Bela Lugosi is back in the “Online Movie Show” spotlight with a special episode devoted entirely to the landmark 1932 “White Zombie.” Our guest is award-winning writer Brad A. Braddock, author of “Memoirs of Murder: A Prequel to the 1932 classic, White Zombie” (published by Arcane Shadows Press).
BOOTLEG FILES 708: “White Zombie” (1932 horror film starring Bela Lugosi).
LAST SEEN: On YouTube.
AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: On public domain labels.
REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: A copyright infringement accusation at the beginning of its production and a lapsed copyright after its release.
CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: There has yet to be a truly pristine commercial release of this title.
When “White Zombie” opened in New York in 1932, the critics were scathing in their denunciations. Words like “ridiculous,” “ludicrous,” “failure” and “Worst Movie of 1932” peppered the reviews. And while the critical slams did not scare away audiences, it nonetheless saddled the film with a negative reputation that required decades of repeated screenings and new generations of film scholars to mitigate the initial wave of abuse.
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Once upon a time, Hollywood was very, very naughty – violence, drugs, and sex were offered the audiences with a sinful flair! On this episode, Phil Hall celebrates the halcyon days of that raucous, ribald period with Lou Sabini, author of the upcoming book “Sex in the Cinema: The ‘Pre-Code’ Years (1929-1934).”
The full episode can be heard here.
W.C. Fields was the ultimate comedy anarchist: an unapologetic misanthrope who battled and bumbled his way through a hostile world. On today’s show, film historian James L. Neibaur, author of the new book “The W.C. Fields Films,” celebrates the life and career of this brilliant funny man.
The episode can be heard here.