Medical hiatus no-typing mix…I read and appreciate all comments…Apologies for not being able to respond at the moment.
Category: sci-fi
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Medical hiatus no-typing mix…
I read and appreciate all comments. Apologies for not being able to respond at the moment. -
the Rice Hat Samurai has handmade pendants for the geek with fine taste.
Would you care for a Dalek to go with that evening dress?
Perhaps a dash of Star Trek for the discriminating feminine nerd?
And I actually quite like this abstract design as well.
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Little introduction is needed for Metropolis, a 1927 film by Fritz Lang; written by his wife Thea von Harbou. Complete with a futuristic city set only 100 years in the future, this science fiction morality tale features amazing alchemical laboratory sets. The neon lighting is a great touch.
Rotwang (Rudolf Klein-Rogge) is a scientist ordered by the master of the city, Joh Fredersen (Alfred Abel), to make a robot doppelganger of Maria (Brigitte Helm). Maria’s spirit transcends the class system–by sending a robot imposter back to the oppressed working class, the master of the city hopes to suppress an uprising. Rotwang has some really great neon light accented minimal lab sets.
Joh Fredersen, Rotwang and robot.
Sparse laboratory where the real Maria is encased–her form will be transferred onto the robot through Alchemy and Science!
Totally tubular!
A flick of the switch…
zap
whirrrr
zzzzt
zzzzt
zzzzt!
Rotwang with the fleshed-out Robot Maria.
Mad Science at work!
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From the archive and some image searches to supplement my material, today’s installment proves you can almost never have enough Lugosi. The man always gave his all in a film, no matter how bad it may be.
Bela Lugosi with Arlene Francis in the 1932 Poe adaptation Murders in the Rue Morgue. A fun film; having Lugosi meant Universal Studios would take license with the story and inject a Mad Scientist!
But why is it when you try to breed apes and humans you always end up with tainted blood? Bela gets cross with Arlene… groan.
Lugosi is seen below in The Phantom Creeps, a 1939 serial in which he tries to create an army of Atomic Supermen.
Without much of a film budget, it is only an army of one. What, no Atomic Superwomen?
Ah, here we find Dr Brewster in his lab. The 1943 B-movie is not quite the right answer to big studio hit The Wolfman, but the film The Ape Man is entertaining. Dr. Brewster is not quite your average Mad Scientist. He walks stooped over, swaying his arms, and talking like, well, Dracula. And he wears a morning suit!
Jumping to 1955, Mad Scientist Bela is, after a slew of experiments, confronted by his servant Lobo (Tor Johnson) in Bride of the Monster. As much as I like monsters, I rather fancy director Ed Wood’s original title, Bride of the Atom!
I will wrap up today’s post with a rare archival negative find from ten years ago (even though it has made its way around the Internet a bit). Circa the mid 1950’s here is a publicity still of Bela with Maila Nurmi, aka Vampira. No doubt from some variety TV performance, Vampira Show publicity, or Ed Wood promotion.
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Boris Karloff brings a delightfully sadistic performance to Sax Rohmer’s literary character in the 1932 film The Mask of Fu Manchu.
This adventure film with lavish sets and costumes features some great special effects using more of Ken Strickfaden’s electrical devices. Check out these great laboratory settings!
Fu Manchu’s quest for the sword and mask of Genghis Khan shows a relentless and evil Pre-Code performance.
With his seductive daughter Fah Lo See (Myrna Loy) at his side, Fu Manchu looks to destroy and enslave the “white race.” Fah Lo See tortures the man she loves, but spurns her…
Like all adventure films of the period, peril and danger are overcome by good. In this case evil is trumped, and the sword of Ghengis Khan is removed as a threat to world domination. But not before a good dose of supernatural Mad Laboratory effects!
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H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man made it to the screen in 1933. Today may I introduce you to Professor Griffin (Claude Rains), the Mad Scientist behind the bandages? Don’t mind the hair plugs and rubber nose. At least there is a small travelling test lab to set the scene.
Something is missing! Must be a good sized Mad Lab!
His fiancee (why must the beautiful, intelligent ladies always take the back seat to this madness?) and her father may have what it takes to cure him. (Gloria Stuart, Henry Travers)
He is rather dashing in his robe and glasses, but bear in mind, when you cannot see him he is running around in the altogether!
For further viewing, in 1940 the Invisible Man Returns, and we then meet The Invisible Woman; in 1944 we have The Invisible Agent and Invisible Man’s Revenge–a string of increasingly silly attempts to have fun with an invisible character built on the foundation of Claude Rain’s tragic character.
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Through the fantastic laboratory creations of Ken Strickfaden, electrical special effects creator, Universal Studios brought one of the most fantastic tales of a Mad Scientist to the Silver Screen. Dr. Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) brings his creation to life in Frankenstein (1931) and the tale resumes in The Bride of Frankenstein (1935).
In the shadow of the monster, Dr. Frankenstein is unaware of the terror his machinations will release!
“This storm will be magnificent. All the electrical secrets of Heaven. And this time we’re ready, eh Fritz? Ready.” (with actor Dwight Frye)
Put a laboratory in a towering medieval structure and next thing I find is that my mouth is watering!
Moving on to the sequel–a magnificent film–we find that Dr. Frankenstein has given up meddling with Science, until Dr. Septimus Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger) coerces him to produce a mate for the monster.
Henry, as you see, is always so happy to be working with Septimus. But how could he not have this huge ear to ear grin with all that apparatus at hand?
Shy of posting too many similar images from these great sets, I will leave you with one more jolt from The Bride of Frankenstein.
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I am honoured to be posting while the mistress of this blog walks ever more softly. I hope that you will enjoy this week’s posts as much as I have enjoyed being part of this audience. Without further fanfare…
Vintage laboratories invoke all sorts of emotions for me. There’s nothing like setting a beaker atop a Bunsen burner to get the Science juices flowing; to feel your place as part of the microcosm of scientists, both Good and Mad, who have gone before. Lets start with some scenes showing laboratory equipment from classic horror films. Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde provides us with two very notable films…
Here we have a stern John Barrymore in “Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde,” 1920. Unfortunately there are not many good images of his laboratory.
Mr Barrymore’s film was quite the thing for 1920, but in 1932 Fredric March took it to a whole new level. And wrap your orbs around that laboratory! March as Jekyll…
March as Hyde…
Stay tuned tomorrow–we’ll continue the week with some images from the Frankenstein films, The Invisible man, and more.
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It’s that time again. Time to talk about Alien and Predator! Long time fans of this blog know of my odd compulsion to feature A & P goodies from time to time. So now I bring you the Alien and Predator wedding cake!
Aw, look at that bouquet and top hat…
Let’s not nitpick about the unlikelihood of Alien and Predator joining in wedded bliss (I know you were thinking it, sci-fi geeks!), and just enjoy the fine craftsmanship of the cake.
And perhaps the best part…FONDANT FACE HUGGER!
See also:
AvP on Sky TV
Predator Pumpkin
Alien Chess Set
Alien Pez Dispenser
SheWalksSoftly 