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| A sensationally painted poster for André De Toth's House of Wax |
We are back in early 1900s New York, where a greedy wax businessman burns down his building for the insurance money. But his dedicated wax sculptor and his assistant Igor rebuild the emporium.
House of Wax is written by Crane Wilbur (The Lion and the Horse (1952)), with Charles Belden (The Gay Cavalier (1946)) contributing story elements, and directed by André De Toth (Wedding in Toprin (1939)). It is a remake of Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933).
Vincent Price (The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)) is intense and Gothically diabolic with trademark morbid humor here, flanked by a gruff Charles Bronson (Never So Few (1959)) as Igor and a series of fantastical effects and sets. The big sails are set in this colorful escapade, which is lavish entertainment and highly straightforward horror fun from beginning to end.
Watch a trailer for the film here
Cost: 1 mil. $
Box office: 23.7 mil. $ (North America alone)
= Mega-hit (returned 23.7 times its cost)
[House of Wax premiered 9 April (New York) and runs 88 minutes. The film was devised to profit on the 3D mania stirred up by surprise hit Bwana Devil (1952) as the first major studio 3D movie in color. Shooting took place in California and Florida. Director De Toth was blind on one eye and therefore couldn't see the 3D effects that generated excitement around him. The film ranked #1 for 5 weeks and grossed 5.5 mil. $ in North-American rentals initially as one of the year's biggest hits. Its gross grew considerably through several re-releases over the years. The world gross is regrettably not known. The film was remade with the same title - and almost nothing of the original plot, - in 2005. De Toth returned with The Stranger Wore a Gun (1953). Price returned in 3 TV-series prior to his theatrical return in Dangerous Mission (1954). House of Wax is certified fresh at 95 % with a 7.60/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]
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