Customer Reviews

Women in Horror Films, 1930s

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When you think of the great names of classic horror films you naturally think of Karloff, Lugosi, Chaney Jr., Lorre, Whale; but in Women in Horror Films, 1930's, film historian Gregory W. Mank gives the women their due. What would a horror film be without a beautiful heroine to terrorize, or to become the monster herself? Mank spotlights the actresses who would co-star in some of the greatest horror films in history: Dracula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, The Old Dark House, The Black Cat, Bride of Frankenstein, Freaks, King Kong, and many more. Mank personally interviewed many of these women before their passing to get their thoughts and unique insight on these famous films. The women are presented in chronological order of the release date of the film they are most well known for.

First up is Helen Chandler, the beautiful Mina and object of Bela Lugosi's desire in Dracula. Chandler would unfortunately be badly burned in a fire in the 1950's and become a recluse. She would pass away in the mid-1960s in obscurity. Her cremated ashes would go unclaimed from a chapel storage vault in Los Angeles.

Mae Clarke provided 1930's audiences with one of the most terrifying scenes in history, playing Elizabeth, the fiancée to Dr. Frankenstein. As she is getting ready for her wedding, the monster attacks her in her room. It's still a powerful scene over seventy years later.

One of the most interesting interviews and chapters features Marilyn Harris. Harris played the little girl who is inadvertently drowned by the Frankenstein Monster. She relates how Karloff tried to lead a bit of a revolt to get James Whale to change the scene and not kill the girl. This scene would be cut from the film for decades after. Whale would take revenge on the rebellious Karloff by making him do several retakes of the scene where he has to carry Colin Clive up the windmill stairs, thus injury Karloff's back. Harris goes on to relate her own life story of growing up as an adopted child of mother who cruelly abused her and only wanted her to be a movie star due to her own failed attempts at stardom.

Gloria Stewart talks about the making of "The Old Dark House" which would create its own sub-genre of horror films in the 30's and 40's. Boasting a cast of Karloff, Ernest Thesiger, Melvyn Douglas and Charles Laughton, Stewart talks about working with the great James Whale and the famous scene where she is accosted by the mute, beast-like butler Morgan (Karloff).

Fay Wray has to be considered the very first scream queen. While most of these women starred in only one or two horror films, Wray starred in four between 1932 & 1933 with "Doctor X", "Mystery of the Wax Museum", "The Vampire Bat" and, of course, "King Kong". I would be disillusioned to find out that Wray's lovely, golden blonde hair in King Kong was a wig and that her trademark scream may have actually been voiced by another actress.

Zita Johann provides interesting insight into the 1932 classic, "The Mummy" including her battles with director Karl Freund who had her enter a cage of lions unprotected in the Christian reincarnation scene, while he was safe in a cage. As with every woman interviewed, she speaks quite highly of Karloff as a polite gentleman.

Lucille Lund had even worse problems with a director on the set of one of my favorite horror films "The Black Cat". After she spurned the advances of director Edgar G. Ulmer, he proceeded to make her life a living hell. In a scene where she is to portray her dead mother inside a glass coffin, she is left hanging for over an hour while the rest of the crew goes to lunch, somewhat fitting when one considers the cruel, nihilistic tone of this film.

One of my favorite actresses to read about was Carroll Borland who created one of the most indelible characters of the 1930's as Luna in "Mark of the Vampire". Her long flowing hair, pale white face and dark eyes would be the inspiration for women such as Vampira and Elvira. Borland, obsessed with Lugosi as a young girl, met the star at the age of 15. Just out of high school she tried out for the role of Luna and only got it when she paid director Tod Browning $150.00!

In addition to these actresses Mank also has chapters on Elsa Lanchester, Valerie Hobson (Bride of Frankenstein), Gloria Holden (Dracula's Daughter), Sideny Fox (Murders in the Rue Morgue) and many more. The enthusiasm that Mank has for his subjects is evident as many of these interviews were conducted years before the publication of this book when Mank was still more fan than professional writer and film historian. Photographs from these classic films are included as well as number of photos taken at the time the interviews were conducted.

It's a marvelous book that pays tribute to many of the women who did their parts to make these films live on for decades. One of the best books on classic horror that I have ever read! Another example of why McFarland Publishing is one of the most dynamic publishers around today.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

In the many chroniclings of the history of the Golden Age of Horror, women have always been horribly short shrifted. Tomes have been written about Karloff and Lugosi. Even directors Whale and Browning have enjoyed volumes written on their lives and films. But aside from an occasional story on Elsa's turn as the Monster's "mate", or Carroll Borland's life-long infatuation with Lugosi, the history of women in our genre is pitifully lacking. Until now. Author Gregory Mank takes a huge step to rectify this situation by shining a well-deserved and much-overdue light (torch?) on the women whose contributions to the early horror classics have been both overlooked and under-appreciated for far too long. Concentrating on the classics of the 30s, Elsa Lanchester, Helen Chandler, Gloria Stuart, Carroll Borland, Fay Wray, Zita Johann and even high-pitched screamer Una O'Connor, join a long, dis- tinguished list of actresses who have their lives and careers presented to us by Mank. Each artist receives a mini-bio, which includes stage and screen appearances. Of particular interest (and a highlight of the book) is a detailed and engaging look into each actresses' "signature" horror film, revealing dates, salaries, production notes and stories of co-stars and directors. Punctuated into this are insights and other information provided by research done by the author or the reminiscences of the subject herself. These wonderful personal

anecdotes were culled from interviews with Mank by a surprising (to this reviewer) number of the actresses who were (and some who happily still are) with us at the time of the author's research. Mank's skill lies in pretty much allowing each subject's life to tell its own story. So doing, each actress takes on a new life for the reader, a life whose existence had previously only been hinted at. They emerge from being known as simply labels: "the victim", the "hapless heroine" or "the monster" to be revealed as real flesh and blood women. Women who are intelligent, opinionated, witty, hard-working and passionate. Not merely characters... but three-dimensional character actresses. A wonderful and deserving achievement indeed. With this book (and a companion volume, which chronicles our favorite ladies of the 40s), Mank adds yet again to his already formidable legacy as THE chronicler of the Golden Age of Horror, this time adding the heretofore missing point-of-view (and warmth) of the distaff players. Always an interesting read, generously illustrated with many wonderful (and unique?) photos, this book is well worth the (usual) hefty McFarland price tag, and is an essential addition to any classic horror film buff's collection.

Listening to Greg Mank give the dvd commentary for "Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein", started me on a quest to collect as many books of his books as I can find. He's incredibly knowledgeable but his books are accessible, and at times, delicious with scandalous detail. This is an exhaustively researched book - and a must for any classic horror fan. It's too bad they didn't get Mr.Mank to do the commentary for all of the Universal horror dvd's. He puts the rest to shame.

The two volumes of WOMEN IN HORROR FILMS (1930s and 1940s) are a wonderful addition to the serious horror collection.

Both volumes are constantly referred to in my writing on the subject of the Golden Age of Horror.

Tops in research is Mr. Mank
5 stars.