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MAN IN THE ATTIC (1953) Jack Palance, Constance Smith, Byron Palmer, Frances Bavier. The setting is London during the Jack the Ripper killing spree. Palance plays a reserved research pathologist who takes up lodgings in a sitting room with a spooky attic room for his "experiments.” His landlady finds him increasingly suspicious and begins to wonder if he isn’t the Ripper himself! Things get even more involved when her beautiful niece, a seductive dancer, begins to fall for her new and most decidedly strange tenant. This is a great movie, anchored by Palance’s wonderful performance. Essentially a remake of 1944’s The Lodger. From 35mm.
THE BLACK RIDER (1954) Jimmy Hanley, Rona Anderson, Leslie Dwyer, Lionel Jeffries. This B-quickie has both sci-fi and horror elements. Hanley is a fierce young reporter who tackles the story of a hooded black rider who is seen (on a motorcycle) near a crumbling castle on full moon nights. Who is the rider and what is his strange purpose? After much sleuthing, it soon becomes evident that England is faced with a plot so sinister, that the atomic destruction of its cities may result if it the threat isn’t thwarted. Anderson, who is cute as a bug, is marvelous as Jimmy’s partner in adventure. Jeffries does his best to give an early Christopher Lee bad guy-type performance. A fun B-thriller. From 35mm.
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