X (1963)

aka X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes

What on paper probably seemed like it would be just another footnote on Roger Corman's CV was elevated to more memorable heights by the hiring of Ray Miland. Like a Hitchcockian lead he dominates the screen with a sense of obsessive and flawed nobility, pushing the narrative ever-deeper into the realm of avoidable consequence.
As Dr. James Xavier he discovers a serum that lets an individual see through objects. The fun times had peering through ladies clothes and underwear are contrasted by a darker side to the ability that looms large on the horizon, one that ironically can’t be seen until it’s too late.
A genuine classic of the genre, X deserves its place in the sci-fi pantheon.

3½ untravelled paths out of 5

DIAL M FOR MURDER [1954]

Director Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 crime drama, Dial M for Murder, is generally known for being the last of The Golden Age of Cinema's run of 3D films.
It's the tale of a wealthy London man who hatches a plan to have his wife murdered while he's out having some drinks with the boys, only she evades her attacker and the man must scramble to uphold his false illusion of innocence.   Mostly constrained to being set in one room, Hitchcock's camerawork is forced to play with strict inventiveness.  It's clever little piece that doesn't quite have the enthusiasm inserted into it as some of the fat man's other works.  The normally wonderful Grace Kelly is reduced to a dull pawn to Ray Milland's delightfully cold performance.  From a technical standpoint the film is a joy to watch but the rest leaves much to be desired.

3 not-so perfect murders out of 5

The Premature Burial (1962)

Just as dwelling on a problem can make it appear loftier than it actually is, an irrational fear can drive an otherwise sharp mind from being merely perturbed about something into realms of utter madness... Poe-esque madness.
Vincent was tied to contract elsewhere, so the role went to Ray Milland. He brought a very different aspect; he’s more sedate, more subliminally creepy, perhaps, but much less dramatic. The main problem, however, is that the film is too similar to what came before, which lessens its impact. It would be best to leave some time between viewing, but I didn't.
The recurring musical trigger is an obvious nod to Lang; I liked that a lot.
The notion of insanity must've been contagious; whoever was responsible for the dry ice was clearly suffering from some form of it.

3 alternative strategies out of 5