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Category Archives: Gothic
THE BURNING COURT (1937) by John Dickson Carr
There are oddly obscure mysteries from the Golden Age that are in fact still entertaining and clever and deserve to be rediscovered. Then there are novels that once were considered classics but now seem very tame indeed. And then there … Continue reading
FROZEN CHARLOTTE by Alex Bell
This is one of a series of books published under the ‘Red Eye’ banner from Little Tiger/Stripes Publishing and aimed at young adults. I picked this one up for my amazing niece (youngest of the two by 12 minutes) while … Continue reading
THE DEADLY CLIMATE (1954) by Ursula Curtiss
For years I’ve been meaning to sample the neo-Gothic romantic suspense of Ursula Curtiss (1923-1984) – and after reading a particularly glowing review of this book by that pretty sinister rascal John F Norris, I knew the time had arrived! After … Continue reading
SOME MUST WATCH (1933) by Ethel Lina White
It’s Halloween, so time for things to get a little shuddery here at Fedora! Ethel Lina White, a big name in the 1930s, is best known today for The Wheel Spins, later filmed by Hitchcock as The Lady Vanishes. Some … Continue reading
Douglas Slocombe – 100 years old today
OK movie buffs, here’s a fun pop quiz for you: what do Raiders of the Lost Ark, Sean Connery’s last Bond movie, Michael Caine in The Italian Job, Montgomery Clift’s turn as Sigmund Freud and several classic Ealing comedies such … Continue reading
The Spiritualist (1948) – Tuesday’s Overlooked Film
Also known as The Amazing Mr X, this beautifully shot and gently mocking ‘Gaslight-meets-Rebecca‘ mystery melodrama also has a Noir style all its own. It also sports a charming performance from the late Turhan Bey who, in what appears to … Continue reading
THE HOUSE (1947) by Hilda Lawrence
John Norris has featured several postwar Gothic mysteries of late over at his fantabulous Pretty Sinister Books, whetting my appetite for something similar. So I finally decided to dust off this mystery by Hilda Lawrence (1906-76) and give it a … Continue reading
THE ETERNAL ACTRESS by Nev Fountain
This new entry in the Dark Shadows series is produced for audio by Big Finish, makers of such fine products as the truly wondrous Jago and Litefoot thrillers (for my reviews of these, click here). I have to admit to … Continue reading
Posted in Audio Review, Big Finish, Billy Wilder, Dark Shadows, Doctor Who, Film Noir, Gothic, Hollywood, Nev Fountain, Scene of the crime
Tagged hollywood, oscars
7 Comments
THE TERROR (1930) by Edgar Wallace
Edgar Wallace was still a big name when I was growing up in Italy in the 1970s, his iconic signature and profile emblazoned on dozens of yellow paperbacks and linked to a long list of rather lurid movies usually set … Continue reading
Posted in Edgar Wallace, Gothic, Hammer Studios
22 Comments
Paranoiac (1963) – Tuesday’s Forgotten Film
The young Oliver Reed was under contract at Hammer Studios just before becoming a major star and Paranoiac is among his best films of the period, providing the actor with one of his earliest chances to play the kind of … Continue reading
Nightmare (1964) – Tuesday’s Forgotten Film
A teenage girl in her nightie walks down an eerie and dark corridor, apparently lost. Becoming increasingly uneasy and hearing voices, she fearfully open a door and finds her mother, grinning, apparently waiting for her. It’s the inside of a … Continue reading
THE MAHOGANY MURDERERS by Andy Lane
A few years ago I started commuting – but British trains being what they frequently are (late, over-crowded, expensive …) I found that trying to read a book was not easy, what with all the jostling amongst passengers and the … Continue reading