tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post112337882739639299..comments2023-10-11T03:42:59.033-07:00Comments on The Criterion Contraption: #35: DiaboliqueMatthew Dessemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09288268335735601918noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-65191580112382420322010-11-04T08:45:16.941-07:002010-11-04T08:45:16.941-07:00SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
Frankenstein doesn’t real...SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER<br /><br /><i>Frankenstein</i> doesn’t really scare anyone anymore. We continue to watch it for other reasons: for an iconic performance by Karloff, as a morality tale, etc. But fright no longer factors into the equation. We become inured to horror in a way that doesn’t happen with romance, comedy, or drama. Horror as horror has a shorter shelf life than other genres, John B.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-48366014221323434992008-12-19T10:21:00.000-08:002008-12-19T10:21:00.000-08:00I just watched Diabolique. I think it beats out a...I just watched Diabolique. I think it beats out any Hitchcock film I've seen. There is a definite noirish element,too. Check out the slatted and dappled lighting in the scariest bits. <BR/><BR/>Definitely an undertated homosexual theme between the women - (S.S. says "You need to relax - REALLY relax.") <BR/><BR/>And look at the way the women's clothing seems to address binaries. At first Rubyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03201736265502214087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-62508865757468779402007-08-04T03:09:00.000-07:002007-08-04T03:09:00.000-07:00Cat People,Glad you like the site. But remember, ...Cat People,<BR/><BR/>Glad you like the site. But remember, it's an inanimate object, incapable of returning your love. I haven't read the novel, but there are some definite lesbian undertones in the film as well.Matthew Dessemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09288268335735601918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-48003639723258074952007-08-02T17:26:00.000-07:002007-08-02T17:26:00.000-07:00And I saw both twists coming miles away but at lea...And I saw both twists coming miles away but at least <I>Diabolique</I>'s was the original. And it manages to do what few movies can do: scare me at each viewing. That scene in the hotel room when the door opens and... Right up there with the trip at the top of the spiral staircase in <I>The Haunting</I>.<BR/><BR/>As for the relationship between the two women, it's interesting to note that in the Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-60354316221526557012007-06-15T01:38:00.000-07:002007-06-15T01:38:00.000-07:00And if you've seen Peter Jackson's King Kong, you ...And if you've seen Peter Jackson's <I>King Kong</I>, you know how Cooper and Schoedsack's version is going to end...Matthew Dessemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09288268335735601918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-19646406613041111732007-06-09T00:32:00.000-07:002007-06-09T00:32:00.000-07:00I just watched Diabolique on the basis of the reco...I just watched Diabolique on the basis of the recommendation here. For what it's worth, if you've seen Ira Levin's Deathtrap, you can see Diabolique's final twist coming miles away.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-1140383686256268042006-02-19T13:14:00.000-08:002006-02-19T13:14:00.000-08:00Joseph,Yeah, I thought Audition was really very di...Joseph,<BR/><BR/>Yeah, I thought <I>Audition</I> was really very disappointing—it had all this potential to be terrifying early on, but then when things started to be revealed at the end, it was a big disappointment. I much prefer movies in which the evil force or villain or whatever is much less clearly defined; like the way it's not really clear in <I>Nosferatu</I> if he's responsible Matthew Dessemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09288268335735601918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-1140206403193270092006-02-17T12:00:00.000-08:002006-02-17T12:00:00.000-08:00Two more recommendations for me! Wages of Fear an...Two more recommendations for me! <I>Wages of Fear</I> and <I>Diabolique</I>! Thanks! By the way, <I>Audition</I> really isn't that scary. It is very high on the disturbing factor, but not very high on the scare factor. Its been awhile since I've watched it, but <I>Watcher in the Woods</I> has some of the scariest moments with the old lady's reflection in the mirror. And maybe it was just myAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-1124694285593841332005-08-22T00:04:00.000-07:002005-08-22T00:04:00.000-07:00Yeah, let me know what you find out. No more on t...Yeah, let me know what you find out. No more on that until you've seen it but there's a very obvious reason why suggesting a gay relationship is okay in this movie, and it's not because they're backstabbing murderers.Matthew Dessemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09288268335735601918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-1124691729904309332005-08-21T23:22:00.000-07:002005-08-21T23:22:00.000-07:00...it successfully associates water with decay and...<I>...it successfully associates water with decay and death, which is a reversal of its normal symbolic value. You can see the same value switch being tried in</I> The Ring...<BR/><BR/>and, of course, "the wasteland." <BR/><BR/>my (now ex-)roomie and i took a class on the portrayal of homosexuality in code-era hollywood film. i'll make him watch this with me and we'll assess that wife/mistress kudhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05341488526894176203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-1123435212285074492005-08-07T10:20:00.000-07:002005-08-07T10:20:00.000-07:00Yeah, you totally should, it's great.Yeah, you totally should, it's great.Matthew Dessemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09288268335735601918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796371.post-1123389257055394042005-08-06T21:34:00.000-07:002005-08-06T21:34:00.000-07:00Nice review, definitely have to catch this one now...Nice review, definitely have to catch this one now...<BR/><BR/>LeoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com