Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: After amassing a fortune in the carnival business via less-than-honest means, Hiram Stokeley has died and learns he has just 24 hours to commit a good deed if he wants to regain his youth, get into Heaven and spend eternity with his long-dead girlfriend, Cecily. With Cecily's help, he tries to fulfill that requirement by preventing his attorney, Reginald Ripper, from stealing his heirs' inheritance. Who's in it? The movie stars Susan Hart, Boris Karloff , Basil Rathbone , Tommy Kirk, Nancy Sinatra and Quinn O'Hara. Review: I came across The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini about a month or so ago and added it to my library because it sounded somewhat interesting and because there were a lot of recognizable names I wouldn't normally expect to see in a musical comedy. I finally got around to watching it this morning and, my opinion of it was mixed. The film has an interesting premise, and I especially liked how there was a slight mystery surrounding why Sto...

Synopsis: Even though everyone believes Dr. Henry Frankenstein's creature is dead; it survived the windmill fire and is being hunted by villagers. The disgraced Dr. Pretorius sees an opportunity to build on his own attempts to create life and forces Henry to help him create a mate for the monster by kidnapping Henry's wife, Elizabeth. Who's in it? The movie stars Colin Clive , Boris Karloff , Ernest Thesiger , Valerie Hobson , Dwight Frye and Elsa Lanchester . Review: Our Wisconsin summer of extreme weather resulted in yet another day of it being too hot and humid to take a walk at lunch so, once again, I filled the time by watching a movie. I noticed there is a remake of Bride of Frankenstein on one of my movie channels and, since I am still undecided about watching that, decided to go with the original. I've seen this film probably about a dozen times now and there are things about it that I'm not a huge fan of. However, as far as classic horror goes, it is a ...

Synopsis: Pat Patton helps a fellow police officer by bringing in a drunk man who later appears to have died in the back of his car. The man, a criminal known as Gruesome, later revives in the morgue and escapes before later using the same gas that paralyzed him to rob a bank. Dick Tracy investigates and soon believes Gruesome's chemical is the work of a missing scientist. He is up against the clock though. A local news reporter is determined to print his story in a few hours, potentially jeopardizing Tracy's case. Who's in it? The movie stars Ralph Byrd, Boris Karloff , Anne Gwynne , Lyle Latell , Edward Ashley and June Clayworth. Review: I've had Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome on my watch list primarily because, as I've mentioned in the past, I'm a big Boris Karloff fan. So, now that I was caught up with the earlier Dick Tracy films, I made sure to watch it this morning. Sadly, I didn't like this one as much as the previous films, and not just because there...

Synopsis: After attempting to replicate Frankenstein's experiments, Dr. Gustave Niemann is sent to prison. Niemann, however, escapes with the help of another inmate, Daniel, a hunchback who is looking for a new body. The pair commit murder to take over a traveling horror exhibit and resurrect Dracula, whose body is one of the attractions, to get revenge on the man who sent Niemann to prison. Later, they meet the Wolf Man and come across the original Frankenstein's monster. Who's in it? The movie stars Boris Karloff , John Carradine , Glenn Strange , Lon Chaney, Jr . and Anne Gwynne. Review: I had some time yesterday evening while my wife was at her sewing studio so, since I recently re-watched Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man , I figured I would give House of Frankenstein another try as well. I didn't remember much about this movie, other than I recalled not enjoying it as much as I thought I would. After re-watching it, I now remember why I had that opinion. On the s...

Synopsis: Walter Mitty uses daydreaming as a way to escape a life of boredom and verbal abuse from his mother, fiancée and others. His dreams of excitement suddenly become too real when he shares a taxi with a woman he met on the train and discovers his life is in danger. Who's in it? The movie stars Danny Kaye , Boris Karloff , Virginia Mayo, Ann Rutherford and Thurston Hall. Review: I remember first watching The Secret Life of Water Mitty about a decade ago with my wife. While I remembered liking it enough to want to see the 2013 Ben Stiller remake (something I have yet to do), I realized that was about all I could recall about the film. So, since I had some time before going into the office this morning, I gave it another try.  Now I remember why I liked it. I have not seen a whole lot of Danny Kaye films, and this is a movie that makes me realize that is a mistake. The movie's script and his role as the title character give him an opportunity to show off his wide range...

One of my favorite things about this time of year is being able to watch, or rewatch, holiday movies. They are inspiring, have some great stories and in the case of Christmas-themed horror movies, often have some memorable villains. And let's face it, without a good villain (even when that villain also happens to be the protagonist), Christmas movies often fall flat. Something I've noticed with holiday movies though is there are often villains that go unnoticed or at least unrecognized for their efforts. Here are five of my examples: Joseph Yoshinobu Takagi, Die Hard (1988) -  To start, yes, I consider Die Hard a Christmas movie. All the arguments to the contrary could also be used to describe plenty of other recognized Christmas films and therefore are invalid in my book.  While Hans Gruber ( Alan Rickman ) is obviously the main villain in this film, Takagi (James Shigeta) deserves recognition as well because what kind of employer holds a company party on Christmas Eve? Th...

Synopsis: When two of his friends disappear while in Austria, Sir Ronald Burton suspects the sinister Count Karl von Bruno may be the person responsible. Traveling under an alias, Burton decides to investigate. However, von Bruno quickly sees through the ruse and Burton's life is soon in danger as he tries to escape the trap-filled castle. Who's in it? The movie stars Richard Greene, Boris Karloff , Lon Chaney, Jr. , Paula Corday and Stephen McNally. Review: I had some free time yesterday evening while waiting to start dinner and my wife was at her sewing studio. So, I decided to fill it by re-watching The Black Castle for the first time in several years. The movie, once again, did not disappoint. Despite the film being classified as a horror movie and starring two horror movie legends, Karloff and Chaney, I would disagree with that description. Instead, I would put this movie in the swashbuckling action film category.  Part of the reason for this was the casting of Greene (...

Synopsis: Henry Frankenstein's son, Wolf, returns with his family to claim his inheritance and is quickly met with hostility from the villagers. When a half-crazed blacksmith, Ygor, reveals the creature still lives, Wolf decides to continue his father's experiments to redeem his family's now-forsaken name. However, while he is successful, he quickly learns the blacksmith has an ulterior motive for helping him. Who's in it?  The movie stars Boris Karloff , Bela Lugosi , Basil Rathbone , Lionel Atwill and Josephine Hutchinson. Review: I've seen this movie in the past but there are so few movies that star both Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi (not to mention Basil Rathbone and Lionel Atwill too) so, when I had an opportunity to re-watch it, I did. Overall, I have to say it was as good as I remembered. There are a couple things, in particular, I like about this film. The first is Basil Rathbone's performance as Wolf von Frankenstein. One of my biggest complaints abo...

Synopsis: After inventing a telescope that lets him see deep enough into space to see the distant past and a meteorite crashing in Africa long before human life, Dr. Janos Rukh leads an expedition to find the meteorite and after doing so, harvest an element dubbed Radium X. Rukh correctly believes Radium X can be used to heal people, but his exposure causes him to become infected and kill anything he touches. He is able to get his condition under control with the help of his colleague, Dr. Felix Benet. However, his obsession grows to the point his wife, Diana, leaves him for another man, and he grows even more isolated. When he learns Benet and another colleague, Sir Francis Stevens, have used his research for their own gain, he fakes his death and seeks revenge. Who's in it? The movie stars Boris Karloff , Bela Lugosi , Frances Drake , Frank Lawton and Walter Kingsford. Review: I started watching The Invisible Ray a couple years ago but got interrupted after the first 15 minu...

Synopsis: Medical student Donald Fettes is thrilled when the prominent Dr. Wolfe MacFarlane makes him his assistant. He becomes less thrilled when MacFarlane introduces him to the dark side of the profession, namely the acquisition of medical school cadavers from the local graverobber, John Gray. When a delicate surgery requires a practice body, Gray once again delivers, this time by murder. However, when MacFarlane attempts to end the business arrangement afterwards, Gray proves he isn't so easy to get rid of. Who's in it? The movie stars Boris Karloff , Henry Daniell, Russell Wade , Edith Atwater and Bela Lugosi. Review: I had heard of The Body Snatcher but never could seem to find time to watch it, despite it featuring two of my favorite 1940s stars in Karloff and Lugosi. I finally corrected that this morning and the movie more than lived up to my expectations. I think I can reasonably say this movie features Karloff in one of his best roles. John Gray is an intriguing c...

Synopsis: Nancy and Jimmy, a young couple working as medical assistants, witness a group of men murdering Judge Roger Shaw. When another man, recently released convict and musician John Ellman, is falsely accused of the murder, Nancy convinces Jimmy it is too dangerous for them to come forward and by the time she changes her mind, Ellman has already been convicted and executed. Seeking to right the wrong, their employer, Dr. Beaumont, brings Ellman back to life with a mechanical heart he has been developing. Ellman is alive but in an almost zombie-like state with no memory of what happened. However, a supernatural instinct lets him know who framed him and he begins to seek revenge. Who's in it? The movie stars Boris Karloff , Edmund Gwenn ,  Marguerite Churchill , Warren Hull and Ricardo Cortez . Review: As a general rule, I've found you can rarely go wrong with a Boris Karloff movie so, when I went in search of a film to watch this morning and saw The Walking Dead was ava...

Synopsis: After losing his wife and daughter to polio, Dr. Bernard Adrian is determined to find a way to reverse the paralysis caused by the disease. However, because his process is considered controversial, he only has one patient, Frances Clifford, a young woman who is confined to a wheelchair. When a circus trainer is mauled by an escaped ape, Adrian takes advantage and steals some of the man's spinal fluid and learns his theory about using the substance to regenerate the nerves is correct. Needing more, Adrian kills the ape and dressed as the creature, commits murder. Who's in it? The movie stars Boris Karloff , Maris Wrixon , Gene O'Donnell, Dorothy Vaughan and Henry Hall . Review: I've had The Ape on my watch list for several years but just never found the time to watch it until finally doing so this morning. Ultimately, the film wasn't quite what I was expecting it to be, but it wasn't a terrible movie either. I think, at least by today's standar...

Synopsis: Television personality Phillip Knight has made a living debunking various myths and superstitions for his audience. This leads to him being hired by a hotel owner wanting Knight to disprove rumors of Voodoo on the remote island he intends to build a resort on. Knight remains a skeptic even as an employee is turned into a zombie and other strange things happen around him. Who's in it? The movie stars Boris Karloff , Beverly Tyler , Murvyn Vye , Rhodes Reason and Elisha Cook, Jr.  It also has an uncredited appearance by Adam West in his movie debut.  Review: I came across Voodoo Island on Amazon Prime a few weeks ago but hadn't watched it because, despite starring one of my favorite horror movie actors, I had a lot of doubts about it. However, I decided to finally give it a chance this morning and, after seeing it, will admit it was slightly better than expected albeit nothing overly special either. I did find I liked the premise of the movie, with Knight (Karlof...

Synopsis: Egyptology professor Henry Morlant believes an ancient jewel will give him the power to rejuvenate but he dies from his illness anyway. When his servant, Laing, steals the jewel from Morlant's crypt, Morlant returns from the dead seeking revenge on those who betrayed him. Who's in it? The movie stars Boris Karloff , Cedric Hardwicke , Ernest Thesiger , Dorothy Hyson and Kathleen Harrison . Review: I picked The Ghoul this morning because it's been a while since I've watched a Boris Karloff movie and, well, it is Halloween. Unfortunately, while the movie had its moments, it was far from being one of my favorites. Karloff himself makes the movie somewhat watchable. As is often the case with the actor, his zombie-like creature was creepy and a little scary. I especially liked how he made his eyes seem lifeless, something that really sold the character. My biggest problem with the movie is the star of the film gets surprisingly little screen time. The movie wa...

Synopsis: After marrying his elderly business partner's daughter, Waldo Trumbull, an alcoholic funeral director, has nearly run his funeral parlor business into the ground. With the help of his criminal henchman, the unscrupulous Trumbull tries to drum up additional business by murdering prospective clients. However, his plans don't work out as well as he hoped, especially when he tries to kill a man who simply will not die. Who's in it? The movie stars Vincent Price , Basil Rathbone , Boris Karloff , Peter Lorre and Joyce Jameson. Review: I came across this movie a couple days ago and, mostly because many of my favorite classic film actors were in it, I decided to add it to my library. I had an opportunity to watch it last night and early this morning. After seeing it, I am sad to say I didn't like it nearly as much as I thought I would. I am going to start out by saying the one thing this movie did right was the casting. Had it not been for the stars of the movie, ...

Synopsis: American Stephen Reinhart travels to Britain to meet his fiancee's family. When he asks for directions to the estate, the villagers turn hostile toward him and his fiancee's father insists he leaves immediately. He soon learns the less-than-warm welcome is the result of a family "curse" relating to a meteorite. Who's in it? The movie stars Boris Karloff , Nick Adams , Freda Jackson , Suzan Farmer and T erence de Marney. Review: I came across this movie a couple weeks ago and, thinking it sounded interesting, decided to record it. I finally had an opportunity to watch it this week and, while the premise was OK, it wasn't as good as I was hoping. I think the main issue with tihs movie is it is kind of predictable. It's not too difficult to figure out what is happening in the house and, once that happens, even the estate's "monsters," which are admittedly a bit creepy (albeit not shown enough), aren't enough to make the film in...

Synopsis: After losing their jobs on the London police force, Slim and Tubby seek to redeem themselves by capturing the murderous Mr. Hyde. Who's in it? The movie stars Bud Abbott , Lou Costello , Boris Karloff, Craig Stevens and Helen Westcott. Review: I came across this movie on Peacock TV a couple weeks ago and, realizing I had never seen it, put it on my "must-watch" list. I finally had a chance to do that this weekend and, overall, I was glad I did. This is one of the comedy duo's last films together and, much like many of their older movies, it wasn't quite as good as their earlier films. But, despite that, the film still proved to be better than expected. While some of the comedy routines were a little predictable, they still managed to be entertaining. I especially liked the scene involving Tubby (Costello) being turned into a mouse then, later, getting drunk in an attempt to recreate the incident for the authorities. My only real complaint when it ca...

Synopsis : Bellboy Freddie Phillips is fired from his job at a secluded resort and makes threats against the disgruntled guest, a powerful attorney, who caused his dismissal. Later, when he visits the attorney's room to apologize, he discovers the lawyer has been murdered. Because of his earlier threats and non-stop bumbling, he immediately becomes the primary suspect and, with the help of his cousin, the hotel detective, tries to clear his name. Who's in it? The movie stars Bud Abbott , Lou Costello , Boris Karloff , Lenore Aubert and D onna Martell. Review : My oldest daughter and I both love Abbott and Costello films and, when I came across this one on TV a couple weeks ago, I decided to record it for us to watch. This is one of the few Abbott and Costello movies I had not seen before and, mostly because it also starred one of my favor horror movie actors (Karloff), I was definitely excited to finally watch it. However, after seeing it, my opinion of it was a bit...