Wednesday, October 16, 2013

The Ghost Walks


(1934) **1/2

 Following a minor car accident in the middle of nowhere a narcissistic Broadway producer, his wimpy (male) secretary and a struggling playwright seek refuge in a nearby ominous house.  Arriving at the house they find that its occupants are throwing a party and the trio is invited to join the proceedings.  As a storm begins to rage strange things begin happening and a few twists later we are dealing with a whodunit.




The Ghost Walks is a good, albeit generic, example of the whodunit genre that was so popular in the 1930s.  The film follows the usual formula (why fix it if it isn't broken?) of people being picked off one by one as they wander off by themselves though a large house.  There are bookcases that spin, secret rooms and even paintings with the eyes cut out so the killer can track his/her victims.  It’s a fun little movie that you have seen countless times before.

8 comments:

Catfreeek said...

I like these films even though they are very generic. Take the same film but insert The Three Stooges or Laurel & Hardy and the horror becomes a comedy.

Octopunk said...

It's so old, too! Only two years after The Old Dark House. Even the generic takes on a certain significance when it's that far back.

Octopunk said...

That first image is kind of awesome.

Johnny Sweatpants said...

Haha, we recently watched one with the very same premise. I love the formula. If it ain't broke don't fix it!

AC said...

nice way to lighten up that horrorthon heaviness.

Octopunk said...

It's like all the Halloween knockoffs but fifty years ealier! Dammit, which one was the first?

DKC said...

1934! Holy cats! Sounds fun!

DKC said...

!!!!

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