Curse of the Faceless Man - 1958

On Wednesday, I got off work without a thing to do in the world.  I wandered over to the bus stop, not wanting to go home just yet, and hopped on a bus with no plan at all.  This is the kinda reason I am never going to have kids.  Anyways, I whipped out the phone (as is the thing to do) and took to the internet.  Since I was on a bus that went on Balboa Street in SF, I googled the Balboa Theater, and discovered there was a double feature playing that very night!  This movie along with "It!" from 1967.  So naturally, I went.

Let's start off with the theater.  This place is a small independent joint, with decent pricing and a nice staff.  Their popcorn is also quite good.  I sneaked in a bottle of Miller High Life, to be enjoyed during the film, as well as some gummy bears.  Cause that's how I roll.  A short intro and a short, insanely difficult trivia contest ensued, and then we were thrust headlong into Curse of the Faceless Man.

In Faceless Man, the volcanic explosion at Pompeii unearths a weird statue that looks like a human.  It is taken to a museum, where it's put on display.  Soon, people are dying, and it seems as if the statue is involved.  Also, we then see that it's moving.  The statue does look very cool, and especially when we see it moving ever so slowly.

 I have to give major props to the curator/movie presenter in this situation.  "It!" which is also known as the Curse of the Golem, was extremely similar to this movie, and I keep getting the two confused in my mind.  In fact, now I remember more of It! and less of this movie.  For example, I cannot for the life of me remember how this movie ends!

The pacing in this one was good, the movie was shot well, and the acting was not over the top in scope.  The film is very light, a good popcorn movie, and one that is good for pretty much anything.  I remember when I used to rate things in terms of drinking, smoking, seeing it with friends, and cult status.  Well, this one would be a great drinking/smoking movie, a great one for friends and bad movie night.  Long silences would offer plenty of riffing opportunity, and it's straight-forward approach is easy to understand in inebriated condition.

It is your average 50's monster movie, a light rip off of The Mummy, even sharing similar plot elements about lovers being reincarnated.  So, there's that.

Basically, it's fun, and one to watch if you like 50's movies, especially if you like them on the light side, not overdone, and not overtly cheesy.