Mystery of the Wax Museum, Film, Magazine Cover, Mosaic December 18 2013

"Mystery of the Wax Museum" was released in 1933 and is one of Hollywood's great 'lost' films. Shot in a quickly defunct color process that only had red and green hues, the eerie atmosphere leaped off the screen to original audiences. It was never reissued and considered lost by 1936. Lionel Atwill was praised for his portrayal of the poor lost Ivan Igor, the proprietor of the ghastly wax museum. Also starring Fay Wray of King Kong fame, her famous screams add the proper tingles of terror.

 'House of Wax' starring Vincent Price released in 1955 was based on this classic film. Orson Welles also visited a similar plot for an episode of The Shadow in 1938.

 

Found in a vault in 1970 it was re-released in the summer of 1972 with a gala affair at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood. Fay Wray was the star once again as she surprised the appreciative crowd at midnight with tales of making the film.

Famous Monsters of Filmland issue #113 1975 recalled the eyewitness accounts of that night at Grauman's by the incomparable Forrest J. Ackerman (a blog post for another time that one) reviving 'Mystery of the Wax Museum' yet again to generations to come. His infectious enthusiasm for the film is a delight to read in the issue and is one of the many reasons that drew me to recreate this cover.

Please see my listing for Mystery of the Wax Museum" to see my stained glass interpretation of this classic horror magazine cover.