House of Wax (1953)

I never did get to see this awesome classic horror film in 3-D, but I bet it was something to see. This is one horror film I highly recommend, with classic actors; and a great story line you can't fail.The movie begins with Professor Jerrod in his workshop, working on a wax sculpture, he has invited Sidney Wallace( Paul Cavanaugh) to see his work. The time period is in the early 1900's, when Wax museums were very big. When Wallace arrives he is surprised by his work and wonders why he doesn't have a Wax Of Horror's? Jerrod says it his not his type of work, and continues with his new piece. In about 1/2 hour Jerrod's partner Matthew ( Ray Roberts) arrives. He is a stock broker that wants to make a deal with Jerrod. He asks him if he wants to split 25, 000 dollars. He feels he is losing money in the Wax Museum, and want to collect the insurance on the place. Jerrod freaks by the idea of arson, but Matthew strikes a match, and sets fire to the place.Matthew several months later is seen at a festival with his new girlfriend, Cathy( Carloyn Jones). Matthews has received the insurance money and he and Cathy plan to get married. They plan everything from when to where they will go afterwords. He tells her he has to go back to the office but he will see her later. When he returns to his office to get the money he is unaware Jerrod has survived the fire and his there for revenge. Jerrod strangles him, and makes it look like a suicide. Cathy lives with a roommate Sue( Phyllis Kirk) who is down on her luck trying to find a job. Tonight while helping Cathy get ready, she has a interview as a hatcheck clerk. They both live in this boarding house that is run, by a Mrs. Flanagan( Riza Royce). She is tough and believe in giving no one breaks on late rent. Sue returns, but doesn't get the job. She tries to avoid her landlady, but no dice. She catches her and tells Sue get the rent now, Cathy is there and she wants the rent. Sue opens the door and finds Cathy murdered, and a strange looking man in the room. Sue freaks , and runs to Scott Andrew(Paul Picerni) and his mother's place Mrs. Andrews( Angela Clarke's) house. Paul is also a sculpture and she tells him what happened. The three of them go to the police, and talk with Det. Lt. Tom Brennan( Frank Lovejoy) and Sgt. Jim Shane( Dabbs Greer). The officers inform Cathy and the Andrews that several bodies have be stolen from the morgue.Since his accident Professor Jerrod has decided to open up a new wax museum, with a chamber of horrors. He has hired 2 pupils to help him, Leon(Nedrick Young) and ex-con; and a deaf mute, Igor( Charles Bronson). Jerrod is now bent on vengeance and murder. Since the accident he is unhinged and doesn't care about anything except revenge on anybody. Instead of working with wax he steals bodies from the morgue, and forms a wax base over them.One day Sue and Scott visit the wax museum. There Sue notices something odd about the Joan of Arc piece. The wax figure seems to look so muck like her roommate to a T. When Professor Jerrod notices her examining the figure he approaches her. He tells her that he saw pictures of Cathy after her murder, and that's where his vision of Joan of Arc came from. He tells him his work is is passion and every detail has to be perfect. Sue and Scott think nothing off it at first. Then Jerrod becomes obsessed with Sue. He wants to make a figure of Marie Antoinette from her. Sue then starts to become suspicious of him. That night Jerrod breaks into her room, but fails.The police go back to the museum , and realize some of the wax figures resembles some of the people that have been stolen. They then become very curious of the figures and one day find out Leon is an ex-con. They bring him in for questioning. Leon finally breaks, and tells them about how Jerrod does his figures. He explains everything and the police realize they have to act quickly before someone else becomes a victim.When Sue goes to met Scott at the museum, he isn't there. She looks at the Joan of Arc figue again and discovers the truth. Just when she is leaving Jerrod finds her along with with Igor. She is captured and put into a box, where she is about to become a wax figure, a Marie Antoinette figure to be exact. When Scott doesn't her from her he returns to the museum, there Igor is waiting for him. He realizes he has to fight off Igor to save Sue. Igor gets the upper hand and captures Scott and puts him in a guillotine. The police arrive in five minutes release Scott from the guillotine and stop Jerrod from his madness.This film is great, I recommend it to anyone especially horror fans. You will be glued to this gem from beginning to end.

House of wax brought something new to the world, 3d filming(not actuall 3d with special glasses). The movie was so intense and misterious for 1953 the ending will leave you breathless and shocked but as we could see and learned that most of pre 60's horror movies had a good ending. Vincent Price is playing a very misterious role in this film, he has to portray the modern and calm yet obsessed with wax figurines, serial killer, calculate in every way. The two friend(portrayed) actresses played a + and - role. The + was the woman who was thinking straight and didnt chase the boys and didnt really cared how she looked and the - was her friend wich was exact opposite. Overall a great movie

"House of Wax" is one of the all time greats. The film launched Vincent Price onto stardom and this film is well made in all departments.I recall seeing this back in 1987, it was on a late Monday night. I saw the t.v advert for it and I became curious. I soon enjoyed "House of Wax" and I consider it a firm favourite.In some ways, this is a remake of "Mystery of the Wax Museum." Both films have a similar plot and a few characters bear a resemblance to each other. It can be slightly tempting to make comparisons. Personally, I prefer to judge both versions on their own merits."House of Wax" has a period setting and was filmed entirely on the soundstages and studio backlots at "Warner Bros." The pace never lets up and the time whizzs by which is always a good sign.Vincent Price is the actor to watch but Frank Lovejoy as the tough police officer on the case, is very good also.The film was released in what was then the new gimmick of "3-D." It enhanced the film on its release but without the gimmick in question, "House of Wax" is still a very effective horror film.

Professor Henry Jarrod (Vincent Price) refuses to sensationalize his wax museum like all the others. His meticulous work is second to none but his business partner Matthew Burke wants better attendance. Jarrod refuses to lower his high brow historical recreations and tries to get Sidney Wallace to buy out Burke in 3 months. Burke needs the money now and burns down the building for the $25k insurance. Jarrod refuses and tries to stop Burke. Jarrod is believed to have died in the fire but the insurance takes a long time to settle without Jarrod's body. Just as they give him the $25k, Jarrod is killed by a deformed man who steals the money. The deformed man kills Jarrod's superficial girlfriend Cathy Gray and almost kills her sweet best friend Sue Allen. Police detective Lt. Brennan investigates. The deformed man then steals Cathy's body from the morgue. Jarrod reconnects with Wallace looking for investment to reopen a new exhibition with all the grotesque violence that the public is looking for.This is touted as one of the early big 3-D movies. Although I didn't see it in 3-D, this has the prerequisite puddle ball 3-D effect. I'm sure that is loads of fun but this movie is even more than that. It's a good mass killer movie. Vincent Price is great even stuck in a wheelchair for most of the movie. The story is compelling and a fun house of horrors. It even has a bit of humor although mostly due to its campiness.