Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933)
Genre: Horror
Duration: 77 minuten
Country:
United States
Directed by: Michael Curtiz
Stars: Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray and Glenda Farrell
IMDb score:
6,8 (7.807)
Releasedate: 18 February 1933
This movie is not available on US streaming services.
Mystery of the Wax Museum plot
"The supreme thriller!"
Ivan Igor, a wax figure maker for a museum, is dismayed when his partner proposes to burn down the museum in order to collect the insurance money. The fire is lit, and as the wax figures melt, the men begin to fight. Igor is left for dead among the flames. Years later, he reappears at the opening of his own wax museum. When corpses appear to disappear from the local morgue at the same time, a journalist investigates.
Actors and actresses
Ivan Igor
Florence Dempsey
Ralph Burton
Charlotte Duncan
Jim
Worth
Professor Darcy
George Winton
Hugo
Otto
Reviews & comments
Noodless
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- 10100 messages
- 6209 votes
Can also enjoy a pure blockbuster full of action or beautiful images, but I can certainly appreciate this work. And if I'm okay with it now, that movie would certainly please you at the time. Nice story, stylishly filmed, sufficient tension and above all two strong assets, namely the leading lady who manages to get hold of her interests in her own way and of course the lifelike wax figures. For a film from 1933, I think the film still easily stands the test of time. 7/10
Translated from Dutch · View original
thunderball
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- 5996 messages
- 1431 votes
Just watched this, it was on the 1950s DVD version and I had never bothered to watch it, so now that I had just bought it again I decided to try it.
What is striking about this original is that the protagonist looks a lot more sympathetic than Price. This has its advantages and disadvantages.
In the beginning that is certainly an advantage, because here he is still the gentle and well-meaning artist, but that also has the bigger disadvantage that he never really comes across as sinister in his creation of a monstrous killer in the final. He continues to radiate something tragic and sad.
The protagonist looks more like a cross between Van Gogh and Errol Flynn than he really impresses as a villain. In that respect, he can't match horror icon Price at all, who, with his voice and sinister look alone, can scare the hell out of you.
Furthermore, this version is also often unnecessarily messy and complicated due to the use of too many characters and unnecessary scenes. The 1950s version is much more compact and manages to forge the two main female characters into one person, who was also friends with the female victim, so that it all becomes much more personal.
What this original has far ahead of that remake are the great decors. Wow! The room in the mortuary and the underground cellar room in particular were impressive and clearly have expressionist influences. Even reminded me of Ken Adam's later sets, which he made for the older James Bond films.
In short: a nice film, but not nearly as good as the 1950s classic.
A big six, or three stars.
Translated from Dutch · View original
clubsport
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- 4241 messages
- 7193 votes
It's been a while since I saw the Vincent price version and I can't remember it very well, it was quite enjoyable and made well in terms of atmosphere, but sometimes a bit boring.
That female reporter sometimes seemed like an ADHD case, funny but sometimes a bit over the top.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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