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MGM's MIDNITE MOVIES (A Comprehensive List Of All Movies Midnite) (1 Viewer)

Richard--W

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Originally Posted by SWFF /img/forum/go_quote.gif



Quote:


Originally Posted by Richard--W /img/forum/go_quote.gif



I gather the Lovecraft adaptations were Daniel Haller's idea. Both very seductive-looking films with their emphasis on antique houses and furnishings hosting some kind of ancient and thinly veiled evil that's also natural and organic. I suspect Haller had a hand in designing the films as well as directing them. He captures Lovecraft's aesthetic very well, don't you think. Haller didn't direct many films. He was Roger Corman's production designer and he designed the early Poe films for Corman and AIP.



My only complaint about The Dunwich Horror is the "beings' from the other side look like a bunch of stoned hippies cavorting on Zuma Beach. I wish Haller & company had given more thought to how to depict the abnormal beings from the other side, or show less of them.



DIE, MONSTER, DIE, is Lovecraft by way of Poe. If you didn't know anything about Lovecraft, you'd swear you were watching another Poe adaptation. I just ordered THE CURSE/CURSE 2: THE BITE (Double Feature), mostly for THE BITE, but I'm gonna reevaluate THE CURSE, the second adaptation of Lovecraft's THE COLOUR OUT OF SPACE. Until then, DIE, MONSTER, DIE is my favorite cinematic version of that tale. I remember not liking THE CURSE when I saw it back in the day, maybe that's changed. I'll let you know.



As for THE DUNWICH HORROR, so far no movie has ever done Wilbur Whateley justice. He's a horribly deformed monster of a person in the tale, who's part human and part Elder thing, or, Outer Ones, or, I forget, I haven't read the tale in a while, exactly which of Lovecraft's Gods he's part of, but his other half is all tentacles and unnamable parts. I'm still waiting for someone, perhaps, Stuart Gordon, to do that character justice.



[COLOR= rgb(178, 34, 34)][SIZE= 9px]UPDATE: Just looked it up, Wilbur's "father" is supposed to be Yog-Sothoth, one of the Old Ones. [/COLOR][/SIZE]





You know about the Lovecraft forum, don't you?


I will PM you the link if you want it.
 

Richard--W

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No, it's not an HTF forum, but it is a forum, leaning toward the educated and academic, with professional writers and editors actively participating..
Check your Private Messages folder.
 

DeWilson

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Originally Posted by Corey3rd
It's only a shame that Lionsgate gave up so fast on the Sam Arkoff AIP titles and Susan Hart still hasn't let her AIP titles get released on DVD. The full legacy of AIP should be on discs.

What is the deal with those early titles not owned by MGM? Who owns what - Doesn't Sam's estate and Hart co-own right to a handful of the films?

I always found it interesting that they held on to many of the early titles when AIP was sold to Filmways.
 

J-Quest

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I would also include "Frogs" and "Pajama Party" as they were out on the same MGM banner right before they were called Midnite Movies, though not re-released under the "Midnite Movies" line. "Empire of the Ants," "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini" and some others were once they were paired up with other titles.
 

R-T-C Tim

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Well compiled list. I really loved this series and it is a real pity that the people in charge when Sony took over simply didn't realise what they were working with, hence the bizarre change of logo and the releasing of completely unrelated films.

The film that really should have been on the MM label was Master of the World (1961) - it was released on VHS under this banner I believe, but mysteriously never came to DVD.
 

SWFF

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I heard, rumors, mind you, that they were working on MASTER OF THE WORLD when the line got shut down.
 

DeWilson

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Originally Posted by R-T-C Tim
Well compiled list. I really loved this series and it is a real pity that the people in charge when Sony took over simply didn't realise what they were working with, hence the bizarre change of logo and the releasing of completely unrelated films.

The film that really should have been on the MM label was Master of the World (1961) - it was released on VHS under this banner I believe, but mysteriously never came to DVD.
There was also a laserdisc release on MASTER OF THE WORLD as well.
 

SWFF

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Quote:

Originally Posted by J-Quest
I would also include "Frogs" and "Pajama Party" as they were out on the same MGM banner right before they were called Midnite Movies, though not re-released under the "Midnite Movies" line. "Empire of the Ants," "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini" and some others were once they were paired up with other titles.
FROGS was always a tricky one, because even though I have heard it was released as a MIDNITE MOVIES, I can find no evidence of it on the web. THE FROGS DVD, the current one, does not sport any kind of MIDNITE MOVIES banner. But I'll add those two to the list, just to be on the safe side.
 

Charles Smith

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If I'm remembering right (and if I weren't so lazy I'd go downstairs to check), I noticed recently that the back of Frogs is in the Midnite Movies design.
 

SWFF

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Oh, that's interesting! I don't own it, but, yeah, check the back if you could. That'll be proof enough and then I'll amend that heading I put both those movies under. Anyone got PAJAMA PARTY? Love to know what the back is like on that one, too. Need this list to be as thorough as possible.
 

ahollis

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Originally Posted by Chas in CT
If I'm remembering right (and if I weren't so lazy I'd go downstairs to check), I noticed recently that the back of Frogs is in the Midnite Movies design.
It is. It has the Fun Facts on the back.
 

SWFF

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Should of thought of this earlier. DVD Empire displays back covers. Now, how odd is that? Why would MGM release these two without the MIDNITE MOVIES banner adorning the front cover? You'd never know they were part of the line unless you checked out the back.



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SWFF

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I just saw that tagline on FROGS. Best one ever . . . Today The Pond . . . Tomorrow The World!

Ha!
 

Scorpio

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Even though it was under the Soul Cinema moniker, Blacula and Scream, Blacula, Scream deserves a mention along with these. I see that they actually have a newer combo pack of both films out on Amazon.
 

Bob Cashill

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All reissues I reckon, but a good way to catch up if you don't have them.
 

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