Confidential File: Horror Comics

Confidential File: Horror Comics

Seduction Of The Innocent

NR 1955 · 25 min · Documentary, TV Movie, Crime

In 1954 the Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency conducted an investigation into how the comic book industry was supposedly contributing to the moral decay of a nation's youth. The investigations were spurred on by a number of articles that blamed comics for the rise in juvenile delinquency in post-war America. Chief among the critics was Doctor Frederic Wertham, whose book, "Seduction of The Innocent" has been blamed for nearly single-handedly crippling the entire comics industry. "Confidential File" was aired in 1955, after the senate hearings and the formation of the Comics Code, but it serves as a perfect example of how the media reacted to the comic book industry, and sought a scape goat by blaming the comic book publications for society's own lack of responsibility in raising its children.

Directed by Irvin Kershner

Your Rating

Cast

Make it a double feature

1h 26m together

Confidential File: Horror Comics

The Young Captives

Both from Irvin Kershner.

More from Irvin KershnerSee all →

The Empire Strikes BackThe Empire Strikes Back · 1980
The Empire Strikes Back
★ 8.41980
MovieAdventureAction
The epic saga continues as Luke Skywalker, in hopes of defeating the evil Galactic Empire, learns the ways of the Jedi from aging master Yoda. But Darth Vader is more determined than ever to capture Luke. Meanwhile, rebel leader Princess Leia, cocky Han Solo, Chewbacca, and droids C-3PO and R2-D2 are thrown into various stages of capture, betrayal and despair.
Amazing StoriesAmazing Stories · 1985
Amazing Stories
★ 7.51985
SeriesSci-Fi & FantasyComedy
A truly amazing, fantastical, science fiction, funny and odd, and sometimes scary, sad and endearing anthology series presented by Steven Spielberg with guest appearances by many famous actors, actresses, and directors.
BadlandsBadlands · 1973
Badlands
★ 7.51973
MovieDramaRomance
An impressionable teenage girl from a dead-end town and her older greaser boyfriend embark on a killing spree in the South Dakota badlands.
The Last Temptation of ChristThe Last Temptation of Christ · 1988
The Last Temptation of Christ
★ 7.21988
MovieDrama
Jesus, a humble Judean carpenter beginning to see that he is the son of God, is drawn into revolutionary action against the Roman occupiers by Judas -- despite his protestations that love, not violence, is the path to salvation. The burden of being the savior of mankind torments Jesus throughout his life, leading him to doubt.
seaQuest DSVseaQuest DSV · 1993
seaQuest DSV
★ 7.11993
SeriesSci-Fi & FantasyAction & Adventure
In the early 21st century, mankind has colonized the oceans. The United Earth Oceans Organization enlists Captain Nathan Bridger and the submarine seaQuest DSV to keep the peace and explore the last frontier on Earth.
The Flim-Flam ManThe Flim-Flam Man · 1967
The Flim-Flam Man
★ 7.01967
MovieComedyCrime
Mordecai Jones, a silver-tongued swindler and self-proclaimed “M.B.S., C.S., D.D.—Master of Back-Stabbing, Cork-Screwing and Double-Dealing,” has made a career out of charming and cheating his way through life. Played with devilish charm by George C. Scott, Jones takes on a new protégé in Curley, a wide-eyed Army deserter eager for direction. Together, they crisscross the backroads of the rural South, pulling off a string of homespun cons while staying one step ahead of a relentless local sheriff. Along the way, Curley falls for Bonnie Lee Packard, a rebellious heiress who joins their misadventures. But as the scams grow riskier, Curley begins to wonder whether a life of flimflam is worth the price. With its colorful characters, offbeat humor, and standout performance by Scott, The Flim-Flam Man is a rollicking Southern caper about cons, conscience, and unlikely camaraderie.
The Young CaptivesThe Young Captives · 1959
The Young Captives
★ 7.01959
MovieDrama
Two high-school teenagers on their way to Mexico to get married cross paths with a homicidal fugitive.
The Luck of Ginger CoffeyThe Luck of Ginger Coffey · 1964
The Luck of Ginger Coffey
★ 6.81964
MovieDrama
An out-of-work Irish immigrant in Montreal remains hopeful that his luck is about to change but his disillusioned family grow tired of his constant lying, pigheadedness and instability.
Stakeout on Dope StreetStakeout on Dope Street · 1958
Stakeout on Dope Street
★ 6.71958
MovieCrimeDrama
Three teens get into the drug business when they discover two pounds of uncut heroin in a briefcase that was lost during a botched drug bust.
AngusAngus · 1995
Angus
★ 6.61995
MovieComedyDrama
Angus is a large, pathetic 14-year-old whose thoughts are most often filled with the image of only one girl, Melissa Lefevre. Angus is shy and thinks that he has no chance of ever 'getting' her. Being especially uncool, he is incredibly surprised (along with the rest of the school) that he is chosen to dance with her at the Winter Ball. The only one not surprised is the cool kid who set him up to fail, but Angus' best friend is going to help him win the heart of Melissa by developing a new look for him
American PerfektAmerican Perfekt · 1997
American Perfekt
★ 6.51997
MovieThrillerDrama
Criminal psychiatrist, Jake Nyman is taking a much needed vacation from responsibility. An experimental road trip during which ever decision will be made on a flip of a coin. Meanwhile, Sandra Thomas, disenchanted professional, is en route to pick up her flunked out sister, Alice, at a cheap motel before continuing on to visit their ailing mother. After being forced off the road by a mysterious assailant, however, Sandra is picked up by Jake, who's coin flipping amoral attitude quickly excites her own desire to break a few rules. Or worse. Jake and Sandra's romance is soon driven by chance acts of crime and kindness, all governed by the flip of a coin - at least until Sandra mysteriously disappears and Jake unwittingly picks up her suspicious sister, Alice ...
Kraft Suspense TheatreKraft Suspense Theatre · 1963
Kraft Suspense Theatre
★ 6.51963
SeriesMysteryDrama
Never Say Never AgainNever Say Never Again · 1983
Never Say Never Again
★ 6.11983
MovieAdventureAction
James Bond returns as the secret agent 007 to battle the evil organization SPECTRE. Bond must defeat Largo, who has stolen two atomic warheads for nuclear blackmail. But Bond has an ally in Largo's girlfriend, the willowy Domino, who falls for Bond and seeks revenge.
RoboCop 2RoboCop 2 · 1990
RoboCop 2
★ 6.01990
MovieActionScience Fiction
After a successful deployment of the RoboCop Law Enforcement unit, OCP sees its goal of urban pacification come closer and closer, but as this develops, a new narcotic known as "Nuke" invades the streets led by God-delirious leader Cane. As this menace grows, it may prove to be too much for Murphy to handle. OCP tries to replicate the success of the first unit, but ends up with failed prototypes with suicidal issues... until Dr. Faxx, a scientist straying away from OCP's path, uses Cane as the new subject for the RoboCop 2 project, a living God.
Raid on EntebbeRaid on Entebbe · 1976
Raid on Entebbe
★ 6.01976
MovieDramaThriller
Based on a true operation by Israeli commandos. An Air France flight is hijacked by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The airplane landed in Uganda. The terrorists released some passengers, keeping 94 Jews and 12 air crew hostage. The Israeli government would not negotiate. A rescue plan was devised, and less than 100 commandos were flown across Africa to rescue the passengers in surprisingly successful operation.
LovingLoving · 1970
Loving
★ 6.01970
MovieDramaRomance
Brooks Wilson is in crisis. He is torn between his wife Selma and two daughters and his mistress Grace, and also between his career as a successful illustrator and his feeling that he might still produce something worthwhile.

More Like This

KidsKids · 1995
Kids
★ 6.91995
MovieDramaCrime
A group of bored, disaffected New York City teenagers spend a day skating, smoking, drinking, partying, deflowering virgins, and getting into fights.
FreewayFreeway · 1996
Freeway
★ 6.51996
MovieComedyCrime
Following the arrest of her mother, Ramona, young Vanessa Lutz decides to go in search of her estranged grandmother. On the way, she is given a ride by school counselor Bob Wolverton. During the journey, Lutz begins to realize that Bob is the notorious I-5 Killer and manages to escape by shooting him several times. Wounded but still very much alive, Bob pursues Lutz across the state in this modern retelling of Little Red Riding Hood.
A Clockwork OrangeA Clockwork Orange · 1971
A Clockwork Orange
★ 8.21971
MovieScience FictionCrime
In a near-future Britain, young Alexander DeLarge and his pals get their kicks beating and raping anyone they please. When not destroying the lives of others, Alex swoons to the music of Beethoven. The state, eager to crack down on juvenile crime, gives an incarcerated Alex the option to undergo an invasive procedure that'll rob him of all personal agency. In a time when conscience is a commodity, can Alex change his tune?
The OutsidersThe Outsiders · 1983
The Outsiders
★ 7.21983
MovieCrimeDrama
In 1960s Tulsa, class divisions ignite a violent rivalry between the working-class Greasers and the privileged Socs. When a deadly encounter forces two Greasers, Ponyboy and Johnny, to flee, their struggle for survival and redemption exposes the fragile innocence and enduring bonds of youth on the wrong side of town.
L.I.E.L.I.E. · 2001
L.I.E.
★ 6.82001
MovieDramaCrime
With his mother dead and his father busy at work, Howie feels adrift in his New York suburb. He and his friend Gary spend their time burglarizing their neighbors' homes — until they make the mistake of robbing the house of Big John, a macho former Marine who is also an unrepentant pedophile. He propositions Howie, who declines, but the two eventually develop an unlikely and dangerous friendship.
SawSaw · 2004
Saw
★ 7.42004
MovieHorrorMystery
Two men wake up to find themselves shackled in a grimy, abandoned bathroom. As they struggle to comprehend their predicament, they discover a disturbing tape left behind by the sadistic mastermind known as Jigsaw. With a chilling voice and cryptic instructions, Jigsaw informs them that they must partake in a gruesome game in order to secure their freedom.
The Silence of the LambsThe Silence of the Lambs · 1991
The Silence of the Lambs
★ 8.31991
MovieCrimeThriller
Clarice Starling is a top student at the FBI's training academy. Jack Crawford wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into a case and that Starling, as an attractive young woman, may be just the bait to draw him out.
Saw IIISaw III · 2006
Saw III
★ 6.42006
MovieHorrorThriller
Jigsaw has disappeared. Along with his new apprentice Amanda, the puppet-master behind the cruel, intricate games that have terrified a community and baffled police has once again eluded capture and vanished. While city detectives scramble to locate him, Doctor Lynn Denlon and Jeff Reinhart are unaware that they are about to become the latest pawns on his vicious chessboard.
Hellboy Animated: Blood and IronHellboy Animated: Blood and Iron · 2007
Hellboy Animated: Blood and Iron
★ 6.32007
MovieAnimationFantasy
When Hellboy, Liz Sherman, and Abe Sapien are assigned to investigate the ghost-infested mansion of a publicity-hound billionaire, they uncover a plot to resurrect a beautiful yet monstrous vampire from Professor Bruttenholm’s past. But before they can stop her bloodbath, Hellboy will have to battle harpies, hellhounds, a giant werewolf, and even the ferocious goddess Hecate herself.
Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood HillsParadise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills · 1996
Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills
★ 7.61996
MovieDocumentaryCrime
A horrific triple child murder leads to an indictment and trial of three nonconformist boys based on questionable evidence.

Rate this film

Your ratings make Midnight smarter