Harrison's Reports (1958)

74 HARRISON'S REPORTS May 10, 1958 "Horror of Dracula" with Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Melissa Stribling (UnivAnt'l, June; time, 82 min.) Of all the "Dracula" horror pictures thus far produced, this one, made in Britain and photographed in Technicolor, tops them all. Its shock impact is, in fact, so great that it may well be considered as one of the best horror films ever made. The story follows a familiar pattern in that it centers around the machinations of Count Dracula, the "undead" fiend, who lives by night on the blood of human beings and turns his victims into blood-sucking vampires like himself. But what makes this picture superior is the expert treat' ment that takes full advantage of the story's shock values. The lavish but spooky settings, the eerie atmosphere, the gory sight of blood dripping from the mouths of the vampire characters — all this and more makes for situations that will send cold chills up and down the spines of even the most hardened horror-picture fans. The film, of course, is not for the squeamish, but those who can take this type of entertainment should have themselves a terrifying good time: — In a scheme to put an end to the death-dealing activities of Count Dracula (Christopher Lee), John Van Eyssen obtains employment as a librarian in his castle. Before he can carry out his plans, however, Van Eyssen is attacked by the Count and he becomes one of his "undead" victims. Peter Cushing, a prominent doctor and Van Eyssen's coworker in the effort to stamp out vampirism, visits the castle and discovers the death of his friend. He frees him from Dracula's evil spell by driving a wooden stake through his heart. In the events that follow, Dracula attacks Carol Marsh, Van Eyssen's fiancee. Cushing discovers this and after much difficulty, persuades Michael Gough, Carol's brother, and Melissa Stribling, his attractive wife, to help him track down the human monster. Carol dies and she, too, is freed by Cushing from Dracula's spell. Despite precautions taken by Cushing and Gough, Dracula succeeds in attacking Melissa and carrying her off to his castle. Cushing and Gough pursue him and arrive at the castle in time to stop him from burying Melissa. Dracula seeks safety in the catacombs of the castle, but Cushing corners him and keeps him at bay with a hand-made crucifix until dawn, at which time he forces him into a shaft of sunlight. Unable to exist in the beam of light, Dracula collapses and disintegrates into dust. With his passing, Melissa becomes her normal self. It was produced by Anthony Hinds and directed by Terence Fisher from a screenplay by Jimmy Sangster, based on the novel by Bram Stoker. Too frightening for children. "No Time for Sergeants" with Andy Griffith, Myron McCormick and Nick Adams (Warner Bros., June; time, 111 min.) Based on the successful Broadway stage play of the same title, "No Time for Sergeants" is a highly amusing service comedy that should go over very well with the general run of audiences. Andy Griffith, who repeats the role he played in the stage version, is extremely funny as the blissfully naive Georgia backwoods youth who is drafted into the Air Force and whose well-intentioned blunders create no end of consternation for his top sergeant and other superior officers. It is an outright farce that hits a high note of hilarity throughout and that is packed with situations that provoke uproarious laughter. Worthy of special mention is the rib-tickling performance of Myron McCormick, who, too, repeats his stage role as the top sergeant, a career man whose desire for a quiet and peaceful existence is upset by the irrepressibly well-meaning Griffith. The plot complications are exaggerated and much that happens is too broad to be believable, but it is all presented in so comical a fashion that one cannot restrain his laughter. The direction is first-rate, and so is the photography. Briefly, the story opens with Griffith being drafted into the peace-time Air Force from his backwoods Georgia farm. His naivette and his persistence in treating officers and sergeants as friends make him a headache to McCormick, the top sergeant in charge of his barracks. When Griffith knocks out five bullies who had been hazing him and Nick Adams, a fellow inductee who preferred the infantry, McCormick makes him the permanent latrine orderly. Griffith takes pride in the appointment and does such a fine job that it puts McCormick in trouble with his superior officers. To rid himself of Griffith, McCormick pulls strings to get him and Adams transferred to the infantry, but this leads to numerous other complications that make life even more miserable for McCormick. He finally manages to get them transferred to another Air Force unit and puts them aboard a bomber that had a notoriously inept crew, which flies the plane over Yucca Flats during atomic bomb tests. The plane is destroyed, but Griffith and Adams manage to parachute to safety. They make their way back to their base and arrive during an elaborate military ceremony just as posthumous awards are being made to them as heroes. Their sudden appearance causes no end of embarrassment to the officers and, to save face, they make a deal with the boys to transfer them to the infantry and to take the long-suffering McCormick along with them. It was produced and directed by Mervyn LeRoy from a screenplay by John Lee Mahin, based on the play by Ira Levin and the novel by Mac Hyman. Family. "The Thing that Couldn't Die" with William Reynolds, Andra Martin and Carolyn Kearney (UnivAnt'l, June; time, 69 min.) A fairly good program horror picture, competently directed and acted. It should easily satisfy those who enjoy pictures of this type, for its blood-chilling gimmick is a severed but active human head that casts an hypnotic spell over the different characters, causing them to commit murder and other evil deeds. The hideous head, which seeks to be reunited with its body, is indeed an horrific sight to behold, and for that reason those who see the picture had better have strong stomachs. The good special effects work contributes much to the spine-tingling action. The picture is being offered as a companion feature to "Horror of Dracula," and together they should make a truly bloodcurdling double bill: — When Carolyn Kearney tries to prove her powers of "second sight" to a group of skeptical friends, including William Reynolds, Jeffrey Stone and Andra Martin, she discovers a 400-year-old chest hidden on her ranch. Later that night the sealed chest is forced open without permission by Charles Horvath and James Anderson, ranch employees, who think it may contain treasure. Instead, they find a severed but active human head, the eyes of which hypnotize Horvath and compel him to murder Anderson. Horvath escapes into the night cradling the hideous head in his arms. While wandering alone the following day, Carolyn is overcome by a strange force and, in her faint, sees an event from the distant past recreated. She sees Robin Hughes sentenced to death for practicing magic. His head is cut off and placed in one casket, while his body is placed in another to assure eternal damnation. Regaining consciousness, Carolyn returns home, shaken by the experience. Shortly thereafter, the head overpowers, first Andra, and then Carolyn, who is compelled to use her powers, of "second sight" to locate the casket containing the headless body. She finds the casket and has it opened in the presence of everyone. The headless corpse rises and Carolyn places the head on its neck. The body becomes alive and is about to attack Carolyn just as Reynolds overcomes the hypnotic spell cast over him. He struggles with the living corpse and overcomes him by flinging a magic talisman at him. This causes the corpse to crumble into a pile of ashes and dust. It was produced and directed by Will Cowan from a screenplay by David Duncan. Too harrowing for children. "The Cool and the Crazy" with Scott Marlowe, Gigi Perreau and Dick Jones (Amer.-Int'l, March 12; time, 78 min.) If seamy and unpleasant juvenile delinquency pictures are acceptable to your patrons, this one should get by with them. But if you cater to a family audience and you are particular about what you exhibit lest parents be offended, you had better think twcie before booking this one, for the moral tone of the story is very low. It deals mainly with dope and with the disgraceful conduct of teenaged boys and girls, with plentiful brutality, murder and other law violations. The direction and acting arc fairly skillful, but what is shown is decidedly unpleasant and unwholesome: — Scott Marlowe, just out of reform school, takes over the leadership of a high school gang that had been headed by