Retro Movie: Ray Milland in Corman's "X"

Diana Van der Vlis & Ray Milland

Filmmaker Roger Corman made a name for himself as a producer and director with a host of successful low budget genre films in the 1950s and 60s, and also helped start the careers of Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola and many others, by giving them work on his movies. His series of influential Edgar Allen Poe adaptations (most of which starred Vincent Price) are now regarded as classics. Another interesting Corman project from this period is the 1963 tale, X: The Man With The X-Ray Eyes, simply titled “X” onscreen. The movie tells the story of Dr. James Xavier, who is experimenting with moving beyond the limits of vision in humans. Xavier develops a serum that will expand what we can see. After briefly testing it on animals, Xavier decides to uses the eye drop serum on himself, and his visual capacity does increase. At first, he can see through clothing and solid objects. He is startled by, and elated with, the results.

But that’s not enough for the scientist, and as he continues to use the serum, Xavier begins to see much more than he bargained for: it’s a textbook example of the old science-fiction theme, “there are some things man was not meant to know.” Xavier’s research partners drop his funding, and even though his increased visual capacity helps save a young girl’s life at the hospital where he works, no one supports him. He ends up working at a carnival sideshow as a mentalist, and later as a faith healer. Xavier continues to see deeper into the world than any man ever has; will he see beyond this dimension, or even this universe, and will it drive him insane?

The movie is well cast; Milland (who had worked with Corman previously on the Poe film, The Premature Burial) is excellent in the title role. He perfectly conveys the elation, and later dread, that Xavier feels as he sees shapes, colors and things that he eventually can’t (or won't) comprehend. Diana Van der Vlis, Harold J. Stone and John Hoyt are all effective in supporting roles, and Don Rickles (yes, that Don Rickles) is quite good as a carnival barker who wants to cash in on Xavier’s visionary powers. Corman regulars Dick Miller and Jonathan Haze have cameos as customers at the carnival sideshow. The effects are well done for the period, and eerily convey the odd & mind-bending things that Dr. Xavier sees, which are beyond the veil of normal human perception.

X is a solid bet for fans of the sci-fi & horror genre; it definitely transcends its B-movie origins to tell a unique story. There are some nice touches from director Corman (who was several films into his excellent work on the Poe cycle at this point) and it strives to deliver a bit more than the typical genre films of the period. Many reviewers & writers (including Stephen King in Danse Macabre, his landmark study of the horror genre) have noted the almost Lovecraftian themes that pop up late in the movie. It’s a well-crafted chiller, however you interpret it. The film often airs on Turner Classic Movies and other cable channels, and is also available in a nifty Blu-ray edition from Kino Lorber, which includes commentaries from Corman and writer-director Joe Dante, among other extras. Here’s a link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4clwgHEOYMo. By the way, it's interesting to note that Dr. Xavier coincidentally shares his last name with the telekinetic Dr. Charles Xavier, the leader of Marvel Comics mutant heroes, the X-Men, who also debuted in 1963.

Jim West Faces a "Night of the Puppeteer"

The Wild Wild West was one of the most entertaining television shows of the mid to late 60s. Creator and producer Michael Garrison conceived the series as a sort of “James Bond in the Old West” which cleverly combined elements of the hugely popular spy genre with the traditional Western. The show followed the adventures of Secret Service agents James West (Robert Conrad) and Artemus Gordon (Ross Martin), who battled all kinds of outlandish and colorful villains in the 1800s. West was the two-fisted man of action, and Gordon was a master of disguise, as well as the provider of unique gadgets the duo used to escape the deathtraps devised by evil criminal masterminds such as their frequent foe, Dr. Miguelito Loveless, masterfully played by Michael Dunn. Like the Batman series, the show featured a variety of famous guest stars portraying the villains, including Boris Karloff, Ida Lupino, Burgess Meredith, Ricardo Montalban, and Agnes Moorehead.

Lloyd Bochner

One of the more memorable episodes of the show’s first season (filmed in black & white) is “The Night of the Puppeteer,” which opens with Jim West visiting a Supreme Court Justice. Jim warns the man that two of his colleagues have been murdered, and they are concerned for his safety. During a puppet show being performed for the judge’s grandson, one of the puppets tries to shoot the judge! Fortunately, West foils the attempt. Jim later examines the puppets, and finds a clue, which leads him to a bar called Triton’s Locker. While there, he gets into a fight with the patrons, and ends up in an elevator, which speeds him to an underground lair. There he meets Zachariah Skull, the mastermind behind the killings. It seems Skull has a bone (pun intended) to pick with the judges, and society in general. He intends to put Jim on trial for his life....though the final verdict has already been decided.

Skull is also a brilliant inventor, and has surrounded himself with life-size, steam-powered puppets that do his bidding, including a ballerina who dances with West. There are some nicely played scenes between Robert Conrad and character actor Lloyd Bochner, who imbues Skull with a subtly menacing quality. The sequences in Skull’s underground home are strikingly lit, and well staged by Irving J. Moore, who directed many episodes during the course of the series.  There’s a nice twist at the episode’s climax which recalls a classic horror film I won’t mention here, in order to avoid spoilers. Along with other eerie episodes of the series, like “The Night of the Druid’s Blood” and “The Night of the Man-Eating House” this entry veers into territory which might seem more at home on The Twilight Zone or Thriller, with some very effective results. The one drawback to the episode (written by frequent contributor Henry Sharp) is that the wonderful Ross Martin isn’t given much to do as Artemus Gordon.

The tone of The Wild Wild West shifted somewhat from darker episodes in the first year of its run to more outlandish adventures in subsequent seasons (and sometimes back again to more traditional, action-oriented Western tales) due to some behind the scenes shuffling of producers. But the series was always enjoyable, thanks to the chemistry between the two appealing leads, as well as the colorful villains, the lovely damsels in distress, and those amazing gadgets. And let’s not forget that wonderful train the duo used as their base of operations! The show ran for four seasons, and remains a fan favorite, thanks to syndicated reruns and DVD releases of the entire series. There were also two “reunion” telefilms produced, The Wild Wild West Revisited in 1979, and More Wild Wild West in 1980. Both featured Robert Conrad and Ross Martin reprising their roles. The Wild Wild West is a fanciful and delightful series combining elements of Westerns, sci-fi, fantasy, and action-adventure. It's well worth checking out.

What is the Secret of "The Changeling?"

George C. Scott & Trish Van Devere

If you love ghost stories, you most certainly have several favorite films from the genre. Some fans gravitate to older films like The Uninvited, The Haunting, or The Innocents. Others favor modern tales like The Others or The Devil’s Backbone. But there’s one creepy thriller from 1980 that stands with the best of them. It’s the eerie haunted house tale, The Changeling, starring George C. Scott, and directed by Peter Medak. Scott plays a New York based composer named John Russell, who, after losing his wife and daughter in a car accident, relocates to Seattle. He moves into a Victorian era mansion, which has been vacant for some time. To say that the place has “issues” might be understating the case a little. John regularly hears loud banging noises in the house, and one night he sees the specter of a drowned boy in a bathtub.

He begins investigating the history of the house with the help of Claire, a member of the local historical society, who had rented him the house. Claire is played by Scott’s real life wife, Trish Van Devere. John discovers a hidden room in the attic, which contains a child’s wheelchair. John later holds a séance at the house (one of the film’s most effective sequences) and while listening to a recording of the event, can hear the voice of a young man named Joseph. As John and Claire dig deeper, they learn Joseph was a very sick child, who was not expected to live very long. His father murders him and replaces him with a similar looking child adopted from an orphanage. Why? That’s only the beginning of a twisted tale of murder, money and madness that will come to involve a Unites States Senator with a dark secret. Of course, if you know your mythology, you might just guess that secret before it is revealed later in the film...no spoilers here.

While the bulk of The Changeling takes place in Seattle, it was mostly lensed in Vancouver and Victoria. The film is expertly crafted and well paced. The story is loosely based on some real life events that took place in Colorado. Writer Russell Hunter experienced some paranormal phenomena while staying at a hotel there, and ended up researching the hotel’s history. The screenplay by William Gray and Diana Maddox is loosely based on his experiences and the results of his research. The film was nominated for multiple Genie Awards in Canada and won several, including Best Film, Best Foreign Actor for Scott, Best Foreign Actress for Van Devere, as well as for John Coquillon’s wonderful cinematography. The first rate cast also includes movie veteran Melvyn Douglas, and familiar faces John Colicos and Jean Marsh in supporting roles.

Director Peter Medak does an excellent job creating an otherworldy mileu in the film, which doesn’t go for obvious scares. The Changeling doesn’t cop out on its supernatural elements, and has several very unsettling and creepy moments, some of which recall other chillers like Mario Bava’s Kill! Baby! Kill! The movie has a dedicated core of fans, and was a TV staple during the 80s, which is where I first saw it, and was intrigued by its compelling and offbeat story. In a genre cluttered with badly made and over plotted films, The Changeling is a terrific thriller, and a real gem. Watch out for that wheelchair! Here’s a link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTzgXVosQOU.

This post is part of the O Canada Blogathon, hosted by my fellow bloggers at Speakeasy and Silver Screenings. I’d like to thank them for including me in the festivities! You can find out more by clicking the following link: https://silverscreenings.org/2018/02/07/the-ocanada-blogathon-starts-friday/.