The defence The Arthouse Gremlin
“Its refusal to behave is the point.”
The strange choices create the kind of friction that follows you out of the theatre and into the argument.
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Scared Stiff
Comedy · Horror · 1953
A nightclub singer and his partner escape mobsters by fleeing to Cuba with a beautiful heiress, who has inherited a haunted castle on an isolated island. The trio hunt for a hidden treasure and encounter a ghost, a zombie, and a mysterious killer...
Movie details
Scared Stiff
“They're making a spook-tacle of themselves!”
1953 Comedy · Horror 1h 48m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.5 / 10
Community rating
A nightclub singer and his partner escape mobsters by fleeing to Cuba with a beautiful heiress, who has inherited a haunted castle on an isolated island. The trio hunt for a hidden treasure and encounter a ghost, a zombie, and a mysterious killer...
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over Scared Stiff?
For the defence
The Arthouse Gremlin
“The stranger, the better.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Prestige Tourist
“You like your greatness pre-approved.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
The Curse of Bridge Hollow
Comedy · 2022
A Halloween-hating dad reluctantly teams up with his teenage daughter when an evil spirit wreaks havoc by making their town's decorations come to life.
R.L. Stine's Monsterville: The Cabinet of Souls
Comedy · 2015
Teenage friends must resist the spell of an evil showman staging a house of horrors show in their small town.
A Dog's Breakfast
Comedy · 2007
If you've never been good at anything in your life, why would murder be any different? Patrick has always had a somewhat combative relationship with his little sister Marilyn, but when she brings home her new sci-fi soap star fiancé Ryan, it's all out war. When Patrick fails to drive a wedge between the happy couple, he reaches for sharper instruments.
Dracula: Dead and Loving It
Comedy · 1995
When a lawyer shows up at the vampire's doorstep, he falls prey to his charms and joins him in his search for fresh blood. Enter Professor Van Helsing, who may be the only one able to vanquish the Count.
Death Becomes Her
Comedy · 1992
Madeline is married to Ernest, who was once her arch-rival Helen's fiancé. After recovering from a mental breakdown, Helen vows to kill Madeline and steal back Ernest. Unfortunately for everyone, the introduction of a magic potion causes things to be a great deal more complicated than a mere murder plot.
The Blob
Horror · 1958
A drive-in favorite, this sci-fi classic follows teenagers Steve and his best girl, Jane, as they try to protect their hometown from a gelatinous alien life form that engulfs everything it touches. The first to discover the substance and live to tell about it, Steve and Jane witness the blob destroying an elderly man, then it growing to a terrifying size. But no one else has seen the goo, and policeman Dave refuses to believe the kids without proof.
The Fearless Vampire Killers
Comedy · 1967
A noted professor and his dim-witted apprentice fall prey to their inquiring vampires, while on the trail of the ominous damsel in distress.
My Best Friend Is a Vampire
Horror · 1987
Shortly after high school student Jeremy Capello goes on a hot date, he finds he can't stand garlic or see his reflection in mirrors.
Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural
Horror · 1974
A notorious bank robber kills his wife and flees the police, only to be captured by a mysterious group of figures in an abandoned town. His beautiful daughter, Lila Lee, receives a letter stating that her father is near death and that he needs to see her. Sneaking away at night from her minister guardian, Lila embarks on a terrifying journey...
The Monster Club
Horror · 1981
A vampire attacks a horror author on the street and then invites him to a nearby club as a gesture of gratitude, which turns out to be a meeting place for assorted creatures of the night. The vampire then regales him with three stories, each interspersed with musical performances at the club.
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
George Marshall
Written by
Herbert Baker · Walter DeLeon
Dean Martin
Larry Todd
Jerry Lewis
Myron Mertz
Lizabeth Scott
Mary Carroll
Carmen Miranda
Carmelita Castinha
George Dolenz
Mr. Cortega
Dorothy Malone
Rosie
William Ching
Tony Warren
Court is in session
Put Scared Stiff on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Prestige Tourist
“Oddness is not depth.”
A film can break every rule and still leave nothing behind but the memory of how hard it tried to be singular.