House Of Wax (1953)

After a talented sculptor (Vincent Price) is horribly burned in a fire because his partner (Roy Roberts) wants the insurance money on a wax figure exhibit, he becomes mentally unhinged and goes on a killing spree. The first 3D movie in color and stereophonic sound, this is a remake of the 1933 film MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM. Ironically, it was directed by Andre De Toth who had only one good eye. It's a fun film and works quite well without the 3D gimmick although it's obviously striving overtime with "in your face" gimmicks like paddle balls practically hitting you in the face and high kicking chorines doing the can-can. After this film, Vincent Price seemed to be the "go to" man for horror films and quickly became a horror movie icon. By contemporary standards, it's not really scary at all but Price is extremely effective and De Toth creates a suitably menacing atmosphere. With Phyllis Kirk, Frank Lovejoy, Carolyn Jones, Paul Picerni, Angela Clarke and in an early screen appearance, Charles Bronson as a deaf mute.