While memory doesn't always serve up facts accurately, I seem to recall my first exposure to the work of Val Lewton on NY television in the late 1950s.
The films would have easily fit into the necessary time slots without massive deletions. I'm certain that someone will point out whether this is fact or odd recall from my then Universal monster-addled brain.
What I do know as a certainly was that among those who needed to view classic films in the home before the arrival of home video, that the works of Mr. Lewton were high in the pecking order of 16mm prints to be desired.
The were on a different level, both cost-wise and overall accessibility, from something like a dye transfer print of The Adventures of Robin Hood or North by Northwest, but something very special to the cognoscenti.
The other thing that I recall was that one film was almost never, if ever, seen, and that Ghost Ship.
Warner Home Video delivered their huge Lewton boxed set in October of 2005, just in time for Halloween.
Nine films from the master producer of RKO "horror."
The films, which were RKO's attempt to take a few box-office dollars away from Universal, were really less horror and more ambiance and hidden dread, and all with a delicacy never seen elsewhere.
The ill-titled The Curse of the Cat People, which is quintessential Lewton, is one of the most delicate films of it's kind ever fashioned.
These are magnificent little films, and a new documentary entitled Val Lewton: The Man in the Shadows, is about to be released by Warner that does an beautiful and elegant job of bringing Mr. Lewton and his work to life, almost as an 87 minute master's thesis from filmmaker Kent Jones and Professor Martin Scorsese, who also narrates.
Those familiar with Professor Scorsese's normally race-car paced speech patterns, which can easily give an hour's worth of information in two minutes flat, will be amazed, as he has slowed down to a crawl for this film, so that everyone will be able to keep up.
And this is a good thing, because the final product of all this work is, in the humble opinion of this writer, one of the finest documentaries ever created on the subject of a filmmaker.
Wonderfully, and obviously lovingly researched, this is not the typical documentary that one gets when someone does something for payment.
This is very special and important.
For those who have not yet discovered the wonders of Mr. Lewton's work, this is the perfect chance, as Man in the Shadows will now become a part of the boxed set at a street price of around $45, or separately for those who are already Lewton fans for about $14.
I make note of this, as the price of the boxed set has NOT been raised. This works out to around $5 per film before counting any of the extras.
Either way, this is a must own.
Man in the Shadows is a documentary for those who love film -- created by people who love film.
It is filled to the brim with well-researched information, served up with class and elegance by everyone's favorite virtual professor of the cinema.
Very Highly Recommended.
RAH
The films would have easily fit into the necessary time slots without massive deletions. I'm certain that someone will point out whether this is fact or odd recall from my then Universal monster-addled brain.
What I do know as a certainly was that among those who needed to view classic films in the home before the arrival of home video, that the works of Mr. Lewton were high in the pecking order of 16mm prints to be desired.
The were on a different level, both cost-wise and overall accessibility, from something like a dye transfer print of The Adventures of Robin Hood or North by Northwest, but something very special to the cognoscenti.
The other thing that I recall was that one film was almost never, if ever, seen, and that Ghost Ship.
Warner Home Video delivered their huge Lewton boxed set in October of 2005, just in time for Halloween.
Nine films from the master producer of RKO "horror."
The films, which were RKO's attempt to take a few box-office dollars away from Universal, were really less horror and more ambiance and hidden dread, and all with a delicacy never seen elsewhere.
The ill-titled The Curse of the Cat People, which is quintessential Lewton, is one of the most delicate films of it's kind ever fashioned.
These are magnificent little films, and a new documentary entitled Val Lewton: The Man in the Shadows, is about to be released by Warner that does an beautiful and elegant job of bringing Mr. Lewton and his work to life, almost as an 87 minute master's thesis from filmmaker Kent Jones and Professor Martin Scorsese, who also narrates.
Those familiar with Professor Scorsese's normally race-car paced speech patterns, which can easily give an hour's worth of information in two minutes flat, will be amazed, as he has slowed down to a crawl for this film, so that everyone will be able to keep up.
And this is a good thing, because the final product of all this work is, in the humble opinion of this writer, one of the finest documentaries ever created on the subject of a filmmaker.
Wonderfully, and obviously lovingly researched, this is not the typical documentary that one gets when someone does something for payment.
This is very special and important.
For those who have not yet discovered the wonders of Mr. Lewton's work, this is the perfect chance, as Man in the Shadows will now become a part of the boxed set at a street price of around $45, or separately for those who are already Lewton fans for about $14.
I make note of this, as the price of the boxed set has NOT been raised. This works out to around $5 per film before counting any of the extras.
Either way, this is a must own.
Man in the Shadows is a documentary for those who love film -- created by people who love film.
It is filled to the brim with well-researched information, served up with class and elegance by everyone's favorite virtual professor of the cinema.
Very Highly Recommended.
RAH
