From Jack the Ripper to Charles Manson, Timothy McVeigh to that suspicious-looking guy sitting next to you, there are more than enough human monsters around to inspire filmmakers for generations to come.
Human Monsters[ Book Contents]
Freaks [Tod Browning, 1932]
Cleopatra (Olga Baclanova), the beautiful trapeze artist, flirts with Hercules the strongman (Henry Victor), humiliating her husband Hans, a midget (Harry Earles). Freaksremains a powerful, and heartbreaking film.
Human Monsters[ Book Contents]
The performers in the circus sideshow gather round to see the Bearded Woman’s (Olga Roderick) new baby.
Human Monsters[ Book Contents]
The Elephant Man [David Lynch, 1980]
John Hurt as John Merrick (whose real name was actually Joseph Merrick), in a lovely film that plays fast and loose with the true story. With Anthony Hopkins as the doctor who becomes Merrick’s friend. Make-up artist Chris Tucker created Hurt’s effective make-up from casts of Merrick’s body, still held by the Royal London Hospital.
Human Monsters[ Book Contents]
The Hunchback of Notre Dame [Wallace Worsley, 1923]
Lon Chaney as Quasimodo in an amazing make-up of his own design and execution. One of the few films that Irving Thalberg ever put his name on as a Producer (shared with boss Carl Laemmle). Patsy Ruth Miller is Esmeralda. From the novel [1831] by Victor Hugo.
Human Monsters[ Book Contents]
The Hunchback of Notre Dame [William Dieterle, 1939]
Charles Laughton gives a magnificent performance as the hunchbacked bell ringer, conveying Quasimodo’s humanity through the grotesque (and uncomfortable) make-up by Perc Westmore and George Bau. Maureen O’Hara is Esmeralda.
Human Monsters[ Book Contents]
The Phantom of the Opera [Rupert Julian, 1925]
In this hand-tinted sequence, Lon Chaney as Erik the Phantom attends the Paris Opera’s Gala Costume Ball dressed as Death.
Human Monsters[ Book Contents]
The Phantom of the Opera [Arthur Lubin, 1943]
Claude Rains as “Erique” instead of Erik (why character names are so often changed I do not know) and this time he is a violinist, not a composer. Universal’s Technicolor remake of their own picture has more of Nelson Eddy singing than any real horror. But this film has the most spectacular falling chandelier sequence of all the Phantom of the Operapictures. Susanna Foster is Christine.
Human Monsters[ Book Contents]
The Phantom of the Opera [Terence Fisher, 1962]
Hammer had produced their own Draculaand Frankensteinand Mummymovies; some more rifling through Universal’s vaults brought them to Gaston Leroux’s Phantom of the Opera. Their version starred Herbert Lom as the Phantom and Heather Sears as Christine.
Human Monsters[ Book Contents]
The Phantom of the Opera [Joel Schumacher, 2004]
The film version of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical. Gerard Butler is the Phantom and Emmy Rossum is Christine.
Human Monsters[ Book Contents]
The Phantom of the Paradise [Brian De Palma, 1974]
De Palma’s satirical, rock‘n’roll Phantomstarred Paul Williams as Swan, a Mephistophelian figure to William Finley’s Phantom.
Human Monsters[ Book Contents]
The Mystery of the Wax Museum [Michael Curtiz, 1933]
Crazed sculptor Lionel Atwill has Fay Wray in his clutches. In a desperate attempt to escape, she beats on his face which cracks and breaks! His wax mask falls to reveal his disfigured face.
Human Monsters[ Book Contents]
House of Wax [André De Toth, 1953]
Warner Brothers’ 3D Technicolor remake of their own Mystery of the Wax Museum[1933].
Human Monsters[ Book Contents]
Vincent Price as Professor Henry Jarrod, watches in terror as his wax figures burn.
Human Monsters[ Book Contents]
Also given here is a close up of Jarrod’s burned face revealed after Phyllis Kirk (whom he intended to dip into bubbling, molten wax) has broken his wax mask.
Human Monsters[ Book Contents]
The Man Who Laughs [Paul Leni, 1928]
Conrad Veidt as Gwynplaine, who King James II has had put in an iron maiden and permanently disfigured so that his face is always a hideous grin. An adaptation of the novel [1869] by Victor Hugo.
Human Monsters[ Book Contents]
Darkman [Sam Raimi, 1990]
From an original story by Sam, this is his own twisted version of a comic book superhero movie. Liam Neeson plays Peyton Westlake, disfigured by the bad guys when they blow up his lab. Darkman is shown here with Frances McDormand as Julie Hastings.
Human Monsters[ Book Contents]
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street [Tim Burton, 2007]