Uninvited, The (1944) d. Allen, Lewis (USA)

While acknowledged as one of the first films to deal with ghosts and hauntings in a “serious” manner (i.e. not turning out to be a trick played upon the living by the living), those expecting to be truly frightened may be slightly disappointed by this tale of a spirit haunting the coastal English residence newly inhabited by siblings Ray Milland and Ruth Hussey. While the picture certainly has some fine moments of suspense and supernatural goings-on, viewers would do well to place it within its historical context to fully appreciate its reputation, especially since Victor Young’s whimsical score and Milland’s light-comic approach often undo any real sense of dread or horror.

That said, the acting is commendable, the characterizations interesting and believable, and the mimosa-scented atmosphere turns appropriately darker as the story deepens. Several haunted house precedents are set here: Ghostly moanings, a terrific séance scene, and a family history that must be unraveled by the living in order to let the dead rest at peace.

Perhaps not a nail-biter for the Poltergeist or Paranormal Activity generations, but still a well-told tale that does the job with good old-fashioned storytelling and character work. Script by Dodie Smith and Frank Partos, based upon Dorothy Macardle's novel Uneasy Freehold.

X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963) d. Corman, Roger (USA)

In the midst of his Gothic heyday, Roger Corman unveiled one of his strongest and strangest films, one that continues to hold up four decades later, in spite of minimal effects and other budgetary woes. Singularly compelling, the Robert Dillion-Ray Russell script unfolds an allegorical plot that revolves around Ray Milland’s Dr. Xavier, a dogged researcher who discovers a way of seeing through walls, surgery patients’ chest cavities, and ladies clothing.

Forced to flee following a tragic accident, he falls in with a carnival con-man huckster (played with delicious unctuousness by Don Rickles), then heads off to break the banks in Vegas. But as he zealously pursues his, ahem, vision, Milland becomes increasingly fixated with seeing further and further, eventually leading to the heart of the universe and an utterly unforgettable climax.

While I'm not one to advocate for remakes, with advances in technology, it could be interesting to see what a modern, sensitive director could do with this material – examining and expanding upon the moral and emotional implications as well as showing viewers what lies beneath the epidermis.