Chad

Spiderbite

This one is a classic. I still enjoy it and Vincent Price is excellent in it. It does seem to get better with every viewing. I forgot Charles Bronson was in this in an early role. The guy has serious guns and could kick your ass just by looking at you. One of these days I hope to see it in 3D.

The DVD from Netflix also gave me the original 1933 Mystery Of The Wax Museum and while the 1953 movie apes it shot for shot, I think the remake still gets the edge due to Vincent Price. The '53 version also seems a little creepier.

I would still recommend seeing the 1933 version if you haven't seen it. The production values are extremely good for a movie of its time. Also, there is a wise-cracking dame in it that puts men in their place and shoots out smarty-pants dialogue at 90 miles a minute. You will either love her or you will hate her.

Gobear

Glenda Farrell. She was the wise-cracking, hard-boiled dame in a string of pictures in the 30s and 40s, including headlining as Torchy Blane in B-movies that turn up on TCM. She's one of my favorite Pre-Code actresses.


House of Wax is such a fun movie, although kids today will probably find it too tame for their liking. Vincent Price is at his arch best as the crippled sculptor commenting on his statues.

Trevor

I'm trying to remember if I've ever not enjoyed Vincent Price in a film. Even if the film stinks, his parts are worth watching.

I really want this 3D blu-ray, but the price never seems to get to my below $20 price point.

Spiderbite

Totally agree.

Eddie W

What surprised me on the 1933 version was that it was in color. Somewhat rare for a 1933 film.

If you can get this in 3D, it's well worth $20 or so. This plus Creature From The Black Lagoon are two of my favorite 3D presentations from the classic 50's era. Both blow away modern day 3D movies.

orlmac

I've never seen this film in 3-D, but as others have stated you can't find a film with Vincent Price that isn't worth watching. Frank Lovejoy, Phyliss Kirk, Dabbs Greer and especially Charles Bronson add to the fun. I also really enjoyed Carolyn Jones role, although it is too short. A true classic.

brainee

Yes, that surprised me too when I last saw it. Though, like the previous year's Doctor X, it's an odd primitive type of two-strip color. Everything green and red (though the orange fire looks very nice).

Just be warned ... there are a few silly intrusive gimmicky "in your face" 3D shots. Certainly forgivable when 3D was just starting. I was much more impressed with how Creature use 3D. Less gimmick shots, more integrated with the overall cinematography to give a sense of immersion in the locations. Highly recommended to check out. Most modern 3D movies can take lessons from how Creature used it.

rbrown498

Amazingly enough, this was my first time to see it. I've seen pieces of it over the years, and I've had the DVD for probably a decade (and even watched the OTHER side of the disc for a previous Challenge), but I'd never gotten around to watching the film until tonight.

Even though I had the DVD, I really wanted to buy the 3D Blu-ray of this, but I never made it a priority. When it came up as a subset pick, I decided that I'd find the best price that I could on it and buy it. Luckily, there was a like-new copy for sale on Amazon Marketplace for a little less than $22, so I snagged it. It was TOTALLY worth the price.

I absolutely concur. While there were a few gimmicky shots, which, I have to admit, I enjoyed thoroughly (with the paddleball guy being the most obvious example, but having the Follies girl thrust her butt right in my face was pretty nifty as well), I was amazed at the depth exhibited in the film. It was particularly noticeable in the street shots, especially when Vinnie was chasing Phyllis Coates after murdering Carolyn Jones.

I also thought that a shot near the end, when Charles Bronson lurches into frame from the bottom, was really ingenious. I actually let out a gasp when it happened. I've seen that sort of shot dozens of times and it's never been noteworthy, but the 3D added an element of true surprise that startled me.

I really, really enjoyed the 3D version of House of Wax.

Trevor

^ So you're the one that bought that $22 copy I had in my cart!

rbrown498

Um...these are not the dr...um...pay no attention to the man behind...um....

Probably so.

Undeadcow

Vincent Price is great in this, I enjoyed it more than the original. It's too bad there aren't a lot of wax house displays anymore, it seems like it's be fun to scope one out.

ntnon

Next someone'll be telling me the ball-hitting barker was only there for the 3D...! Popcorn, indeed.

ntnon

Pitchforks & torches time..?

ntnon

Does anyone know where the wax figures came from? I assumed most were just actors told to stand still, but then many of them melted...

That was a lot of effort to go to just to destroy them! Worked well, but... a lot of effort.

Trevor

No, that'd be for a Karloff movie.

WillieMLF

and, it's a flipper.....

davidh777

House of Wax was awesome! Not sure why I'd never gotten around to seeing it before, but it's probably my favorite first-time watch this month.

I didn't realize Bronson was Igor. I'll have to go back and look at him more closely.

I'm a bad person for getting a little... worked up when Phyllis Kirk was nekkid.

I think I got the Paris Hilton version free and still have it around somewhere.

I watched it on the TCM Classics: Horror disc, and you can tell they used the same authoring because the disc promises the 1933 version on the flip side even though that is actually The Haunting.

Darth Maher

I got the Blu-ray for Christmas or my birthday or something and haven;t watched it yet. I had just borrowed it from the library so I didn't feel like watching it again so soon. But I should really check this out again. I have the Paris Hilton version saved on my DVR so maybe I'll make a triple feature out of it with that and the 1933 version (which I have yet to see).

And I agree with the general consensus... I cannot recall ever not enjoying seeing Vincent Price on screen.