Can a film’s designer be its effective auteur?  He can, if his name is William Cameron Menzies. Menzies is best known for directing and designing two classics of the science fiction/fantasy genre, his 1936 adaptation of H.G. Wells’ Things to Come (above) and his 1953 masterpiece of Childrens’ Expressionism,* Invaders From Mars (below right).  However, Menzies can also ... read more »

When it comes to Lewis Carroll adaptations, Tim Burton’s upcoming 3-D Alice has a lot of competition. The IMDB lists 24 versions of Alice in Wonderland, including Burton’s, and that’s not counting at least 4 or 5 versions of Through the Looking Glass. I have two favorite live-action adaptations of Alice. One is Paramount’s 1933 ... read more »

The name of the film is Black Magic, it was released in 1949, and it stars Orson Welles in one of his most flamboyant performances as Joseph Balsamo, aka Cagliostro, the hypnotist/charlatan whose schemes in pursuit of wealth and power were a factor in bringing about the French Revolution. I am delighted to report that ... read more »

STOP THE PRESSES! The Invasion sends out (gasp) mixed messages! Well, most Hollywood films send out mixed messages, don’t they? Mixed messages are far more the Hollywood rule than the exception. It’s a result of the standard commercial practice of trying to please as many demographics as possible. The Invasion is credited to director Oliver ... read more »

Here’s a question for all you bloggers and cinephiles out there. QUESTION: Which classic film would you most like to see given a proper DVD restoration? MY ANSWER: The 1936 Alexander Korda production of Things To Come. Story and screenplay by H.G. Wells. Designed and directed by the brilliant William Cameron Menzies. This is one ... read more »