8mm Forum: Strait-Jacket Columbia 400' digest

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Topic: Strait-Jacket Columbia 400' digest

Kurt Gardner
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 193
From: San Antonio, TX
Registered: Aug 2005

posted November 14, 2008 01:15 PM

All the talk about the worst digests in this forum reminded me I needed to post a review of one of the most fun digests of them all -- for all the wrong reasons.

William Castle's "Strait-Jacket" is one of those movies that is aging wonderfully and actually gets better with each viewing. The Columbia digest is super-long, almost overflowing the reel, and is packed with scenes that'll have you running for the axe.

Joan Crawford gives an earnest performance as Lucy Harkin, a woman who was imprisoned in an insane asylum for 20 years after chopping up her adulterous husband and his girlfriend while her young daughter watched. Finally released, she goes to live with the now grown-up girl, Carol (Diane Baker), her brother and her sister-in-law on their farm. Carol wastes no time dressing Mom up in floozy clothes and wig to make her look like she did two decades before, and soon all sorts of bloody mayhem ensues.

The awful Columbia announcer actually adds to the fun in this case because the movie is so over-the-top. After introducing all the actors by their character names, he announces the appearance of the handyman, Leo, and adds, "Played by George Kennedy," for no particular reason.

Otherwise, the condensation is really well-done, obviously cut by an editor with a love for the subject. Memorable scenes include Joan watching Leo butcher chickens with both fascination and revulsion, the hilariously obvious dummy head when Leo is decapitated, and Diane Baker's climactic meltdown ("I love you! I hate you! Insane! Insane!"). A must-see!

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Paul Spinks
Master Film Handler

Posts: 453
From: Barking, Essex, UK
Registered: Mar 2006

posted November 14, 2008 03:31 PM

Thanks for this great review. I love this digest! It's very well edited and as you say it is such a fun film. I especially liked the headless "Columbia Lady". William Castle films are always great and I wish more had come out on Super 8. "The Tingler" and "House on Haunted Hill" would have made great 400ft digests. I've got "The Night Walker" on 16mm which was Castle's next picture after "Strait-Jacket" and it always goes down well when shown.

Paul.

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Mal Brake
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 591
From: Neath, South Wales, UK
Registered: Jun 2003

posted November 14, 2008 07:37 PM

Add me to the list of fans for this great piece of nonsense [Smile]

That ..."played by George Kennedy" does annoy me though.

I was lucky to pick up a very good print for £3 some years ago when Debonair Films stopped trading and the stock was sold off.
Mal

--------------------
I'm gonna live forever or die trying

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Mike Tynus
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 135
From: Addison, IL, USA
Registered: Apr 2008

posted November 14, 2008 07:48 PM

I love the scene where the mother thinks she sees a human head, only to find out it's only a sculpture of a head. That scene isn't in the 400 footer, but it is in the 200 footer.

And both versions that I have do not show the beheaded Columbia lady, instead showing the standard logo. Oddly, I did manage to find the beheaded logo on a scrap reel at a film show, so I just spliced it in.

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Paul Spinks
Master Film Handler

Posts: 453
From: Barking, Essex, UK
Registered: Mar 2006

posted November 20, 2008 07:48 AM

I ran the 400 footer of this great movie last night to check out the "headless lady logo mystery". I can confirm that she is at the end of the movie in place of a "The End" title. It is not spliced on but definitely part of the print with the original end music playing while it is showing. Also if the "dummy head" scene you mention is the one where Joan Crawford wakes up with two decapitated heads on her pillow and is later shown that she must have had a nightmare, confusing her dark wig on its dummy head stand for the real thing, well that was there as well. Could this mean that there are different edits of this title available? Mine is a UK release with a copyright year 1975 from Columbia Home Movies and released under license by Mountain Films. It's a bit scratched but great fun all the same.

Paul.

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Mike Tynus
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 135
From: Addison, IL, USA
Registered: Apr 2008

posted November 20, 2008 10:25 PM

No, I was referring to the teaser gag near the end where Michael's mother sees the shadow of a bust, leading her and the viewer to think we are seeing her husband's head. Then she finds him in the closet.

Isn't it funny how this mother character just disappears after that? Carol mentions that they are now rid of Michael's parents, but we never see what happens to her, not even in the feature.

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Paul Spinks
Master Film Handler

Posts: 453
From: Barking, Essex, UK
Registered: Mar 2006

posted November 21, 2008 08:02 AM

I did notice that but I thought that it was due to the editing of the digest. I used to have a copy of the 200 footer but it was printed on polyester stock and my 400 footer is printed on acetate so I would not have been able to splice in that extra scene. I shall look out for that reel on acetate now and give it a go.

Paul.

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Douglas Meltzer
Moderator

Posts: 4554
From: New York, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted November 22, 2008 12:37 PM

Artwork for Columbia's 200' version.

Headless Columbia logo from the closing credits of the 200 footer. Notice the missing head at the base of the pedestal.

Doug

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I think there's room for just one more film.....

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