House of Wax (1953)

Director:

André De Toth

Writers:

Charles Belden (story)
Crane Wilbur (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 April 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

UNLIKE ANYTHING YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE! (original print ad - all caps)

Plot:

A horribly disfigured sculptor opens up the House of Wax in New York, using the wax-covered bodies of his victims as his displays. And he's now set his eyes on his Marie Antoinette...

Plot Keywords:

Wax | Sculptor | Morgue | Wax Museum | Fire

Cast

Vincent Price	...	Prof. Henry Jarrod
Frank Lovejoy	...	Lt. Tom Brennan
Phyllis Kirk	...	Sue Allen
Carolyn Jones	...	Cathy Gray
Paul Picerni	...	Scott Andrews
Roy Roberts	...	Matthew Burke
Angela Clarke	...	Mrs. Andrews
Paul Cavanagh	...	Sidney Wallace
Dabbs Greer	...	Sgt. Jim Shane
Charles Bronson	...	Igor (as Charles Buchinsky)
Reggie Rymal	...	The barker

Also Known As:

The Wax Works (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Warnercolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Stereo (WarnerPhonic/RCA)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Netherlands:12 | West Germany:16 (nf) | USA:GP (re-rating) (1971) | Argentina:13 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Finland:(Banned) (1953) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 (re-release) | UK:PG (video rating) (1988) | UK:X (original rating) (cut) | USA:Approved (PCA #16385)

Company:

Bryan Foy Productions

Trivia:

Warner Bros.' first 3-D movie, filmed by director André De Toth - who was blind in one eye and hence could not see the effect.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Jarrod gets details wrong narrating the story of Marat. He pronounces the t at the end, says Charlotte Corday was mistress (disproved by the autopsy which discovered she was a virgin), and that Marat just taking a bath. Marat was suffering from a tropical skin disease and being in water could ameliorate his suffering, so he spent most of his time in his bathtub.

Quotes:

Prof. Henry Jarrod: I'm afraid that the visit of a such distinguished critic may cause my children to become conceited. To you they are wax, but to me their creator, they live and breathe.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Anatomie (2000)

Classic Fun-Filled Horror!

House of Wax was one of the few films made in 3D which was a huge success. This may have more to do with the fact that it had a good, strong story and great acting and did not rely solely upon it's 3D special effects.

The late great Vincent Price is Henry Jarrod, a sweet and dedicated artist who creates lifelike mannequins for a wax museum. His statues - depicting everyone from Marie Antoinette & Joan of Arc to John Wilkes Booth - are loved by Henry as much as if they were his own children. When he objects to creating more horrific sculptures to attract more paying customers, his partner sets the museum on fire, hoping to collect a tidy sum in insurance money. Henry supposedly perishes in the flames, trying in vain to rescue his beloved wax friends in a scene which is truly heartbreaking. Some time later, Henry reappears, wheelchair bound and just a tad bitter. He has opened a new wax museum which features realistic scenes of murder and horror, many of them taken from current headlines. Unfortunately, some of them are just a little TOO realistic: one looks like Henry's ex-partner, who was found hanging in an elevator shaft. Was it really a suicide, or something more sinister? Joan of Arc bears a striking resemblance to Cathy Gray, a young girl who has gone missing from her room. And Cathy's friend Sue looks exactly like the lost Marie Antoinette, the pride and joy of Henry's former exhibit. Soon, a horribly scarred monster is chasing Sue through the foggy night time streets. Can the police, and Sue's artistic young suitor, solve the mystery in time? Or will Sue wind up as yet another display in the House of Wax?

This is a wonderful, creepy scare-fest with great sets, beautiful colors and strong performances. Vincent Price as Henry Jarrod is both lovable and horrifying as the kind man driven mad. Charles Bronson, in a very early role, is super freaky as Henry's mute and morbid assistant. Carolyn Jones (in her pre-Morticia Addams days) is blond, pretty Cathy, the squeaky opportunist with the heart of gold. Phyllis Kirk is the sensible Sue, a slightly uptight but genuinely believable victim. The scene where she must run through the deserted, fog-soaked streets is very, convincingly creepy. When Sue actually stops long enough to remove her noisy and cumbersome high heeled shoes, which give away her every step on the cobblestone road, I very nearly applauded. The 3D effects are an added bonus to an already wonderfully fun movie - watch for the classic paddle ball scene!

This is one of Price's best starring role films. It is everything that a good horror film should be - funny without being ridiculous, scary without the gore and fantastical without being far fetched. 10 stars!!! Don't miss it!