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1962

[BD Review] ‘Confessions of an Opium Eater’ is for Die-hard Price Fans Only

Movies
Posted by David Harley on November 08, 2012 @ 2:37pm
Category: Movies / Reviews

Review by Steve Urena

I imagine that there are a large number of horror movie fans that are fans of Vincent Price’s work. The Invisible Man Returns, The Fly, The Masque of the Red Death, and Edward Scissorhands were all classics in the horror genre. I am sad to say that the 1962 movie Confessions of an Opium Eater is not one of them. Upon viewing this film, I had high hopes due to the legacy of Vincent Price and how important he was to the horror movie community. Finally, I would be able to see a legend in action during his prime. There is nothing wrong with Price’s performance, the movie in my opinion just doesn’t hold up to the distinction of being a Warner Brothers Classic.

Based loosely (and I mean loosely) on the 1822 novel sharing the same name, the movie takes place in San Francisco and tells the story of Gilbert De Quincy (Vincent Price) and his return from the Orient. He stumbles upon a human trafficking ring that smuggles women from China to be sold to the highest bidder. The people bidding on the women use them as wives until they die and then immediately have a replacement on hand. Price’s character gets involved with one of the girls and tries to save her and the women from such harsh treatment.

Now on paper the movie doesn’t seem like it could be that terrible, but this movie had several things that didn’t make sense, like not featuring anyone eating opium. There is a scene where Price hallucinates from smoking his pipe and it is pretty trippy. It has to be seen to be believed. There are midgets, mysticism, and dream sequences, but this movie is a train wreck. It is definitely a movie you can make fun of with your friends but other than that I would not recommend this movie unless you are a diehard Vincent Price fan or you want to watch a bad movie with a group of people to make your own commentary. The poster is definitely pleasing to the eyes, this movie is not.

Confessions of an Opium Eater

Posted by David Harley on November 08, 2012 @ 2:31pm
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Two-fisted mercenary Vincent Price descends deep into the bowels of Chinatown in a daring attempt to break up a human trafficking ring in this delirious pulp action adventure.

Jiokmun

Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on December 25, 1962 @ 12:00am
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Based on a legend from India, Sejon sets out to rescue Chungchu who was abandoned in hell by her husband.

Genii of Darkness

Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on December 14, 1962 @ 12:00am
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A descendent of Nostradamus (who is also a vampire) stalks victims around the Mexican countryside and only the ashes of the prophet can destroy his offspring. Feature version of the 10-part Mexican serial.

La Barranca sangrienta

Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on November 16, 1962 @ 12:00am
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Not Listed

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on October 31, 1962 @ 12:00am
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Two aging film actresses live as virtual recluses in an old Hollywood mansion. Jane Hudson, a successful child star, cares for her crippled sister Blanche, who’s career in later years eclipsed that of Jane. Now the two live together, their relationship affected by simmering subconscious thoughts of mutual envy, hate and revenge.

Tower of London

Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on October 24, 1962 @ 12:00am
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The twisted Richard III is haunted by the ghosts of those he has murdered in his attempt to become the King of England.

Trauma

Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on October 15, 1962 @ 12:00am
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Emmaline, who, as a teenager, discovered the drowned body of her aunt (Lynn Bari), returns to the family mansion as a married woman. Eventually, she falls for the caretaker’s nephew, and remembers who the real killer was.

The Brain

Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on October 09, 1962 @ 12:00am
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Multimillionaire Max Holt is traveling in his own airplane when a bomb makes it explode. He dies immediately but his body is taken to a laboratory doing brain research. They manage to keep the brain alive to examine the brain waves. One of the scientists, Peter Corrie, discovers that he has telepathic contact with the brain who orders him to try to find out who had the motive to kill him.

The Cabinet of Caligari

Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on October 05, 1962 @ 12:00am
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Jane’s car breaks down and she makes her way to a nearby estate, owned by a mysterious man named Caligari. Soon she finds that she has become a virtual prisoner, and none of the strange inhabitants of the estate are willing or capable of helping her escape. Caligari reveals himself as a passive pervert, showing her filthy pictures, spying on her, and trying to make her talk about intimate details of her life. She attempts to free herself by the only means at her disposal.

Carnival of Souls

Posted by Elaine Lamkin on September 26, 1962 @ 12:00am
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After a traumatic accident, a woman becomes drawn to a mysterious abandoned carnival.

The Couch

Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on September 17, 1962 @ 12:00am
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While undergoing therapy for his problem, a serial killer continues his murderous sprees.

The Terror of Doctor Mabuse or ‘Das Testament des

Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on September 07, 1962 @ 12:00am
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Not Listed

La Venganza del resucitado

Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on September 07, 1962 @ 12:00am
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Not Listed

El Vampiro sangriento or ‘Bloody Vampire’

Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on September 06, 1962 @ 12:00am
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This sequel to “Invasion of the Vampires” pits a family against a particularly resilient vampire.

Little Red Riding Hood and the Monsters

Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on August 20, 1962 @ 12:00am
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Not Listed

The Phantom of the Opera (1962)

Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on August 15, 1962 @ 12:00am
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The corrupt Lord Ambrose D’Arcy (Michael Gough) steals the life’s work of the poor musical Professor Petry. (Herbert Lom). In an attempt to stop the printing of music with D’Arcy’s name on it, Petry breaks into the printing office and accidentally starts a fire, leaving him severely disfigured. Years later, Petry returns to terrorize a London opera house that is about to perform one of his stolen operas.

King Kong Versus Godzilla

Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on August 11, 1962 @ 12:00am
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Mr. Tako, the chairman of a pharmaceutical company, learns of roma tomato-sized berries that grow on Farou Island, are a miracle cure, and that the natives worship a god called Kingkong who has allegedly grown to giant size from eating the berries. What better way to promote the product, Tako figures, than to bring the creature back to Japan? So he leads an expedition with Sakurai and Furue to get the berries and the monster. Meanwhile, some American pilots discover the chunk of the glacier Godzilla was sealed in back in 1955. Sakurai’s sister’s boyfriend Kazuo is busy trying to sell an invisible but superstrong wire, which of course no one wants until Kong escapes…

Los AutÃ³matas de la muerte

Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on August 10, 1962 @ 12:00am
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The evil scientist Dr. Caronte plots to revive the brains of three dead scientists and use them to obtain the formula for the super-powerful neutron bomb. The resulting creation needs blood lots of blood, sending Caronte’s midget assistant Nick and his legion of mutant monsters out to get fresh victims. However, the masked atom-superman Neutron vows to put a stop to Caronte’s deeds.

The Brain That Wouldn’t Die

Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on August 10, 1962 @ 12:00am
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The unethical surgeon Dr. Bill Cortner (Herb Evers) is developing a technique of transplantation of organs and members using a serum against rejection. When he has a car accident with his girlfriend Jan Compton (Virginia Leith), he saves her head only, and tries to find a woman with a beautiful body to transplant Jan’s head against her will.

The Link Below is for the full film (Public Domain)

The Carpet of Horror or ‘Der Teppich des Grauens’

Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on July 31, 1962 @ 12:00am
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An evil genius uses poison gas to avenge his enemies.

El Espejo de la bruja or “The Witch’s Mirror’

Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on July 12, 1962 @ 12:00am
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A husband murders his wife, and years later her ghost emerges from a witch’s mirror to take her revenge.

Edgar Allan Poe’s Tales of Terror

Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on July 04, 1962 @ 12:00am
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Three stories adapted from the work of Edgar Allen Poe. A man and his daughter are reunited, but the blame for the death of his wife hangs over them, unresolved. A derelict challenges the local wine-tasting champion to a competition, but finds the man’s attention to his wife worthy of more dramatic action. A man dying and in great pain agrees to be hypnotised at the moment of death, with unexpected consequences.

The Day of the Triffids

Posted by Bloody Disgusting Staff on June 30, 1962 @ 12:00am
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A shower of meteorites produces a glow that blinds anyone that looks at it. As it was such a beautiful sight, most people were watching, and as a consequence, 99% of the population go blind. In the original novel, this chaos results in the escape of some Triffids: experimental plants that are capable of moving themselves around and attacking people. In the film version, however, the Triffids are not experimental plants. Instead they are space aliens whose spores have arrived in an earlier meteor shower.

The link to the full film is below – (Public Domain)