Written By: Ken Hulsey
The 1953 American horror film House of Wax, starring Vincent Price, was director André De Toth's 3-D remake of the 1933 film Mystery of the Wax Museum, marking the first 3-D film of the early 1950s.
Stereoscopic 3-D was an alternative technology used by 1950s studios to compete with the new threat of television, similar to other widescreen formats like Cinemascope and Cinerama. During its brief 2.5-year heyday, just over 50 titles were released in the 3-D process. The 1953 film House of Wax, for example, was always shown in dual interlocked 35mm projection with polarized glasses. The film was later re-released in the 1970s in both single strip 35mm Stereovision 3-D and Stereovision's pioneering 70mm 3-D process, playing in major venues like Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood and the Boston Music Hall, which could seat over 4,300 patrons.
In 1910s New York City, Professor Henry Jarrod (Vincent Price) is a devoted sculptor of wax figures for his museum. However, when his financial partner, Matthew Burke (Roy Roberts), demands more sensational exhibits to boost profits, Jarrod refuses. In retaliation, Burke sets fire to the museum to collect the insurance money, leaving Jarrod for dead. Miraculously, Jarrod survives, though his hands and legs are rendered useless. With the help of the threatening deaf-mute sculptor, Igor (Charles Bronson), Jarrod rebuilds his House of Wax.
The museum's popular "Chamber of Horrors" showcases a range of infamous crimes, from historical cases to more recent incidents, such as the murder of Jarrod's former business partner by a cloaked, disfigured killer. The display also includes the attack on Burke's fiancée, Cathy Gray (Carolyn Jones). However, when Cathy's friend, Sue Allen (Phyllis Kirk), visits the museum, she uncovers a discovery that exposes the horrifying truth behind the House of Wax.
Warner Bros. saw potential in the success of the 3-D film Bwana Devil, released the previous November, and decided to produce their own 3-D feature. They contracted the same company, Natural Vision, run by the Gunzberg brothers Julian and Milton, to shoot the new film, which was titled House of Wax. House of Wax was ultimately a remake of the studio's 1933 film The Mystery of the Wax Museum, which had been written and based on Charles Belden's three-act play The Wax Works.
Vincent Price delivers a chilling performance in the 1950s horror classic, House of Wax. As a crippled sculptor, his character finds a twisted solution to creating lifelike wax figures - by kidnapping local women and encasing them in wax. This grisly premise makes House of Wax an unforgettable and essential viewing experience for fans of classic horror cinema.
House of Wax (1953) is a horror film directed by André De Toth, produced by Bryan Foy, and written by Charles S. Belden (based on his play) and Crane Wilbur (screenplay). The film stars Vincent Price as Professor Henry Jarrod, along with Frank Lovejoy, Phyllis Kirk, Carolyn Jones, Roy Roberts, Paul Picerni, Paul Cavanagh, and Charles Bronson. House of Wax was released on April 25, 1953, with a running time of 88 minutes and an estimated budget of $658,000.
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