This week in Fright Film History August 28 - September 3, 2016

IThe Haunted Palace (1963) released on August 28, 1963. The film starred Vincent Price, Lon Chaney Jr., and Debra Paget and was directed by Roger Corman.  Although marketed as "Edgar Allan Poe's The Haunted Palace," the film is actually based The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, a novella by H. P. Lovecraft.

The Fly (1958) directed by Kurt Neumann and starring David Hedison, Patricia Owens and Vincent Price was released on August 29, 1958. The screenplay, written by James Clavell , was based the 1922 short story "The Fly" by George Langelaan.  The Fly (1958) was the biggest hit for director Kurt Neumann, unfortunately  he died a month after the premiere.

Isle of the Dead (1945) directed by Mark Robson and starred Boris Karloff was released on September 1, 1945.  The film was inspired by the painting Isle of the Dead by Arnold Böcklin. 

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) directed by Wallace Worsley, starring Lon Chaney, and produced by Carl Laemmle and Irving Thalberg was released on September 2, 1923. The film was Universal's "Super Jewel" of 1923 and was their most successful silent film, grossing over $3 million. The film is noted for its remarkable sets as well as Lon Chaney's performance and special effects make-up.

Dead of Night (1945) is a British horror film produced By Michael Balcon the individual stories were directed by Alberto Cavalcanti, Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden and Robert Hamer. The film stars Mervyn Johns, Googie Withers and Michael Redgrave. Dead of Night (1945) is noted for being one of a very few British horror films produced during the 1940’s. The film was released in Britain on September 4, 1945.