This week on SVENGOOLIE...

[Western Guy]

I boldly confess that CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF is my favorite lycanthrope movie. I just find the back-story, the origin of the werewolf very intriguing. The film does slow down a bit mid-section but comes back with a rousing, (forgive me) hair-raising climax.

SPOILER ALERT:

Michael Ripper's demise has to be one of the most horrifying ever displayed on film. I mean, put yourself into his completely helpless situation. Gives me a chill each time I think of it.

I like WEREWOLF OF LONDON, too - an interestingly different kind of lycanthrope.

And THE WOLF MAN is in many ways a classic, though the film has soooo many inconsistencies as to drive a serious student of the film into full moon paroxysms.

Again: just my humble opinion.

[intothenitrate]

My notes:

I believe Lon Chaney did insist that he played both parts in the film when he was being humored by interviewers later in life. It's sad that Lugosi didn't have more screen time as the monster. There are glimmers here and there that he had definite ideas about the role. There's kind of a swagger there. I'm not alone in thinking that his role as Ygor in Son-of and Ghost-of were perhaps his best post-Dracula parts. FMtWM could have been a sublime vehicle for him, Ygor's brain having just been popped into old flat-top in the last episode and all. Sigh.

When I watched this film with my sons, they were a little put off by the musical number you mention. I said, "This isn't a wine festival, it's a cheese festival." That got a big laugh.

I'm also always surprised that they didn't try to disguise the fact that the long-shot of the castle/laboratory was a miniature. Surely they could have added smoke, or changed the cranking speed, or cut away quicker to try and "sell" the shot. That always wrecks the mood for me.

And I love the fact that Dwight Frye gets to play the most rational, balanced villager in the town.

Then there's Ilona Massey...and all's forgiven. Yum.

[RedRiver]

A lycanthrope is hospitalized and becomes involved with his caregiver. Oliver Reed stars in the chilling...NURSE OF THE WEREWOLF!

[RedRiver]

Mr. Henry Hull of Louisville! This week on Svengoolie.

[RedRiver]

If you're interested, Count Alucard returns to Eiloognevs tonight!

[moira finnie]

Hey, I don't think I've seen tonight's Svengoolie movie The Raven (1935)...ever! As poor Boris Karloff wonders "Maybe if a man looks ugly, he does ugly things..." it seems that he turns to Bela Lugosi for help (bad move, Boris...when will you ever learn?).

According to the IMDb synopsis "A brilliant surgeon (Bela Lugosi) obsessed with Poe saves the life of a beautiful dancer (Irene Ware) and goes mad when he can't have her." So where does Karloff enter the picture? I guess I'll have to find out. This movie is only an hour, so there is even a chance that I might remain awake for the end. If not, we can see this movie here in a very nice print too. Oh, great! I just noticed that Ian Wolfe is in the cast. I love it when he shows up for one line, but maybe this time he'll actually get a character to play.

This looks like a great detour based on this fan-produced trailer:
[youtube][/youtube]

[RedRiver]

I'm pretty sure I saw this one years ago. I just might return to Svengoolie-land tonight. With all the repeats, I've pretty much drifted away.

[RedRiver]

Svengoolie had a real winner this time! Almost everything about this exciting, creepy, almost expressionistic thriller works beautifully. Great characters, well played by masters of the genre. Karloff is even better than his usual darkly poetic persona. His escaped killer is at once cold, brutal and sympathetic. How? Don't ask me. Just witness a great actor practicing his craft.

Boris goes to Dr. Lugosi, also fine in his role, for a new face in order to evade the authorities. (The chain smoking surgeon from DARK PASSAGE was not on call that dark and stormy night.) Bela gives him a sadly hideous profile; promises to fix it in return for...a favor. Do you really need to know more? This is "non-monster" horror at its finest. Thrilling, disturbing, over before you know it. The opening scene shows driving, car crash, ambulance, hospital in about ten seconds. "Dr. Lugosi! Paging Dr. Lugosi!" As I watched, I thought, "Why, oh why don't they make movies like this anymore?" A modern film would take half an hour to present those events.

I said yesterday I had seen this classic before. If that's true, it must have been a LONG time ago. I didn't remember any of this. If your own experience is similar, do yourself a favor. Watch this movie! You're not likely to see anything like it on today's market.

The doctor will see you now!

[RedRiver]

I should mention this movie has little to do with the Poe story. Lugosi's character is an obsessed fan! This is not the only time Universal cashed in on a known title, attaching it to an original story. Go for it!

[CineMaven]

I haven't seen this in years. Yes, my Sammykins is in it. And I think I'll check it out now. Poor Karloff. Now, where's my popcorn...

[MissGoddess]

this movie really took me by surprise...i thought it was terrific! i agree with all you say, Red...it's a wonderful "non-monster" horror movie and i'm astonished it isn't better known and appreciated. CineMave---i thought of you when I saw your Sammykins being carried down the dungeon steps, lol. this may be my favorite pairing of Bela and Boris, after The Body Snatcher. I'd like to see it again without the Sven-commentary.

[CineMaven]

I watched it on YouTube, Miss G. sans Sven's commentary. What a great movie. Poor Karloff. Duped by Bela. Love Bela. He's as crazy as a loon:

"I like to torture!" And that maniacal laugh. The girl and boy...meh. Hey, this is all about Lugosi & Karloff, isn't it. Karloff even does his Frankenstein monster's growl when he sees the botched facelift and shoots out the mirrors. Pitiable. Lugosi stuck in the room with the closing walls: "BATEMAN!!!" Geez! Great movie.

[RedRiver]

Where on Earth has this movie been? We're classic fans, and WE rarely come across it! I'm so glad others enjoyed the show. This RAVEN should get out of its cage more often!

[RedRiver]

Next week's schedule calls for BRIDES OF DRACULA. I'm guessing this is a Hammer production, though I don't know that for certain.

[RedRiver]

Well, there's still a little freshness in this tired old line-up. The impressively bad KING KONG ESCAPES was on last night. Now I know why I hadn't seen it before! Awkawrd dubbing is the least of this movie's offenses. It has some of the worst special effects I've ever seen. That is, if you can even call them effects. What it is, is people wearing monster costumes! Dinosaurs, robots, and of course, one very well fed monkey! I can't say I even paid much attention to the story. I was thinking about other things. I'm pretty confident I didn't miss much!

Next week is THE INVISIBLE MAN'S REVENGE. This is the one with John Carradine as the scientist, Jon Hall as the subject of his mad experiment. It's not very good, as I recall. But it's not one that turns up all the time either. I don't recall Svengoolie showing it before. If Bette Davis is not on another channel, it's worth a couple of hours on a Saturday night!