Any views at all on his films with Tourneur? I'm about to finally get round to watching "Cat People", "I Walked With A Zombie", "The Leopard Man", "Curse of the Cat People", "Isle of the Dead" and "Bedlam"... interesting too that Tourneur made a supposed classic of British horror, "Curse of the Demon", in 1957.
The only bit I've seen so far was a clip from "Cat People" in one of my MA seminars on the horror film recently; the bit where the lead actress is in the swimming pool and you hear (but crucially don't see) what appears to be some sort of big-cat monster. It was beautifully eerie stuff, the whole pacing and especially the sound creating quite an effect.
― Tom May (Tom May), Friday, 19 November 2004 01:30 (twenty-one years ago)
― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 19 November 2004 02:09 (twenty-one years ago)
― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 19 November 2004 02:16 (twenty-one years ago)
they should all be out on dvd in 2005 or early 2006
― amateur!!st, Friday, 19 November 2004 03:01 (twenty-one years ago)
― L'Histoire d'Eric H. (Eric H.), Thursday, 16 June 2005 04:32 (twenty years ago)
*drool*
I am capitalism's bitch.
― L'Histoire d'Eric H. (Eric H.), Thursday, 16 June 2005 04:45 (twenty years ago)
― L'Histoire d'Eric H. (Eric H.), Thursday, 16 June 2005 04:46 (twenty years ago)
― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Thursday, 16 June 2005 19:06 (twenty years ago)
― Gear! (can Jung shill it, Mu?) (Gear!), Tuesday, 21 June 2005 23:54 (twenty years ago)
― Eric H: not a troll, with one exception (Eric H.), Wednesday, 22 June 2005 02:36 (twenty years ago)
― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Wednesday, 22 June 2005 02:59 (twenty years ago)
― Eric H: not a troll, with one exception (Eric H.), Wednesday, 22 June 2005 03:35 (twenty years ago)
http://theeveningclass.blogspot.com/2008/01/val-lewton-blogathon.html
― Dr Morbius, Tuesday, 15 January 2008 16:55 (eighteen years ago)
i saw the unfortunately titled "curse of the cat people" (originally "amy and her friend," which would have been one of the best classic hollywood movie titles ever) tonight. what a beautiful, beautiful film.
― J.D., Friday, 18 January 2008 07:23 (eighteen years ago)
did any other film of its era deal with a child's POV so effectively?
has anyone seen "the ghost ship"? i was intrigued by the clips in the TCM lewton documentary. his later films look depressingly camp.
― J.D., Friday, 18 January 2008 07:26 (eighteen years ago)
I haven't seen The Ghost Ship, or Bedlam, or a few others.
― Dr Morbius, Friday, 18 January 2008 14:14 (eighteen years ago)
curse of the cp >> cp, no?
― James Redd and the Blecchs, Friday, 18 January 2008 14:17 (eighteen years ago)
Both great but there's nothing as cinematically good as the pool scene in The Curse. Then again, I think 7th Victim might be the best Lewton I've seen.
I too am interested in the later Lewton ones, which I haven't seen.
― Zelda Zonk, Friday, 18 January 2008 14:20 (eighteen years ago)
The staircase at Simone Simon's place in Cat People was left over from The Magnificent Ambersons.
― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Monday, 28 January 2019 12:07 (seven years ago)
https://www.gawker.com/culture/the-seventh-victim-gets-the-horror-of-living
― JoeStork, Monday, 1 November 2021 19:15 (four years ago)
Trying to watch the Martin Scorsese/Kent Jones Val Lewton doc on TCM before it goes away in a few days.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 23 October 2025 20:45 (three months ago)
Pretty good so far. Some good biographical background I didn't know about, along with insightful commentary from the likes of Geoffrey O'Brien and Kiyoshi Kurosawa.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 23 October 2025 22:47 (three months ago)
Heh, just got to a point where the closed captions mix up who is speaking.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 23 October 2025 23:08 (three months ago)
Kiyoshi Kurosawa was an excellent choice (which is no surprise coming from Kent Jones). When he finally made his mark as an auteur, it was clear this guy was virtually a spiritual heir to Val Lewton.
― birdistheword, Thursday, 23 October 2025 23:37 (three months ago)
FInally watched The Seventh Victim, which is on Watch TCM for a few more days.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 4 November 2025 21:25 (two months ago)
Do people rate Bedlam, I wonder.,
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 4 November 2025 22:28 (two months ago)
Boris Karloff is in it and Alexander Nemerov devoted a chapter to it in his Lewton book so probably worth a look.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 4 November 2025 22:32 (two months ago)
Replacing broken link from right before recent revive:https://www.gawkerarchives.com/culture/the-seventh-victim-gets-the-horror-of-living
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 4 November 2025 22:34 (two months ago)
Tom Conway's character is the same, as in having the same profession and same name, in both Cat People and The Seventh Victim.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 4 November 2025 23:00 (two months ago)
One post is for Cat People, the other The Seventh Victim.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 4 November 2025 23:01 (two months ago)
Third post is for Elizabeth Russell, who is also in both films, although in different roles, originally uncredited.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 4 November 2025 23:04 (two months ago)
Many of these films also feature Nicholas Musuraca as cinematographer.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 4 November 2025 23:07 (two months ago)
Roy Webb as composer.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 4 November 2025 23:08 (two months ago)
Albert S. D'Agostino and Walter Keller as art directors.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 4 November 2025 23:10 (two months ago)
It was also interesting to recognize Jane Randolph from Cat People and its sequel showing up in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 4 November 2025 23:52 (two months ago)
Which was apparently her last credit.
She got divorced from her first husband, her agent, married a wealthy Latino, then went with him to Spain to become a socialite.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 4 November 2025 23:55 (two months ago)
Alexander Nemerov book looks really good.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 5 November 2025 00:30 (two months ago)
Bedlam got zero votes in this poll A chilling VAL LEWTON (at RKO) POLL but looks good from what I've watched so far. Guess it was Lewton's last for RKO.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 5 November 2025 01:45 (two months ago)
Must rewatch The Seventh Victim, I don't remember much about it. I just remember the shower scene that was apparently an influence on Hitchcock. Haven't seen Bedlam.
― Zelda Zonk, Wednesday, 5 November 2025 02:38 (two months ago)
Mr. Atoz finally showed up.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 5 November 2025 03:40 (two months ago)
And Grandma Walton.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 5 November 2025 05:45 (two months ago)
Bedlam is good! But I can't imagine anyone viewing it as their favourite Lewton, no.
― a ZX spectrum is haunting Europe (Daniel_Rf), Wednesday, 5 November 2025 08:06 (two months ago)
Fair enough.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 5 November 2025 14:25 (two months ago)
Was kind of joking about the zero votes, or really repeating a tired meme related to polls with low turnout.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 5 November 2025 14:28 (two months ago)
Anyway of course Bedlam has to get in line behind some of the obvious favorites but it is still of a similar quality to the rest and has its own fascinations.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 5 November 2025 14:30 (two months ago)
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 6 November 2025 15:12 (two months ago)
Anyway, on to The Ghost Ship.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 6 November 2025 16:53 (two months ago)
Or even: you know there are captains who might hold this against you.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 7 November 2025 13:23 (two months ago)
Who does not heed the rudderShall meet the rock
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 7 November 2025 13:39 (two months ago)
On to The Leopard Man
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 8 November 2025 01:03 (two months ago)
The Leopard Man is good but one of the weaker ones, as I remember, but I saw it a long time ago
― Zelda Zonk, Saturday, 8 November 2025 01:04 (two months ago)
Chris Fujiwara addresses this in his book, saying that on the one hand it is a failure, but on the other it is ahead of its time.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 8 November 2025 13:18 (two months ago)
Now either Isle of the Dead or The Body Snatcher.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 8 November 2025 16:14 (two months ago)
Or maybe rewatch The Curse of the Cat People first.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 8 November 2025 19:41 (two months ago)
I watched The Body Snatcher and The Ghost Ship this year. I really like Richard Dix's portrayal of the evil captain in the latter. He's losing his grip but he can still confide his feelings to his girlfriend and the main character, who he treats like a son. It's a balancing act that Dix pulls off well.
― adam t (dat), Sunday, 9 November 2025 01:02 (two months ago)
Apparently The Ghost Ship was a huge favorite when it reappeared at a Lewton festival in 1993 at the Film Forum, screening 42 times.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 9 November 2025 02:32 (two months ago)
https://www.nytimes.com/1993/07/02/movies/review-film-old-hollywood-horror-but-with-depth-and-flair.html
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 9 November 2025 02:35 (two months ago)
Rewatch of The Curse of the Cat People hit the spot!
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 9 November 2025 03:09 (two months ago)
Now onto Doom of the Cat Men ;)
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 9 November 2025 03:10 (two months ago)
I did just google Doom of the Catmen in the hope there was some Lewton movie I'd never heard of...
― Zelda Zonk, Sunday, 9 November 2025 03:23 (two months ago)
Heh, sorry.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 9 November 2025 03:24 (two months ago)
I well understand the desire for some undiscovered film of his to surface.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 9 November 2025 06:33 (two months ago)
Might finally get around to watching The Mad Miss Manton, which was also RKO, just to get my Nick Musuraca and Roy Webb fix.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 9 November 2025 06:43 (two months ago)
In fact I just rewatched another movie partly because it had two cast members from Bedlam.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 9 November 2025 08:13 (two months ago)
I've been enjoying Richard Dix in those Whistler films. Radio anthology show adaptations. Val Lewton it ain't (though the Whistler himself is a bit spooky), but they're solid hourlong entertainments.
― a ZX spectrum is haunting Europe (Daniel_Rf), Sunday, 9 November 2025 09:12 (two months ago)
Watching a Universal horror classic after binging on these and the frame seems filled up with wasted space.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 9 November 2025 16:56 (two months ago)
Starting to recognize his Carlos Keith nom de plume.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 10 November 2025 15:06 (two months ago)
Took a step back but still intend to watch the two with Boris Karloff I have yet to see, Isle of the Dead and The Body Snatcher.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 11 November 2025 21:12 (two months ago)
Haven't seen either of them for years but I recall Karloff being spooky as fuck in Isle of the Dead
― sanjuro bloodspray (a tribute) (Matt #2), Tuesday, 11 November 2025 21:36 (two months ago)
I like Karloff in The Body Snatcher. Contemptuously obsequious and at the same time sort of self-hating.
― servoret, Wednesday, 12 November 2025 10:42 (two months ago)
in Robert Louis Stevenson's The Body Snatcher.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 12 November 2025 12:53 (two months ago)
The Locket is now streaming on TCM. It involves none of the titular subjects but was an RKO film from that era, thereby featuring the talents of Nick Musuraca, Roy Webb and Alfred D'Agostino and was produced by Burt Granet, who later went on to produce Tourneur's Berlin Express, so I am curious to see. Oh yeah, Robert Mitchum is in it too.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 16 November 2025 05:17 (two months ago)
Sorry, Albert D'Agostino, or Albert S. D'Agostino
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 16 November 2025 05:21 (two months ago)
Kind of weird that it doesn’t have the Eddie Muller Noir Alley into
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 16 November 2025 05:26 (two months ago)
Intro
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 16 November 2025 05:27 (two months ago)
Wonder if Morbius ever made it over to BAM to see it
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 16 November 2025 05:54 (two months ago)
Directed by John Brahm, the same guy who did Hangover Square.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 16 November 2025 05:57 (two months ago)
Some nice surprises among the uncredited in Isle of the Dead.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 17 November 2025 17:41 (two months ago)
Well, one is atually credited, but I hadn't recognized the name of the actor.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 17 November 2025 18:14 (two months ago)
Haven't watched this yet, but placing here for future reference:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Eo-Czk9OZ0
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 17 November 2025 18:53 (two months ago)
"No one is to leave the island."
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 17 November 2025 19:11 (two months ago)
Don't think I would be the first to observe the resemblance between Boris Karloff and Lou Reed.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 17 November 2025 20:17 (two months ago)
Had a "D'oh!" moment when a shot from the Kent Jones doc that's been puzzling me/driving me a bit crazy finally showed up in this particular movie.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 17 November 2025 20:40 (two months ago)
Isle of the Dead another keeper!
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 18 November 2025 01:41 (two months ago)
This is interesting: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isle_of_the_Dead_(painting)
Feel like maybe Boris Karloff should have his own thread.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 18 November 2025 02:09 (two months ago)
Finally watched The Body Snatcher, so have now seen all the horror-tinged Lewton movies, meaning everything but Mademoiselle Fifi and Youth Runs Wild, so now feeling the typical triste which often follows such an ending.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 21 November 2025 15:53 (two months ago)
I still have some more Jacques Tourneur to watch though. Apparently everything before the AIP pair has at least something going on that makes it worth watching.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 21 November 2025 15:54 (two months ago)
Don’t think this was posted yet:https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/8623-the-seventh-victim-the-inner-darkness
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 24 November 2025 00:25 (two months ago)
Also wanted to say that I just watched Boris Karloff in The Mummy. Which is justifiably a canonical performance of his, but also gave me some confirmation of why he seemed to feel really at home when he started working with Lewton & Co.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 24 November 2025 00:27 (two months ago)
Trying to watch Nicholas Ray's Born to Be Bad before it leaves TCM. Just saw that it's from RKO and has some of the usual suspects involved including that other Nick, Nick Musuraca, so I am excited.
― Nicholas Raybeat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 5 December 2025 14:17 (one month ago)
Forgot I mentioned that. It was pretty good. Joan Leslie made it work for me by not being too much of a goody-two-shoes. The Carol Burnett parody "Raised to Be Rotten" was really fun. Maybe I already mentioned this on another, more appropriate thread.
― Eric Blore Is President (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 27 December 2025 23:15 (one month ago)
But came to see that I might take a victory lap and rewatch Curse of the Cat People before it goes away from easy streaming access and then possibly Isle of the Dead for the same reason.
― Eric Blore Is President (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 27 December 2025 23:16 (one month ago)
Yes, I mentioned the other film here, responding to Morbius: filmmaker NICHOLAS RAY, born August 7, 1911
― Eric Blore Is President (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 27 December 2025 23:21 (one month ago)
You live right here in Tarrytown, and you don't know the legend of Sleepy Hollow?
― Eric Blore Is President (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 28 December 2025 03:41 (one month ago)
Watching one of Merle Oberon's RKO pictures, one that has a terrible reputation, and it's turning out better than expected. Noticed Cat People screenwriter DeWitt Bodeen in the credits and tempted to think that it's him working his magic.#onethread
― Eric Blore Is President (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 8 January 2026 03:33 (three weeks ago)
That film being Night Song, with Dana Andrews as a blind pianist.
― Eric Blore Is President (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 18 January 2026 15:06 (one week ago)