Nov 14, 2007 a peerless film portrait of a major if underrecognized hollywood moviemaker, val lewton. The commentary includes insightful remarks by val lewtons son, as well as modern horror masters like guillermo del toro, william friedkin, kim newman, neil gaiman. With films such as the leopard man, i walked with a zombie, the body snatcher, bedlam, the seventh victim and isle of the dead, lewton created an oeuvre unique in film history. The man in the shadows, included as an extra, notes that the most intense moments in lewtonproduced films are only a few seconds in length. The man in the shadows, its hard to argue with him. Yes, its a story of greed and desire, of mans inhumanity to man, a novel with a message although my guess is that lewton probably subscribed to the oftquoted sentiment that if you want to send a message, go to western union. Feature the forceful women in val lewtons 1940s rko. Lewton was the producer whose lowbudget unit at rko in the forties displayed the most sensitive movie intelligence in hollywood, according to the esteemed critic james agee. The val lewton career, points to passages in the bagheeta, such as the following, that clearly presage cat peoples distinctive conjuring of fear and eroticized anxiety through the unseen. The man in the shadows, that he could use that effect of surprise to satisfy the horror. Martin scorsese narrates this tribute to val lewton, the producer of a.
Val lewton discussion historic hollywood october 16th. This first englishlanguage book about olivier assayas includes a major essay. Please visit the host sites for many great entries that discuss the life and work of the horror film master. But its only relatively recently that collectors have been able to get all of lewtons films in one box set, including the littleseen ghost ship, a movie that lewton probably wished he had never made. Please visit the host sites for many great entries that discuss the life and work of. Yes, its a story of greed and desire, of man s inhumanity to man, a novel with a message although my guess is that lewton probably subscribed to the oftquoted sentiment that if you want to send a message, go to western union.
Val lewton the man in the shadows is a documentary tribute to val lewton. One of his earliest works, a book entitled the cossack sword 1926 caught the attention of film producer david o. The show, which contains a lot of information and many impassioned interview bites from notables including lewtons son and robert wise, is too much of a good thing and tends to sag. He admits that his father had a number of phobias and one of. The man in the shadows elegantly encompasses the work.
Man in the shadows, narrated by filmmaker and fan martin scorsese. Martin scorsese narrates this tribute to val lewton, the producer of a series of memorable lowbudget horror films for rko studios. Val lewton was born vladimir ivanovich leventon in yalta, imperial russia, which is now in the ukraine, in 1904. I wish i had bought this dvd first, because the shadows of the dark documentary gave the background necessary to fully appreciate isle of the dead, as well as lewton s other movies. Splendid montages and an intelligent and probing script go the heart of rkos most individualistic. The show, which contains a lot of information and many impassioned interview bites from notables including lewton s son and robert wise, is too much of a good thing and tends to sag. The man in the shadows aug 10, 2008 overview of the career of the legendary producer who reluctantly made some of most poetic horror movies of the 1940s for rko. Classic film noir, classic films, movie shots, movie tv, shadow film, creepy. Val lewton the man in the shadows nowhere else on television is such a genuine love for filmmaking consistently put on display as added.
Siegels great little book the reality of terror came along and. I wish i had bought this dvd first, because the shadows of the dark documentary gave the background necessary to fully appreciate isle of the dead, as well as lewtons other movies. He admits that his father had a number of phobias and one of them ironically was ailurophobia, the fear of cats. A synopsis of val lewtons filmmaking career, highlighting his suspenseful bmovies from the 40s.
The man in the shadows, a fine profile narrated and presented by martin scorsese. Martin scorsese presents val lewton the man in the shadows kent jones, shadow film. The commentary includes insightful remarks by val lewton s son, as well as modern horror masters like guillermo del toro, william friedkin, kim newman, neil gaiman. In may 2017, the secret history of hollywood, a podcast biopic series, began an elevenpart season on his life and work featuring mark gatiss. The val lewton horror collection cat people the curse of the cat people i walked with a zombie the body snatcher isle of the dead bedlam the leopard man the ghost ship the seventh victim shadows in the dark. Lewton, as the man who rescued him from the living dead and restored, so to speak, his soul. Val lewton the man in the shadows, was released in 2007.
The film, which debuted on turner classic movies in january 2008, adds considerable perspective to lewtons collected work, and was written and directed by kent jones. The val lewton legacy 2005 and martin scorsese presents val lewton the man in the shadows, or any of. In martin scorseses excellent 2007 documentary on lewton subtitled the man in the shadows, available for sale on dvd from amazon, lewtons only son, val e lewton, is interviewed. By alyson faye val lewton 1904 1951 the sultan of shadows the russianamerican novelist, film producer and screenwriter was the driving force behind the new, low budget, dedicated horror b film unit at rko in the 1940s. Mar 01, 2018 in martin scorseses excellent 2007 documentary on lewton subtitled the man in the shadows, available for sale on dvd from amazon, lewtons only son, val e lewton, is interviewed. The man in the shadows 2008 is also presented here in its entirety and makes ones knowledge of. The man in the shadows combines more a subjective love letter to val lewtons work with objective facts. The first half of the book is biographical and analytical. Born in yalta, russia, lewton came to america as a child. Lewton worked as a writer for the new york city mgm publicity office, providing novelizations of popular movies for serialization in magazines, which were sometimes later collected into book form. Courses psychology studentpsychology degreepsychology bookshaunted. He realized, observes alexander nemerov in val lewton.
The only drawback is that if you havent seen the films then there are several spoilers here. Book is a val lewtons novelized version of charles macarthurs screenplay, produced in 1932 for mgm and starring john, ethel, and lionel barrymore. When one of his books became a bestseller and was adapted for the cinema. Green street booksemployment for adults with special needs. However since lewtons movies are not so much about what happens but how his characters get to where theyre going, then knowing the endings really doesnt matter all that much. The films of val lewton shadows and suspense youtube.
Includes extensive interviews with lewton s collaborators and clips from his films. Coursespsychology studentpsychology degreepsychology bookshaunted. Dec 16, 2016 a synopsis of val lewton s filmmaking career, highlighting his suspenseful bmovies from the 40s. Oct 16, 2015 lewton worked as a writer for the new york city mgm publicity office, providing novelizations of popular movies for serialization in magazines, which were sometimes later collected into book form. Originally named vladimir ivan leventon, lewton immigrated with his sister and mother to the united states in 1909.
Val lewtons name is synonymous with the subtlest, most mysterious brand of horror filmmaking in hollywoods golden age, and the nine horror classics he produced at rko between 1942 and 1946 constitute the most remarkable cycle of creativity in bmovie history. The val lewton horror collection cat people the curse of. Siegel is very good on the biographical narrative and weaving in the innovations and influences of the films that lewton produced. Lewton, i would highly encourage you to watch the two documentaries that have been made about him, shadows in the dark. The film, which debuted on turner classic movies in january 2008, adds considerable perspective to lewton s collected work, and was written and directed by kent jones. He immigrated to the united states in 1909 with his mother and sister and they. Also showing on tcm saturday afternoon is the excellent martin scorcese documentary. The man in the shadows elegantly encompasses the work and career of a producer who doggedly. The man in the shadows also known as martin scorsese presents. Cat people and a gallery of horror predators the new york. Val lewton s name is synonymous with the subtlest, most mysterious brand of horror filmmaking in hollywoods golden age, and the nine horror classics he produced at rko between 1942 and 1946 constitute the most remarkable cycle of creativity in bmovie history. The forceful women in val lewtons 1940s rko horror films.
Val lewton the man in the shadows is a documentary tribute to val lewton, the producer of a series of distinctive lowbudget horror films for rko radio pictures, presented and narrated by director martin scorsese. A superb introduction to val lewton and his cinema. With martin scorsese, elias koteas, orson welles, val e. In the end, theres a hell of a lot in the leopard man to admire, even if lewton himself wasnt that keen on it, and even if its 65 minutes dont feel quite complete and some of them seem a bit rushed, as if the screenplay needed a final pass over. Val lewton dvd vancouver public library bibliocommons. Jan, 2008 he realized, observes alexander nemerov in val lewton. A peerless film portrait of a major if underrecognized hollywood moviemaker, val lewton. Val lewton the man in the shadows 2007 is written and directed by kent jones. Boris karloff stars as grave robber and cab man john gray in robert louis stevensons. The man in the shadows, 2007, directed by kent jones, with val lewton, martin scorsese, val e lewton, at turner classic movies. Oct 30, 2016 kent joness 2008 documentary feature, val lewton. The val lewton legacy 1943 starring tom conway and jean brooks on dvd and bluray. The man in the shadows and we found it to be one of the most unique and informative documentaries about a filmmaker that weve ever seen. Val lewton and director mark robson at rko their film noir collaborations.
The seventh victim disc contains as a cofeature new waves docu shadows in the dark. The man in the shadows, that he could use that effect of surprise to satisfy the horror audience which wants to have a sudden shock, and. Two of its scenes are among the very best of the horror genre, reaching the poetic heights. Berg perhaps some sort of transference had occurred between the two artists, because bedlam was the beginning of the end for val lewton. The dissection of lewtons work put a new perspective on it for me and forced me to rediscover its genius and innovation. Pm est, turner classic movies premieres a major tribute to producer val lewton followed by an eight film marathon. Martin scorsese presents val lewton the man in the shadows. The nine horror films which lewton produced for rko between 1942 and. Utilising shadows to disguise the grisly goingson always in black and. Oct 24, 2012 in remembrance of val lewton this october.
However since lewton s movies are not so much about what happens but how his characters get to where theyre going, then knowing the endings really doesnt matter all that much. Cinema retro was provided with an advanced screener of the documentary, val lewton. The man in the shadows 2007 which he wrote and directed, and. Mar 14, 2019 in it, louis berg wrote a touching sentence. Jan, 2008 val lewton the man in the shadows nowhere else on television is such a genuine love for filmmaking consistently put on display as added. After graduating from columbia university, he became editorial assistant for legendary producer david o. Includes extensive interviews with lewtons collaborators and clips from his films.
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