HOUSE OF WAX 1953
Vincent Price (Henry Jarrod), Frank Lovejoy (Lt. Tom Brennan), Phyllis Kirk (Sue Allen), Carolyn Jones (Cathy Gray), Charles Bronson (Igor), Roy Roberts (Matthew Burke)
Directed by Andre De Toth
"I'm going to give the people what they want. Sensation. Horror. Shock. Send them out into the streets to tell their friends how wonderful it is to be scared to death!"
The Short Version: Warner's hugely entertaining 3D horror show succeeds for a myriad of reasons; and not all of them are attributed to the participation of Price. It's big, loud and ghoulish, and makes great use of color and studio sets to capture a grandly, (and grand guignol) atmosphere of the macabre. The films sense of sideshow hucksterism is seemingly a lost art today. Vincent Price is vastly restrained here, but his piercing stare and facial hair are as overpowering as any of his other more boisterous performances of other productions. Buy a ticket, get some popcorn and enjoy the show.
Henry Jarrod, a wax museum sculptor and proprietor loses his priceless creations in a fire after his callous business partner sets his establishment ablaze for the insurance money. Presumed dead in the accident, a wheelchair-bound Jarrod resurfaces nearly a year later in preparation of an all new museum. But instead of historical figures of note, Jarrod now showcases waxen creations of murderers in sensational, lurid displays. Meanwhile, a deformed killer is on the loose, stealing the bodies from a local morgue.
This gloriously gruesome color horror from Warner Brothers was heavily ballyhooed at the time for its 3D presentation and Stereophonic Sound. It was a remake of the 1933 two-strip Technicolor spooker MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM starring Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray. Both films are products of their time, but the '53 version edges out the original mainly because of the participation of Price. Outside of a few alterations (the main character being a spirited female reporter), Andre De Toth's version is very faithful to Michael Curtiz's picture -- even down to some of the dialog.
Arguably the greatest difference between the two films is that the original is more of a murder thriller while the '53 version wallows in its horror elements. In fact, the film wastes no time in showing you the films monster early on; and this ends up being a slight detriment to the movie. Any horror fan worth their salt will know who it is, but it would have been nice to have a late-blooming reveal of the monsters true identity. A PHANTOM OF THE OPERA style reveal is reserved for the finale, though.
Vincent Price's cinematic niche began in the 1950s. He'd been in horror films before, but HOUSE OF WAX got him well on his way to becoming America's next big horror star picking up the monster mantle previously held by the likes of Karloff and Lugosi. The following year, Price starred as THE MAD MAGICIAN (1954) for Columbia in what was essentially a more sordid reworking of HOUSE OF WAX. His roles in THE FLY (1958), RETURN OF THE FLY (1959) and HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (1959) closed out the decade. His career in fear snowballed from there.
The centerpiece of it all is the waxen house of horrors -- which is an extension of Jarrod's personality. He began the film interested only in figures of respectability and social significance. Yet once he's suffered physical deformities and nearly died, he becomes a monster. The extended shots of his life's work melting in a fiery inferno are emblematic of his transformation. Jarrod's resultant creations are an extension of that hatred. The one strand linking Jarrod with his depleted sanity is his obsession with Marie Antoinette -- his prized creation.
There's likewise something Draculean about Jarrod's fascination with the controversial royal lady, and his persistence in preserving her for all time. The character of Sue Allen is the living embodiment of Jarrod's Antoinette, and he'll do anything to possess her.
Greed is as integral to the narrative as the ghoulish activities of the mad museum proprietor. Initially, Jarrod's interests lie in the passion for his work. The monetary aspect is secondary, if even at all. His money yearnings extend only so that he may continue his work. However, his partner Burke is dissatisfied with Jarrod's choice of waxen exhibitions, favoring far more gruesome displays; as well as making good on his investment, and quickly. Upon learning an outside interested party won't be able to decide on buying out Burke's share, the greedy stockbroker strikes on the idea of setting the place on fire to get a return in a quicker, if devastating fashion.
Jarrod, thought dead for months, resurfaces some time later. Now wheelchair bound and his hands disfigured, he reopens his wax museum, but this time creating a literal Chamber of Horrors to coincide with his less violent displays. Greed in turn becomes a part of his psyche. Greed for his work in that he's driven to murder to realize a greater, more ghastly realism for his wax creations. At one time a passive, passionate man of his craft, Jarrod now becomes as soulless -- even more so -- than those that drove him to his madness; and few actors have captured madness on screen as good as Vincent Price.
Price is often accused of overacting in his movies, but here, and like others in his 50s oeuvre, he's restrained. There's a hint of sardonic wit in his line delivery that masks the rage he feels for having lost the use of his hands -- this rage channeled in his turnabout stance on his wax figure preferences. With that said, there's also something Frankensteinian about Price's Jarrod character. However, the film doesn't spend enough time with him prior to his crippling accident to maintain much pity for him.
Charles Bronson (using his real last name of Buchinsky) is on hand in a supporting role as Price's doting, deaf-mute servant, Igor. Reportedly, neither man got along very well, but they did appear onscreen together in 1960 for AIP's MASTER OF THE WORLD. In that film, Bronson was the protagonist as Price was the title madman. Of course, Bronson would go on to worldwide fame essaying gun-toting vigilantes and tough, hard as nails cops in a variety of films.
HOUSE OF WAX succeeds not only as a horror film, but also in its depiction, and glorification of old style showmanship. This is perfectly exemplified with the paddle ball practitioner who not only entices patrons into the establishment, but also breaks the fourth wall and sells the 3D effects to the audience watching in the theaters. The picture was hugely successful, and was influential on other movies over the years. Below is a list of films that used wax museums, or borrowed, or paid homage to its concept.
Giorgio Ferroni's sepulchral, eerily atmospheric MILL OF STONE WOMEN from 1960 is an underrated Italian variation on the ghoulish concept of HOUSE OF WAX (1953).
One of the best examples of Mexi-horror and Lucha Libre cinema was SANTO EN EL MUSEO DE CERA from 1963. Alfonso Corona Blake's movie took elements of both HOUSE OF WAX and ISLAND OF LOST SOULS (1932) to create an enjoyable experience. Oh, and there's wrestling, too! It was released here under the title of SAMSON IN THE WAX MUSEUM.
In 1966 there came the very similar CHAMBER OF HORRORS that was originally intended to lead to a TV series, but unfortunately, nothing came of it.
1969s NIGHTMARE IN WAX starring Cameron Mitchell was a virtual remake of the two earlier WAX films.
A segment of the exemplar Amicus anthology, THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD (1970) dealt with a wax museum harboring a sinister secret uncovered by Peter Cushing.
The finale of THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES (1971) hearkens back to the ending of HOUSE OF WAX (1953) in that two females are in dire peril of having their bodies soaked in an uncomplimentary, life-threatening fashion.
In 1979, David Schmoeller's TOURIST TRAP (one of the scariest movies to ever garner a PG rating) had elements akin to the wax museum movie motif.
A 2005 remake called HOUSE OF WAX felt more like a re-imagining of the aforementioned TOURIST TRAP (1978) than it did the 30s and 50s films.
Aside from the presence of Price, the sights and sounds sell the movie. Nearly every frame is drenched in vibrant colors, accentuated by fabulous art decor. David Buttolph's score is as rich as the photography. You don't need to see it in 3D to derive enjoyment here. There are a few light, macabre comedic moments that never feel out of place (also in the original 30s version), and serve to accentuate the exposition. It's a large scale, if morbid movie. One of the best horror pictures of its time, HOUSE OF WAX (1953) is among Vincent Price's best films; although not technically, nor solely for his performance, but for all the bells and whistles used to formulate a memorable piece of genre entertainment.
This review is representative of the Warner Brothers DVD.
THE MAD MAGICIAN 1954
Vincent Price (Don Gallico), Mary Murphy (Karen Lee), Eva Gabor (Claire Ormond), John Emery (The Great Rinaldi), Donald Randolph (Ross Ormond), Patrick O'Neal (Lt. Alan Bruce)
Directed by John Brahm
"...It was your head, Karen...the dummy head I made for the buzzsaw trick. Do you remember how its eyes rolled and the mouth opened and it screamed when the teeth of the saw ripped into its flesh? That was the most life-like thing I ever made. Do you think I'm going to let Rinaldi take that away from me, too? Oh, no, my dear, they'll never find that lovely head of yours."--Gallico morbidly discussing one of his elaborate "head pieces".
The Short Version: Rare Vincent Price vehicle was a quick cash in hot off the success of HOUSE OF WAX (1953) and even though it was put together in fast fashion, the set pieces are accomplished and offer several choice moments of ghastly mayhem during its scant 70 minutes. Considered a lesser Price, the man still delivers an energetically evil performance as he always did. Elements of this film (and of course his previous 3D effort) were incorporated into the PHIBES series and THEATER OF BLOOD (1973). Any Price is good Price and this obscure and rarely discussed production is essential for the cinematic Godfather of the ghoulish and the Grand Guinol.
Gallico the Great is an illusionist and master of disguise who also invents the dangerous devices used in the performances of other magicians. On his way to hitting the big time with his new and lavish invention, his unscrupulous and duplicitous boss--whom also stole his wife from him--pulls the rug out from under Gallico giving his idea and invention to a rival magician, The Great Rinaldi. Gallico is sent over the edge and plots gruesome revenge on those who've wronged him using his elaborate death devices as his murderous methods. Meanwhile, a resolute police Lieutenant and other interested parties get closer to discovering Gallico as the Mad Magician.
Absolutely ghoulish and sadistically entertaining horror revenge thriller starring one of the genres greatest and most celebrated actors, Vincent Price. Having solidified himself as an icon of horror with the previous years 3D spectacular, HOUSE OF WAX (1953), THE MAD MAGICIAN is essentially the same movie also in 3D (the first to be televised in the format), but in B/W. Price is put through pure hell here and this scenario would be repeated multiple times throughout his career most famously in the gory black comedy THEATER OF BLOOD (1973).
There's a great scene where Karen--Gallico's assistant at Illusions Inc.--accidentally leaves her bag and picks up Gallico's identical bag by mistake. The kicker is that the now murderous magician's bag contains a man's severed head! Upon finding her, he learns she left it aboard a horse drawn cab. Gallico tracks down the coach, but learns to his horror that the driver gave it to a policeman! Strangely enough, the cop never opens the bag. Even still, this is one of the best sequences in the movie containing a macabre level of humor about it.
Speaking of the authorities, there's also a determined Lieutenant who will stop at nothing to find the murderer which causes our title madman no end of grief. With each succeeding murder, Lt. Bruce gets closer to the truth as Gallico's means of covering up his deeds soon becomes known. The usage of fingerprinting is utilized here and according to some dialog, this practice was in its infancy and was viewed as hardly reliable. If there's one minor weakness of the script, it's in Gallico's modus operandi. It has the potential to give him away a lot sooner than it actually does in the movie. It's known from the beginning that his career up to that point has been impersonating others and designing exquisitely crafted masks. So when various individuals disappear or become prime suspects in a murder case, it isn't long before the trail leads straight to Gallico.
Eva Gabor played a likable lady with money on GREEN ACRES. In MAD MAGICIAN she plays a similar wealthy woman but is anything but likable here playing a blood sucking leech, sponging off the men in her life.
Most all of Gallico's victims are scuzzy, less than honorable people and it's these kinds of individuals that set Gallico off. Like HOUSE OF WAX before it and his other vengeance seeking tragic heroes that came after, Price's character is essentially a Frankenstein's Monster in that his enemies made him what he is. Eventually, though, Gallico turns his hatred towards innocent people whose only crime was learning of his homicidal tendencies. The climax is a suitable example of poetic justice, but isn't as good as the finale of the widely recognized HOUSE OF WAX (1953). The budgets and shooting schedules were on opposite ends of the spectrum but you would scarcely notice anything lacking here aside from the relative cheaper price of shooting on B/W film stock.
Vincent Price is his usual boisterous self essaying a tragic figure in one of his earliest horror movies. He was often referred to as a champion of hammy performances, the king of these no doubt being his intentionally OTT role in THEATER OF BLOOD in 1973. With him having previously been a stage actor, orating beyond the audience perfectly suited the often stagy nature of his horror pictures. It was a natural fit and Price made it sing his entire career. As in many of his other movies, Price's masterful delivery of dialog is in evidence here, too. It's almost as if he's occasionally reading us a passage from a book with the rich descriptiveness of the words that roll off his tongue. While it's a lesser affair on his resume considering it came so swiftly on the heels of the much more well known and prestigious HOUSE OF WAX (1953), THE MAD MAGICIAN (1954) seems to get a bad rap. It actually makes a nice 'B' side to its more famous progenitor.
Notice Price's legs in view within the mirrors hidden between the table
The film also carries a grand showbiz style atmosphere with its handful of magic trickery and the behind the scenes goings on in preparation for the shows as well as revealing a secret or two. Camera placement unintentionally reveals one piece of business where Gallico, impersonating his rival Rinaldi, raises his female assistant from a flower pot. You can see Gallico's legs reflected in the mirrors placed between the legs of the table holding the flower pot. This Columbia production also closely mimics its source material from rival Warner Brothers by copying not only the WAX remakes plot, but also some of its scenes. One of the 3D shots from the Warner picture had an entertainer flicking a paddle ball at the audience. For MAGICIAN, it's a guy and his two yo yo's flying at the screen. Old TV show lovers look out for Eva Gabor (Lisa Douglas from GREEN ACRES) as Gallico's gold-digging ex-wife.
Director Brahm also directed the 1944 Jack the Ripper horror thriller THE LODGER. He later dabbled in a dozen TWILIGHT ZONE episodes as well as several other sci fi and horror themed shows like ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS, THRILLER, THE OUTER LIMITS and VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA. His direction here for THE MAD MAGICIAN is efficient keeping this very early Vincent Price horror thriller moving at a fair clip. The score is lively and is one of the pictures best assets. Barring its modestly brutal climax (we even get to see Price do a Karate chop!), THE MAD MAGICIAN is recommended solely on the fact that Vincent Price is its star as well as taking into consideration that this movie has pulled a disappearing act for far too long.
THEATER OF BLOOD 1973
Vincent Price (Edward Lionheart), Diana Rigg (Edwina Lionheart), Ian Hendry (Peregrine Devlin), Coral Brown (Chloe Moon), Dennis Price (Hector Snipe), Madeline Smith (Rosemary)
Directed by Douglas Hickox
Members of the Critics Circle are killed one by one in gruesome fashion modeled after those found in the plays of William Shakespeare. As the critics numbers dwindle, the murderer is thought to be Edward Lionheart, an unhealthily faithful follower of the Bard's work. Having been ridiculed and embarrassed over not receiving his due recognition for his performances, Lionheart jumped to his death into the Thames river three years earlier. Having been saved by a motley clutch of homeless vagrants, Lionheart meticulously plots his grisly revenge. This sets the stage for a macabre ceremony in which the deranged Lionheart will finally be given his Critics Circle Award for Best Actor.
Douglas Hickox deftly handles this sadistically funny horror comedy of the blackest kind. Originally called, MUCH ADO ABOUT MURDER, the ingenious script is a reworking of Vincent Price's previous Dr. Phibes movies. This time substituting nine murders from Shakespeare's plays for the nine plagues of the Pharaoh's, THEATER OF BLOOD (1973) also deals with Price's character having suffered a wrong and revenging himself in an elaborately staged fashion. The methods by which Price gains this retribution are as they were in the previous two PHIBES pictures; very ornate yet exaggerated to the extreme. This is one of the funniest aspects of the movie. Lionheart is constantly one step ahead of everybody including the authorities, another conceit "borrowed" from the PHIBES films. No matter what the police do, they either arrive too soon, too late, or fall prey to a decoy from the devious Lionheart.
Vincent Price gets to "ham it up", going all out in his sinister role as Edward Lionheart. So many critics and fans alike had accused Price of grossly overacting in his movies and here, he gets to play a characterization that is somewhat autobiographical of that charge. He relished this role lending him the opportunity to lash out at those same critics that lambasted him throughout his career in film. Price also was excited to perform Shakespeare, being a huge fan of the man's work. Vincent was a theatrical and Broadway performer before he got roles in Hollywood productions. Prior to the filming of THEATER OF BLOOD (1973), Price was to have went back to the theater in Missouri for the summer, but the schedule for the United Artists film prevented that. Price had become increasingly disenchanted with AIP, and at first, he saw this production as more of the same.
Getting to work with so many big names of the time as well as the juicy character he would be playing encouraged Price that this production might not be so bad after all. Not only did the role of Lionheart become one of Price's most endearing, but he would also meet the love of his life-- actress, Coral Brown, who played one of the critics in the film. Not only does Price get to show a great deal of range, he gets to don numerous costumes for each of the elaborately repulsive, but tongue in cheek murders. From an androgynous hairdresser, to a gravedigger and a devilish chef for a television program entitled 'This Is Your Dish', Vincent Price indulges his spirited and bubbly personality giving life to one of the best horror films of all time.
Diana Rigg, a British born theater, television and movie actress, was famous for her role as Emma Peel on the British spy tv show, THE AVENGERS. She is also remembered for her role as James Bond's wife in ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE (1969). In THEATER OF BLOOD (1973), Rigg plays Lionheart's daughter, Edwina. She, too, gets to slip into various costume changes. It becomes apparent just what capacity her character is playing early on although I must admit, when I first saw this movie years ago on the Late Show, I was oblivious to what her true purpose was. Rigg has nothing but fond memories of working with Price on the set of the film.
One of the most interesting plot devices in the picture is that when Lionheart kills off the self serving critics, each of the nine individuals shares character traits with the victims from the Bard's plays. What's especially interesting, is that the selection of Shakespeare's works were personally selected by Lionheart during his crusade for the Best Actor Award prior to his death. As fate would have it, each of the nine plays contained roles concurrent with his nine victims to be. What's even more complex is the multifaceted way in which Lionheart goes about his revenge. Several victims are seemingly set up at once building to the eventual payoff.
Such is the case with critic, Solomon Psaltery. Lionheart disguises himself as a masseuse and enjoys the company of his wife delivering chiropractical care. A message is delivered to the jealous Solomon that his wife is being unfaithful, and like the play, OTHELLO, Solomon smothers the life out of her with a pillow. For this murder, Lionheart didn't carry out the actual murder, but imposed it on his victim, playing off of his distrustful tendencies.
Easily the most memorable and wholly offensive murder is the "justice" meted out on the gay critic, Meredith Merridew. Here, Lionheart uses the grim and disturbing play, TITUS ANDRONICUS as his bloody template. In the play, one of the many nasty murders features a mother who is force fed her children baked in pies. For the film, Merridew has two poodles that he dotes over like children. Lionheart and crew invade his home under the guise of 'This Is Your Dish' (a fictitious cooking show) whereby Merridew is forced to consume the bodies of his two beloved poodles baked within a huge pie; the heads of the dogs adorning a second pie.
The first murder is also representative of Lionheart's tolerance to make sure his revenge reaches fruition regardless of the time involved. Taken from JULIUS CAESAR, the first doomed critic is cut down by the gang of alcoholic vagrants manipulated by Lionheart to carry out his revenge. Like the play, the murder is carried out on the 'ides of March', the 23rd of March. Lionheart even alters one of Shakespeare's plays without a murder to make sure death takes its intended victim.
Another critic meets his fate taken from a story device found in THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. However, the murder never actually takes place. Shylock is denied his pound of flesh by some cunning last minute word play by Antonio. Lustful critic, Trevor Dickman isn't so lucky as Lionheart makes sure to impart the chunk of viscera from his body. Delivering a package to head critic, Perigrine Devlin, he opens it to find Dickman's heart within the box. He then states the murderer is indeed Lionheart as "Only he would have the temerity to rewrite Shakespeare." At the end, Lionheart is trapped within the confines of his 'theater of blood'. After delivering a final speech then falling to his death amidst the burning and crumbling playhouse, Devlin reviews Lionheart's death much in the same manner as he did while he was alive-- "But of course he was madly overacting as usual...but you must admit, he did know how to make an exit."
The music by Michael J. Lewis is at times melancholic and verbose when required. The main theme is especially melodic containing harmonious passages that captures the sorrow and pain of Lionheart's character. One that despite being an unhinged man, is not without sympathy. The gore is also plentiful and graphic in tone. Considering Price Abhorred the use of graphic bloodletting in films (especially detesting his participation in the nasty gorefest, FROM A WHISPER TO A SCREAM 1988), what is seen in THEATER OF BLOOD (1973) is carried out in a darkly humorous fashion relieving some of the horrific tension the scenes of gruesome violence may have possessed otherwise. Director Hickox had two sons that followed in his footsteps and directed far more entries in the horror and fantasy genre-- James and Anthony Hickox.
MGM has released this title several times over the years on both VHS and DVD. Astonishingly, the VHS tape is of better quality than either of the DVD releases. Both DVD releases (one is paired with Price's MADHOUSE 1974) have lots of grain and some print damage evident throughout. The bold, sharp colors from the VHS version are largely absent in both incarnations on disc. MGM should restore this film to a much better state as it truly deserves it. One of Price's best roles and the horror genres best pictures, THEATER OF BLOOD (1973) is one Midnight Movie experience horror fans are likely to return to again and again and a movie that is justifiably worthy of its cult film admiration.
This review is representative of the MGM Midnite Movies Double Feature DVD.
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Henry Jarrod, a wax museum sculptor and proprietor loses his priceless creations in a fire after his callous business partner sets his establishment ablaze for the insurance money. Presumed dead in the accident, a wheelchair-bound Jarrod resurfaces nearly a year later in preparation of an all new museum. But instead of historical figures of note, Jarrod now showcases waxen creations of murderers in sensational, lurid displays. Meanwhile, a deformed killer is on the loose, stealing the bodies from a local morgue.
This gloriously gruesome color horror from Warner Brothers was heavily ballyhooed at the time for its 3D presentation and Stereophonic Sound. It was a remake of the 1933 two-strip Technicolor spooker MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM starring Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray. Both films are products of their time, but the '53 version edges out the original mainly because of the participation of Price. Outside of a few alterations (the main character being a spirited female reporter), Andre De Toth's version is very faithful to Michael Curtiz's picture -- even down to some of the dialog.
Arguably the greatest difference between the two films is that the original is more of a murder thriller while the '53 version wallows in its horror elements. In fact, the film wastes no time in showing you the films monster early on; and this ends up being a slight detriment to the movie. Any horror fan worth their salt will know who it is, but it would have been nice to have a late-blooming reveal of the monsters true identity. A PHANTOM OF THE OPERA style reveal is reserved for the finale, though.
Vincent Price's cinematic niche began in the 1950s. He'd been in horror films before, but HOUSE OF WAX got him well on his way to becoming America's next big horror star picking up the monster mantle previously held by the likes of Karloff and Lugosi. The following year, Price starred as THE MAD MAGICIAN (1954) for Columbia in what was essentially a more sordid reworking of HOUSE OF WAX. His roles in THE FLY (1958), RETURN OF THE FLY (1959) and HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (1959) closed out the decade. His career in fear snowballed from there.
The centerpiece of it all is the waxen house of horrors -- which is an extension of Jarrod's personality. He began the film interested only in figures of respectability and social significance. Yet once he's suffered physical deformities and nearly died, he becomes a monster. The extended shots of his life's work melting in a fiery inferno are emblematic of his transformation. Jarrod's resultant creations are an extension of that hatred. The one strand linking Jarrod with his depleted sanity is his obsession with Marie Antoinette -- his prized creation. 
Greed is as integral to the narrative as the ghoulish activities of the mad museum proprietor. Initially, Jarrod's interests lie in the passion for his work. The monetary aspect is secondary, if even at all. His money yearnings extend only so that he may continue his work. However, his partner Burke is dissatisfied with Jarrod's choice of waxen exhibitions, favoring far more gruesome displays; as well as making good on his investment, and quickly. Upon learning an outside interested party won't be able to decide on buying out Burke's share, the greedy stockbroker strikes on the idea of setting the place on fire to get a return in a quicker, if devastating fashion. 
Jarrod, thought dead for months, resurfaces some time later. Now wheelchair bound and his hands disfigured, he reopens his wax museum, but this time creating a literal Chamber of Horrors to coincide with his less violent displays. Greed in turn becomes a part of his psyche. Greed for his work in that he's driven to murder to realize a greater, more ghastly realism for his wax creations. At one time a passive, passionate man of his craft, Jarrod now becomes as soulless -- even more so -- than those that drove him to his madness; and few actors have captured madness on screen as good as Vincent Price.
Charles Bronson (using his real last name of Buchinsky) is on hand in a supporting role as Price's doting, deaf-mute servant, Igor. Reportedly, neither man got along very well, but they did appear onscreen together in 1960 for AIP's MASTER OF THE WORLD. In that film, Bronson was the protagonist as Price was the title madman. Of course, Bronson would go on to worldwide fame essaying gun-toting vigilantes and tough, hard as nails cops in a variety of films.
HOUSE OF WAX succeeds not only as a horror film, but also in its depiction, and glorification of old style showmanship. This is perfectly exemplified with the paddle ball practitioner who not only entices patrons into the establishment, but also breaks the fourth wall and sells the 3D effects to the audience watching in the theaters. The picture was hugely successful, and was influential on other movies over the years. Below is a list of films that used wax museums, or borrowed, or paid homage to its concept.
Aside from the presence of Price, the sights and sounds sell the movie. Nearly every frame is drenched in vibrant colors, accentuated by fabulous art decor. David Buttolph's score is as rich as the photography. You don't need to see it in 3D to derive enjoyment here. There are a few light, macabre comedic moments that never feel out of place (also in the original 30s version), and serve to accentuate the exposition. It's a large scale, if morbid movie. One of the best horror pictures of its time, HOUSE OF WAX (1953) is among Vincent Price's best films; although not technically, nor solely for his performance, but for all the bells and whistles used to formulate a memorable piece of genre entertainment.
