@ The CINEMA MUSEUM
2 Dugard Way, Renfrew Road, London SE11, (10 minutes walk from Elephant and Castle

While the life of openly gay Whale has since been documented in biographies and fictionalised in works such as Gods and Monsters (1998), he received limited serious consideration as an auteur during his lifetime in spite of the commercial success of his movies and their indelible influence on the art form. This is an opportunity to watch two of his greatest movies back-to-back and savour their wonderfully queer sense of humour and visual panache on the big screen.

The Old Dark House (1932) – Digital presentation of new 4K restoration

The Old Dark House poster Caught in a storm whilst journeying through a remote region of Wales, a group of travellers take refuge in a sinister mansion inhabited by the bizarre Femm family and their mute butler, Morgan (Boris Karloff). Trying to make the best of a bad situation, the group settles in for the night, but the Femm family have a few skeletons in their closet, and one of them is on the loose… A group of weary travellers, a spooky mansion, and a madman on the loose upstairs! With a cast including names such as Charles Laughton, Gloria Stuart and fabulously extravagant Ernest Thesiger, The Old Dark House is one of the best and most entertaining horror films of the 1930’s.

Bride of Frankenstein (1935) – Presented from an archival 35mm print

Bride of Frankenstein poster In this explosive sequel to Whale’s 1931 Frankenstein, Dr. Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) badly wants to get out of the evil experiment business, only to be lured back into action by eccentric scientist Dr. Pretorious (Ernest Thesiger) to create a female companion to the Monster. In the meantime, having survived the fire at the mill The Monster (Boris Karloff) remains on the run from a society that wishes to destroy him, all the while developing an increasing humanity and a wish for emotional connection. Filled with unforgettable stylised imagery and filled with queer subtext, this is James Whale working at the top of his powers to create one of the all-time greats.

This screening is hosted in partnership with the Women & Cocaine Series, who will be continuing the celebration of James Whale movies with a 35mm screening of WATERLOO BRIDGE on 10th March.

Location: Cinema Museum: 2 Dugard Way, London SE11 4TH

Tickets: £6 for 1 film, £10 for double bill – Advance tickets available below or from the Museum by calling 020 7840 2200 in office hours.

Venue accessibility: The Cinema Museum is level access. There is a lift, and an accessible toilet large enough for a motorised wheelchair, with an easy lock and handrails. Some of the interior doors are heavy. There is parking available at the Cinema Museum. The building does not have a hearing loop. Please send us a message if you have any questions about accessibility.

Good Manners (As Boas Maneiras) (2017) is an affecting and magical fairy tale, one of the most interesting movies to come from Brazil in past years. Defying genre definitions and narrative conventions, it succeeds as a social drama, as a compelling love story and as a parable about motherhood. With its unexpected twists, this is one of those movies in which one should know as little as possible about the plot. You have been warned… Clara, a lonely nurse from the outskirts of São Paulo, is hired by mysterious and wealthy Ana as the nanny for her unborn child. The two women develop a strong bond, but a fateful night changes their plans.

Despite being a film festival favourite, with 25 awards from multiple festivals under its belt including the Special Jury Price in Locarno 2017, Good Manners has yet to secure a distributor in the UK. This is a rare and special opportunity to see the movie on the big screen.

Film running time: 2h 15min