gullwing592003's reviews

I used to have this rare James Cagney musical on VHS I bought it in the early '90's. I watched it countless times & no matter how many times I viewed it I could never remember any of the musical numbers. The title song is good but just not very memorable for some reason....& I have a good memory. Unlike his other musicals like "Footlight Parade" in 1933 was a very successful musical with memorable dance routines & songs. "I have "Footlight" on VHS it's the only Cagney musical I have.

I don't have "Something To Sing About" anymore & I'm a James Cagney fan. I just watched this again on You Tube & I've forgotten how good it really is. I learned recently this movie was a flop & sank Grand National into bankruptcy in 1939 after $900,000 was invested in the production.

Poverty row independent studios rarely if ever produce hits & classics. Simply because they don't have the publicity machinery & distribution to realize a movie's highest potential in box office returns. I can't help but wonder had this movie been produced at Warner Bros. Maybe it would've resonated with audiences more. The storyline is based on James Cagney own success story of a song & dance man getting an offer from hollywood to break into films. Cagney does some very impressive dancing in this. A side of him he didn't get to show very often he was quite a versatile actor. It's an interesting curiosity it's just not as memorable as "Footlight Parade" & "Yankee Doodle Dandy" but still worth watching.

Baz got most of it right. I'd say 90% right it was mostly accurate it's the most realistic movie of Elvis ever done to show what it was really like & the way it actually was. I been into Elvis since 1977 so I know most of the facts. Baz didn't pull no punches & wanted to tell the truth & I think some people have to pick it apart because it was too real & they can't handle it. Example in the early days in 1955. '56 & '57 I read books & seen in interviews of Scotty Moore & DJ Fontana's saying what the early live shows were like & many times the fans rushed the stage & trashed DJ Fontana drums & Scotty Moore said it was scary. Elvis himself mentioned it in the '68 TV Special. More than once in '56 & '57 Elvis was given restraining orders to stand still & not move or he'd get arrested & put in jail & the police filmed his shows. All Elvis could move was his little finger & Elvis did grab Nipper the RCA dog on stage & would roll around the stage with Nipper & drive the kids nuts & Baz captured that at the Russwood Park show in 1956 after the Steve Allen show. Elvis really did tell the fans what the real Elvis Presley was like & he performed with fire Elvis was out for blood. The riots did happen in the 50's & it's as legendary as his notorious gyrations. They didn't call him Elvis the Pelvis for nothing. Ok he didn't sing "Trouble" until 1958 for "King Creole" but it fit the narrative as Baz wanted you to know what was gonna happen. Things the movie got right was the riots of Elvis' early shows & the Louisiana Hayride & the controversy from the Milton Berle Show in 1956. Things wrong was Elvis buying Graceland it wasn't until 1957 Elvis bought a 1 story house on Audabon Drive in 1956. Elvis was drafted in the army & didn't enlist, the establishment wanted to stop rock n roll in 1958. The movie didn't focus much on the movie years as most of Elvis' movies were not that good anyway. Elvis did fire Tom Parker but not on stage & Elvis never knew the Colonel was an illegal alien. The movie has some creative liberties but most of it was factually correct. It's a movie not a documentary if you want 100% accuracy watch a documentary or read a book there's plenty out there.

"They Drive By Night" is a great movie I always like to come back to. A classic movie that's really 2 movies the first half is a truckers flick with the Fabrini brothers Joe (George Raft) & Paul (Humphrey Bogart. It's fun to watch both actors & at times it's a George Raft movie & other times it's a Humphrey Bogart movie. But this theme & premise doesn't last thru the entire movie.

I don't get why Joe Fabrini (Raft) didn't understand why Paul (Bogart) wanted to stop at a motel to get some rest & sleep & made Paul drive when he was also tired as Joe told Paul to take the wheel for awhile. Anyway Paul is driving & clearly has white line fever & I won't say what happens next.

The 2nd half of the movie is a film noir where Ida Lupino is the focus & dominates the movie as Raft & Bogart take a back seat. It really should've been two separate stories. The first half about truckers on the road comes off better IMO. Ida Lupino walked away with this movie with her stand out performance. Still a great movie with a good cast & a wisecracking Ann Sheridan & Alan Hale is very good & funny & lots of memorable snappy dialog. Recommended..

High Sierra made Humphrey Bogart a major star finally after years of supporting stars like Edward G. Robinson, James Cagney, George Raft & Bette Davis etc. The reason it took so long because Bogart was locked in as a supporting player but the real reason Bogart was also a leading actor in B movies since 1936 after his success as Duke Mantee in "The Petrified Forest his stage role in 1935.

The first time Bogart was the star in a major movie was in "Black Legion' in 1937 a good showcase for him to play a different unusual role & not just gangsters. The movie was a critical success & the National Board of Review voted "Black Legion their favorite film & Humphrey Bogart their favorite actor in 1937. Receiving one academy Award nomination for best original screenplay. But the movie was controversial & some states in the south refused to show it because of it's radioactive subject matter & the film got blacklisted & banned. It has reemerged recently in the early 2000's.

High Sierra gave Bogart a chance to play a 3 dimensional gangster role with a good side & wanting to settle down after one more heist for the top mobster that sprung him from prison.

Bogart did play deep gangster roles before in "The Petrified Forest" & "Dead End" so really Roy Earle was nothing new to him but it was a good role & he was the main character & dominated the film. It has a subplot that was used to show his good side as he wanted to help a young girls clubbed foot (Joan Leslie) & later falls for her & proposes marriage. Why Roy Earle wanted her is beyond me & even Doc Banton (Henry Hull) advised Roy to forget about her foot. The subplot was not really needed to show Roy's good side it would've surfaced with Ida Lupino as Marie who was more Roy Earle's type. The fall of the gangster is clearly depicted here. Roy Earle is obsolete like Duke Mantee both John Dillinger type gangsters as Doc Banton said " Rushing towards death" No spoilers here I recommend seeing this movie.

This is better than I hoped with a good story & plot. The ending is a bit weak & could've been better. With such a clever story line I was hoping Paul Sheridan would get away with the loot & the moll. The stakeout should've ended as soon as Wheeler showed up with the loot. Paul made too many mistakes ultimately tripping him up he should've knocked off Paddy Dolan when he shot Wheeler. And not trust Paddy with the keys to Wheeler's car & the loot. Or when he learned Dolan moved Wheeler's car Sheridan with the help of Lona Maclane spotted the car from the rooftop. When Paul drove the car for Wheeler's body to be found he should've stopped at his pad to stash the bank money or stashed it in his own car & he would've gotten away with it. He would've never been suspected with Wheeler & his partner dead the stolen money would've never been found.

This was a role only Fred MacMurray could do & just like his role in "Double Indemnity". No other actor could pull this off not Humphrey Bogart or George Raft they had a code of ethics & would never get corrupted & "play the sap" for a steamy hot enticing dame like Kim Novak. I can't get enough of this movie I watch it everyday it's that good.

But the ending could've been better & was disappointing. Not only was Paul Sheridan a pushover he was just plain stupid but still a good movie. Highly recommended.

I watched this series in the '80's & I only recall bits & pieces of some of the episodes It didn't leave a lasting impact on me until 2 days ago I watched this episode for the first time on TV where episodes are shown on the weekends & I was totally blown away by the shockingly unexpected surprise ending, It made my hair stand up & gave me goosebumps & affected me so much I was inspired to find the series on You Tube & to search for this episode. I didn't see this in prime time otherwise I would've remembered it.

I will not give away the story but I was perplexed as to why Mark & Jonathan an angel didn't figure out that the dog was asking for their help. Even when the dog jumped on the hood of the car. Dogs just don't act like that in normal situations.

The ending really packs a wallop & is unforgettable. Michael Landon really knocked it out of the park with this episode.

Mickey Rooney was never a comedian even though he could be very funny at times. He could also be very serious & tough. He was quite a versatile actor.

As a kid I grew up watching the Andy Hardy film series & laughed. But I outgrew those movies. When I first saw "Boys Town" (1938) I forgot about Andy Hardy & was more impacted by his more serious & tougher roles.

He played a tough kid in "Hoosier Schoolboy" (1936) he was great as a grease monkey in "Quicksand" (1950). But I've never been more impressed than his portrayal of the notorious celebrated outlaw bank robber Lester Gillis aka Baby Face Nelson the quick tempered trigger happy shoot em up gangster.

It also has an excellent supporting cast of usual suspects like George e. Stone interestingly cast against type as a banker instead of a gangster. Elisha Cook Jr. & Jack Elam & John Hoyt etc. This movie really has the look & feel of a genuine 1930's gangster movie.

Surprisingly he let's the banker live (George E. Stone) & later when he see's 2 kids & draws his Tommy gun & pulls back his gun as the kids don't spot him & walk way.

Carolyn Jones asks Baby Face to lie to her that he wouldn't have killed the 2 kids he answers her by saying he would not have killed them.

Mickey Rooney was perfect for the role as he was short & had a baby face I can't think of anyone else in the role. Mickey Rooney was born to play Baby Face Nelson for Mickey Rooney is Baby Face Nelson.

Highly recommended for any fans of gangster films.

I was surprised to find this movie was produced by the poverty row studio Monogram famous for it's B quickies. Bela Lugosi & the East Side Kids but occasionally produced quality gems like this 1945 film of the famous bank robber & public enemy John Dillinger. But then the major studios were steering clear of gangster films during the war.

Lawrence Tierney made his big splash as the popular Robin Hood folk hero of the depression. The film doesn't really feel like it's set in the 1930's & looks more like a 1940's film noir gangster film set in the time it was made. Lawrence Tierney was quite a bad boy in real life & makes George Raft look almost like a choir boy.

Lawrence Tierney does a good job as Dillinger but portrays him as a cold blooded killer which the real John Dillinger wasn't. He robbed banks & displayed his charismatic charm to the media press & public.

But the cast elevates this movie with the usual suspects like Marc Lawrence & Elisha Cook Jr. & Eduardo Cianelli. This is a good watch but the definitive more factual version was the 1973 movie with Warren Oates he nailed it & was the best John Dillinger.

But Lawrence Tierney is good. I recommend both versions.

I never knew about this movie until I read a comment about it on You tube. I was a teen in 1973 & I recall lots but not this movie. I just watched it twice & I may watch it again.

As a conspiracy buff I like any JFK movie that challenges the WC report I never believed it was the whole story & the idea of Lee Harvey Oswald acting alone seems highly improbable & unrealistic. So it had to be a conspiracy & even an inside job.

"Executive Action" is much better & more realistic than Oliver Stone's "JFK" a good movie but he went too far & top heavy on the conspiracies. Executive Action tells a more straight forward to the point story less convoluted about a big business conspiracy involved. However I don't believe it.

I think the only plausible conspiracy was the Mob because they helped in JFK's election & he double crossed them making it difficult for the underworld to thrive & prosper. And also Jack Ruby's association & history with organized crime. He began as a bootlegger for Al Capone. I think it was a mob conspiracy pulling the strings & controlling legitimate forces like the FBI, the police & secret service.

I like that it showed Oswald lookalikes & doubles used & showing his head pasted & superimposed on another person's body of Oswald carrying a rifle & communist newspaper & a pistol. Oswald claimed the photo's were fake & not him. This film clearly shows that but it doesn't show or elaborate on other aspects of Oswald's movements after he left the book depository after the shooting.

But in this film the story is told from the point of view ofthe conspirators & their plot to kill JFK. I think the story needs to be told again but from the point of view of Lee Harvey Oswald which really hasn't been done. And tell the whole story of all the obscure facts & grassy knoll witnesses that were excluded & ignored & cut off & murdered. Including the Oswald doubles.

Regardless if it's believable it's a good watch for the conspiracy club & for anyone that enjoys a good conspiracy thriller to rival the official story. Recommended.

I saw this on TV many moons ago as a teen & I was mesmerized by Roy Orbison's "out of this world" singing voice. I just watched it again last night on You Tube. And I thought he did a good acting job for his first & last movie. It was quite a demanding role for Roy as Johnny Banner I liked when early on his character goes in disguise wearing a white hair wig & beard & a top hat he was deep in his acting & not a sign of Roy Orbison. He had a natural acting ability & had he made more movies he could've emerged as an actor of credible ability.

I read there were plans for Roy to do five pictures but the idea was scrapped as this flick was a flop at the box office. Too bad because this could've began a new career for Roy as the hit records ended after he left Monument. I wasn't surprised one bit Elvis Presley was the first choice & turned it down. It was right up his alley. If any rock n roll artist gave Elvis competition & a run for his money it was the legendary Roy Orbison. He clearly influenced Elvis' operatic singing style in his later period.

I liked the novelty of Roy's guitar which was a gun & of all the songs he sings the best ones I think were "Pistolero". "River" & "Medicine Man" The movie has a plot & story it's an entertaining fun film & must see for Roy Orbison fans.

The depression 1930's saw some of the most innovative & groundbreaking movies that left audiences stunned & blown out of their minds. I can only imagine audiences being shocked out of their skulls at the first sight of King Kong in 1933. The arrival of sound & talkies were a new thing & just a few years earlier films like Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, White Zombie, Island of Lost Souls & Mystery Of The Wax Museum had created a startling sensation to1930's audiences.

And then came this earth shaking monster classic, it is a perfectly done masterpiece, the action & special effects & stop motion animation & storytelling & superb excellent cast & throbbing music score & direction & fast pacing makes this a winner in every aspect. It is exceedingly well done & still holds up today. Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong , Bruce Cabot & Noble Johnson are in top form & give standout performances. King Kong was well received in 1933 & is still watchable today I can't count how many times I've seen it. It's a film that can be viewed over & over. I have this on VHS & I've seen it on the big screen.

This movie is so great it can impress a modern audience it's that good. Still packs a wallop after all these years & decades. It's unbeatable ! ! !

I saw this remake in 2006 in England & it pays homage by tipping it's hat to the 1933 original even recreating some of the scenes of the original. Such as the natives ritual dance & it's entertaining but the film is overloaded with too much modern embellishments & overdone & overblown special effects which are unnecessary & stupid . I wish modern hollywood would just leave the golden age alone & stop remaking the classics. Once it's been done it's been done so turn the page. How can you top the 1933 original ? The original was a huge enormous box office smash in 1933 & talkies were still new & the horror monster movies were a new experience for audiences. They had never seen anything like it before.

The great depression really triggered & inspired hollywood filmmakers. At a time when movies were at their most creative & innovative & groundbreaking. The original is still the enduring classic that I can always watch & comeback to. But this remake is good to see one time & then you forget it & it'll never be a classic & stand up to the 1933 original. When I saw this remake it only made me want to see the original again so it helps & keeps the original a memorable classic. The original is the only one you need to see it'll never be surpassed.

After "The Black Cat" in 1934 "The Raven" in 1935 the two horror icons Karloff & Lugosi teamed up again in "The Invisible Ray in 1936. Unlike the first two films The Invisible Ray has less horror & is actually an early foray into science fiction 14 years before it became an established popular genre in the 1950's.1936 Audiences must've been blown away at the early scenes of outer space showing the planets & stars predating "Destination Moon" in 1950. It's plot device is the model & set the standard for 1950's Sci-fi which was a bit ahead of it's time. The only other memorable science fiction film from 1936 is "Things To Come" a visionary film that travels 100 years into the "future". The Invisible Ray shows Bela Lugosi (Dracula) & Boris Karloff (Frankenstein) in roles very different & a departure from their signature identification stamps. Karloff is the visionary & somewhat mad scientist that really loses it as he slowly falls apart after exposure to Radium X . Lugosi in complete contrast is the balanced good doctor scientist that develops a counter-active to keep Karloff's radium poisoning in check for a short time as it wears off & he must have regular doses at certain times or he'll quoting Lugosi's line "Crumble to an ash" as only Lugosi can deliver a line. Bela as Dr. Felix Benet is a sharp contrast from Count Dracula his facial hair & beard gives him a radically different look & virtually removes his vampire image. He really shows his range & versatility here & he wasn't just Dracula he was a great actor. He got to show his versatility again in his next teaming with Karloff as the crazed shepard Ygor in "Son Of Frankenstein" in 1939. Lugosi upstages & steals the show from Karloff one of the reasons why Karloff stopped playing the monster.

Boris as D. Janos Rukke was the first of his many mad doctor roles he would play & Bela also did his share of mad genius doctor roles later in the 1940's. The scenes of Karloff glowing in the dark from Radium X is very impressive special effects & still holds up today. The film gets better with age & never gets old & a film I can watch over & over. Bela & Boris were great on their own & even greater together. I have lots of their movies I can't get enough of these two masters of horror. Bela & Boris are the greatest horror kings of all time.

I found & bought a compilation DVD with 9 movies on 3 discs titled "Classic Film Noir" in 2009 & this is one of the titles & my most favorite one. It has a very good plot & storyline. I never get enough of this film it's classic film noir. It has some twists & surprises. I won't reveal any of the story to those who haven't seen it but I will say that this film has a very good & compelling story that will keep you on the edge of your seat & surprise you in the end. It has an excellent cast with Lizabeth Scott, Dan Duryea & Don DeFore, Kristine Miller & Arthur Kennedy.

I like the storyline about a couple who unexpectedly find a suitcase containing $60,000. This actually happened to me in 1988 I unexpectedly stumbled onto a backpack containing $60,000 in cash in my mothers house (she knew nothing about ) I was visiting her & went into the spare bedroom closet looking for the stuffed toy dog & instead found this $60,000. I smuggled it out of her house as I was leaving to say my good byes & drove back home. As soon as I got home I locked the doors & began counting the money & it took me 3 hours to count it totaling $60,000 I recall the money made my heart race & made me feel powerful but also I was a nervous wreck I kept the money for 2 days & no I didn't keep it as much as I wanted to. I didn't want my mother to find it & I didn't go to the lengths & extremes to keep it like Lizabeth Scott's character did in the movie. So I can relate to this movie because I know what $60,000 in cash looks & feels like. How the couple found the money is a bit farfetched & unrealistic & hard to accept & swallow.. But other than that it's a very good movie & one of the best film noirs of all time.

1969 was more than a change of habit but a change of direction for Elvis. Years of formula musicals drained all the interest & passion Elvis had early on. Charro is a decent western showing Elvis the actor but Change Of Habit is a religious drama, social commentary & a musical, the combination doesn't work. It's a good serious attempt but the songs get in the way & don't fit.

Elvis never really sinks his teeth & gets deep into his role & he just skims & glides on the surface. Not for a moment is he convincing as a doctor who has to break into a song because he's Elvis Presley.....what a coincidence. It's a movie that should've never been made. For his last 2 films Charro is the quality movie.

I've been on a film noir fix lately & finding these flicks on You Tube such as Private Hell 36, Crime Of Passion, The Killer Is Loose, Please Murder Me, Raw Deal, Black Angel etc. Most of these I enjoyed & I've watched them once but when I stumbled onto this one yesterday I watched it again today as it was a little more than what I expected. Follow Me Quietly is not really a film noir it's a crime drama & police procedural.

It's a bit experimental & unusual which makes it stand out from the others, the late 40's post war period was a time when filmmakers were trying out new gimmicks such as subjective first person camera like Lady In The Lake (1946) & Dark Passage (1947). The police create a dummy of the killer from what evidence & clues they have which is a little more than the usual routine bulletin description of a suspect.

Sometimes a person can be identified & recognized by the back of their head & ears & the size & shape of their body & physique. Since the police have never seen the killers face the dummy is faceless & startling. The scene where the killer replaces the dummy & sits in William Lundigan's office facing the window with it's back to him is clever but pointless & foolish. What if the detective was smart enough to notice it was really him ? Why would the killer take such a risk ? I think it was just a gimmick & for cinematic effect to satisfy the filmmakers & to give the audience a thrill. The silly trick worked & fooled me I thought it was the faceless dummy.

And when the killers face is revealed he's not what you expect, he's very insecure & nervous & seems incapable of doing anything right. How did he manage to kill 8 victims & get away with it ? The ending is similar to White Heat & this film isn't great but it's fun & interesting, different & memorable & worth watching. I've seen it twice & I may watch it again.

This is a very entertaining boxing drama with a superb cast, it has a little bit of everything, gangsters, music, romance, heart & soul & even a morality tale. And of course it has plenty of boxing scenes. It stars Edward G. Robinson as fight manager Nick Donati & Bette Davis as Fluff & Humphrey Bogart as the gangster manager Turkey Morgan & Wayne Morris in the title role as Ward Guisenberry alias Kid Galahad. The director was the great Michael Curtiz & the great cast turn this into a very entertaining movie. There's nothing original here but it doesn't matter because the story is excellent & it's very well done & the pacing is just right & the direction is very strong after all the director was Michael Curtiz. All the main actors & even the supporting players are very good & top notch. Robinson & Bogart are always great together & it's always fun to watch them shoot it out like they previously did in "Bullets Or Ballots" 1936 & later in "Key Largo" in 1948. This was such a great success story that Warner Bros. remade it in 1941 as "The Wagons Roll At Night" with Humphrey Bogart in the Robinson role who runs a traveling circus with Kid Galahad as a lion tamer instead of a boxer & it's almost as good. The story surfaced again in 1962 as a rather cheesy lighthearted musical with Elvis in the title role. Unless you're an Elvis fan avoid this one it's not as good as the original & the 1941 remake. Watch this original & the '41 remake if you're a Robinson & Bogart fan & if you like quality movies. You can't go wrong with the old Warner classics.

This is a typical formulated Elvis musical, there is nothing special about it that makes it stand out from the rest of the trash. Ridiculous plot & flimsy story & one stupid situation after another. And enough songs to fill an album & some of the songs are better than the movie itself & that's not a good sign. The best part of the movie is the racing scene at the end with several car crashes but that's expected in a car race. But it comes too late, in the meantime there's too many distracting & intrusively silly & annoying scenes that weighs the film down & gets in the way of the plot & story (if there ever was one).

Aside from a few decent movies Elvis made when he was given solid material to work with like Jailhouse Rock, King Creole, Flaming Star, Wild In The Country & Charro most of his movies were garbage. They are tediously boring & are embarrassing & hard to sit through & a waste of time & a disgrace to Elvis' career. Only Elvis fans will enjoy this poop simply because Elvis is in it.

This is a semi-autobiographical & documentary like account of the early Elvis phenomenon & what all the excitement was about when Elvis exploded onto the scene in 1956. It's all here with the controversial hip shaking gyrations. This movie is a showcase of the early Elvis persona on stage rather than his acting. He's not given much to work with since he's essentially playing himself so he doesn't need to do much acting. Aside from the fight scene he mainly shines as a singing entertainer.

Out of the 4 pre-army movies this is my least favorite because his acting is not very good & is overshadowed by the music & the other actors. Lizabeth Scott is the one that really carries the film, her character is very strong & commanding & the driving force that moves the story forward. It's not that Elvis can't act there's just no room to act when he's playing himself.

Elvis's acting was much better in his first movie "Love Me Tender" because he was a supporting player to Richard Egan & Debra Paget & he was stepping into a role. Elvis really started to shine as an actor in his next movie "Jailhouse Rock" & of course "King Creole". This early on Elvis' acting career still looked promising.

This is an extremely well done, well directed & well acted excellent western about racial hatred & prejudice. The explosive conflict between the white settlers & the native American Indians the Kiowa's. Elvis in a very straight dramatic role plays Pacer Burton the half white half red caught in the middle & torn between his loyalty & allegiance to the 2 races. The story is very serious & compelling & filled with tension & action & graphic violence throughout except for the opening which is lighthearted with the birthday party scene for Pacer's brother Clint (Steve Forrest) as Elvis breaks into the only song he sings in the entire movie.

This movie was originally meant for Marlon Brando & Frank Sinatra to star in as the brothers played by Elvis & Steve Forrest. It has an excellent cast with John McIntire & Dolores Del Rio as the white father & Indian mother. This is NOT a typical Elvis movie & Elvis really rises to the occasion & really delivers the goods as he shows what a great actor he was when he was given the right vehicle to showcase his dramatic acting ability. Movies like "Flaming Star & "Wild In The Country" gave Elvis the type of roles he wanted.

But unfortunately Elvis' acting side was never really promoted & exploited enough to overshadow his "image" as a singing entertainer. We have The Col Tom Parker to thank for that, he knew how to manage Elvis as a singer but not as an actor. Most of his films were just platforms to sell his image & to get his music across.

It's a toss up between "King Creole" & "Flaming Star" but I think Flaming Star is easily Elvis's best movie because he's not playing a singer & bursting into a song every 10 minutes. In "King Creole", "Jailhouse Rock" & "Loving You" & "Roustabout" he portrays singers & the films are used to sell his music as well as displaying his acting talents. But in "Flaming Star" the music completely takes a back seat to his acting to the point where you forget he's a singer. It's a great rare moment watching Elvis step into a deep acting role & not just being "Elvis". Another film that almost matches this is the later western "Charro" another serious movie with no songs at all except for the opening credits. Elvis really should've done more westerns & other dramas & should've kept his singing & acting careers separate. Imagine Elvis in "Thunder Road" with Robert Mitchum. How cool would that've been ? Elvis wanted the role of Joker Jackson in "The Defiant Ones", imagine Elvis as a convict chained to Sidney Poiter ? That would've been explosive ! Elvis could've done so much more as an actor. Watch this movie !!

I know "Dracula" is the classic iconic horror film that "started it all" & paved the way for all the other great horror classics at Universal. Such as "Frankenstein", "The Mummy" & "The Invisible Man" etc. But the truth is "Dracula" is a disappointing classic. It starts out excellent & strikingly atmospheric & visually creative for the first 30 minutes or so. Renfield's (Dwight Frye) visit to Count Dracula's Castle is amazingly dreamlike, surreal & chilling & scary & at first he's rational & sane as he encounters the vampire. Bela Lugosi is absolutely mesmerizing & chilling as Dracula.

But as soon as the story shifts from Dracula's Castle in Transylvania to London, England the film deteriorates & falls apart & never really recovers from the excellent Transylvanian scenes. It becomes too theatrical & resembles a stage play with too much talking & not enough action. And too much of the film focuses on Renfield now under Dracula's hypnotic control & is reduced to a raving mad lunatic slave. Dwight Frye overacts too much & it gets old fast. The young couple John Harker & Mina (David Manners & Helen Chandler) are very wooden & boring.

Professor Van Helsing (Everett Van Sloan) was a more interesting character who confronts & exposes Dracula. But even he is given too much screen time & there's only fleeting moments of Bela Lugosi. Tod Browning's direction lacks consistency & is uninspiring after the first 30 minutes & shows lack of interest & seems unsure where to go with it or maybe he just didn't care. As soon as the story moves to London the film just didn't seem to have a clear direction & just plods & drags on aimlessly with no conviction. It might've been better if Dracula after being exposed by the Professor returned to his Castle in Transylvania.

And what was Dracula's reason & motive for sailing to London in the first place ? When he already has a Castle in Transylvania it doesn't make any sense at all. Oh that's right he purchased Carfax Abbey in London but why ?? & where would Dracula get the money ?? As soon as Dracula moves to London the film becomes a dull & boring stage play & it struggles a bit to sustain your interest & is hard to sit through. But the first 30 minutes are fantastic !! After that it's downhill & a disappointment but still worth seeing as Bela Lugosi was & is the definitive Dracula. It's just too bad Tod Browning fell asleep when Dracula moved to London.