The Oval Portrait (1972)

I'm a fan of Edgar Allan Poe, so it was a pleasant surprise that one of the movies I watched during "Terrorpolooza 2012" was an adaptation of one of his stories...

Genevieve has come home to claim ownership of her deceased uncle's house. Soon, however, she discovers the tragic details behind her cousin's death- details that could cost her mind... and her soul...

"The Oval Portrait" isn't a perfect film, but I still found it enjoyable. The story is simple, but is strengthened by the backstory of the cousin's death. The pacing isn't too bad, though fans of horror movies that get right into the scares might be put off by the slower pacing and build up. The story itself isn't so much frightening as macabre and disturbing... which is to be expected of a Poe story, actually.

While Genevieve is a little flat, the characters of her cousin and the Confederate soldier she loved help to make up for that. The uncle was interesting as well, and I liked how the character of the housekeeper tied the past and the present together.

The acting reminded me of some of the lesser quality Hammer horror films with their somewhat exaggerated, theatrical tone. Although it would probably detract from most viewers' enjoyment these days, I enjoyed it

The look of "The Oval Portrait" is also very similar to some of the Hammer horror films too. There's nothing fancy in terms of camera work, but the subdued colours does give it a nice sense of morbid mood that I liked. Althought I wasn't impressed with the scene of the flying objects, I did find the final dance scene to be quite disturbing- a nice touch that made up for the silliness of the previous scene.

I would certainly recommend this for a viewing to others, and mostly sit down to watch it again myself. "The Oval Portrait" is going into The Good.

Comments

Grave Questions: Jessica Cameron

February is " Women in Horror Month "- a month in which to celebrate the impact that women have had on the genre and the industry- from writing, to acting, to directing and producing. Jessica Cameron has experienced the industry in all those capacity- making her a perfect choice for me to ask some " Grave Questions " of in order to raise awareness of the great women in Horror. Please not that this article SHOULD'VE been posted in February, but due to technical difficulties, we're putting it up now. Thank you. TCoT : Which female horror stars helped to inspire you to not only enjoy the genre- but to get involved in bringing scary movies to the world? Jessica : I literally said to my " Truth or Dare " producer, "If the Soska sisters can make " Dead Hooker in a Trunk " with nothing, then I can make " Truth or Dare ". So needless to say that those girls have been a huge inspiration in everything I do behind the

Meridian: Kiss of the Beast (1990)

Sometimes, a director/producer will surprise you- such was the case during " Terrorpolooza 2012 " when I watched Charles Band's " Meridian: Kiss of the Beast " Catherine Bomarzini has come home after her father's death. Needing company, she asks Gina to stay with her. Soon, the two meet a wondering troupe of performers that Catherine invites to dinner at her castle. Catherine find herself pulled into a love triangle and an ancient curse that only she can break. After watching movies like " Evil Bong ", and " Demonic Toys ", I really wasn't expecting too much from this Charles Band movie- but I was pleasantly surprised by it. The story is actually quite interesting with lots of potential for eerie scenes, and character development. It's a nice twist on the classic " Beauty and the Beast " story. It's a bit slower than most of Band's other works, but moves smoothly and draws you with it. I have to ad

The Phantom of the Opera

Not too long ago, I reviewed the silent horror classic, "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror", and wound up being in the mood to view a few other of the silent horror films in my collection. The next one I watched was "The Phantom of the Opera", starring Lon Chaney, Sr, and released in 1925. A mysterious stranger has been threatening the star singer of the Paris Opera House- someone who has signs his letters simply as, "The Phantom". This stranger wants to clear the way so his protege, Christine Daae can ascend to stardom herself. Soon, her love for the Comte de Chagny collides with The Phantom's desire for Christine forcing both to take drastic actions in order to be with the one they love. " The Phantom of the Opera " actually underwent three periods of re-shoots and editing, due to poor reception and test viewings. In 1930, a sound version was created- often assumed to be what is called "The Eastman House Print". It is

Search This Blog