This is a remake of the movie Mystery of the Wax Museum--a decent, though dated thriller. This is one of these cases where the remake is simply a much better film. Don't be fooled by the fact this was originally a 3-D film--unlike most 3-D films, it's an excellent film on its own right and doesn't rely on goofy 3-D action scenes.

Vincent Price is the at first sympathetic monster who creates beautiful works of art by covering DEAD PEOPLE in wax. It seemed that since his disfiguring accident, he no longer has the skills to create them from scratch. However, it does NOT prevent him from leaving his wheelchair to commit the murders of people he wished to coat in wax. The VERY BEST of these murders is the well-deserved murder of the man who was responsible for Price's disfigurement. He puts a noose around this man's neck and throws him down an elevator shaft!! It's spectacular to say the least! Full of chills as well as a good plot, this is perhaps the best horror film of the 1950s.

For me, House of Wax is a very good movie, but I am not sure if it is Price's best horror film. I did prefer the Corman-Price-Poe collaborations Pit and the Pendulum, The Raven, The Fall of the House of Usher and especially The Masque of the Red Death. The story occasionally loses bite and Phyllis Kirk is a rather bland female lead(though in all fairness her character is as well). Conversely, the Gothic sets look gorgeous and add a real sensual beauty to a lot of scenes. The photography is just as lavish. On the subject of visuals, I had the pleasure of watching House of Wax in 3D, I am not a fan of 3D and find it distracts from the film and doesn't focus on the story enough. In the case of House of Wax however, not only does the 3D look good, but it enhances the scares without making them gimmicky. Igor appearing to have leapt out of the audience was a standout. House of Wax is fine in 2D, but even better in 3D in my view, and I thought I'd never say that. The music is haunting and robust, the writing is sharp and the story is suspenseful and mostly exciting. There are some very effective scenes, such as the sight of the figure in the cloak, Jarrod chasing Sue down the alleyways(pure suspense and horror),the murders especially that of Jarrod's partner, the heart-breaking scene where Jarrod tries in vain to save his wax works and Sue strapped nude on the table in the climax. The wax works are very creepy as well. The pace is brisk and the direction handles the atmosphere very well. The performances are very good on the whole, Carolyn Jones went on to do better things but is interesting to see. Frank Lovejoy is great at just playing it straight, Reggie Rymal provides another of the 3D's finest moments with the paddle-ball and Charles Bronson is wonderfully creepy even without uttering a word. Best of all is Vincent Price in his first array into horror and for me still one of his best roles, his make-up is exceptional and he is very malevolent and sympathetic, a type of role that always saw him at his best. Looking at him also, you'd never guess that it was his first horror role, he looks as though he'd done it for years beforehand. In conclusion, a very good film and a great 3D experience. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Unlike so many other horror films of the period, HOUSE OF WAX spares no time in cutting to the action. Ten minutes into the film and you have a terrific fight in a burning building, which traditionally doesn't happen till the end of a film like this. The speedy pace of the film is just one of the many, many factors in its favour, and works so that it is never boring.

HOUSE OF WAX is essentially a remake of the 1933 classic, MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM, given a fresh breath of life by the advent of the 3D craze of the early '50s, enlivened by films such as CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON. And indeed, there are many moments in the film where the 3D process works wonderfully; in fight scenes, things fly towards the screen, and the standout moment comes when a man playing some balls-on-elastic game knocks them repeatedly towards the camera, which must have been quite startling to an audience at that time.

Along with the camera trickery, HOUSE OF WAX boasts an impressive performance from a youngish Vincent Price, in a role which helped to make his name synonymous with the horror genre. He would appear in countless flicks later on in the '50s, like THE FLY, THE TINGLER, and THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL. He's perfectly cast as the silky-voiced proprietor of the wax museum, caring for his creations as if they were alive, but becoming a scarred maniac after a fire destroys them all (and there is a certain element of sympathy to be had with Price too; after all, he's been hideously crippled in a fire and his life's work has been destroyed - how would you react?).

Price is supported by a fleshed out, capable cast of screaming heroines and butch heroes, the usual bunch you expect from these sort of films. Down in the cast list is also a young Charles Buchinsky, better known these days as Charles Bronson, who went on to star in loads of crime thrillers in the '70s like DEATH WISH. HOUSE OF WAX seems strangely old-fashioned when placed with other atomic monsters and sci-fi flicks which filled cinemas at the time, from INVADERS FROM MARS to WAR OF THE WORLDS and more. The genteel type of horror - crimes are hinted at but never shown explicitly - gives the film a certain kind of charm, and you can't help but think that those who die deserved it anyway (especially the incredibly annoying blonde haired woman who later starred as Morticia in THE ADDAMS FAMILY!).

However, the lavish sets and costumes, good special effects (Price's makeup is certainly memorable),melodramatic music, and exciting fight scenes which literally burst to life on screen, helped in no small measure by the 3D process, make the film a very enjoyable watch. Two classic horror images also come from the film - a scarred Price hunting the streets in his fedora and cape; and the scenes showing wax models slowly melting, their eyes popping out and heads dropping. HOUSE OF WAX is definitely a minor classic of the genre, and a lot of fun for nostalgia buffs and Price fans alike.