The wonderful Cheyenne King demonstrating the unifying theme of Shades of Gray.
Click here to read reviews of some of the films she's appeared in, as well as a brief bio over at Terror Titans.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Picture Perfect Wednesday: Cheyenne King
The wonderful Cheyenne King demonstrating the unifying theme of Shades of Gray.
Click here to read reviews of some of the films she's appeared in, as well as a brief bio over at Terror Titans.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Thursday, July 19, 2012
My latest artistic masterpiece!
It's the cover image for "Bathtime in Bear Creek," an RPG/fiction product that's part of the ROLF! line from NUELOW Games. Assuming everything goes smoothly, it will on sale tomorrow at the NUELOW storefront on the Onebookshelf.com websites.
(Some day, I should to a gallery post devoted to ME!)
(Some day, I should to a gallery post devoted to ME!)
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Picture Perfect Wednesday:
Your Guess is As Good As Mine
Your Guess is As Good As Mine
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
The Groucho Monthly
Starting a new series... hilarious clips featuring the great Grouch Marx. I'm kicking it off with outtakes from the "You Bet Your Life" series. (This was inspired by a post on Boingboing.net.)
The June Collyer Quarterly:
Happy Fourth of July from June!
Happy Fourth of July from June!
With a hat that is undoubtedly a violation of all sorts of fire codes--even in the 1920s--June Collyer joins Milla Jovovich as a recurring and regular face here at Shades of Gray.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Great adaptation of 'The Tell-Tale Heart'
The Tell-Tale Heart (1941)
Starring: Joseph Schildkraut and Roman Bohnen
Director: Jules Dassin
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars
A young man (Schildkraut) murders his abusive employer, but is then himself driven insane by his own guilty conscience.
This 1941 short film is a superb adaptation of the famous Poe short story. It is not only faithful to the mechanical elements of the plot, but the director manages to convey the psychological horror aspect of the original story more effectively than most others who have taken a stab at bringing the tale to film. The biggest change is that this adaptation alters the relationship between the characters from the story, but it results in Schildkraut's character being more sympathetic and results in a stronger movie.
Much of the film's success can be credited to the performances of Joseph Schildkraut, as the tormented protagonist of the story, and Roman Bohnen, as the abusive, eventual murder victim. However, an even bigger part of its success can be credited to the sound design. The sound of titular "tell-tale heart" ends up permeating every aspect of the film's final few minutes, even the soundtrack music. It's a great example of how close attention to sound can build suspense and horror as effectively as camera angles and lighting. (And this film benefits from excellent cinematography as well.)
The murder scene is perhaps the film's only real weakness. The killing basically happens off-screen, and, while artfully done, I think the director might be leaving just a little too much to our imagination. I think he was trying to avoid over-used B-movie cliches like shadows on the wall and such, but the murder just didn't seem to have the same intensity as the scenes that led up to it, nor those that followed. It is almost like a lull just past the film's halfway point.
This 1941 version of "The Tell-Tale Heart" is included as a bonus feature on the "Shadow of the Thin Man" DVD along with a vintage cartoon. The combination lets you stage an old-time movie experience, with two shorts before the main feature. (This is the case with most of the "Thin Man" DVDs... the extras on the discs are almost as fun as the main features. They are excellent added value if you pick up the Thin Man boxed set. Which I recommend that you do if you like classic comedies and mysteries.)
Starring: Joseph Schildkraut and Roman Bohnen
Director: Jules Dassin
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars
A young man (Schildkraut) murders his abusive employer, but is then himself driven insane by his own guilty conscience.
This 1941 short film is a superb adaptation of the famous Poe short story. It is not only faithful to the mechanical elements of the plot, but the director manages to convey the psychological horror aspect of the original story more effectively than most others who have taken a stab at bringing the tale to film. The biggest change is that this adaptation alters the relationship between the characters from the story, but it results in Schildkraut's character being more sympathetic and results in a stronger movie.
Much of the film's success can be credited to the performances of Joseph Schildkraut, as the tormented protagonist of the story, and Roman Bohnen, as the abusive, eventual murder victim. However, an even bigger part of its success can be credited to the sound design. The sound of titular "tell-tale heart" ends up permeating every aspect of the film's final few minutes, even the soundtrack music. It's a great example of how close attention to sound can build suspense and horror as effectively as camera angles and lighting. (And this film benefits from excellent cinematography as well.)
The murder scene is perhaps the film's only real weakness. The killing basically happens off-screen, and, while artfully done, I think the director might be leaving just a little too much to our imagination. I think he was trying to avoid over-used B-movie cliches like shadows on the wall and such, but the murder just didn't seem to have the same intensity as the scenes that led up to it, nor those that followed. It is almost like a lull just past the film's halfway point.
This 1941 version of "The Tell-Tale Heart" is included as a bonus feature on the "Shadow of the Thin Man" DVD along with a vintage cartoon. The combination lets you stage an old-time movie experience, with two shorts before the main feature. (This is the case with most of the "Thin Man" DVDs... the extras on the discs are almost as fun as the main features. They are excellent added value if you pick up the Thin Man boxed set. Which I recommend that you do if you like classic comedies and mysteries.)