Horror films in the ’60s are characterized by two landmark black-and-white films that each changed the genre forever. At one end of the decade, in 1960, there was director Alfred Hitchcock’s legendary masterpiece “Psycho” which was arguably the first slasher film. At the other end of the decade, in 1968, there was the original “Night of the Living Dead” by George Romero – the most influential zombie film ever made and one of the most influential horror films of all time. But there were plenty of films in between to mark the decade, which pulled film out of the communist threat/bug-eyed alien groove of the 50s and into something considerably darker.
“Psycho” (1960)
I can’t imagine not at least knowing about the film “Psycho” even if you haven’t seen it. If you’re not a Hitchcock fan but you are aware that there was a director named Alfred Hitchcock, this is likely to be one of the films you know he’s done. As detailed in the recent film, “Hitchcock,” starring Anthony Hopkins, “Psycho” actually stands out from the rest of his body of work because he wanted to do something different. Virtually all of his films involve murder, but with “Psycho” we have murder, possible incest, cross-dressing, and corpse desecration, though most of that isn’t on-camera.
On-camera or not, these are concepts and themes that would still be risqué today, and Hitchcock had them in this film 50 years ago. Not only did “Psycho” change film, it changed how people felt about showers and roadside motels. . Its influence can’t be exaggerated.
“Black Sunday” (1960)
This disturbing tale of witchcraft, vampirism, curses, and torture made actress Barbara Steele a horror legend. It also may have been the first time movie goers outside Italy began to suspect there is something really, really, wrong with Italians thanks to the guiding hand of director Mario Bava in his official debut (save the hatemail, my grandmother came here from the old country and I can probably make a better calzone than you thanks to her). When directors Lucio Fulgi and Dario Argento became prominent, that opinion would be deeply reinforced.
Like “Psycho,” “Black Sunday” pushes the limits of what films could do in 1960, and parts are shocking even today. It takes a strong stomach to continue watching after the initial scene when Barbara Steele’s character is brutally tortured and gruesomely executed by her own brother. I still have nightmares from it. If you can make it past that scene, the rest of the film is still terrifying.
* A Note on Hammer films
Looking at “Black Sunday,” it seems to be appropriate to mention the horror films put out by the British Hammer studios, which were huge in the 1960s and 70s. I haven’t reviewed any of them or included any of them in this series because quite frankly I haven’t seen too many in completion.
I should. I’ve heard some are good. They include horror legends Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee most of the time. And Hammer films were the first to feature vampires with fangs, as we usually see them today.
But I’m biased. Growing up in America, I thought Frankenstein’s Monster, Dracula, and the Mummy should look a certain way, and that was how they were in Universal films. And while the Hammer films tended to be in color, which is good, and sometimes had nudity and more graphic violence, both of which are important to teens and tweens, the blood dripping down Dracula’s face usually looked like the tempera paint we used in art class at school, and the films tend to have the hallmark feature of British films – lots of people in cottages and manor houses sitting around talking and no monsters, which is godawful boring.
Because of my bias, I’m asking for your help. If you’ve seen the Hammer horror films and want to discuss their merit, which are good, better, and best, contact me at davidqpugh@juno.com and we’ll run it here. Really.
“Little Shop of Horrors” (1960)
While “Psycho” was a film so powerful, it changed the world, Roger Corman was and continues to be a producer and director so prolific that his influence can’t really be measured. “Little Shop of Horrors” is possibly Corman’s best-known film and a good example of his work. A little bit scary and a lot corny with a dab of social commentary, it was billed as a comedy and gained prominence when it was distributed with Black Sunday and became huge thanks to regular airing on television. The film is basically the tale of a plant that develops intelligence and grows to enormous size when it ingests human flesh. From that point the plant gains speech and regularly demands more, more, more! It was later developed into a musical, which was then readapted into a film, which itself isn’t bad.
One of the things Corman films are known for is featuring early appearances from actors who would later become stars, or stars who were once prominent, but were in need of work. In this case, we have an early appearance from superstar Jack Nicholson, who had appeared for Corman before but was still largely unknown.
Another noteworthy fact about Corman is that he is known as one of the most successful producers of all time because every one of his films has made a profit. He always shoots a film on time and within his budget if not considerably below. In this case, “Little Shop of Horrors” was shot in just two days using sets from a previous Corman film, thus keeping budget low. Doing smart but effective production enabled Corman to produce far more films than other producers and directors, and thanks to drive-ins and television, his films became popular, with “Little Shop” being probably the best example. His films typically feature monsters, bikers, aliens, freaks, or attractive women in prison, thus the drive-in and late-night tv appeal, and when his success couldn’t be ignored, others imitated him with their own corny but enjoyable films, filling the decade with similar fare.
Like the goofy monster films on SyFy? You can thank Roger Corman. Even if he didn’t make your favorite, and he may have, he’s at least the film’s spiritual godfather.
“The Birds” (1963)
One of Hitchcock’s other best-known and most unique films, “The Birds” depicts a town under siege by flocks of residents we all take for granted every day – birds. They attack every human they see, pecking and scratching, blinding and killing without reason, until they just…stop. After seeing this film you’ll likely get nervous when you see unusually large numbers of birds on your lawn or on that telephone line near your house, just like you’ll feel vulnerable in the shower after seeing “Psycho.” Those are the everyday occurrences Hitchcock capitalized on and made terrifying with his films, which is a testament to his brilliance.
“The Fearless Vampire Killers” (1967)
Before gaining international notoriety when his wife Sharon Tate was killed by the Manson family, and infamy from a scandalous incident with an underage actress, Roman Polanski was an acclaimed director, and he continued to be with later films such as “The Ninth Gate.” In the case of this film, Polanski wanted to do a straightforward period vampire film starring his future wife Tate, but prior to release MGM recut it to give it the feel of a kooky comedy and added, “Pardon Me But Your Teeth Are in My Neck” to the title. Polanski didn’t appreciate this, but it did make a very distinct film, much like the later offering, “Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster.”
“Night of the Living Dead” (1968)
This is the one that started it all. There were other zombie films before this one, but there might as well not have been. In George Romero’s original classic, there are no stars, no well-known professional actors, but it doesn’t matter. The script is good, the performances are good, the characters are realistic, and so is the blood orgy” scene in which zombies tear apart and eat the organs of a living victim in grisly detail. There have been many sequels, imitations, and tributes, including a recent 3-D version with Sid Haig, but none are as good as the original. You must see this film.
“Targets” (1968)
This film is one of the reasons I wanted to write this series. Before I saw it on TV in a hotel room, I had never heard of it. As soon as I saw it I was enthralled and knew I had to find the film, launching a quest that lasted 8 years. I’ve been recommending it and lending it to people every since, and each person has agreed it’s a masterpiece.
The film is a great example if not the best example of one of the other things Roger Corman is known for – taking a step back and letting someone else direct a film he’s producing if that person has a knack for or interest in directing. By doing this, he gave directors like Ron Howard and Francis Ford Coppola their first big break. In the case of “Targets” future acclaimed director Peter Bogdanovich asked Corman if he could direct a film. Corman said he could, as long as he used Boris Karloff, who was under contract at the time, and featured clips from previous Corman films. Bogdanovich agreed, and used both extremely well.
Karloff stars as Byron Orlok, a character who was basically himself – an actor known for horror films who plans to make one more public appearance before his retirement. The event is a double feature of Orlok’s most well-known movies (both of them old Corman films). Bogdanovich himself plays Sammy Michaels, a young colleague of Orlok who works as his agent, aide, and friend. While Orlok is prepping for the event, a young insurance agent goes mad, shoots his wife and parents, and continues on a shooting spree that brings him to the drive-in where Orlok will appear. He sets up a sniper’s next behind the screen and picks off patrons as the film rolls.
The scenes with the sniper are chilling and disturbing, but Karloff clearly steals the show. You get a rare glimpse of his comic side when he wakes up with a hangover, and every time he walks past a mirror he scares himself because he’s such a master of horror that yes, his very image scares even himself. Also good are all of the scenes with Karloff and Bogdanovich, in which we see the interplay and affection between the two men, another element you rarely if ever seen in a Karloff film. Finally, we get to see Karloff as a hero – a final rarity – at the same time as we see images of Karoloff on the drive-in screen as a monster. Brilliant.
I love, love, love this film. Find it, see it, love it, spread the word. Then others can love “Targets” too.
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