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susquesus
Mad Hermit of the North Woods
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
September 03 2003
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 Posted - November 01 2003 : 9:06:56 PM
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Poll Question:
Choose your favorite listed Boris Karloff film then name any unlisted favorites.
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SgtMunro
Soldier of the King
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
September 23 2002
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 Posted - November 03 2003 : 02:50:48 AM
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Definately as Khyasuta in 'Unconquered', "When firestick burn to mark, white flag turn red, all die...."
Your Most Humble Servant,
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Serjeant-Major Duncan Munro
Capt. Thos. Graham's Coy.
42nd Royal Highland Regiment of Foote
(The Black Sheep of the Black Watch)
"Nemo Me Impune Lacessit"
-Or-
"Recruit locally, fight globally." |
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Two Kettles
Colonial Settler
USA
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August 01 2002
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Posted - November 03 2003 : 1:37:54 PM
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Boy, what a great topic! Karloff is my second favorite actor of all time (Spencer Tracy is #1). He brought so much dignity and talent to so many otherwise shlocky movies, it was amazing. It's one thing to shine as an actor when you have a great script, director, production values, etc. It's entirely different with the kind of material Boris often had to work with. Yet he was always memorable.
However, you missed my favorite role/movie on your list. Boris' performance in Robert Wise's THE BODY SNATCHER is fantastic. There's a book called "The Alternate Oscars" buy Danny Peary, and he awards Karloff a "Best Actor" Oscar for 1945, pointing out that Karloff's performance as John Gray is as disturbing as Anthony Hopkins' in SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, but Karloff had to be much more subtle. And the movie does a beautiful job of recreating early 19th century Edinburgh. I really recommend this movie not just to horror/thriller fans, but to history buffs as well.
Two Kettles |
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susquesus
Mad Hermit of the North Woods
USA
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September 03 2003
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 Posted - November 03 2003 : 10:40:18 PM
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He is definitely one in a million. Fortunately, it seems that the roles kept coming for him. I've seen "Ed Wood" and if that is an accurate portrayal of Bela Lugosi's twilight years it seems that Mr. Karloff did very well comparatively. Can you imagine having a drink with those two, say about 1950? I'm sure there would be a hell of a conversation. Anyone know if the two got along? Did Lugosi resent Karloff's success? Did they engage each other socially? They've got to be at the top of the list of great horror actors--
Boris Karloff
Bela Lugosi
Christopher Lee
Lon Chaney
Who am I forgetting? |
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Wilderness Woman
Watcher of the Wood
USA
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November 27 2002
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Posted - November 04 2003 : 08:58:29 AM
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I always thought Vincent Price was kinda' scary... in an effeminate sort of way.
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Highlander
Colonial Militia
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
February 04 2003
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Posted - November 04 2003 : 6:29:57 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by susquesus
He is definitely one in a million. Fortunately, it seems that the roles kept coming for him. I've seen "Ed Wood" and if that is an accurate portrayal of Bela Lugosi's twilight years it seems that Mr. Karloff did very well comparatively. Can you imagine having a drink with those two, say about 1950? I'm sure there would be a hell of a conversation. Anyone know if the two got along? Did Lugosi resent Karloff's success? Did they engage each other socially? They've got to be at the top of the list of great horror actors--
Boris Karloff
Bela Lugosi
Christopher Lee
Who am I forgetting?
Peter Cushing
Lon Chaney
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Highlander |
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Highlander
Colonial Militia
USA
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February 04 2003
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Posted - November 04 2003 : 6:32:26 PM
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I've always thought that "The UnConquered" was Karloff's finest. |
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Two Kettles
Colonial Settler
USA
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August 01 2002
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Posted - November 04 2003 : 10:40:46 PM
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Susuesus,
I think Karloff and Lugosi got along, but weren't particularly close friends. Lugosi considered himself a serious actor, and I know he regretted being typecast. The real irony of his career is that he refused to play Frankenstein's monster, saying that the actor who played the part would be unrecognizable and would never do anything else. By overcoming the limitations of the makeup, Karloff became a bigger star and had a more diverse career. In their seven or so movies together, Lugosi only got the bigger role once (in THE RAVEN). Universal did have them do some joint publicity together (including a delightful joint interview where they tried to outdo each other in who was more evil), but I don't think they socialized much. And while poor Bela became a drug addict and wound up doing Ed Wood movies, Karloff continued doing interesting work right up until the end.
One of my biggest regrets about Karloff's career is that, until a month or so before they filmed the production, Boris played Captain Hook to Mary Martin's Peter Pan on Broadway. Had they filmed it a little sooner, or had he stayed longer, it would have been Boris's performance that was preserved (taking nothing away from Cyril Richard's wonderful work).
Two Kettles |
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susquesus
Mad Hermit of the North Woods
USA
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September 03 2003
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Posted - November 09 2003 : 10:04:59 PM
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| "Lon Chaney, Man of a 1,000 Faces", a documentary, is showing on Turner Classic Movies tonight from 9:30-11:00 pm CST. It will be followed by a Chaney film called "The Unholy Three". |
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susquesus
Mad Hermit of the North Woods
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
September 03 2003
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Posted - December 30 2003 : 02:03:13 AM
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| Anyone seen the Rankin-Bass stop-motion movie, "Mad Monster Party"? It's pretty cool(1968?), stars Boris Karloff and Phyllis Diller. |
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Best Boris Karloff Film/Role
