1. Cat People: Val Lewton strikes again in this classic film that ranks among his best. Cat People stars Irena Dubrovna as a woman who fears that love will transform her into a deadly panther. Dealing with themes such as sexuality, jealousy, and the inner and outer demons, Cat People is a film well worth seeing. It is a film that is famous not for what is shown, but rather how it uses the viewer’s imagination against them to create suspense.
2. Dracula’s daughter: Dracula’s daughter is a strange hidden gem by Universal that is well worth seeing. Both a sequel to the original Dracula as well as its own entity Dracula’s daughter stars Gloria Holden as the vampire daughter of Dracula Marya Zaleska. Unlike her father she is an unwilling vampire who tries her best to fight her vampiric urges, and hopes that her father’s death will help her be rid of her vampirism. Dracula’s Daughter mixes the hypnotic feel of the original, with black comedy and lesbian undertones to create a movie that is an interesting and unusual part of the Universal canon.
3. Metropolis: “The mediator between head and hands must be the heart!” These words reflect the famous theme of Metropolis, a Science Fiction film by Fritz Lange. This film had effects that were unheard of for its time, but also has a strong emphasis on the plight and exploitation of the working class. Metropolis may be Lange’s most famous film and had a huge impact on Science Fiction films, and film making as a whole.
4. The Boxer’s Omen: One of the strangest martial arts films I could find, the Boxer’s Omen is a must see. The film involves a gangster who is seeking revenge and ends up battling a black magic user on behalf of a Buddhist monk. What is most important to know about the film is it’s unbelievably strange and horrifying special effects. This movie involves so many memorable and unique scenes such as battling crocodile skulls and battling a floating head with tentacles.
5. Master of the Flying Guillotine: A true classic Master of the Flying Guillotine is the sort of film that sticks in the memory. It is so strange and memorable that it has to be seen to be believed. Master of the Flying Guillotine not only has battles between a one-armed boxer and a blind old man with a deadly guillotine hat on a chain, but also somehow involves a world martial arts tournament as well. It is the sort of low budget film that throws everything and the kitchen sink to entertain the viewer, and as a result is an over the top spectacle.
6. Son of Frankenstein: It is only fitting after seeing the original Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, and House of Frankenstein that we also see this classic film as well. Son of Frankenstein stars Basil Rathbone as the son of the famous doctor who moves back home only to find that the town’s people don’t like or trust him. It turns out they have good reason for this though as the monster is used by the undead fiend Ygor (played by Bella Lugosi) to terrorize the town and get revenge against those who hung him. Son is the last great Universal Frankenstein film to have all the classic elements to it. It includes a lavish budget, angry villagers, a misguided doctor, a fiendish villain, and Boris Karloff’s last ever portrayal of the monster.
7. Dr. Who and the Dalek’s and Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.: Peter Cushing’s portrayal of the Doctor is not to be missed. Sadly, overlooked by many Who fans this is a great film series. These films star Peter Cushing’s kindly old doctor, his niece, and a policeman companion as they face an apocalyptic future caused by the doctor’s nemesis the fiendish Daleks and try to stop them. Despite not doing well in the UK these films are cheesy, fun, and well written, and would be a lot of fun to see together with you.
8. The Gorgon: The Gorgon is another important Hammer film. Its plot revolves around the Medusa-like gorgon terrorizing a European village and turning people into stone. But forget the silliness of plot, what really is important is that it is a Terrence Fisher movie starring Lee and Cushing, and even has a cameo by Patrick Troughton! These figures elevate the Gorgon making it a delight to watch, and helping to give the story gravitas.
9. Blood on Satan’s Claw: Another classic of British folk horror, Blood on Satan’s Claw is probably the second most famous of the British Folk horror movies after the Wicker Man. Blood on Satan’s Claw features an 18th century village that is being terrorized by satanic possession which brings bloodshed and violence. It is another Folk horror movie about the underlying uneasiness with both the old traditions (pagan customs) and the new (children and youth culture). Folk horror is an interesting and rarely touched upon genre, but has produced many excellent films including this one.
10. Dragon Inn (Long men kezhan): Dragon Inn is often cited as a cornerstone of Chinese martial arts cinema. Taking place in feudal China it follows sword fighters defending the children of an executed emperor. Dragon Inn is famous for its fight scenes and inclusion of strong women characters. It was a film that was highly influential to other films of the genre such as Lady Hermit, Iron Monkey, and Jin fen you long, as well as a number of remakes and other films by its famed director King Hu.
11. Eerie Tales (Unheimliche Geschichten): One of the earliest of the German Anthology films Eerie Tales draws from the imagination of its creators, and from classic Poe and Stevens stories. The film involves three menacing pictorial figures (Death, the Devil and the Harlot) coming to life to tell creepy stories. This film’s use of atmosphere, and inclusion of Conrad Veidt (playing Death) and other major players of the early German film industry who are teamed with famed adaptors Richard Oswald and Robert Liebmann helped to craft a first-rate early film. This film was the first recorded horror anthology title and helped to popularize the Anthology film movement which led to many of the other famous silent and early sound films we have watched together.
12. Santo vs. Doctor Death: It wouldn’t be a 12 Movies of Papi list without a Santo film. I scoured the IMDB film list and releases for Santo movies, and found this “gem.” While not the best Santo film, Doctor Death seemed like a fun (and cheesy) film we could enjoy. It finds Santo once again in a spy thriller, this time battling a gang of Spanish art thieves led by the Bond-like villain Dr. Death. What follows is a spy outing as Santo takes on crime using his wrestling to triumph over evil.
Secret House of Anime 