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I figured this would be the toughest shot to guess in Horror Quiz #1. The two men are not really recognizable, and the young woman (Monica Bannister) is not too well known either. You may remember her from the chorus line of Gold Diggers of 1933, if your memory is truly excellent. It took me 5 minutes to lock in on the correct answer, due to special circumstances. First, the movie appeared to be in Technicolor, circa 1930. It has that lovely patina, an unmistakable retro-look. Modern filmmakers have attempted to capture this retro lustre, but their efforts are usually achieved with costume, lighting, scenery, or filtering (e.g., Delicatessen, Santa Sangre, etc.). The tint balance on these more modern films is a bit different too (true blue is not as problematic). Now, if you search Cinemania for color horror films of the 30's or late 20's, you'll find only one other example, Doctor X (1932). To eliminate, this film, you need to examine the context of the above shot. The woman is in a crate, not a coffin. She looks a bit like Joan of Arc, and her face seems to be well-preserved. Bingo: waxworks, or The Mystery of the Wax Museum. Notes: For a quick reference on early Technicolor, visit the Pop Studios website. According to their write-up, The Mystery of the Wax Museum was shot as a two color film and printed on a single transparent strip, a process known as dye transfer. Thus some other authors who have described the movie as a two strip Technicolor film are probably in error, or have their nomenclature confused (2-color is the appropriate term). An excellent reference on this movie (and others made during its era) is Golden Horrors: An Illustrated Critical Filmography of Terror Cinema, 1931-1939, by Brian Senn. Well-researched, the book contains plot-synopses, reprints of reviews, and high quality photos of the films and stars. The truly lazy among you will find the above shot reproduced on the inside cover of the Laserdisc package for the movie. A wonderful collector's item, if you can find it.
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