"The Uninvited"

Dear Fellow Dark Shadows Fans,

I agree, "The Univited" is a cerebral ghost flick.  It's quite spooky.  Along with Ray Milland and Ruth Hussey, I believe that the great Alan Napier, Alfred from the Batman 1960's tv show, co-stars in the film.

I remember reading an interview with Ray Milland shortly before his death in the mid 1970's.  Mr. Milland commented on how the current movies were garbage in comparison to the films that were made in the glory days of the movie studios back in the 1930's.

Yeah, Mr. Milland was quite right in his assessment of the 1970's movies.  Did you ever see him star in that science fiction classic, "The Man With Two Heads"?  Mr. Milland plays a nasty old guy who dies and, to keep him "alive," has his severed head attached to the body of ex-New York Giant defensive end Rosey Grier.  Talk about lousy films!  This flick may be even worse than the one Mark Rainey mentioned, "Uninvited."  Big Rosey Grier has to run around with this phony head on his shoulder for almost the entire film.  In any event, Mr. Milland's flick rates down there with "Empire of the Ants," and "Frogs" as one of the truly worst sci-fi flicks of the 1970's.

Of course, this probably means that the Sci-Fi Channel will show it over the Fourth of July weekend.

Bob the Bartender, who considers "Spooks Run Wild" with Bela Lugosi and the Bowery Boys as one of the greatest horror movies ever made.

I've always liked Ray Milland, even though he appeared in a fair amount of wasted celluloid. Anybody see The Man with the X-Ray Eyes? Certainly more visceral than The Uninvited, but a pretty effective sense of dread going on in that one, despite cheesy effects.

Probably my favorite of his films, though, is Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder. He's one of those bad guys that on some level you just can't help hoping he succeeds in his plot. Such a charming gentleman.

I look back with fondness on Frogs, a real classic in the annals of awful movies. It grossed me out pretty good when I saw it in the theater in April of '72 -- gracious me, almost exactly 30 years ago. I saw it the same week as Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster, so I was one happy little budding horror writer at the time.

--Mark

I've always liked Ray Milland, even though he appeared in a fair amount of wasted celluloid. Anybody see The Man with the X-Ray Eyes?

I think Ray Milland was in one I distantly remember that I would love to see again -- a TV "movie of the week" during the '70s, "Death Takes a Holiday."  It also starred Yvette Mimieux.  I searched for info on the movie once, but it isn't mentioned in Maltin or any video or movie guides I've seen.  I know I thought it was very, very good when I was 10 or 11 or whatever.

Probably my favorite of his films, though, is Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder.

I'm going to have to watch for that, it's one I've missed.  I'm a big Hitchcock fan, from "Rebecca" to "Frenzy."

I look back with fondness on Frogs, a real classic in the annals of awful movies. .

I saw that recently and remembered it from the '70s, too!  I actually didn't think it was too bad, considering what it was.  Don't think I'd care to sit through "Willard" again, though.

And ... sorry to go on like this, but I finally saw the movie "The Other."  I read the book when I was about 10 or 11, or whenever it came out.  I loved that sort of thing at that time, but when I excitedly described the scene with the baby in the wine cask to my dad, he very angrily said I shouldn't be reading trash like that.

However, when I think of it now, that was very MILD stuff when you compare it to the gross outs of "horror" films that came out in the late '70s and later.

I lost all interest in the horror genre at that time because of those movies (slasher flicks, etc.)

So my descent back into that world, a re-introduction to it via "Dark Shadows," has been with some trepidation.  But my tastes haven't really changed.  The last good horror movie, to my knowledge, was "Rosemary's Baby."

BTW, I ended up liking the movie of "The Other" fairly well.  (It was interesting to see Uta Hagen, for one thing, since I was familiar with her acting theories from my long-ago life in the theatre ...)

And that scene with the baby in the wine cask was very tastefully done!

-Vlad

I've always liked Ray Milland, even though he appeared in a fair amount of wasted celluloid. Anybody see The Man with the X-Ray Eyes? Certainly more visceral than The Uninvited, but a pretty effective sense of dread going on in that one, despite cheesy effects.

Probably my favorite of his films, though, is Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder. He's one of those bad guys that on some level you just can't help hoping he succeeds in his plot. Such a charming gentleman.

I look back with fondness on Frogs, a real classic in the annals of awful movies. It grossed me out pretty good when I saw it in the theater in April of '72 -- gracious me, almost exactly 30 years ago. I saw it the same week as Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster, so I was one happy little budding horror writer at the time.

--Mark

Eerie, Mark, eerie.  I saw both movies at the same time, as well.  "Frogs", especially, is a real treat.  an example of how to make a bad movie good.  When I saw it, it played as a double-feature with a rendition of "Murders of the Rue Morgue".  As for Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster, I remember a scene where the jolly green dragon curled up his tail and  - using his radioactive breath as a jet propellent - took off in the air to chase the Smog Monster.  At that point, my friend stood up, pointed at the screen, and started to shout:  "That's impossible!  Godzilla can't fly!"

Gerard

Eerie, Mark, eerie.  I saw both movies at the same time, as well.  "Frogs", especially, is a real treat.  an example of how to make a bad movie good.  When I saw it, it played as a double-feature with a rendition of "Murders of the Rue Morgue".  As for Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster, I remember a scene where the jolly green dragon curled up his tail and  - using his radioactive breath as a jet propellent - took off in the air to chase the Smog Monster.  At that point, my friend stood up, pointed at the screen, and started to shout:  "That's impossible!  Godzilla can't fly!"

Gerard

I love all those movies - especially Godzilla versus the Smog Monster. I guess my next favorite would be the classic Retilicus.

I loved "The Uninvited" too.  The other really creepy, well done ghost movie was The Haunting with Julie Harris.

Nancy

As for Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster, I remember a scene where the jolly green dragon curled up his tail and  - using his radioactive breath as a jet propellent - took off in the air to chase the Smog Monster.  At that point, my friend stood up, pointed at the screen, and started to shout:  "That's impossible!  Godzilla can't fly!"

Silly gaijin. Godzilla is actually charcoal gray, not green. The labeling of Godzilla as green has always been a gross misnomer.

However, for the first time in his history, he is a dark shade of green in his next-to-latest movie, Godzilla vs. Megaguiras (2001).

But yer reaction to Godzilla flying was the same as mine. Big lizards should not fly. Monsters like Rodan fly.

Ya know, speaking of Ray Milland, I always thought that when Luke Skywalker removed Darth Vader's helmet, the guy inside looked an awful lot like Ray Milland (the actor's name is Sebastian Shaw, of all things).

--Mark

Vlad wrote:
I think Ray Milland was in one I distantly remember that I would love to see again -- a TV "movie of the week" during the '70s, "Death Takes a Holiday."  It also starred Yvette Mimieux.  I searched for info on the movie once, but it isn't mentioned in Maltin or any video or movie guides I've seen.  I know I thought it was very, very good when I was 10 or 11 or whatever.



Actually, Melvyn Douglas was in that version, not Ray Milland.  To see Ray Milland at his best: _It Happens Every Spring_, _Kitty_, _Arise, My Love_, _The Major and the Minor_ (just because it's fun), and , of course, The Lost Weekend.  Oh, and don't miss _Reap the Wild Wind_ .  Dig the squid!  And I must also mention _So Evil My Love_ .  This is a gem that isn't mentioned very much, but deserves to be.

Midnite's explanation seems to be the correct one.  I checked the Schedulebot and TV Guide.  It's on the April 4 schedule, but after all of the day's programs, past midnight, and at 3:00 a.m., which would be the morning of the 5th.  At 3:00 a.m. to 6.00 a.m. today (4th) it shows Paid Programming.  But at 3:00 a.m. of the 5th, it has the movie listed, as does my TV Guide.

Hopefully this will be the same for everyone else!!

  Having read all your recommendations to watch "The Uninvited," I have programmed my TIVO to record it.  It will be airing at 3AM Eastern Time on Fri, April 5th on the Sci-Fi Channel.  The movie has a rating of 3 and a half stars!!  I can hardly wait to see it.  Thanks for the heads-up on this movie.  
  When I was growing-up, I couldn't get enough of spooky movies.  I lived in South Texas and we had a show called "Dr. Zekow."  He hosted a different scary movie every Saturday night at 10:30pm..  I still remember pleading with my mom to let me stay up and watch.  I had to earn the right to stay up by doing extra chores - but it was always worth it.  The funny thing is that my folks were friends with the man that played Dr. Zekow and would howl with laughter when they saw him as Dr. Zekow.  I would plead with them to leave the room as it took away the suspense and horror of the show.  He'd rise up from a coffin wearing a cape just like Barnabus - and this was way before DS ever became a series.  Dr. Zekow also wore eyes that had been made from a ping-pong ball that had been halved and were colored with red streaks...kinda gave him the bug-eyed Igor (Marty Feldman) look in "Young Frankenstein."  The painted pupils in the balls masked the small holes that allowed Dr. Zekow to see.   It was really spooky until the moment when one or the other "eyes" fell out.  It was live TV back then, and I have to admit that there were some pretty hysterically funny moments.  I still remember the first horror movie that I watched - "The Crawling Eye."  Every Halloween, I pull that movie out and watch it along with "The House on Haunted Hill" with Vincent Price.  Gotta love it!

Shadows1....I had no idea this was a Universal experience.  Up here in the NY Metro area we had John Zacherly in the late 50's and early 60's who did the same thing...hosted  late night horror movies.  He had a studio full of props and a "cast" of characters like his wife in the coffin (Isabella, I think) and his assistant ....damn, can't remember his name...and all sorts of other crazy things.  No wonder we were all SO READY for DS!!

Raineypark

Soooooo, what did you all think of it?

Curious,
Luciaphil

I haven't had a chance to watch it yet!  I did see the first few minutes showing the house atop a cliff with the sea crashing below.  However, it seemed that the movie began rather humorously rather than spookily, which surprised me.

Actually, I was reading your question, Luciaphil, the other night while watching it!!  Then I forgot to come back and comment!

Very good - a lot of mysteries and suspense and a very clever explanation once we learned it.

But, I mostly noticed all of the similarities to DS!!  Of course, having a seance and one person becoming possessed by the spirit is probably common to any story of this type.  But, then there was the cliff with the ocean below it and a well-know story of someone who died there and then others who almost do, and the particular perfume scent that's a giveaway when a certain ghost is around, and I'm sure there was more - all quite interesting!

BTW, Luciaphil, I forgot to mention ... I noticed in the opening credits that "The Uninvited" was co-written by Dodie Smith.  (In other words, either Leonard Maltin or I got it wrong -- as you said in another thread, Dodie Smith did not co-write "The Head That Wouldn't Die" or whatever it is!)

Someone may have been nipping the sherry ...

OK, finally saw "The Uninvited."

Here are some of the similarities to DS I noted:  the name "Windward" for the house, which sounds similar to "Windcliffe" Sanitarium, not to mention "Little Windward Island" on DS; a "malignant" (or was that "malevolent") house, which is similar to how Daphne describes Collinwood in 1840 (and, also, incidentally, seems to echo Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The House of the Seven Gables"); the sound of a sobbing woman late at night; flowers that wither suddenly; a woman in the past who falls to her death from a cliff near the house, and who now seems to haunt the mansion; the portrait of said woman; a floral scent accompanying a ghost's presence (cf. Josette's Jasmine, was it (one of my favorite teas, incidentally) and Daphne's lilacs) -- in this case, Mimosa (?), which I'd never heard of; an old book whose pages turn of themselves to reveal crucial information; and, last but not least, the perceived solution to a problem the family and friends are facing is to ... hold a seance!

I also noted that the male leading character's name was "Mr. Roderick," which seems to echo Edgar Allen Poe's Roderick Usher in "The Fall of the House of Usher."  "The Uninvited" also seems influenced by Poe's story in having a brother and sister as inhabitants of the spooky mansion.  Interesting how unlikely a scenario that would be today (a brother and sister living together).

Not all of these similarities with DS would necessarily jump out at you, and some of them are probably stock events in haunted house stories.  Still, I'd agree with Luciaphil that the DS writers were inspired by "The Uninvited."

I enjoyed the movie, although not as much as I did "The Pit and The Pendulum," which I had watched the night before.

The ending of the movie seemed extremely rushed, and a significant element blatantly ripped off "Rebecca" (I'm hazarding a guess, anyway, that Daphne du Maurier's novel came out before the novel "The Uninvited" came out; at least the movie "Rebecca" preceeds the movie "The Uninvited" by about five years.)

And if I were to compare the movies "Rebecca" and "The Uninvited," I'd say I found "Rebecca" vastly superior.  I've seen that movie three times, and my appreciation for it grows each time.  Perhaps I'll need to do the same with "The Uninvited."

"The Uninvited" had quite a bit of unexpected humor, as well as actually dealing with the supernatural, and so the two movies are really doing two different things.  But the "Mrs. Danvers" character in "The Uninvited" was not nearly as effective, I thought.  The movie needed to explore this character more, and her relationship with her "best friend" who had foresworn ever having children (hints of a possible lesbian relationship lurk here, as in "Rebecca.")  And Hitchcock's direction of "Rebecca" is flawless.

The piece "Stella by Starlight" was lovely (if you have parents who were young in the 1940s, they're no doubt familiar with it).

It would be great to find a pianist who could play this at a gathering of DS friends ...