Starring Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr., J. Carrol Naish, John Carradine, Anne Gwynne
Directed by Erle C. Kenton
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A mad scientist and his hunchback assistant escape prison and in a journey to find Dr. Frankenstein's records, encounter Dracula, The Wolf Man, and Frankenstein's monster.
Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man, in which Universal's classic monsters met for the first time, and had a battle to the death, spawned this follow-up which returned Chaney as The Wolf Man, and substituted Glenn Strange as the Monster, while adding John Carradine's Dracula, Boris Karloff as the mad Dr. Niemann, and J. Carrol Naish as the hunchback Daniel. However, despite having three of the classic monsters in the film, none of them fight each other this time around, while they are rather showcased in individual vignettes. I liked the Dracula sequence the best with Carradine bringing his own distinguished take on the vampiric Count. Karloff is very welcome in returning to the series after a five year absence, and Naish adds another unique character to his characterizations in the lovelorn hunchback who loses Elena Verdugo's gypsy Ilonka to Chaney's Larry Talbot. I was left a little wanting for the three key monsters never really getting together, but there's lots going on to prevent any viewer boredom, and it's good to see plenty of characters actors from Universal's stable on hand as the various villagers, police inspectors, burgomasters, and torch-bearing mob participants. Hans Salter and Paul Dessau's music score also adds some distinctive themes and a complete new musical tapestry to the Frankenstein series, a change from the culling of old material from the Universal library for past productions.
Showing posts with label Erle C. Kenton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Erle C. Kenton. Show all posts
Saturday, July 14, 2018
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
The Ghost Of Frankenstein (1942)
Starring Lon Chaney Jr., Cedric Hardwicke, Ralph Bellamy, Lionel Atwill, Bela Lugosi
Directed by Erle C. Kenton
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
The Frankenstein monster and the evil Ygor, after surviving their apparent deaths, make their way to Vasaria, where another son of Dr. Frankenstein lives who might restore the creature to full strength.
The first of Universal's Frankenstein series to not star Boris Karloff as the monster, it lacks the quality of sets, staging, and visual presentation of the earlier films, but that doesn't mean it isn't fun. Chaney, although he can't possibly make anyone forget about Karloff in the role of the Monster, is certainly imposing and fills the screen menacingly especially when his shadow is captured on screen, but his ability to emote is hampered by heavy makeup on his eyelids that don't ever reveal his pupils. He nevertheless has some scenes with young Janet Ann Gallow in which he's able to deliver at least some of the pathos of the monster that Karloff introduced. There's plenty of moody atmosphere, thanks to composer Hans J. Salter delivering an ominous score with some wonderful themes and melodies, and Lugosi's return, reprising his role as Ygor, is most welcome, delivering another rich characterization.
Directed by Erle C. Kenton
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
The Frankenstein monster and the evil Ygor, after surviving their apparent deaths, make their way to Vasaria, where another son of Dr. Frankenstein lives who might restore the creature to full strength.
The first of Universal's Frankenstein series to not star Boris Karloff as the monster, it lacks the quality of sets, staging, and visual presentation of the earlier films, but that doesn't mean it isn't fun. Chaney, although he can't possibly make anyone forget about Karloff in the role of the Monster, is certainly imposing and fills the screen menacingly especially when his shadow is captured on screen, but his ability to emote is hampered by heavy makeup on his eyelids that don't ever reveal his pupils. He nevertheless has some scenes with young Janet Ann Gallow in which he's able to deliver at least some of the pathos of the monster that Karloff introduced. There's plenty of moody atmosphere, thanks to composer Hans J. Salter delivering an ominous score with some wonderful themes and melodies, and Lugosi's return, reprising his role as Ygor, is most welcome, delivering another rich characterization.
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
House Of Dracula (1945)
Starring Lon Chaney Jr., John Carradine, Martha O'Driscoll, Lionel Atwill, Onslow Stevens
Directed by Erle C. Kenton
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A scientist tries to cure Count Dracula and The Wolf Man of their afflictions, but is transformed into an evil creature himself, and determined to revive the Frankenstein monster.
The final Universal horror rally film before the studio's most popular monsters were teamed for one last hurrah with Abbott & Costello, it's a somewhat lackluster production, following the blueprint of the previous year's House Of Frankenstein a little too closely. Once again we have Dracula, The Wolf Man, Frankenstein's monster, a mad scientist, and a hunchback, and although each has their own story and some respectable moments within the film, none of the monsters end up fighting each other. I still was engaged, enjoyed the performances of Stevens and Carradine, as well as those great Universal music cues, but didn't find the film to be a fitting coda for the long running series.
Directed by Erle C. Kenton
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A scientist tries to cure Count Dracula and The Wolf Man of their afflictions, but is transformed into an evil creature himself, and determined to revive the Frankenstein monster.
The final Universal horror rally film before the studio's most popular monsters were teamed for one last hurrah with Abbott & Costello, it's a somewhat lackluster production, following the blueprint of the previous year's House Of Frankenstein a little too closely. Once again we have Dracula, The Wolf Man, Frankenstein's monster, a mad scientist, and a hunchback, and although each has their own story and some respectable moments within the film, none of the monsters end up fighting each other. I still was engaged, enjoyed the performances of Stevens and Carradine, as well as those great Universal music cues, but didn't find the film to be a fitting coda for the long running series.
Thursday, November 10, 2016
Island Of Lost Souls (1932)
Starring Charles Laughton, Richard Arlen, Leila Hyams, Bela Lugosi, Kathleen Burke
Directed by Erle C. Kenton
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A shipwreck survivor ends up on the island of Dr. Moreau, a cruel scientist who has transformed the beasts of the jungle into half human creatures.
A still potent shocker, adapted from H.G. Wells' Island Of Dr. Moreau, the film is highlighted by some very impressive "manimal" makeups, each different from one another, and quite convincing, despite the picture's fantastic plot. I've heard Wells was not enamored of the film or Laughton's performance, but I think the actor makes a marvelous villain, displaying his own bestial side, cracking a whip to keep the beast-men at bay, and threatening them with a return to "The House Of Pain," if they do not obey his laws. Horror icon Lugosi is among the most fearsome looking of the creatures, his penetrating stare a fine compliment to his frightening bushy makeup, but each of the made up actors surely unnerved audience members in the 1930s.
Directed by Erle C. Kenton
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A shipwreck survivor ends up on the island of Dr. Moreau, a cruel scientist who has transformed the beasts of the jungle into half human creatures.
A still potent shocker, adapted from H.G. Wells' Island Of Dr. Moreau, the film is highlighted by some very impressive "manimal" makeups, each different from one another, and quite convincing, despite the picture's fantastic plot. I've heard Wells was not enamored of the film or Laughton's performance, but I think the actor makes a marvelous villain, displaying his own bestial side, cracking a whip to keep the beast-men at bay, and threatening them with a return to "The House Of Pain," if they do not obey his laws. Horror icon Lugosi is among the most fearsome looking of the creatures, his penetrating stare a fine compliment to his frightening bushy makeup, but each of the made up actors surely unnerved audience members in the 1930s.
Saturday, April 16, 2016
Who Done It? (1942)
Starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Patric Knowles, William Gargan, Louise Allbritton
Directed by Erle C. Kenton
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A pair of sandwich counter workers at a radio station try to solve a murder committed in the building, but end up becoming suspects themselves.
A winning outing from the Abbott & Costello comedy team in one of their earliest pictures, this film has gags and routines a plenty and not all of them work, but there's still plenty of amusing moments. Although the mystery at the film's center is fairly basic and not particularly well structured, that's not what we're here for, and the comedic duo is in fine form against the whodunit backdrop. There's also a fine roster of character actors peppered throughout the film, including Thomas Gomez, Ludwig Stossel, Mary Wickes, Jerome Cowan, and William Bendix.
Directed by Erle C. Kenton
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A pair of sandwich counter workers at a radio station try to solve a murder committed in the building, but end up becoming suspects themselves.
A winning outing from the Abbott & Costello comedy team in one of their earliest pictures, this film has gags and routines a plenty and not all of them work, but there's still plenty of amusing moments. Although the mystery at the film's center is fairly basic and not particularly well structured, that's not what we're here for, and the comedic duo is in fine form against the whodunit backdrop. There's also a fine roster of character actors peppered throughout the film, including Thomas Gomez, Ludwig Stossel, Mary Wickes, Jerome Cowan, and William Bendix.
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