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Horror in Black and White: ‘The Bat’ (1959)

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The Bat

A mysterious old house, a masked killer, a $1 million theft, and a best-selling mystery novelist converge in 1959’s The Bat

You thought I was going to say “Murder, She Wrote” didn’t you?

Sorry, this is Horror in Black and White, and while you’ll find no Angela Lansbury here, you will be treated to Agnes Moorehead and Vincent Price!

The Bat began its life as a novel called The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart in 1908. Just over a decade later Rinehart and Jazz Age playwright Avery Hopwood adapted it for the stage, first called A Thief in the Night becoming The Bat when it moved to Broadway where it ran for more than 800 performances and spawned six touring companies.

Naturally, it was a prime candidate to bring to film, and it was adapted three times before the 1959 version that I’ve chosen. Each has their strengths and weaknesses, but only one had Agnes Moorehead in all her glory.

Perhaps one of the greatest character actresses of her time, Moorehead rarely saw herself in the leading role. In fact, she only really held that spot twice in a decades long career: The Bat and 1972’s Dear Dead Delilah, though it’s important to note that despite her leading lady status, she wasn’t given top billing here.

Agnes Moorehead The Bat
Agnes Moorehead was never more regal than she was in The Bat…okay, maybe she was as Endora on Bewitched…

That went, of course, to the master of the macabre himself, Vincent Price, but more on him later, because I think Ms. Moorehead more than earned her time in the spotlight here.

Moorehead plays Cornelia Van Gorder, a best-selling mystery novelist who has rented a rather magnificent manor referred to by locals as “The Oaks” to work on her latest novel. The home has a checkered past, however. It was the scene of several murders by a mysterious, and reportedly faceless man, known as The Bat.

The home’s owner, who also owns the local bank, recently embezzled one million dollars and hid the money in the house, but is killed before he can retrieve it.

Soon, Cornelia and her maid/assistant find themselves along with a few other locals trapped in the house with someone. Could it be The Bat or is it simply an imitator out to find the money? You’ll just have to watch to find out.

What’s important here is that Moorehead is at her regal best in the role of Van Gorder. Elegant, charming, level-headed, and always in charge, she wonders at those around her losing their heads over silly stories. However with the discovery of a body, and upon seeing a masked man herself, she decides to put that rather impressive novelist’s imagination to work to see if she can figure out the mysteries around her.

Honestly, just listening to her speak in this film is a treat, as she thinks through each successive problem in her attempt to unmask the madman.

Okay, okay, we’ll talk about Vincent Price. Price agreed to do the film because he saw a production of the play as a child and it terrified him. He felt, however, that this particular incarnation was inferior to that previous play.

Still, he is Vincent Price, and even with an admittedly smaller role, he manages to impress. I’d like to say that it’s surprising the he took top billing over Moorehead, but let’s be honest, it’s not at all.

Price was the “bigger” star, and he also happened to be male and this was 1959 after all.

There’s a lovely symmetry in the two acting together. They were both formidable talents, after all, and I wonder what it would have been like to see the two play the MacBeths…?

The rest of the cast is quite good, as well, and you might find one actress, in particular, familiar. Her name was Darla Hood, and she was THE Darla from the Little Rascals films. This film was her final performance on the big screen.

The Bat has more than its fair share of tension thanks to director Crane Wilbur’s sense of place, coaxing The Oaks and its shadowed halls to life and making it a character all its own. It was also Wilbur’s decision to focus more on the horror elements in the story with this particular adaptation of the source material.

Louis Forbes also lends his considerable talents with an impressive score.

By the end of the film, when the plot has twisted and the mystery has been solved, The Bat is at its core an entertaining, melodramatic spectacle, and because it has fallen into the public domain can be viewed just about anywhere in multiple formats.

For the fair price of free, check out The Bat on Amazon Prime or even YouTube. You’ll be glad you did!


Related: Horror in Black and White: House on Haunted Hill (1959)

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New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

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Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

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‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

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Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

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How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

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Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

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