Val Lewton's Tricks to Making Low Budget Horror.

[@DarkCornersReviews]

Thanks for watching. KZbin puts comments with links on hold until we have checked them, so the link to your film may not appear right away.

[@kevinrhea7332]

Excellent to see something like this on lewton, thanks, the ghost ship deserves a deep dive imo

[@stillhuntre55]

I have no intention of making a movie of any kind, but this is a fascinating breakdown of *why* scary movies are scary. I never watched horror before subscribing to this channel, and videos like this are opening up a whole new world for me! Thank you for all the work you do.

[@igorrenfield6588]

The Body Snatcher floored me when I first saw it. I think it was Karloff’s best role.

[@cabmangray1423]

Totally agree. Karloff at his best.

[@IlluminatiLand]

@@cabmangray1423 Karloff was always at his best. Just see 'The Invisible Ray' and 'The Black Cat'

[@walkure48]

Sometimes when I think of Val Lewton films, I think of a moment in young Akira Kurosawa's life, and something that his older brother Heigo told him. After the earthquake of 1923, Heigo took Akira to see the destruction. Horrified by the tens of thousands of bodies, young Akira turned away, but Heigo scolded him, telling him to look. "...if you shut your eyes to a frightening sight, you end up more frightened. but if you see the whole world straight-on, you’ll see there’s nothing to fear." That's a roundabout way of describing Val Lewton vs. traditional horror. When you see something from the outset, and see it often, it's less horror and more thriller since you already know what it is, and it's only a matter of "when". Lewton, as you said, keeps the horror in the shadows, your ear, something caught briefly out of the corner of your eye, but mainly in the mind. That's what keeps you up at night with the lights on. There's also a very underrated film that I love, "Messiah of Evil" that's weird and creepy.

[@sammy1552]

Man, without your channel, I don't think I'd learn much about horror.

[@leebritnell2405]

Well,they tend to hide a lot of this stuff away in books(!)

[@fj103]

Thanks

[@robinbailes5236]

Thank you so much!

[@woodencoyote4372]

I want to plug 'The Ghost Train' (1941) with Arthur Askey because I think it deserves more love. It's more comedy than a thriller at times, I'll admit, but it's certainly a lesson in making due with a low budget and a small set.

[@GariSullivan]

The ghost train is a great film; I agree. AA's character is, in a sense, part of the disturbing element of the film. He is so irritatingly in your face, he adds to the discomfort almost in a friendly psychotic manner. Also, some great British character actors: Kathleen Harrison and Raymond Huntley to name but two.

[@euansmith3699]

@@GariSullivan Based on the stage play by Arnold Ridley; Private Charles Godfrey MM in Dad's Army.

[@billcutler8770]

Val Lewton was one of the best filmmakers of the 1940s. His "horror of the unseen" more frightening than any visual monster.

[@liberpolo5540]

I love learning so much about these old, somewhat forgotten media, its about time this was brought back to light!

[@RavenHouseMystery]

Thanks Robin (and Graham) for another in depth look at Val Lewton's films. I understand that actor Anthony Perkins was a big fan of Lewton's work and that might explain Perkins' heavy use of shadows when he directed "Psycho III" (1986).

[@euansmith3699]

7:57 The claws on the cushion cover; what a great effect. ".... y O'Donnell" 😍😆 11:16 Boris Karloff is always riveting; what a handsome guy.

[@cord113]

I'm not sure if it was deliberate or not, but did you notice sligltly before that at about 7:48 that the furniture made a cat-like silhouette around her head?

[@euansmith3699]

@@cord113 That's so cool, I feel it must have been intentional 😍

[@Kwalk1989]

I bought the Val Lewton horror collection after the first dark corners Video on him. Such an amazing body of work and heart wrenching story of the man himself. These videos are KZbin gold, and really shows a timeless quality of cinema. Can't say how much I love these!

[@TaramiBedona]

I really appreciate the mix of analytical deep-dives and snarky takedowns you guys do.

[@cultofj3777]

The Val Lewton videos are my favorite that you've done!

[@gejopohl5102]

I have been a close friend of Ray Harryhausen for 25 years. And Ray, the grand master of visial effects, ALWAYS appreciatiated the work of the people from the the sound effects departement. Thanks, Dark Corner Reviews, for this video and love from Germany!

[@MrWorf35]

Labour of love. Both Val Lewton's works and Dark Corners reviews.

[@HAM-sb2ns]

Would Laird Cregar be an interesting subject for this channel? Anyway, I love these Val Lewton videos.

[@euansmith3699]

What a sad end his life had; though he did get his eulogy read by Vincent Price.

[@CanadianBeachcomber]

For me this was one of your most enjoyable and informative videos. Next weekend will be a Val Lewton triple bill at our house.

[@darkangel076]

Would love to hear your thoughts on "La Residencia" AKA "The House That Screamed" (1970). Such an odd combination of Gothic, Exploitation, slightly cheesecake and with a stinger to rival any shock reveal I can think of - it may not be high art, but it is unforgettable.

[@rhetteverette2406]

Watched for the first time last October and LOVED IT !!

[@frankb821]

Brilliant job! Curse of the Cat People is such a poetic and beautiful film, entirely underrated.

[@amb163]

Thank you so much for diving into what makes his work so wonderful and groundbreaking. I was watching another documentary, one by Mark Gatiss, and though he very much appreciates Val Lewton's work, he also gave screen-time to John Carpenter who crapped all over Lewton's films. I enjoy many of Carpenters' movies, but I can't stand the man -- every interview he gives he comes across as incredibly arrogant and condescending. I'm on your side with this one -- Lewton was a genius storyteller.

[@MrUnicorn44]

Odd, that Carpenter criticised the idea of 'the Lewton bus' moment, and yet used exactly the same thing in several of his earlier works, right down to using a shrieking/shrill music sting in order to pull off precisely the same jump scare moment. The older he gets, the more disappointing and bitter he seems.

[@normandrichardson3721]

Thanks for that video, a friend and me are currently working on a short horror movie, based on Jean Ray 1931's short story La Ruelle Ténébreuse (The Shadowy Alley). We'll see where that leads us...

[@orchidcarpetcleaningrp6061]

Great insight into Val Lewtons brilliant films. Another great example of not seeing the horror is The Blair Witch project.So many people hated it on release I thought was genuis and really scary to boot.

[@cadeevans4623]

Looking forward to this

[@lallancashire2201]

Great stuff 👍 Lewton horrors on a par with Hitchcock imo so well done for giving these films some well deserved respect and appreciation.

[@HeavyMetalTones]

A wonderful and detailed dive into a genius and his work. You always make these videos with such professionalism. How your not the go to people for videos like this is beyond me. It’s a real pleasure watching and learning from you. Cheers and let’s have some more of the same please

[@MightyMezzo]

What an excellent overview of Val Lewton and his work. Boris Karloff did some of his best work in “Isle of the Dead,” “The Body Snatcher” and “Bedlam.” Director Robert Wise started out directing for Lewton, and used the lessons learned in his own wonderfully atmospheric horror, “The Haunting” (1963, right before he helmed “The Sound of Music”). Come to think of it, have you looked at “The Haunting” yet?

[@euansmith3699]

What! The director of the Haunting made Sound of Music?! Fantastic. The Haunting is one of my favourite chillers. So much clever suggestion and a sepulchral atmosphere. It also features a great practical effect where Russ Hamblyn breathes in to a "cold spot". Plus, it features Rosemary Crutchley and Valentine Dyall. 😍

[@robinbailes5236]

Not yet. I'm sure we will.

[@colleencrouch4346]

Thanks!

[@robinbailes5236]

Thank you!

[@jaymartin8273]

Very nicely done and very informative for both horror filmmakers and anyone wanting to make a film on a budget :=). One issue with modern Hollywood I think is too prevalent is the 'Star Wars syndrome', everyone goes into to filmmaking thinking that they've got the next big hit, when instead they should be focusing on making a good film

[@julietfischer5056]

There are so many options for watching movies that studios concentrate on what will net them large returns either initially or in foreign markets. Piracy was and remains a big contributor to the need for blockbusters, as that's how studios make their money. Despite what some want to believe, Hollywood isn't a radical hotbed: studios want sure bets. That's another reason for essentially making the same few movies over and over again, merely changing names and plot details. Streaming services could take up this slack, but they've succumbed to the lure of safe, well-trodden, paths.

[@anthonymunn8633]

I've always liked the story Peter Bogdonovich used to tell of how TARGETS came together.Corman basically told him "You want to make a movie?OK,Boris Karloff owes me two days from another movie.Shoot about 20 minutes with him.I also have this movie with Boris,THE TERROR.Take 20 minutes from that.Then film around L.A. with actors until you have another 40 minutes,and we'll have a movie?!" It's my favorite Bogdonovich movie.

[@julietfischer5056]

Karloff loved the script so much he continued working gratis. It's a masterpiece of a movie.

[@AmityvilleFan]

I'm not sure is it'd count as low budget, but The Man with the X-Ray Eyes would worth a shot.

[@john_blues]

Budget was about the same actually. $250,000 in 1962.

[@AquamentusLives]

Great Val Lawton tribute, as always! Just ordered the Beldam/The Ghost Ship double feature Blu-ray.

[@thecampion2420]

Please do a video on Pontypool, it's a great example of low budget horror, filmed primarily on a single set and utilizing it to the fullest, with solid performances, it does a great job of making you scared without showing too much.

[@capomanti8]

I've long been a fan of Val Lewton, and as a filmmaker I have adopted many of his principles - such as inventive use of locations. My latest film, AS I GO A WANDERING is an anthology of 5 bizarre stories woven into a linking story, and I should have it finished before the end of the year. My name is Chuck Waagen.

[@Zoey-K-1]

I've been a Lewton fan since e I first saw I Walked With a Zombie as a child, and Isle of the Dead remains one of my all-time favorites. Excellent analysis.

[@JoshAddison78]

Again, man... Your long form vids are fantastic. I dig the quick reviews, but the breadth of genre/cult film info you share in the long forms are damned near second to none. Well done, Sir.

[@sejembalm]

I remember hearing of an interview with a director of low-budget horror and sci-fi movies in the 1960s & '70s who was amazed on how inexpensive good digital cameras, sound recording and movie editing software currently is and he said if producers like Roger Corman had access to such good and affordable things in his day, he could have really flooded the market with inexpensive independent films.

[@john_blues]

The markets are flooded with those films. Most of them unfortunately are terrible. Prime, Tubi and Hulu are filled with them.

[@sejembalm]

@@john_blues They (producers, directors, studios, etc.) also flooded cinemas with movies & shorts back in the '50s to the '70s and they were working with expensive filming, lighting, recording and editing equipment, along with expensive film to produce the movies. Of course, the most difficult thing to have that can make a terrific film can be the cheapest expense in the movie: a good story to put on the screen.

[@john_blues]

@@sejembalm I definitely agree with your last point.

[@petergivenbless900]

Not a film, but a TV series which made the most of its limited budget to create a wonderful sense of atmosphere and used simple effects very evocatively was 'Sapphire and Steel'.

[@robinbailes5236]

The first episode of that is extraordinary.

[@clodualdobbeojr5744]

This was very interesting. As a kid I recall watching low budgeted Foreign and Filipino horror movies . Early 70s are so into horrors even on tv shows (Night stalker, journey into the unknown, Ghost Story). Somehow I could see the source/ inspiration behind them. Thanks Finally I subbed!

[@richmcgee434]

"...your monster may be more funny than scary." The Giant Claw has entered the chat. :)

[@julietfischer5056]

Accompanied by the Horror of Party Beach.

[@mauricedevereaux6573]

Love your videos Robin, I'll plug my low budget horror film 'END OF THE LINE" (the one in the subway) from 2006. Cheers!...:)

[@GeeVanderplas]

Great video! I wasn't aware of these movies but they look like my kind of atmospheric horror so now I gotta check them out!

[@MrChuckbackus]

Some of your best work. Thanks for this.

[@mahatmarandy5977]

It's not cinema of course, but the reason HG Welles' novels were so successful was because they all had an inordinately long "Slice of life" sequence at the beginning (Which could be as much as a quarter of the novel) firmly establishing its characters as people in our real world....which Welles then breaks in some way. We're invested in the mundane situation by itself before the Big Strage Thing happens. It's a good trick, and Lewton uses something very similar, though in shorter form.

[@josephmatthews9866]

Am I the only one who believes THE SEVENTH VICTIM could easily be a prequel to the movie ROSEMARY'S BABY ??? Think about it for a moment or two ... The part of NY that first movie is set in isn't too far from the part that the second movie is. Also the people the protagonist meets in the first movie would at the right age for Satanist in the second, albeit some may died in the ensuing decades to be replaced by younger members. And the next matter to consider is what were the Satanist final motivations , was the first heroine about to be groomed , prepared for her fall into darkness ,gotten an uneasy feeling them , tried to escape and had to die. The sudden appearance of the sister of their victim was another thing for them to deal with. I hope I'm not reading too much into this, but, I do enjoy both of these movies. And thank you for your break down of VAL Lewton's movies . P.S. , you forgot to mention GHOST SHIP has the first on screen appearance of RICKY RICARDO. ( please correct if wrong)

[@donaldlamkin1305]

Great video! Now I love Lewton's films even more than I already did

[@LordoftheReedyRiver]

I love your deep dives into the greats of horror. Thank you!

[@markalleneaton]

This is not a film (yet) but watching this I started remembering the opening chapter of Perelandra, and I'm wondering if Lewis every saw any of Lewton's films. It's not a horror novel, but there are definitely horror elements - the Unman/Weston character is an interesting portrait of evil. Not for a channel review - just to enrich your reading when you have the time.

[@davidpierce6075]

Brilliant tutorial, thank you.

[@KCrouton]

A terrific video and one any number of horror filmmakers should watch and learn from.

[@eliotmccann2589]

Another superb video essay- bravo!!

[@jeffagain7516]

Thanks so very much once again Robin! You and your wonderful compatriots have delivered a wonderful synopsis of Lewton's (and Tourneur's) outstanding abilities. In this age of digital everything, I pride myself in having a very handsome collection of dvds and Blus and I'm fortunate to have all of the films mentioned in your vid. I'm an enormous fan of these type films and it's great to be able to watch them, at leisure, without worrying that some streaming service will one day make them disappear, especially those films that the twitter mob take umbrage at for one idiotic reason or another. I've been a fan of this channel since you started out my friend and hope to catch many more impressive videos from you as time goes on. p.s. Bless you Sir for continuing to have your Dad assist in these productions as well! He adds just one more level of class to your efforts! :)

[@naparry4772]

A really enjoyable and informative video. Darkly wonderful. Many thanks.

[@Nono-hk3is]

Marvelous analysis

[@transformersrevenge9]

At 1:05 the closed captions hit me with a wall of text.

[@DarkCornersReviews]

thanks for the heads up. this has now been fixed.

[@transformersrevenge9]

@@DarkCornersReviews It was kinda funny tho.

[@ArizonaJoeHines]

I've loved these movies since most of them turned up on 1950's TV. Not many producers have a body of work that can be instructive. Usually it is the director, isn't it? One great (or important) horror film is not available on any format from vhs onward. KZbin has a 4:3 preview of dubious quality. That would be Roger Vadim's Blood & Roses (1960), starring Mel Ferrer and three of the most beautiful European women I had ever seen, me being 13. This included Elsa Martinelli. It's widescreen and I remember the cinematography as stunning. It's the Carmilla story so beloved by Hammer. Even at 13, I recognized that this was a whole class above the usual 50's monsterfests. Blood & Roses Imdb page has a sketchy cast list and nothing else but this: A lonely and bitter young heiress - jealous of her cousin's engagement to another woman - becomes dangerously obsessed with legends surrounding a vampire ancestor, who supposedly murdered the young brides of the man she loved. I imagine it is tied up legally. It's a pity.

[@camerastooge]

I really enjoyed this video. Well-balanced between restrospective-ish and... practical tips-ish?

[@jessekorson7139]

This was such an inspiring and informative piece! Thanks so much! I made a stop motion horror film called "Scarecrow Alley" over on my channel. But now after watching this I'd love to try live action.

[@KoalaMarch77]

Impeccable work, sir!

[@spews1973]

Excellent advice well presented.

[@ianbrewster8934]

Excellent stuff brother

[@johnrudy9404]

The Theramin. Outside of context in film, it really sounds silly. But, in the right context and the right amount,positively unnerving. Day the Earth Stood Still. Perfect. Got, the robot(monster) You're TOLD about by Klatu(Renney

[@buzzawuzza3743]

My friends and I are planning to make our first horror film and the working title is "Scream Monsters Scream". I would like to play one of the monsters but right now it looks like I may end up as the third cop from the right.

[@skylx0812]

Don't wear a tshirt under the uniform blouse. Cops in horror movies never seem to wear tshirts.

[@buzzawuzza3743]

@@skylx0812 It may not end up mattering. Maybe I'll get all of three minutes screen time. And I'll be standing around in a frozen food locker where the scene takes place!

[@rogerrendzak8055]

Always loved Val's work, ever since I was a kid. Just didn't know who, Lewton was then🤔. Only, saw half his work as a child, the rest, as a middle-aged kid☺️. 'Cat People', 'Curse Of', and 'I Walk With A Zombie', is what started it all. Interesting to know that, Val grew up with the 'Isle Of The Dead' painting, hanging on his wall. Possibly where, alot of his early interest, and fears came from, huh (that would do it, for me🥺)?? On another note, I love the comment you iterated @12:40, "Poor casting, can ruin a film", while you're presenting, Christian Slater🤭😆😅🤣, heh-heh!!!! Yes, that guy SUCKS!!! Or, should I say in today's Hollywood, WHO?? "EQUINOX" (1970), by Dennis Muren, was my first introduction, to low budget horror, even though at the time, I didn't know it.

[@cord113]

I'm not sure if this counts, but did you know they made a musical stage play of The Evil Dead? You can find a lot of it on youtube.

[@Bigbadwhitecracker]

I think I learned a lot from Tom Laughlin and Delores Taylor who spent 17 years getting Billy Jack made and almost stolen from them, etc. He revolutionized marketing indy movies. Whatever one thinks of the film itself, the story behind it is utterly fascinating. Also Orson Welles Euro movies, which to me, are a mixed bag. In more recent decades, Russ Meyer, John Cassavetes, John Sayles, Jim Jarmuch and of course John Waters. How can we forget John Waters who put Baltimore on the map.

[@shaymayo6]

this in one of the best channels on youtube

[@dillongstaff5625]

The original Little House Of horrors was made on a low budget using a film set previously used and about to be demolished,before roger Corman used it.

[@robinbailes5236]

Shot in 2 and half days!

[@ramalama1]

I absolutely love this. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@robertsantana3261]

What a gorgeous well-made video!

[@bense7enreilly]

thanks for this video, both educational & helpful! once i finish making an action film the godfrey ho way, i wanna make a horror movie the val lewton way!

[@re10shun1]

This was excellent. Why I Patreoned you.

[@Blastarr1]

I have a suggestion to compare two identical movies. I think Cat-Women of the Moon 1953 and Missile to the Moon 1958 would be very interesting. They have the many of the same recycled sets, props, story, and more.

[@robinbailes5236]

We've actually reviewed both. Missile to the Moon is a remake of Cat Women, though I can't imagine why anyone thought a remake was needed or wanted.

[@Kitsaplorax]

Lewton understood strong, coherent stories didn't need to explain every supernatural element to death. Nothing is cheap, just inexpensive. He didn't play to customary tropes or cliches. That's something every single vampire modern film seems to have forgotten.

[@sammy1552]

What's your thought on 30 Days of Night?

[@Kitsaplorax]

@@sammy1552 it reminded me of a Fulci movie or a made for TV apocalyptic series. A lot like "The Strain" but dumber.

[@willmfrank]

In his "Firefly" script "Bushwhacked," Tim Minear gives Adam Baldwin a line of dialogue that sums up point no. 1 perfectly. Jayne says that the survivor "Looked bigger when I couldn't see him." At first hearing this sounds like typical Jayne Cobb dim-witted nonsense, but he's actually telling us that he saw the survivor in his imagination -- in his mind's eye, rather than with his physical eyes.

[@MrNegativecreep07]

Another tip for aspiring film makers - no one, ever, will silently walk up behind someone in a tense situation and put their hand on their shoulder.

[@christopherwall2121]

Tip no. 5 seems to be a point a lot of horror fans online seem to want to dispute in my experience. It is a genre that is very easy to be subverted by reactionaries.

[@Rynewulf]

I Walked With A Zombie is STILL ahead of the curve of talking about slavery. I mean a big budget movie recently glorified the slave taking and selling regime in Dahomey, yet almost a century ago this film pulled no punches about the real trauma and history

[@skylx0812]

Piper Laurie gave the best and most horrific Big-O performance for a 1.8 million budget in "Carrie". She and Spacek got best actress and suppporting actress nominations for their troubles. Laurie lampooned her character in an episode of Fraiser.

[@julietfischer5056]

Piper Laurie thought _Carrie_ was a comedy because her character was so over the top.

[@collbn]

Really great video today. Thank you

[@tskmaster3837]

Bart Simpson: "You know what would be scarier than nothing?" Lisa: "What?" Bart: "ANYTHING!" I agree, there's this movie called Curse of the Demon/Night of the Demon where the director tried to Val Lewton his movie with its "Demon", but the producer had his own notion of what's scarier. He went with SOMETHING.... but the result was still low budget. This is the Lovecraft model of horror and Stephen King described as putting all your cards on the table for that ONE monster reveal. It doesn't always work, maybe even it often doesn't work but when it does the viewer will remember it LONG past the work itself. Also, I'm not a fan of Lewton; Those films seem to be built around one core image/idea with a lot of filler before it and a lot of fluff following it.

[@haha-kq6rz]

Harryhausen taught me a lot about sfx.

[@dcdad556]

The use of shadows and darkness means you don't need numerous lights to make a set look like a xmas tree.

[@Enevan1968]

Loved Carnival of Souls, even if it was An Occurance at Owl Creek Bridge revisited

[@brianalexander5249]

While I do think there’s a lot of good points in here, it’s funny how some of them are “Just write a good movie!” “Get good actors”. I understand that wasn’t exactly what was meant, but it sounded funny

[@robinbailes5236]

Obvious lesson and yet people consistently ignore it

[@fernandomaron87]

Robin, could you cover 'The Horror of Party Beach' on your next videos? This movie is definetly a trash masterpiece and the monster is hilarious.

[@ARYngve-sz1qj]

Great video!

[@Denver_Risley]

Thank you thank you thank you.

[@leonardoperez2029]

I remember Dario Argento's INSOMNIA 2001

[@heatrayzvideo3007]

If the less you see the scarier then surely not watching the film will be the scariest way of all.

[@themysteriousdomainmoviepalace]

Excellent!

[@stephenvelez9710]

Val Lewton is my hero❤

[@gorgar6657]

yeah when is the 7th Victim/ I walked with a zombie getting a bluray release?

[@dannystaton5386]

Very interesting

[@cinemafanatic2010]

I’d like to plug my films if I may. Many are on my KZbin channel, beast by night, tales of the unnatural, black tiger, flea bitten, severed body parts, Dracula vs Frankenstein 2013 etx

[@JeffreyDeCristofaro]

Very few Masters of Horror made films quite like Val Lewton. Feel free to check out my article on CURNBLOG of CAT PEOPLE'S 75th Anniversary talking about the Man of the Shadows and his legacy!

[@erik1995holmberg]

Does anybody know where I can find all Val Lewtons movies? I want to be able to stream them on my computer.

[@john_blues]

Cheap is in the eye of the beholder. That budget today adjusted for inflation would be about $2.7 million. That's getting close to Blumhouse budget.

[@habeashumor9814]

What a coincidence. I just watched “The Bad and the Beautiful” starring Kirk Douglas. It must have been partially inspired by this Val Lewton. (Edit: yup, the film’s Wikipedia page says KD’s character is thought to be a blending of David Selznick, Orson Welles and Val Lewton)

[@robinbailes5236]

Their 'Cat People' film is a real giveaway

[@habeashumor9814]

@@robinbailes5236 yup!

[@erikramaekers63]

Please review:Vampire's Ghost a b movie from the 40s about a European vampire in Africa.I saw it last year and liked it but not even fans of the golden era of horror seem to know this 59 minutes long little gem

[@DarkCornersReviews]

Thanks. It's on KZbin, I will check it out.