Category: Boris Karloff

MonsterGirl’s 150 Days of Classic Horror #48 THE DEVIL COMMANDS 1941

THE DEVIL COMMANDS 1941

The Devil Commands (1941): A Somber, Atmospheric Classic of 1940s Horror:

The Devil Commands (1941) is a moody, atmospheric gem from the golden age of horror, directed by Edward Dmytryk, and is a more obscure classic horror film starring the legendary Boris Karloff. Adapted from William Sloane’s novel The Edge of Running Water, the film is one of those unique blends of science fiction, Gothic horror, and psychological tragedy—a combination that sets it apart from the more formulaic mad scientist films of its era.

What has always struck me about this particular Karloff foray is its quiet, aching meditation on grief—a story where his sorrow over his lost wife drives him to the very edge of reason and go to macabre extremes to reach out beyond the grave to find her again. There’s something deeply moving about Karloff’s character, cloaked in shadows and longing, risking everything for the faint hope of reaching his beloved once more. The Devil Command’s moody atmosphere is thick with melancholy and mystery, but beneath the Gothic trappings, it’s the tenderness of his desperation that lingers.

It’s haunting to see Karloff bend the laws of science in a desperate attempt to bridge the gap between worlds, all for love—a love so powerful it blurs the line between rational science and the unknowable supernatural realm to create a conduit to the dead. One of the elements that has always stayed with me about The Devil Commands is the beautifully constructed tableau of Karloff’s theater of communication. The set design, overseen by Lionel Banks, itself is a powerful character in the film. The eerie armored helmets used in The Devil Commands are large, metallic, and somewhat menacing—I liken them to medieval torture devices or oblate diving helmets.

These contraptions, which cover the entire head, are connected by wires to Dr. Blair’s elaborate brainwave machine. The laboratory is filled with banks of electrical equipment, stylus arms, and rolling slates to record brain patterns. The visual effect is both scientific and macabre, blending the aesthetics of early EEG technology with the Gothic atmosphere of a séance parlor.

The living medium who wears the helmet is Mrs. Blanche Walters, played by Anne Revere. Dr. Blair discovers that Mrs. Walters, a professional medium, has a unique ability to withstand intense electrical stimulation and emit strong brainwave signals, making her the ideal living subject for his experiments to contact the dead, especially his wife. Revere is repeatedly wired into the machine and serves as the central living participant in Karloff’s otherworldly experiments.

The other wearers of the helmets are actually corpses. As Dr. Blair’s experiments grow more desperate and unorthodox, he and Mrs. Walters exhume local bodies and seat them around a table, each corpse encased in one of those helmets and connected to the apparatus in a séance-like circle. This grisly setup is intended to amplify the psychic circuit and facilitate communication with the afterlife, resulting in some of the film’s most eerie and memorable imagery. I know it’s stuck with me all these years.

Imagine Karloff’s laboratory in The Devil Commands as a Gothic symphony of wires, dials, and humming coils—a place where the spiritualist movement of Victorian séance parlors collide headlong with the age of electricity. Here, the air is thick with the scent of ozone and longing, as if the very walls ache to bridge the chasm between the living and the dead. His contraptions are not mere machines but modern-day spirit cabinets and celestial telegraphs, echoing the Victorian obsession with communing beyond the veil.

Glass domes and helmeted headpieces glint in the candlelit gloom, their wires snaking like spectral tendrils across the floor. Oscillographs and galvanometers—descendants of the psychic “howlers” and vibration detectors of yesteryear—stand sentinel, ready to register the faintest tremor of a soul’s return to scribble its messages and electronically transcribe a disembodied voice, electronic waves of otherworldly wailing. Each device is a hybrid of science and mysticism: a spirit trumpet reimagined as a brainwave amplifier, a séance table transformed into a humming, sparking altar to lost love.

In this shadowy sanctum, the machinery becomes a kind of medium itself, channeling not just electricity but hope and desperation. The laboratory is a séance room for the atomic age, where the flicker of a bulb or the twitch of a needle might signal a message from the other side. It is as if the Victorian faith in ectoplasm has been rewired—copper and glass replacing velvet and lace, but the yearning for connection as palpable as ever.

Karloff’s setup is a poetic tangle of the rational and the supernatural, a place where the crackle of modern invention gives the ghostly ambitions of the nineteenth century new life. Here, the machinery does not just measure the invisible; it dares to summon it, blurring the line between séance and science, between grief and revelation.

The film opens with a classic Gothic flourish: a rain-soaked mansion, a voiceover from Anne Blair, and a sense of foreboding that never quite lifts. Dr. Julian Blair is at the heart of the story, played with poignant depth by Karloff. Blair is a respected scientist whose life is shattered by the sudden, accidental death of his beloved wife, Helen (Shirley Warde).

Dr. Blair, initially a figure of warmth and scientific curiosity, is devastated by his wife’s accidental death. Overcome by grief, he becomes obsessed with the idea that her consciousness might persist beyond death. This obsession drives him to the brink as he throws himself into experiments with a machine designed to record and amplify brainwaves, convinced he can communicate with his wife’s spirit—a quest that quickly spirals into dangerous territory.

Amanda Duff plays Anne Blair, Dr. Julian Blair’s devoted daughter, who serves as the film’s narrator and emotional anchor— and frames the story as a cautionary tale as she shows her concern for her father’s well-being and her warnings about his obsessive, dangerous experiments.

The film’s sensibility is steeped in loss and longing, with a heavy, somber atmosphere that never quite lifts. Directed bt Edward Dmytryk who was a highly regarded Hollywood director known for his influential 1940s film noirs like Murder, My Sweet 1944 and Crossfire 1947 (for which he received an Oscar nomination), his later classics such as The Caine Mutiny 1954, and a reputation marked by both artistic achievement and controversy, Dmytryk’s paired with Allen G. Siegler’s shadow-drenched cinematography, creates a world where grief and obsession seem to seep into every corner of the Blair mansion. The visuals are striking—there is, as one reviewer noted, “far more black on the screen than there is white,” a choice that heightens the sense of dread and isolation. The sound design, too, is masterful: the crackle of electricity, the howl of the wind, and the ominous silences all contribute to the film’s Gothic mood.

Karloff’s performance is central to the film’s impact. Unlike many mad scientist roles of the era, Dr. Blair is portrayed with genuine sympathy and complexity, like many of Karloff’s roles. His descent into obsession is not driven by malice or hubris but by love and the pain of loss. This makes his journey all the more tragic, as we can’t help but empathize with his desperate hope to reconnect with his wife. The supporting cast includes – Richard Fiske as Dr. Richard Sayles, Blair’s concerned colleague, Ralph Penney as Karl, the loyal assistant whose fate is as tragic as his masters, and Anne Revere delivers a chilling performance as Mrs. Blanche Walters, the manipulative medium whose own psychic abilities and greed push Blair further down his dark path.

One of the film’s most memorable sequences involves Blair’s attempt to use a circle of corpses as psychic amplifiers, culminating in a supernatural vortex that threatens to destroy everything. The special effects, though modest by today’s standards, are used sparingly and effectively, particularly in the scenes involving the brainwave machine and the climactic storm. These moments are not just visually arresting—they are deeply unsettling, tapping into primal fears of death, the unknown, and the consequences of tampering with forces beyond human understanding.

The Devil Commands is also notable for its narrative structure, which is told largely in flashbacks through Anne’s voiceover. This adds a layer of melancholy and inevitability, as we know from the outset that Blair’s quest will end in tragedy. The film’s tone is more in line with traditional ghost stories than the typical mad scientist fare, focusing on the emotional and psychological costs of obsession rather than just the spectacle of scientific hubris.

Behind the scenes, the film is interesting for several reasons. Director Edward Dmytryk would later become one of the Hollywood Ten, blacklisted during the McCarthy era, but here he demonstrates a flair for atmospheric horror and psychological complexity. The film’s blend of science fiction and supernatural elements and its tragic, almost operatic tone sets it apart from its contemporaries. For Boris Karloff, The Devil Commands is often cited as one of his more sympathetic and nuanced roles. For many fans, it remains a favorite among his Columbia Pictures films.

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MonsterGirl’s 150 Days of Classic Horror #35 Corridors of Blood 1958 & The Haunted Strangler 1958

CORRIDORS OF BLOOD 1958

Corridors of Blood (1958) is a compelling exploration of medical ethics and human frailty set against the backdrop of early Victorian London that transcends the horror genre with its meticulous recreation of that era. Directed by Robert Day and produced by John Croydon and Charles F. Vetter, this British-American period drama offers a nuanced portrayal of the struggles faced by pioneering physicians in the 1840s, a time of significant medical advancements and ethical challenges.

At the heart of the film is Boris Karloff, who compellingly portrays Dr. Thomas Bolton, a compassionate physician driven to develop anesthesia for pain-free surgery. Karloff, known for his iconic roles in horror films, brings depth and humanity to Bolton, portraying both his noble intentions and his tragic descent into addiction with remarkable subtlety. Karloff’s ability to convey Bolton’s internal struggle is particularly evident in scenes depicting drug-induced states, showcasing Karloff’s masterful range beyond his typical genre roles.

The narrative unfolds as Dr. Bolton’s obsessive experimentation with various gases leads him to test potentially dangerous substances on himself, resulting in a debilitating addiction. This personal decline coincides with his professional downfall, culminating in a failed public demonstration of his anesthetic where a patient awakens mid-surgery. This pivotal and tense scene underscores the high stakes of medical innovation.

As Bolton’s reputation crumbles, he becomes entangled with a nefarious group of body snatchers led by the menacing Resurrection Joe, portrayed with chilling effectiveness and extraordinary menace by a young Christopher Lee.

This subplot not only adds a layer of the dark underbelly of medical progress in the 19th century, where the demand to acquire cadavers for study often led to criminal activities, like murder, to procure medical subjects.

The supporting cast includes Betta St. John as Bolton’s supportive niece, Susan, Finlay Currie as the skeptical Superintendent Matheson, and Francis Matthews as Bolton’s son, Jonathan.

The film bears an authentic view of Victorian London and the medical community’s struggle with innovation and ethics. One of the film’s strengths lies in its historical accuracy and attention to detail. The depiction of early surgical practices and the quest for effective anesthesia reflect the real challenges faced by medical pioneers of the time. This commitment to authenticity elevates Corridors of Blood beyond mere sensationalism, offering viewers a thoughtful examination of a critical period in medical history.

The climactic confrontation between Bolton and the body snatchers serves as both a thrilling denouement and a poignant reflection on Karloff’s moral decay. Bolton’s ultimate demise is handled with a sense of tragedy that befits his character’s journey from a respected physician to a compromised addict.

Despite its compelling narrative and strong performances, Corridors of Blood faced an unusual release trajectory. Completed in 1958, it wasn’t released in the United States until 1962, when it was paired with Werewolf in a Girls’ Dormitory as a double feature. This double billing definitely undersold the film’s serious themes and historical significance by taking a substantive historical horror film and bookending it with a schlocky B-movie.

Over time, however, Corridors of Blood has gained an appreciation for its nuanced approach to complex issues. The film’s inclusion in the Criterion Collection speaks to its enduring quality and importance in cinema history. It thoughtfully examines the moral compromises made in the name of scientific advancement, the personal toll of addiction, and the often blurred lines between progress and ethical transgression.

THE HAUNTED STRANGLER 1958

The Haunted Strangler (1958) is another extraordinary horror film that showcases a strong performance by a sympathetic Boris Karloff. It was again directed by Robert Day and produced by John Croydon and Richard Gordon, whose Amalgamated Productions was responsible for producing several notable British horror and science fiction films, including one of my all-time favorite sci-fi movies – Fiend Without a Face (1958). (Can brains have heartbeats?)

The screenplay, adapted by Jan Read and John Croydon from Read’s original story Stranglehold, cleverly intertwines historical elements with psychological horror.

It stands as a compelling exploration of psychological horror and societal injustice, of wrongful conviction and the nature of evil set against the backdrop of Victorian London. This British horror film, starring the inimitable Boris Karloff, offers a nuanced portrayal of obsession, identity, and the thin line between sanity and madness pulled off by Karloff with ease.

At the heart of the film is Karloff’s playing James Rankin, a social reformer and novelist who becomes consumed by his investigation into a 20-year-old series of murders. Karloff brings depth and complexity to Rankin, portraying both his noble intentions and his descent into a fractured psyche with remarkable subtlety. His ability to physically transform himself into the grotesque visage of the Strangler without relying on special effects makeup is a testament to his acting prowess.

The narrative unfolds as Rankin delves deeper into the case of the Haymarket Strangler, convinced that an innocent man was hanged for the crimes. His obsessive pursuit leads him to exhume the body of the executed man, where he discovers a surgeon’s knife that triggers a shocking transformation.

The scalpel holds significant importance in The Haunted Strangler despite the Haymarket Strangler’s method of strangulation, as it is the key that triggers James Rankin’s transformation into the Strangler persona. When Rankin grasps the scalpel found in Edward Styles’ coffin, he undergoes a physical and psychological change, revealing his hidden identity as the real killer and the character’s fractured psyche. The scalpel is the missing piece of evidence that Rankin/Tennant had hidden in Styles’s coffin, likely in a moment of guilt. Its absence from Dr. Tennant’s medical bag is a crucial clue in Rankin’s investigation.

While the killer is known as the “Strangler,” the scalpel was actually used to stab the victims to death after partially strangling them. This detail adds complexity to the killer’s modus operandi, with the scalpel symbolizing Dr. Tennant’s medical background and the duality of his nature – a healer turned killer. It represents the thin line between Rankin’s reformer persona and his murderous alter ego.

Karloff’s portrayal of Rankin’s struggle with his alter ego is both chilling and poignant. It echoes themes from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde while offering a fresh take on the concept of dual personalities.

The film’s supporting cast provides a rich vision of Victorian society, including Jean Kent as the bawdy music hall singer Cora Seth and Anthony Dawson as the skeptical Superintendent Burk. Elizabeth Allan’s performance as Barbara Rankin adds superb depth to the story, offering a glimpse into the personal cost of Rankin’s obsession.

Day’s direction and Lionel Banes’ cinematography create a palpable atmosphere of dread and claustrophobia. The use of chiaroscuro lighting in scenes set in the seedy Judas Hole music hall and the foreboding Newgate Prison effectively heightens the sense of moral ambiguity and impending doom.

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MonsterGirl’s 150 Days of Classic Horror #18 The Black Cat 1934 & The Raven 1935

THE BLACK CAT 1934

EDGAR G.ULMER’S: THE BLACK CAT (1934) “ARE WE BOTH NOT"¦ THE LIVING DEAD?”

Edgar G. Ulmer’s The Black Cat (1934) is a psychological horror film that marked the first on-screen pairing of Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. Despite its title, the film bears little resemblance to Edgar Allan Poe’s story, instead focusing on the aftermath of World War I and its psychological impact on survivors.

The plot revolves around American newlyweds Peter and Joan Alison (David Manners and Julie Bishop ), who become entangled in a sinister feud between Dr. Vitus Werdegast (Lugosi) and Hjalmar Poelzig (Karloff) while honeymooning in Hungary. Werdegast, a psychiatrist recently freed from a Siberian prison camp, seeks revenge against Poelzig, an Austrian architect who betrayed their fort during the war, leading to thousands of deaths.

The film’s atmosphere is heavy with themes of revenge, psychological trauma, and the lingering effects of war within an ultra-modernist interior set that lends to the psychologically constrictive and repressive interior landscape.

Poelzig’s modernist house, built on the ruins of the betrayed fort, serves as a metaphor for the attempt to cover past atrocities with a veneer of progress, yet it feels like an avant-garde prison.

Ulmer employs expressionistic techniques, including stark sets and unconventional camera angles, to create a pervasive sense of unease. The titular black cat, while not central to the plot, symbolizes death and evil to Karloff (misconceptions that have led to the persecution of cats, particularly black cats), which menacingly affects the ailurophobic Werdegast. The film culminates in a tense game of chess between the two antagonists, deciding the fate of the American couple, and a climactic confrontation involving Satanic rituals and gruesome revenge. The Black Cat stands out among Universal’s horror offerings of the time for its psychological depth and its unflinching look at the dark aftermath of war. Edgar G. Ulmer’s film pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable in cinema at the time, featuring several controversial and disturbing elements that are shocking even by today’s standards.

This pre-code horror film strongly hints at necrophilic themes through Poelzig’s collection of preserved dead women. These bodies are displayed behind glass, lovingly maintained, and dressed in sheer, clingy material. Poelzig’s apparent fascination with these corpses, particularly his wife Karen’s preserved body, suggests a disturbing obsession with the sexualization of the dead.

The climax of the film features an incredibly gruesome scene where Werdegast binds Poelzig to an embalming rack and proceeds to flay him alive. While the actual skinning is not shown directly, Ulmer uses shadow play to depict the horrific act, accompanied by Poelzig’s agonized screams. This scene was so shocking and remarkable that it made it to the screen.

The film culminates in a Black Mass ceremony, where Poelzig prepares to sacrifice Joan to Satan. This depiction of devil worship was highly controversial for its time and added to the film’s overall sense of moral decay and corruption. The Black Cat also touches on other taboo subjects, such as Incest: Poelzig marries his stepdaughter, who shares the same name as his deceased wife.

There’s also the psychological trauma: exploring the lasting effects of war on the human psyche. The film’s ability to pack so many disturbing elements into its brief 65-minute runtime while mostly relying on suggestion rather than explicit depiction is a testament to Ulmer’s skill as a filmmaker. The Black Cat remains a landmark in horror cinema, pushing the boundaries of what could be explored on screen in the pre-code horror of the 1930s.

THE RAVEN 1935

The Raven (1935) is a psychological horror film directed by Lew Landers, one of the few rich collaborations starring Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi in their second on-screen pairing. Despite its title, the film is only loosely inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s works, focusing instead on a brilliant but unhinged surgeon’s obsession with torture and a young woman who is the object of his desire.

Dr. Richard Vollin (Lugosi) is a gifted neurosurgeon with a morbid fascination for Poe and torture devices. After saving the life of Jean Thatcher (Irene Ware), a young socialite, he becomes dangerously obsessed with her.

When Jean’s father, Judge Thatcher, forbids Vollin from seeing her, the doctor plots revenge. He recruits Edmond Bateman (Karloff), an escaped convict seeking facial reconstruction, by promising to fix his appearance. Instead, Vollin disfigures half of Bateman’s face to ensure his cooperation.

The facial disfiguration inflicted upon Edmond Bateman (Boris Karloff) by Dr. Vollin (Bela Lugosi) in The Raven (1935) is a gruesome and shocking act of cruelty. Vollin deliberately mutilates one side of Bateman’s face during what was supposed to be reconstructive surgery. The disfiguration is described as severely damaging the seventh cranial nerve, resulting in a grotesque asymmetry. The right side of Bateman’s face is left hideously scarred, with one eye rendered useless and the surrounding tissue distorted. The damage is so severe that when Bateman sees his reflection, he reacts with horror, desperately asking, “Do I look… different?” The audience is treated to a disturbing close-up of Karloff’s face, revealing the extent of the disfiguration – a mass of twisted flesh, a sightless eye, and nerve damage that likely causes partial facial paralysis.

This alarmingly graphic disfiguration serves as a visual representation of Vollin’s sadistic nature and becomes a central element in manipulating Bateman into becoming an unwilling accomplice in his twisted schemes.

Vollin’s basement houses recreations of Poe’s torture devices, including the pendulum from The Pit and the Pendulum. Vollin’s cruel manipulation of Bateman’s appearance is a central plot point.

The Raven culminates in a tense sequence where Vollin attempts to torture and kill Jean, her fiancé Jerry, and Judge Thatcher using his Poe-inspired devices, which consist of putting them in a small space with the walls closing in that will eventually crush them. Bateman, having developed sympathy for Jean, turns against Vollin. In the ensuing struggle, both Bateman and Vollin meet gruesome ends.

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MonsterGirl’s 150 Days of Classic Horror #16 Black Sabbath 1963 & Black Sunday 1960

MonsterGirl’s 150 Days of Classic Horror!

BLACK SABBATH 1963

Mario Bava’s Black Sabbath (1963), originally titled I tre volti della paura (The Three Faces of Fear), is a seminal horror anthology that showcases Bava’s mastery of the genre. Bava’s experience in striking visual realization is evident in cinematographer Ubaldo Terzano’s work on the film.

The film consists of three chilling and distinct tales, each segment introduced by the legendary Boris Karloff. The stories include “The Telephone,” which follows a woman receiving menacing calls from a stalker; “The Wurdulak,” featuring Karloff as a man returning home after killing a vampire-like creature; and “The Drop of Water,” where a nurse is haunted by the corpse of a medium after stealing her ring. Notably, Black Sabbath blends gothic horror with psychological tension, establishing itself as a precursor to the Giallo genre and influencing future filmmakers with its innovative narrative structure and visual style.

The international cast includes Boris Karloff, Michèle Mercier, and Mark Damon. Karloff’s involvement lent significant prestige to the project, and his chilling and moody performance in “The Wurdulak” is particularly mesmerizing.

Bava’s Gothic operatic horror film is a seminal anthology that showcases the director’s virtuosity. It demonstrates his masterful use of color and affinity for painting the interplay between illumination and shadow, shaping a compelling visual chiaroscuro and striking palette. Bava understands how to craft a sense of unease and foreboding through atmospheric tableaux, establishing a trend that would consistently pay homage to his expertise. His ability to construct haunting scenes through the strategic use of light and darkness kicked off a movement in horror cinema, with filmmakers continually bowing to his sophisticated command of the genre’s visual language. In the original Italian version, the order of the segments is as follows: The Telephone, The Wurdulak, and The Drop of Water. AIP rearranged segments for the American release, altering Mario Bava’s original intended sequence. Below is the American order of segments.

The Drop of Water:

This eerie tale follows Nurse Helen Corey (Jacqueline Pierreux), who steals a ring from a deceased medium’s corpse. The segment is notable for its haunting atmosphere, created through Bava’s use of vivid colors and unsettling sound design. The dripping water and the grotesque makeup of the medium’s corpse, particularly of her twisted face, is a standout element crafted by Mario Bava’s father, Eugenio Bava. This makeup that breaks through the surreal color scheme creates a terrifying effect, with the witch’s grotesque appearance being a highlight of the segment.

Bava’s background as a cinematographer is evident throughout the film. He employs a rich color palette, particularly in “The Drop of Water,” using bold blues and greens to create a surreal, nightmarish quality. The film’s visual style is characterized by its use of lighting to create shadows and depth, enhancing the eerie atmosphere.

The Telephone:

In the original Italian version, this segment features Michèle Mercier as Rosy, a woman terrorized by threatening phone calls from a menacing phantom voice. The story involves themes of lesbianism and prostitution, which were removed in the American release. The American version added a supernatural element, significantly altering the plot.

The Wurdulak:

The Wurdulak segment in Bava’s Black Sabbath is based on the novella “The Family of the Vourdalak” by Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy. Tolstoy wrote this gothic story in 1839 in French, with the original title La Famille du Vourdalak.

The longest segment stars Boris Karloff as Gorca, a man who returns to his family after hunting a Wurdulak, an undead creature that feeds on the blood of loved ones. Mark Damon plays Vladimir, a young man who becomes entangled with the family’s fate.

Les Baxter was the composer for the American version, and Roberto Nicolosi scored the original Italian version.

The film was shot over an eight-week period in early 1963. American International Pictures was involved in the production, leading to changes in the film to make it more palatable for American audiences

BLACK SUNDAY 1960

BRIDES OF HORROR – Scream Queens of the 1960s! – Part 4: The Dark Goddess-This Dark Mirror

Mario Bava’s Black Sunday (1960), originally titled La maschera del demonio (The Mask of the Demon), is a landmark Italian gothic horror film that marked Bava’s official directorial debut. He was also responsible for the dramatic cinematography. The film, loosely based on Nikolai Gogol’s short story “Viy,” tells the tale of a witch who is executed in 17th-century Moldavia, only to return two centuries later seeking revenge on her brother’s descendants.

Starring Barbara Steele in a dual role, Black Sunday features striking black-and-white cinematography and innovative visual techniques that establish Bava as a master of the horror genre. The film’s plot revolves around Princess Asa Vajda, who is condemned to death for witchcraft but vows vengeance before her execution by being burned at the stake. Two hundred years later, she rises from the grave to possess her lookalike descendant and exact her revenge.

Asa Vajda’s body is discovered in a crypt by Dr. Choma Kruvajan (Andrea Checchiand) and his assistant, Dr. Andrej Gorobec (John Richardson- Tumak in One Million Years B.C. 1966). While examining her corpse, Kruvajan accidentally breaks the glass panel covering her face and cuts his hand. His blood drips onto Asa’s body, which initiates her reanimation. The process of reanimation is gradual and a stunning moment in classic horror. Asa uses her supernatural powers to contact her lover Javutich (Arturo Dominici) telepathically, who then rises from his grave. Javutich, wearing the spiked death mask, emerges as a terrifying figure clawing his way up from the ground. He serves as Asa’s accomplice in her quest for revenge against her brother’s descendants.

Black Sunday is renowned for its atmospheric visuals, including chiaroscuro lighting, expressionistic set design, and grotesque makeup effects. The film’s most iconic scene involves the gruesome execution method where a spiked “Mask of Satan” is hammered onto Asa Vajdas’s face.

Upon its release, Black Sunday achieved significant success, particularly in the United States, where it became American International Pictures’ highest-grossing film in its first five years. The film’s popularity helped launch Barbara Steele’s career as a horror icon and influenced the Italian horror genre for years to come.

Today, Black Sunday is considered a classic of gothic horror, praised for its visual style, creepy atmosphere, and role in pioneering the approach that would define Italian horror cinema. It is also considered to be one of the greatest horror films ever made.

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MonsterGirl’s 150 Days of Classic Horror #13 Before I Hang (1940) / The Man They Could Not Hang (1939)

MonsterGirl’s 150 Days of Classic Horror!

BEFORE I HANG 1940

This medical science gone wrong horror thriller directed by Nick Grinde stars the incomparable Boris Karloff, who plays the kindly and sympathetic character of Dr. John Garth, a physician seeking a serum that will fend off the aging process. Garth is placed on death row for conducting a mercy killing but is permitted to pursue his experiments with his serum on the other inmates’ blood while secretly testing it on himself. His colleague, Dr. Ralph Howard (Edward Van Sloan), helps with his research. Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, Dracula’s Daughter 1936). They inject Garth with the experimental serum taken from one of the executed murderers, a man who was criminally insane. Though Garth murders his colleague and a prison trustee, he manages to fool them into giving him a pardon for his work as a humanitarian. Dr. Garth emerges as a Jekyll and Hyde personality, becoming a homicidal killer. One of the best early chillers utilizing the very morbid yet enthralling idea that blood has its own consciousness. This concept will be used in films later on down the road, acting on the same premise that the human body, blood tissue, and bone retain the memory of the criminal whose body they belonged to—pulsing with a life force unique to that singular identity.

B-movie queen Evelyn Keyes plays Garth’s daughter Martha. Don Beddoe is Capt. McGraw and Bruce Bennett (Mildred Pierce 1945 Dark Passage 1947) plays Dr. Paul Ames.

THE MAN THEY COULD NOT HANG 1939

Boris Karloff is Dr. Henryk Savaard, a scientist working in the field of medicine who is searching for a means to prolong life. His experiments employ a mechanical heart to revive his subjects after they’ve been pronounced technically dead. Medical student Bob Roberts (Stanley Brown) volunteers to be the first subject of Dr. Savaard’s experiment. Savaard’s nurse, Betty Crawford (Ann Doran) Penny Serenade 1941, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers 1946), is frantic about her boyfriend Bob submitting to this and calls the police. They arrest Dr. Savaard for killing his assistant, and he goes to trial.

Dr. Savaard tries desperately to explain his altruistic intentions to the jury, but he is found guilty and sentenced to hang. Savaard has instructed his assistant Lang (Byron Foulger) to bring him back from the dead using his methods with the mechanical heart. Soon after, mysteriously, six members of the jury who have convicted Dr. Savaard wind up committing suicide by hanging themselves. The other six jurors, the judge, prosecutor, police inspector, and nurse Crawford are invited to Savaard’s house so that he can exact his revenge!

Lorna Gray plays Savaard’s daughter, Janet; Charles Trowbridge plays Judge Bowman; and Don Beddoe plays Police Lt. Shane—one of Karloff’s great sympathetic scientist thrillers with wonderful atmospherics in this other Nick Grinde B-movie classic.

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MonsterGirl’s 150 Days of Classic Horror #12 Bedlam (1946) & The Body Snatcher (1945)

MonsterGirl’s 150 Days of Classic Horror!

BEDLAM (1946)

A Symphony of Dark Patches- The Val Lewton Legacy 1943

bedlam

Val Lewton’s visually haunting condemnation of mental asylums. Mark Robson directs Boris Karloff in perhaps one of his most vicious roles as the sadistic Master George Sims. Challenged by Mistress Bowen (Anna Lee) for his cruelty and inhumane treatment of the inmates, Sims orchestrates her confinement to Bedlam as she tries to reform the horrible conditions of the place. Stunning and brutal, Bedlam is the most savage story in the Lewton canon. It is a wonderful appearance by character actor Ian Wolfe, who always brings a bit of perspicuity to any film.

Bedlam(1946), as one of Val Lewton’s extraordinary visually poetic psychological horror films in his collection for RKO Pictures, is perhaps one his darkest poems. Val Lewton, known for his stylish horror B-films, co-wrote the screenplay under the pseudonym Carlos Keith, maintaining his approach to horror with a focus on psychological tension and suggestive shadows rather than overt supernatural elements.

The film, which would be the last collaboration with Boris Karloff and his final film for RKO, with the great actor commanding the screen with a deranged subtlety as Master George Sims, the cruel apothecary general of St. Mary’s of Bethlehem Asylum, and Anna Lee as Nell Bowen, a spirited reformer who seeks to improve the conditions for the asylum’s inmates, and the mistreatment of mental health patients in the 18th century.

Set in 1761 London, the film was inspired by William Hogarth’s painting series “A Rake’s Progress,” with Hogarth receiving a writing credit. The story follows Nell Bowen’s efforts to reform the notorious asylum, leading to her own commitment by the sadistic Sims.

Bedlam features several dramatic scenes that highlight the cruelty of the asylum and the tension between Nell Bowen and Master Sims. One of the most shocking scenes involves the “gilded boy,” where a young inmate painted in toxic gold performs for Lord Mortimer’s (Billy House) party, only to collapse and die from the poisonous paint while the callous partygoers and wealthy patrons revel in the spectacle of the poor boy’s suffering.

This scene vividly illustrates the callousness of Sims and the wealthy patrons towards the inmates’ suffering.

The cinematography by Nicholas Musuraca contributes significantly to the film’s atmospheric quality, employing chiaroscuro lighting techniques typical of Lewton productions. The set design, utilizing the church set from The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945), adds to the film’s gothic ambiance.

THE BODY SNATCHER 1945

The Body Snatcher (1945) is a chilling horror film directed by Robert Wise and produced by Val Lewton. Boris is set in 1831 Edinburgh. Karloff gives a tour de force performance as John Gray, a sinister cabman who moonlights as a grave robber and murderer—Karloff’s nuanced portrayal.

The film also features the sophisticated Henry Daniell with his concrete chiseled austere face as Dr. MacFarlane, a physician tormented by his past and Gray’s machinations to make money any way he can. Beloved Bela Lugosi appears in the film as Joseph, a blackmailing servant, and is a notably small role, marking the last on-screen collaboration between the two horror legends.

The story, based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s work, follows Gray’s increasingly disturbing methods of procuring cadavers for Dr. MacFarlane’s medical school, leading to a psychological battle between the two men that culminates in a haunting climax.

Some key scenes include the murder of the young street singer, which highlights Gray’s ruthlessness. Gray’s tormenting of Dr. MacFarlane in the pub, revealing their complex history, and the chilling carriage ride finale, where MacFarlane hallucinates Gray’s corpse coming to life. Robert Wise’s direction and Lewton’s emphasis on the pyshcological terror rather than explicit horror fix this in his legacy as a stunning masterpiece.

The film explores the ethical dilemma faced by medical schools in the 1830s when legal cadavers were scarce. This shortage led to a grim trade in illegally obtained bodies by graverobbing – blurring the lines between scientific progress and criminal activity. The story draws inspiration from the real-life Burke and Hare murders of 1828 which also adds a layer of authenticity to the narrative.

#12 down, only 138 to go! Your EverLovin’ Joey, formally & affectionately known as MonsterGirl!

A Trailer a Day Keeps the Boogeyman Away! Halloween A-Z

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The Raven 1935

Dr. Vollin ‘Your monstrous ugliness breeds monstrous hatred. Good! I can use your hate.'

The Raven is a 1935 classical American horror film directed by Lew Landers, and it features two iconic horror actors, Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff, in starring roles. This would be the second film that featured the pairing of both great horror stars after the success of The Black Cat. Along with its Gothic atmosphere and Poe-inspired storyline, it is a memorable entry in their respective filmographies. Read my feature on The Black Cat HERE:

Vollin ”Death is my talisman!

Dr. Richard Vollin (Bela Lugosi) is a brilliant but eccentric surgeon with a morbid fascination for Edgar Allan Poe’s works, particularly “The Raven.” Vollin is also known for his expertise in plastic surgery and a questionable reputation for performing radical procedures.

Judge Thatcher “I’ll pay you any amount of money, Dr. Vollin'’
Dr Vollin “Money means nothing to me."
Judge Thatcher “But someone is dying! Your obligation as a member of the medical profession"
Vollin “I respect no such obligation. I am a law unto myself!'’
Thatcher “But you have no human feeling? My daughter is dying!'’
Vollin “Death hasn’t the same significance for me as it has for you.”

Lugosi as Dr. Richard Vollin is a complex character who is both brilliant and deeply disturbed. Lugosi’s portrayal captures the character’s descent into madness and obsession. Vollin’s fascination with Poe’s works is conveyed through Lugosi’s mesmerizing, sinister, and theatrical performance.

When a young woman named Jean Thatcher (Irene Ware) is critically injured in a car accident, her desperate father seeks out Dr. Vollin’s assistance to save her life. Vollin agrees to perform intricate neurosurgery, but his growing obsession with Jean veers off into a deadly obsession. As Vollin’s obsession with Jean Thatcher grows, Lugosi skillfully portrays the doctor’s psychological unraveling. His fixation on Jean is palpable, and Lugosi’s performance is marked by dramatic facial expressions and body language that highlight Vollin’s increasing mania. This doesn’t bode well for her father, Judge Thatcher {Samuel S. Hinds}, and her fiancé, Dr. Jerry Holden (Lester Matthews).

Meanwhile, Edmond Bateman (Boris Karloff), a criminal mastermind who seeks to change his appearance to evade the authorities, approaches Vollin for his surgical skills. Vollin agrees but insists that Bateman becomes his loyal servant in return. Edmond Bateman is a criminal mastermind who seeks to change his appearance through plastic surgery. Batman becomes a  victim of Dr. Vollin’s monstrous cruelty and becomes a sympathetic character despite his criminal past. Throughout the film, Bateman’s loyalty to Dr. Vollin is only through necessity, even as he undergoes a shocking transformation, horribly disfigured at the hands of Vollin’s knife, and depends on Vollin to restore his face.

A standout moment in the picture is when Lugosi peers through the door and watches Karloff with sadistic orgasmic glee as the poor man discovers the horrors that Vollin has inflicted on him,  as the image of his face in a myriad of mirrors stares back in fright. During the gallery of mirrors reveals, when Bateman yells “NO!” that is not Boris Karloff's voice but a post-production dub-over.

Bateman ‘‘I’m saying, Doc, maybe because I look ugly… maybe if a man looks ugly, he does ugly things.'’
Vollin ‘‘You are saying something profound.”

As Vollin’s infatuation with Jean deepens and his madness takes a darker turn, he uses his surgical talents to transform Bateman into a grotesque visage resembling a raven, reminiscent of Poe’s poem. The doctor’s sinister plans culminate in a chilling and macabre climax, with Poe’s themes of obsession, madness, and revenge at the forefront as Lugosi employs his Poe recreations of the instruments of torture.

In the film’s denouement – it all gets wrapped up with Karloff’s twisted visage & sympathetic grotesqueness as he endeavors to end the deadly pendulum that comes a whisker away from Irene’s father getting sliced in half, as he shuts off the mechanism and saves his life. Lugosi shoots Karloff for rebelling and proceeds to trap his prisoners in a claustrophobic chamber with its walls triggered to close in and crush them. At this point, he is stark raving mad – as his maniacal amusement fills his gallery of torture. Yet Karloff takes his last breath and frees the prisoners, instead leaving Lugosi in the chamber to be milled instead.

Belu Lugosi and Boris Karloff’s performances in “The Raven” showcase their abilities to bring nuance and depth to their characters in the horror genre. Lugosi’s theatricality and intensity complement Karloff’s subtler and more sympathetic portrayal, resulting in a memorable and chilling cinematic experience. Their on-screen chemistry adds to the film’s enduring status as a classic of 1930s horror cinema.

For the B.B.F.C, The Raven was the final straw. The British film censors decided to withdraw any further horror movies from being shown in the U.K.

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Return of the Vampire 1943

Return of the Vampire is a 1944 American horror film directed by Lew Landers. The movie features Bela Lugosi in a role reminiscent of his iconic portrayal of Dracula.

Set in London during World War II, the story revolves around the resurrection of a malevolent vampire named Armand Tesla (Bela Lugosi). Tesla had been destroyed by Professor Walter Saunders (Gilbert Emery) years earlier, but a bomb during an air raid accidentally uncovers his tomb, allowing him to return to life.

With the help of his loyal werewolf servant Andreas Obry (Matt Willis), Tesla resumes his reign of terror. He seeks revenge against those who thwarted him in the past and sets his sights on a young girl named Nicki Saunders (Nina Foch), the granddaughter of Professor Saunders.

Determined to stop Tesla once and for all, Professor Saunders enlists the assistance of a fellow scientist, Lady Jane Ainsley (Frieda Inescort), and a vampire expert, Sir Frederick Fleet (Miles Mander). Together, they confront the resurrected vampire and his supernatural powers in a battle between good and evil.

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Rodan 1956

Rodan, also known as “Sora no DaikaijÅ« Radon” in Japan, is a 1956 Japanese science fiction kaiju film directed by Ishirō Honda. The movie features one of Toho Studios’ iconic giant monsters and is a classic of the kaiju genre.

Synopsis: The story is set in the mining town of Kitamatsu, Japan, where a series of mysterious and deadly events begin to unfold. Miners are disappearing deep underground, and strange fossils are discovered in the depths of the mine.

As the investigation into these anomalies deepens, it becomes evident that a prehistoric creature, a monstrous pterosaur known as Rodan, has been awakened from its long slumber by underground nuclear testing. Rodan, with its supersonic flying ability and deadly strength, emerges as a catastrophic threat. As the military and scientists race to confront the colossal menace, Rodan’s destructive power becomes apparent. The creature’s rampage and aerial attacks on cities lead to widespread devastation and loss of life.

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The Reptile 1966

The Reptile is a 1966 British horror film produced by Hammer Film Productions, with a folklorist and Gothic flair. The movie combines elements of Gothic horror and mystery directed by John Gilling and written by Anthony Hinds.

The story is set in the remote village of Clagmoor Heath in Cornwall, England. Newlyweds Harry Spalding (Ray Barrett) and his wife Valerie (Jennifer Daniel) move into a cottage previously owned by Harry’s late brother, Charles.

Strange and unsettling events begin to occur in the village, including a series of mysterious deaths. The local doctor, Dr. Franklyn (Noel Willman), is secretive about the cause of these deaths, and the villagers are filled with fear and suspicion.

As Harry and Valerie investigate the sinister occurrences, they discover that a deadly and supernatural secret haunts the village. A curse transforms one of the villagers into a reptilian creature, a half-human, half-snake entity, and this monstrous creature is responsible for the deaths.

The Spaldings must uncover the truth behind the curse and confront the malevolent force behind it before they too become victims of the reptilian terror that stalks Clagmoor Heath.

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This is you EverLovin’ Joey Sayin’ Rrrrrrrgghhh!!! don’t look behind you, I think it’s the letter Ssssss!

A Trailer a Day Keeps the Boogeyman Away! Halloween A-Z

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The Ghoul 1933

The Ghoul is a 1933 British horror film directed by T. Hayes Hunter and starring Boris Karloff who appears in the first and the last two reels, along with co-stars Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Ralph Richardson, Ernest Thesiger and Dorothy Hyson as Morlant’s niece Betty. The picture is considered one of the most ‘elusive’ of the lost horror films because it had not been seen until 1969 since its original release in 1933. There now exists a ‘tattered’ yet welcomed print (the negative had decomposed) owned by the Rank Organization, discovered in an East European archive and sent to The Theodore Huff Memorial Film Society. Karloff considered this film to be worthy of remembrance and had been heard saying that he hoped it would stay lost. (source: William K. Everson)

The film follows the story of Professor Henry Morlant (a very grotesque role for Boris Karloff), a rich eccentric and an Egyptologist who dabbles in the occult and is obsessed with the idea of immortality. Before his death, Morlant arranges for his body to be buried with a valuable ancient Egyptian jewel known as “The Eternal Light”, that will bring about his resurrection and be granted eternal life by the Egyptian God Anubis.

Upon Morlant’s death, a group of individuals, including his lawyer, a relative, and other acquaintances, gather at his estate to attend his funeral. Morlant is interred in low light given off by the glowing torches during a dreary, morbid ceremony. It is after this that the vultures swoop down for the reading of his will which includes the rightful heirs to his estate, a greedy lawyer, and a sinister collection of Oxford-educated Egyptians who seek to repossess the jewel. There are enough suspicious characters and villains to go around.

However, they soon discover that Morlant’s body has mysteriously disappeared, and they become embroiled in a series of eerie and supernatural events. As they search for the missing jewel, they are haunted by Morlant’s restless spirit, a ‘ghoulish’ version of the man who has returned from the dead, stalking his old house in search of the Eternal Light to achieve immortality. Driven by his unholy desires, unhinged by the end of his life, now a monstrous evil spirit he nearly strangles his niece Betty whom he adored in life.

In a grim ending, Morlant reclaims his jewel and offers himself to the God Anubis, carving sacrificial sacred symbols into his chest, and now can find his final rest after he has had his wishes fulfilled when the statue comes to life and accepts his gift.

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The Ghost Breakers 1940

The Ghost Breakers is a 1940 comedy-horror film directed by George Marshall and starring Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard in the lead roles. The film combines elements of comedy, mystery, and the supernatural to create an entertaining and light-hearted story about a radio broadcaster, his trembling butler, and an heiress investigating the mystery of a haunted castle in Cuba.

The film follows the adventures of Larry Lawrence (played by Bob Hope), a radio personality and skeptic, who finds himself embroiled in a series of comedic and spooky events. After mistakenly believing he’s committed a murder, Larry flees to Cuba with his loyal butler, Alex (played by Willie Best), to escape the authorities.

In Cuba, Larry and Alex end up staying at a seemingly haunted mansion owned by Mary Carter (played by Paulette Goddard). Mary believes her family’s ancestral home is cursed and haunted by ghosts. Larry, always the skeptic, begins to investigate and uncover the secrets of the mansion, leading to a series of comedic encounters with supernatural phenomena.

As the plot unfolds, Larry and Mary join forces to unravel the mysteries surrounding the haunted mansion, including hidden treasure and a ghostly pirate curse. The Ghost Breakers is known for its witty humor, playful banter between Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard, and its blend of comedy and spooky elements, making it one of the most enjoyable classics in the comedy-horror genre.

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The Giant Claw 1957

The Giant Claw shot over the course of two weeks is a 1957 science fiction film directed by Fred F. Sears (who also has 77 acting roles to his credits – was responsible for other cheapies including exploitation and westerns  – The Night the World Explodes 1957, the very sublime The Werewolf 1956, and the fabulous Earth vs. the Flying Saucers 1956 that featured the work of Ray Harryhausen.) The film revolves around the appearance of a gigantic and mysterious flying creature that threatens the world. Samuel Newman and Paul Gangelin’s script adhered to the classic and well-established narrative of the ‘giant creature-on-the-loose.’ Both Morrow and Corday wind up investigating a series of strange phenomena, including the destruction of military aircraft. As they dig deeper into the mystery, they discover that a massive bird-like creature, resembling a giant prehistoric vulture, is responsible for the destruction.

See Keep Watching the Skies featuring Earth vs. the Flying Saucers Here:

Jeff Morrow plays Radar test pilot Mitch Macafee whose discovery of an unidentified flying object (UFO) initially met with widespread skepticism. Most people doubted his account, dismissing it as a mere fantasy. However, doubt turned to alarm when a fighter jet mysteriously disappeared without a trace. The authorities and officials could no longer afford to disregard Macafee’s story as mere conjecture, especially as other planes and boats fell victim to unexplained attacks.

Of course, he has a hard time convincing anyone that he saw what he saw.MacAfee’s love interest is 1950’s scream queen heroine Mara Corday as Sally Caldwell. Mitch and Sally, along with the military, must find a way to stop this colossal menace before it can cause more destruction and chaos. Along for the ride is science fiction’s stalwart military/police/scientist-actor Morris Ankrum as Lt. Gen. Edward Considine.

See my tribute to Queen B’s of 1950s sci-fi & horror: Mara Corday Here:

Eventually, its existence can’t be denied when it flies off with a train filled with passengers dangling from its beak. The authorities warn everyone to stay indoors, but a carload of rebellious teenagers don’t listen and get eaten in their car like a can of unopened sardines. The problem is, that the giant claw is undetectable by radar because somehow, The enormous bird, defies the laws of physics. This monstrous bird possesses its own antimatter shied which also makes it indestructible. And its goal is to lay its eggs here on earth. So one could say that this creature is both an ancient god and extraterrestrial? When Morrow shoots up the Claw’s eggs there begins a personal grudge against him, who then must work around the clock to find a way to pierce the thing’s antimatter shield. Once the Giant Claw is shot down it disappears into the ocean and that’s the last we see of it.

The Giant Claw is known for its campy special effects, including the rather comical appearance of the titular creature, and has gained a cult following among fans of classic B-movies.

It has been reported that the marionette of the “Giant Claw” monster, made by a model-maker in Mexico City, cost producer Sam Katzman a mere $50./blockquote>

The lead actor, Jeff Morrow, confessed in an interview that no one who had worked on the film knew what the giant bird creature actually looked like until the premiere.

He watched the film in its entirety for the first time in his hometown."ƒHearing the audience laugh each time the monster appeared on-screen caused him to slip out early, embarrassed anyone might recognize him.

The Gorgon 1964

She Turns Screaming Flesh Into Silent Stone!

Read Brides of Horror 1960s tribute to Barbara Shelley Here:

The Gorgon is a 1964 British horror film produced by Hammer Film Productions, known for its classic horror productions. Directed by Terence Fisher (Curse of Frankenstein, Horror of Dracula, and The Mummy), and a story by writer J. Llewellyn Devine and screenplay by John Gilling (Plague of the Zombies 1966 and Blood Beast from Outer Space 1955) the film blends elements of mythology, suspense, and gothic horror that features gorgeous strokes of a lush color palate with art direction by Don Mingaye and cinematography by Michael Reed.

Co-writer Gillina told Little Shop of Horrors magazine, “was a writing assignment from Hammer that I considered one of my best screenplays…” but according to him, Anthony Hinds ”re-wrote the opening and changed much of the dialogue.” Ultimately this damaged the script and the film.

Set in a remote German village in the 19th century, the story revolves around a series of gruesome murders that have plagued the community. Each victim has been turned to stone, and the villagers are living in fear of a mysterious and deadly creature.

Local physician Dr. Namaroff (played by Peter Cushing), the local physician employs Carla Hoffman (one of Hammer’s finest scream queens/heroine Barbara Shelley) to work as his assistant. Carla just happens to be possessed by the spirit of Megera -the ancient mythological creature -The Gorgon. Richard Pasco plays Paul Heitz the hero hopelessly in love with Carla, who is blinded by the possibility that she may be responsible for the uncanny killings that have beset the village.

"You'll perform an autopsy?" the inspector asks. "On a body that's turned to stone?" Namaroff

When Professor Karl Meister (played by Christopher Lee) arrives in the village to investigate the murders, he is joined by Dr. Namaroff to begin to uncover the chilling truth behind the deaths. They soon learn that the Gorgon, a creature from Greek mythology, is responsible for the killings. The Gorgon has the power to turn anyone who gazes upon her face into stone.

In The Films of Christopher Lee, the actor called The Gorgon a ”beautiful-looking picture, but the whole thing fell apart because the effect of the snakes on Megera’s head was not sufficiently well done for the climax of the film. Not a memorable picture, but it ouls have been terrific.”

Syd Pearson Hammer artist did the makeup for The Gorgon.

Grave of the Vampire 1972

"Cake is so delicious. I can't believe dead people haven't found a way to eat it."

Director John Hayes–specialized in trashy exploitation & horror including Dream No Evil 1970 (Read my post about the film HERE:), Garden of the Dead 1972 (which was part of the double bill with Grave of the Vampire), The Cut-Throats 1971 and Jailbait Babysitter 1977— was in a good position to explore the evocative study of the modern-day vampire. Following the Yorga mythos, Hayes also made a smart move in casting Michael Pataki as Caleb Croft. Hayes manages to effectively include brutal deaths and a climactic confrontation between father and son.

Michael Pataki’s portrayal of Caleb Croft/Professor Lockwood is not bad as a malevolent, hostile, and snarling 70s-style vampire. William Smith -prolific in exploitation, thrillers, and favorite television series like Kolchak, Columbo, and The Rockford Files is known for his hyper-H Man persona and is an interesting decision to be cast as the tragic product of Croft’s angy loins.

Back in the early 1970s Grave of the Vampire featured one of the most cringe-worthy scenes in a horror movie. Today it wouldn’t arouse a slight wince, but for that time period seeing a mother feeding a newborn infant a baby bottle filled with blood was quite a bold move on the part of filmmaker John Hayes. In 2009 Paul Solet directed Jordan Ladd in Grace, the story of a mother Madeline Matheson who loses her unborn child but insists on carrying the baby to term. When she delivers the infant it miraculously returns to life but with a thirst for human blood…

Leslie begins drawing her own blood into syringes and filling bottles to feed the baby, whom she names James. Thirty years later, Leslie dies, leaving her son to blame his father for her suffering, James spends his life hunting down his evil father.

All within the first fifteen minutes of the film, in a mist-shrouded graveyard, the camera gracefully circles around a tomb bearing the Croft family name. Jaime Mendoza-Nave’s ( The Town That Dreaded Sundown 1976, The Evictors 1979) soundtrack resonates with the rhythmic thud of a heartbeat, hinting at a secret lifeforce lingering within the tomb.

This reveal is suspended as the film cuts to a college fraternity house, where a  ritual is being held, "Lola Blossom's gonna do her dance," says a fraternity brother. "And we've got all the freshmen dressed up like dogs so they can crawl on their knees and bark at her."

One of the college students – Paul, leaves the party with his girlfriend Leslie, driving off in an automobile from the 1930s.

Somewhere in New England on a moon-soaked night in 1940, the young couple Paul (Jay Scott) and Leslie (Kitty Villacher, The Deathmaster) go to a cemetery to make woopie in the nighttime hours. Sporting an argyle sweater and bow tie, Paul plans on taking the opportunity to propose to his sweetheart. When Paul proposes to Leslie, her response is classic: “Yes, Paul, anytime you want me to.”

The lovers immediately become amorous on a tombstone. Leslie says, "I don't think I'll ever be frightened of graveyards. It's special for us."

At the same time, a coffin lid in the Croft tomb opens to expose busy character actor Michael Pataki whose dessicated face appears with decrepit green/gray pancake makeup. (Tino Zachhia Psychic Killer 1975, Death Game 1977, and The Manhandlers 1974 was responsible for Pataki’s vampire makeup) The living dead Croft is crawling with tarantulas and toads. (think Barbara Steele in Black Sunday).

This is the grave of Caleb Croft (Michael Pataki  178 television & movie credits- from exploitation/thriller/dramas and a slew of horror films-) a known murderer who was accidentally electrocuted to death "” now rising from his tomb in search of fresh blood.

Paul and Leslie don’t have time to celebrate as they climb into the back seat of his car to consummate their engagement when Croft ascends from his coffin and makes his way to the couple's car ripping the car door off its hinges, pulling Paul out, lifting him over his head, and slamming him down onto a massive tombstone, breaking his back. Leslie then witnesses Croft sucking blood from her fiancé's neck. And when she tries to escape, he drags her into a nearby freshly dug grave.

During the gruesome attack, a worse fate is in store for Leslie, as she is dragged into the empty grave and assaulted by the undead fiend who flees before sunrise to find shelter and commit further bloodshed.

Leslie ends up in a hospital. This is where John Hayes begins to disrupt the traditional vampire narrative. Two years before in 1970, Robert Quarry emerged on screen as Count Yorga who terrorized a group of 70s hipsters, and the same year as Grave of the Vampire, Dan Curtis introduced Kolchak: The Night Stalker which also subverted the conventional Gothic vampire tale as a modern-day exploration of the urban threat of vampirism, its historic mythos and its insidious ability to adapt to contemporary rituals. Now the vampire hunting Van Helsing became a shabby reporter in a Searsucker suit and $2 hat, chasing down a twentieth-century boogeyman, and in this film, Caleb Croft is actually a professor at the community college.

Lieutenant Panzer (Ernesto Macias) already suspects that Paul has been slaughtered by a vampire. When he questions Leslie at the hospital, he shows her a series of photographs and when she sets her eyes on the picture of Croft she has a violent reaction. Croft eventually kills Lieutenant Panzer (Ernesto Macias Kiss of the Tarantula 1976), by smashing his head with the lid of the crypt.

The doctor breaks the news to Leslie that she is pregnant. At first, she is happy thinking that she’ll give birth to Paul's baby, but he immediately strongly urges her to have an abortion as what's growing inside her is an otherworldly parasite. "What's growing inside of you isn't alive,"

Though he doesn’t explain his findings. Olga (Lieux Dressler), Leslie’s roommate in the hospital reveals why she doesn’t trust doctors, "My husband died from pills, man! Leslie is confused by her doctor's ambiguous warning. Though he has been her doctor since she was a child she defies his logic. "All those old people in the waiting room, none of them ever got better." Leslie turns her back on conventional medical science. When Leslie refuses his medical advice to abort her pregnancy, she leaves the hospital.

Leslie winds up in an old summer home that belonged to her parents and with Olga’s (Lieux Dressler, Kingdom of the Spiders) help who acts as a midwife, She delivers her baby at home in her bedroom. However, the baby, whom she names James (full name James Eastman), has a sinister secret. He requires human blood for sustenance, and Leslie resorts to drawing her own blood to feed him.

When Leslie quickly realizes "Why is he so gray?" Olga begs Leslie to take him back to the doctor. Leslie refuses and insists on trying to breastfeed the newborn one last time.

In a prophetic moment, as Leslie begins to bring her baby to her breast to feed, reaching toward a bowl of fruit that holds a knife, the blade cuts her finger and the little beads of crimson begin to drop onto the infant’s mouth. It’s at this moment that she realizes the true identity of her son, and who his father is.

Her ashen little boy can only find nourishment through human blood. Its anxious new pink lips suckle, the blood like red milk nourishes its unholy thirst. What upends this scene is the way it subverts the rule of law of motherhood – heightening the disturbing aspect of the thing, blending the grotesqueness of an infant drinking blood, and the simultaneous use of a traditional lullaby. “All the pretty little horses…” Leslie sings to James. I remember this scene vividly.

Some thirty years later, at the time of Leslie’d death, James has grown up to be the brawny James Eastman (William Smith,), who is presumably half vampire and half human enough to exist out in the sunlight but still depends on eating bloody raw steaks. James sits beside his mother’s coffin, he explains to us in voice-over:

James Eastman voiceover] ”My mother found it difficult to tell me that I wasn’t like other children; I could never share a life with whole human beings. I slowly learned that the thing that raped my mother and fathered me was no living feeling man, but a malignant force of cancer that refused to be destroyed. It wasn’t only her blood my mother gave to keep me alive, her youth and her own life was sucked up into the syringe that fed me.

I came to hate Caleb Croft for creating me in his image, and for using my mother as a spawning ground for his evil. I’m determined to destroy him.”

James is tormented having spent his life tracking down his monstrous father. It's been James Eastman's lifelong mission to finally confront his murderous old man, who constantly moves from place to place and has managed to elude him over the years. Caleb Croft who is believed to have been born centuries earlier as Charles Croyden is now calling himself Professor Lockwood, teaching a night class on the occult. James enrolls in one of his classes, being vocal about his suspicions about Lockwood – calling out the subject of vampires. And now father and son’s lives will finally converge

In class, Croft/Lockwood makes a racist remark about a voodoo spell that can kill its victims. Here he demonstrates a bit of ironic misdirection – drawing away his student’s attention from the fact that he is proof that these things are possible in a cruel and supernatural world "Can it really kill? No. Not here with automobiles and electric lights. We could never believe such a thing. But strip away the lights, the automobiles, the antibiotics that keep us one step ahead of death, and we are left with pathetic, frightened little creatures wandering in a cruel and hostile world."

After Prof. Lockwood theorizes that death is ‘beautiful’, James presses him on the subject of vampires, and the legend of Charles Croydon, a 17th-century Englishman who, with his wife, practiced vampirism. James and fellow student Anita (Diane Holden) have read that Charles Croydon and Caleb Croft murderer and rapist, are in fact, the same person. But the bell rings, and it cuts Lockwood off before he can address the question.

In the meantime, Lockwood/Croft has already murdered a prostitute drinking her blood after he slashes her neck with a broken bottle. Next, he seduces one of his female students, "At first you reminded me of my dead wife Sara, but then I went beyond that… Forgive me if I seem to be compelling. That quality is inspired by you." She answers him, "I feel very helpless at this moment."Â "You are free to leave, No tricks. no…’ (re-referencing the racial slur.)

Later that night, Lockwood is in the library searching for a book on Charles Croydon. When the library closes, the librarian unloosens her hair letting it fall on her shoulders, and begins to try and seduce him. She entices him with the knowledge that she was once a photographer’s model. But, when she refuses to let him take the book on Croydon from the library, he becomes enraged, "You were using me!" He grabs her by the throat and kills her.

Later, James and Anita attend a party, where she remarks to him ‘‘I'd swear you were a vampire if I hadn't seen you walking around in the sunlight. You're unobtainable."

By the night’s end, James winds up back at his apartment with another student, Anne (Lynn Peters) who seduces him. After they make love,  he can hardly keep from biting her neck, but he stops himself.

James becomes romantically involved with Anne who happens to remind Croft of his former vampire bride, but it is Anne's flirtatious roommate Anita (Diane Holden) who offers herself up to Croft in exchange for vampirism, but she just ends up another one of his many victims.

When Lockwood comes looking for Anne and wanders into Anita’s apartment, she knows his true identity and asks him to make her one of the undead. "I want you to make me a vampire. Slowly mix my blood with yours until one night while I'm bathing in the light of the full moon, the black magic will take place, and I will come to you as your bride, and serve you for all eternity."

But he denies her hunger for immortality, "The relationship would become a bit stale, don't you think."Â  Then he takes a kitchen knife and slashes her throat. Anne comes home from her night of lovemaking and finds Anita’s body in the shower.

After Anita is found murdered, Anne’s friend notices that she is very calm for someone who found her best friend slaughtered, "God if I found Anita like that, I'd be in a strait-jacket. But here you sit, sweet as cream, ready for tonight's seance."

Anne and James attend a séance hosted by Lockwood who shows up for the séance channeling a bit of Robert Quarry’s Count Yorga, another modern vampire flick that features a groovy séance. Carol Moskowitz (Abbie Henderson) remarks, "You make a groovy medium” and tells Lockwood ”I’m not afraid… I even left my crucifix upstairs!”

Lockwood chooses Anne to be his conduit to the spirit world. He tells everyone to "relax," and begins invoking his dead wife Sara: "Anne is here with us all. Take her, Sara. Your mind in her body, with me through all eternity."

James seizes the moment to summon the recently deceased Anita, channeling her presence into Anne’s body. James seeks to compel Anita to reveal the truth about the way she died at the hands of Croydon/Croft/Lockwood.

Through Anne, Anita speaks, "Professor Lockwood is the vampire," and then Anne faints.

James carries Anne upstairs, and the two make love again. Lockwood faces his students with one of them saying "I think either you're a vampire, or Anne is a marvelous actress and voice impressionist."

Lockwood breaks their neck, while another macho séance guest (Carmen Argenziano) stands bewildered as the bullets from his gun pass right through Lockwood’s body. As he bares his sharp teeth, he slaughters the rest of them, and then finally goes on to confront his son.

It is then that James reveals his true identity – that he's the vampire’s long-lost illegitimate offspring. James and Lockwood begin to have a violent exchange. They follow each other upstairs where Anne passes out again. "Who are you?" Lockwood asks and is destined to find out."I'm your son!… Your son, conceived in a grave!"

When James puts a stake through Lockwood’s heart, he returns to the decrepit fiend that rose up from the grave. "James, what's the matter?" Anne asks. "Get away from me, Anne," he growls in agony. The twist ending… James now has fangs.

In 1972 the gloomy and modern Gothic work was a far cry from the usual Hollywood vampire movie. The whole idea of a vampire knocking up a young woman in a dreadful empty grave, and later giving birth to his waxen offspring with a thirst for blood, is quite unsettling, and this blesses the film with the shocking scenes that would lead to some controversy by way of the critics and audiences alike – that of the mother cutting her own breast or sticking a needle in her arm like a heroin addict, to fill the baby’s bottle with the blood needed to feed her baby boy. Included in this cinematic sacrilege, are the droplets of blood sprinkling onto the infant's lips in close-up.

The low-budget film reportedly made for $50,000 in 11 days. Grave of the Vampire was obviously influenced by the box office success of Count Yorga, Vampire 1970, possessing some of the same still effective crudeness, gritty creepy offbeat realism of many of the early 1970s and the funky California Gothic-dreary atmosphere associated with Yorga and its sequel in 1971.

One of the things that has given Grave of the Vampire some notoriety over the years is that its screenplay was written by a young David Chase, some years before he would become story editor on the classic Kolchak: The Night Stalker series of which he wrote eight episodes for. Chase would go on to become the creator of the iconic culture phenomenon mob drama The Sopranos.

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This is your EverLovin’ Joey sayin’ G! It’s been ghastly! Stay tuned for the Horror of letter H!!!!

Happy Creeping Leaping Halloween! –

Here’s a little treat for your Halloween goodie bag! And check out my interview with Sara, daughter of horror legend Boris Karloff!

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Sure as his name is Boris Karloff… the legend endures: My Chat with Sara Karloff

 

This is your EverLovin’ Joey here at The Last Drive In saying have a safe and Happy Halloween!

Sure as his name is Boris Karloff… the legend endures: My Chat with Sara Karloff

Last October I had the incredible opportunity to reconnect with Sara Karloff at the Chiller Theater Convention here in New Jersey. It's really hard to put into words the feeling you get when you're actually talking to a gracious, elegant, kind, regal, and lovely woman who happens to be the daughter of the man you've worshiped since a young child.

I met Sara the year before at the same nostalgic celebration of classic, cult film, and retro television royalty (The Chiller Theatre Convention) and she invited me to sit with her and talk for a while. At the time, fans were buzzing around trying to get autographs and buying memorabilia with images of her father's influential work in horror pictures, or should I say "˜terror' pictures, as Boris would refer to those kinds of narratives in film.

Boris Karloff will forever be remembered for bringing Mary Shelley's existential monster to life, embodied with pathos and empathy. Karloff is the infinite soul of the monster. His character was my introduction to horror films and to a whole new world where I experienced a sense of belonging. Meeting Sara was the closest I could ever get to my hero Boris Karloff. I truly never imagined I would have the honor of connecting in this way, with the great man who changed my perceptions by opening up my heart to love the mysteries of life and the thrill of being both scared and delighted.

So there I sat with this striking, dignified woman who shared and shares her life with my idol, Boris Karloff, who appear in over 200 films and television programs during his legendary career. He will always be the never-ending expression of a genre that refuses– like Frankenstein’s monster– to die. Part of Karloff’s great legacy is how he brought us all together and gave horror fans a hero.

During the reign of Universal’s claim to what would become the most famous monsters in cinematic history, Karloff elevated the studio’s output with his limitless beauty by interpreting the genre through great instinct and intellect, not just in James Whale’s tragic monster in Frankenstein 1931 but as Imhotep in The Mummy 1932.

A few of my favorite Boris Karloff films are three of Val Lewton’s psychological metaphors of fear where he showed the range of his acting skills. The masterpieces Bedlam, Isle of the Dead, and The Body Snatcher were sparked ‘alive’ by his gentle soul and his ability to dive into authentically sinister roles manifesting truly dark, menacing fiends and yet it was the exact opposite of who he was in real life, a fine English gentleman who possessed grace and kindness.

Boris as Cabman John Gray in Val Lewton’s The Body Snatcher (1945) directed by Robert Wise.

Boris as General Nikolas Pherides in Val Lewton/Mark Robson’s Isle of the Dead (1945)

Some of my favorite performances are the set of three films, The Black Cat 1934, The Raven 1935, and The Invisible Ray 1936, all co-starring Bela Lugosi. These pictures too, showcased Karloff’s ability to elicit chills on a wholly deeper level possessing a true passion and understanding for creating thoughtful scary stories. He could be imposing as the crazed Morgan in The Old Dark House 1932, playing twin brothers Good & Evil in The Black Room 1935, and the tragic pianist framed for murder in The Walking Dead 1936. And I adore his more sympathetic and benevolent characters as well — Before I Hang 1940, The Devil Commands 1941, Corridors of Blood 1958, and The Haunted Strangler 1958.

Boris in James Whale’s The Old Dark House (1932).

Boris and Bela in Ulmer’s The Black Cat (1934).

Boris and Bela in The Raven (1935).

Boris Karloff as John Ellman in Michael Curtiz’s The Walking Dead (1936).

Boris as Dr. Janos Rukh in Lambert Hillyer’s The Invisible Ray (1946).

Boris as Dr. Julian Blair in The Devil Commands (1945) directed by Edward Dmytryk.

Boris as Dr. Bolton in Corridors of Blood (1958).

I've enjoyed his films since I was a girl, and I continually watch everything in his long body of work, as I never tire of seeing his incredible talent, his serious portrayals, and the wonderful light that shines through every performance. He has many layers to his persona, but his class, kindness, and thoughtful embrace of the work that is ever-present. Boris has the unparalleled ability to Immortalize the sinister only to be counterbalanced by his divine power in other roles, to draw out our sympathy. He will always be the eternal paradoxical face of terror and gentility.

Sara and I had the most warm and welcoming conversation over the course of that day, and I had the chance to tell her about my deep and abiding affection for her dad. I was in a sparkling daze, because I felt like I was talking to her father as well, and I believe she enjoyed spending time with me too. Sara Karloff is so gracious and delightful about her devotion to her father’s fans.

One little part of our exchange at Chiller"¦

I told her, “He elevated each film to a higher level because of the quality of his acting, the dimension to his emotional output, his body language and that exquisite voice. A soft and dream like tone that is both calming and poetic.

His legacy is that he brought honor to the genre of horror. He contributed to the world an incredible body of work, and he will be remembered so dearly by so many of his. I wasn't exaggerating when I said I wished he had been my grandfather." She replied, “He would have like that, he would have been my grandfather.” The words shot through me with warmth and the joy of awaking from a wonderful dream. Because she meant it.

I told her, “He exuded such a gentility, that even with his most brutal characterizations in film, you always knew it was the actor of the man. And quite the grand actor he was. I wanted to mention, how much his voice is so unique. He has a depth, and a pathos that no other actor possesses.”

She replied, “You are correct about his voice. It was remarkable. It not only was his British accent, but the way he could soothe you or scare you with his voice. He was indeed a fine actor and a wonderful human being.”

We had a long conversation that day, laughing and talking about contributions he made to dramatic television performances aside from the collection of well-remembered films, from silents to drama, his films were not exclusive to the horror genre. Talking about Boris makes me dewy and teary-eyed, explaining what I think about his great body of work and the legacy he left us as one of the most memorable cultural icons.

Even though he is the recognized face of "˜horror', early on Boris Karloff acted in many different films with varying scenarios and narratives that weren't connected to the classical horror genre. James Whale's Frankenstein for Universal was Boris Karloff's 81st picture. He had done theatre and dramatic films, like Howard Hawks’ The Criminal Code 1930 where his brilliant performance as Galloway had a particularly restrained hostility. As neither a monster nor a bad guy, he created a figure of dark and shadowy apprehension.

He also appeared in the ultra-violent Scarface 1932  for Howard Hawks. Aside from being the host of CBS's Thriller anthology series, where he opened up each episode with his own ominous epilogues for Thriller with his cheeky sense of humor, "Sure as my name is Boris Karloff — this is a thriller!"

Boris’ droll epilogue to Thriller episode Roses Last Summer starring Mary Astor

My favorite performances were his collaborations with Val Lewton. They are psychological in tone and gave Karloff the highly layered characterizations that allowed him to reveal his dynamic versatility surpassing his monster image in the Universal cycle of horror films. Lewton gave Karloff a place to flex his subtlety of the human psyche and how we all struggle with the light and darkness of the soul and he captured that nuance brilliantly. While Universal excelled by manifesting corporeal monsters, Val Lewton played on the monsters of the mind. Here Boris was able to convey these darker complex personalities with depth. Lewton used elements of dark and light within us all, and Boris Karloff was a master at dancing between the shadows of Val Lewton's complex vision.

And that is what he managed to portray within Jack Pierce's makeup for Frankenstein's monster. Beneath the fierce snarling innocent that rose from death and was born into a cruel world, judged by his ugliness and his otherness, Karloff imbued the monster with a sadness that evoked pity. He could transmit that to us, through his eyes and his thoughtful movements.

Since the last time we spoke, Sara and I have maintained a connection and I had the great privilege of continuing our conversation where I got to discuss her iconic father a bit more. If COVID-19 hadn't thrown the world into chaos and changed how we now interact with each other, this month would have been another wonderful celebration- spending the day together regaling Boris Karloff's career and the man himself.

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Sara: Hello

Jo: Hello, Sara?

Sara: Uh-huh

Jo: Hi, it's Jo Gabriel. How are you feeling?

Sara: I'm better, thank you. I'm still recovering but I'm better.

Jo: Yes, you sound a little bit better.

Sara: Yes, I am. I'm listening to your CD.

Jo: You are! And?

Sara: I am enjoying it immensely!

Jo: Oh, that's good! I wanted you to like it.

Sara: Oh, it's marvelous.

Jo: Oh, good!

Sara: It's so relaxing and it's so autumnal (I never can say that word). And it's just like walking through the woods and it's like listening to a brook babble. It's just wonderful.

Jo: Are you feeling up to doing a little talking about your Dad?

Sara: Sure, I'd be glad to.

Jo: Ok, wonderful, because as I said, I'm going to start delving into his career and really doing a very extensive feature on him on my website. And in order to do that it's going to take some time and some research and I really want to do a good job.

Sara: Oh, I'm sure you will.

Jo: Thank you. It's a labor of love and I think it's about time that I do it. And now that we have this connection I thought it would be good to include a little conversation with you about a few things I am curious about.

Sara: Ok, that's fine.

Jo: So, you know, you and I when we were sitting and talking at Chiller, we talked a little bit about how your father loved working with Val Lewton.

Sara: Yes, indeed, he did.

Jo: Yes, Lewton's work is very visual like poetry and I think a lot of the films showcase the depth of your dad's versatility as an actor. His performances in those particular films were extraordinary. Do you want to tell me a little bit again about how he felt working with Lewton?

Sara: Well, I think I can only say what I've read and heard but my father said that working with Val Lewton and his films saved his soul. You know, he had made so many "“ well he made 3 Frankenstein films and then by the time he made the Val Lewton films the quality of the films being offered had really diminished. And he said that working with Val Lewton was such a joy. It was such a pleasure and such a joy because he and Lewton got along so beautifully. They were both well-educated and well-read men. And they enjoyed one another's company. And those scripts were well written and well directed and well shot and well lit. And they were in black and white and they were suspenseful. And he and Val became good friends and my father really enjoyed doing those high-quality films after some of the ones he'd been doing. And they were well-received by the public. They've stood the test of time. My father got to certainly prove his acting skills. He enjoyed working with the other actors, working with good scripts. It just was a joy for my father to make those 3 films.

Jo: Yes I was going to ask about that. I know director Mark Robson and director Robert Wise were both really accomplished directors, but is there one particular film out of the three? I mean, I love Bedlam and thought that was extraordinary. But is there one that he talked about more?

Sara: You know my father didn't talk about his work and he didn't bring it home. But I do know that he was really very very pleased to have that opportunity. But I never heard him state a preference amongst those 3 films.

Jo: Well that's interesting and I'm not surprised that Val Lewton was one of his favorites, favorite body of work to put his stamp on. So the other thing I was wondering "“ I have something written here. It says "Boris Karloff's gentility and grace show through the monster, the Frankenstein's monster. Which is partly why he's so transcendent in that role, because of his embodiment of the monster. And I really think he, the monster, was beloved by your father and beloved by the fans. And he knew when to leave that character with dignity. Can you tell me a bit about his feeling about that role?

Sara: Well, you know, that role made such a pivotal difference in his life both personally and professionally. And he was forever grateful for that difference. And he felt a certain debt of gratitude to that role. He often would in tongue-and-cheek refer to the monster as his best friend. He did say the monster was the best friend any actor could ever have because it made such a huge difference in his life. But, it was his decision to stop playing that role after those 3 films because he felt that the storyline had been developed as far as it could or should be before it fell apart and before the creature became the brunt of bad scripts and bad jokes, as it did. And he just didn't want to be a part of that because he did feel a debt of gratitude. My father was a very gracious human being. A very gentlemanly human being. He was an English gentleman with a very self-effacing sense of humor. He understood and portrayed the creature with a sense of pathos and elicited empathetic reactions from those viewers at that time. And he said that children got it. They understood the creature was the victim and not the perpetrator, and any acts of violence were reactions more than proactive. So, that's the way he played it and that's the way the audience perceived it.

Jo: Yes, and that was my introduction into horror films was feeling that sympathy towards his characterization and feeling empathy and feeling like I was on his side. And he was provoked and he didn't do anything wrong, he didn't even ask to be here. And just feeling that kind of camaraderie with the "other." He evoked that in children and I think we're all grateful to him for that.

Sara: Well, I think that is the reaction that his roles elicited and that was how he intended to play it. And I think that there were times when James Whale wanted a bit harsher performance and my father stuck to his guns.

Jo: Good, good! And he was right. It was good instincts.

Sara: I think it is proven to be so in cinema history.

Jo: Absolutely. He's one of the most iconic figures. I think that's why it's so eternal and it's because he was definitely right. And I think that anybody else who might've played Frankenstein's monster, it would have been a who different ballgame.

Sara: Well, it would've been a different portrayal. And who knows if it would've been better. It would have been different. That's all one can say.

Jo: Ehhh, I don't know if it would've been better but I'm partial [laughs].

Sara: Well, you know it would've been different. [laughs] That's all we can bet on.

Jo: [laughs] Yes, that's for sure. Another thing that we talked about was his involvement with the television anthology show Thriller that he hosted and starred in 6 episodes. And he seemed to love his work on that. And his little introductions like little soliloquies, were so wonderful. Can we talk a little about that?

Sara: Oh, sure! He loved doing that show and he was proud of it. And again they were some of the best writers and actors and directors of the time involved with that show. And it was a fine, fine production. I mean, people like Ida Lupino, I mean you can look at the jackets for each show and recognize the names today"¦

Jo: Yes, John Brahm. They had a host of good writers and actors, and the character actors were wonderful.

Sara: They were indeed. And then as you said, my father's introduction to each was a bit, not really tongue-in-cheek, but he had a good time doing them.

Jo: And you could see that he really did. And you could see in the beginning they were trying to figure out where they wanted the show to go. Whether it was going to be more crime thriller like Alfred Hitchcock or if it should be more supernatural. And I think once your father took over and started doing the hosting I think it really went in the right direction.

Sara: Well it did indeed. And it captured a large piece of the audience, the viewing audience. And gave Hitch a run for his money.

Jo: Oh yes, I know. I had heard there was something where Hitchcock extended his show to an hour to try to compete with Thriller because it was doing these 50 minute episodes that were like little movies. So I heard there was some kind of, I guess, competition between the two. But I thought Thriller was very unique and very self contained and had it's own thing going for it. You know I was reading that Boris worked on something like 80 pictures and stage performances before he landed the role of Frankenstein's monster.

Sara: It was his 81st film.

Jo: Yes, it was his 81st film. That's incredible. And I was reading in particular that he did a lot of work with director Howard Hawks where he worked on The Criminal Code and Scarface. I know he didn't bring home his work or talk about it, but it is fascinating that there's this whole other aspect of him before he played the monster.

Sara: He did a lot of silents, and a lot of serials. He referred to himself as having been an extra 3rd from the left in the 4th row. He was in the business 10 years and nobody knew it. And 20 years, 10 years in British Columbia in theatre and then 10 years in Hollywood. And as he said Frankenstein was his 81st film and nobody saw the first 80.

Jo: [laughs] Right, right. But now they do. Now they go and they revisit a lot of his work, I know I do.

Sara: And they're trying to redo some of his silents and put them back together.

Jo: Oh, that's wonderful.

Sara: Yes, that'll be fun if they're able to do that.

Jo: Yes, that would be wonderful. Last year, the year before this one, when we first met, we had a good laugh about the picture The Raven which your father costarred in with Vincent Price and Basil Rathbone and how they used to play practical jokes on one another. Do you remember the story you told? They were playing tricks on the set and I just don't remember quite all of it"¦

Sara: Well one of the"¦ I can't remember which of the two films it was, Basil was put in a vat and they thrown all sorts of awful things into that vat of water like cigarette butts and I don't remember what else. And then they sat one it when he was in there and wouldn't let him out.

Jo: [laughs] Oh my goodness! So were they always doing things like that?

Sara: Well that's one example, I don't know all of them. A lot of them are lost to history. And I know that Peter Lorre had a tendency to not learn his lines and adlibbed which drove my father crazy.

Jo: Oh, really? Oh that's interesting [laughs].

Sara: And Vincent was much better at handling that than my father. My father was a stickler for himself learning lines and speaking on cue. And Peter, I guess, drove everybody crazy, including Roger Corman, because he didn't learn his lines and he adlibbed a lot.

Jo: Wow, right. You'd think that Roger Corman would encourage adlibbing because he would just go for broke. He'd do anything on the set. And I could see Vincent Price being"¦ he was a bit of a jokester too, so"¦

Sara: Oh yes, all of them where. All of them had a wonderful sense of humor.
Jo: Yeah, they must've had a fantastic time together as an ensemble of actors with each bringing their own thing to the table.

Sara: Oh, indeed and they had such a good time working together because they'd know each other all for years and respected one another professionally, and liked each other personally. And having a chance to spoof their own boogeyman images in these films was a great treat.

Jo: Yes, definitely. Well I have just one more question for you. Beyond being one of the most beloved icons, he's definitely the finest caliber of actor. And I think he transcends the ideology of the horror genre.

Sara: Oh yeah, he did some comedy and he guest stared on an enormous number of television shows of the day. He did some drama. He did a Joseph Conrad with Roddy McDowell and he did all sorts of things.

Jo: Oh yes, I've seen that performance and it was actually an extraordinary performance. Well, one of the things that strikes me about him is that he gives a very emotional and thoughtful contemplation on the human condition. He seems to tap into"”in the most subtle ways"”people's personalities and the inner machinations of people in his performances. And that's probably why the Val Lewton films were so important to him because they were very psychological and suggestive. But this is the question, and I don't know if you can answer it. What do you think your father would want his greatest legacy to be?

Sara: Oh, I can't really answer that. I think that he was a man of integrity and kindness.

Jo: And that's it. That's his legacy. Because that's what seems to remain. I always hear how gentle he was and how gracious he was with the people he worked with. Well, then, putting it this way his legacy definitely lives on through that and through his timeless work. And you travel all over as a curator of his memory. Are there things you hear quite often or most commonly about your father's legacy? Is there one common thing that comes up when you speak to his fans about him?

Sara: Ah, that he was so different than the roles he played. That he was a man of great kindness and gentleness. And how different that was from his roles. And that he had a sense of humor.

Jo: Well, that's what strikes me about him. And I say this to you honestly that when I see him, whenever he comes on the screen, I cry because I feel his gentleness coming through. No matter what he's playing. He could be playing the most nefarious sinister character and yet I know that he's Boris Karloff and I know he's acting and I get into the film. But it makes me cry because I feel like there is such a greatness there. And it comes through. And I mean it that I really wished he was my grandfather [laughs].

Sara: [laughs] Well, he was a lovely man, he really was. He was a lovely human being.

Jo: I wish I could have met him. I mean I feel close to him in a way because we're talking and I see his legacy lives through you. And you keep that alive"¦

Sara: Well, his fans keep it alive. His fans keep his legacy alive. For which I am extremely grateful.,

Jo: Yes, but you keep it alive too. You do a great job of reminding us that he gave us you and"¦

Sara: And he gave us his body of work.

Jo: Yes, he did that too. And I will always love him"¦

Sara: Well, that's wonderful to hear certainly as his daughter.

Jo: I really want to thank you for spending this time talking with me about him. And I think that the fans are absolutely going to love it. And you have my music to keep you company.

Sara: I do indeed. Thank you so much. It's just beautiful, I'm enjoying it immensely.

Jo: Thank you, I love playing piano. That's one of my great passions.

Sara: Well, you can tell from your music.

Jo: Thank you.

Sara: How long have you been playing?

Jo: Since I was 8 years old. For many years I taught myself how to play.

Sara: Did you really?

Jo: Yes, I was going to be trained as a classical pianist and I did have recommendations to Juilliard. But I chose to play my own music and not go the classical route. And I'm happy for that because I play my own work. And I don't think not training hurt me any"¦

Sara: Oh heavens, no. It's beautiful.

Jo: Yes, I wanted to find my own way. And I'm very proud of it.

Sara: Well, I can see why, thank you for sharing it with me.

Jo: Thanks for letting me share it with you. Use it for your healing and I'll be in touch with you. I'll send you the finished piece but we'll speak before that.

Sara: That's great, thank you so very very much.

Jo: You're welcome and thank you for spending time.

This is your EverLovin’ Joey saying Grandpa Boris’ Feature tribute is coming your way!