric March had to be transformed form the urbane Jekyll to the monstrous Hyde.But there was also an unusually frank sexual aspect to the Hyde prowls the backstreets of London. In addition, Jekyll helped legitimize the newfound horror genre by lending it a touch of respectability. In was awarded a Best Actor honor (he shared the award with TheChamp Wallace Beery) for his work. The fourth film of groundbreaking quartet premiered Feb.20,1932. Freaks directed by cast with people who actually made their living as sideshow Siamese bearded man born without arms or legs (billed as the Prince Randian lived in his wife and five pinheads (as those afflicted with microcephaly were then known) and a man born without the lower half of his body own Johnny ran about on his hands.

Freaks included possibly the most horrific scene from any of the four the title characters race through a thunderstorm after the human who has tried to exploit them.The film, more repulsive to audiences of the time than horrific; it was soon pulled from release, not to reappear for decades. But the die was cast.Hollywood had become obsessed with the monstrous an obsession that continues unabated. The Texas ChainsawMassacre Leatherface, A Nightmare on ElmStreet Freddie Krueger, Halloween Michael Myers, Friday the13th Jason, Saw Jigsaw trace their lineage back to that same benchmark year. fantastic genres and science notes become some of the most lucrative formulas Hollywood ever chris.kaltenbach@baltsun.com From famed monster horror broke loose EYE SCREEN OMAR PETE Tonight at 10:30 p.m. MPT Documentary looks at two Baltimore men trying to find new life beyond prison.

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