Here's a nice two disc set of Karloff and Lugosi films that were released from the 1930s to the 1950s. They have nothing to do with each other than the two stars. The first is a more traditional horror film, the second a mix of horror and science fiction, the third a musical horror comedy and the last a horror comedy. The set is $14.99 on Amazon today and well worth having.
The Walking Dead 1936
The Walking Dead is a 1936 horror film. It's directed by Michael Curtiz and there are a passel of writers attached, Ewart Adamson, Peter Milne, Robert Andrews and Lillie Hayward. The script is fairly good considering there were all those writers. Curtiz is an excellent director and he does a great job here.
Boris is an ex-con who is framed by gang boss Ricardo Cortez. Boris doesn't know who framed him and there are witnesses to his innocence but they hold off coming forward until it's too late. Poor Boris is electrocuted.
He's revived by a scientist, played by Edmund Gwenn, and when Boris wakes he somehow knows who framed him. He goes after the men, asking why they framed him, and they are so freaked out. They have accidents, or in one case a heart attack, and they die. Boris is killed in the last encounter with Ricardo.
Don't worry Ricardo and the last of his gang will get theirs. It's an entertaining film with a mix of science, horror and religion. There's a nice commentary by film historian Greg Mank. He has lots of interesting things to say about the movie and the people who worked on it. He's done several good commentaries for the Universal Horror DVDs.
Frankenstein 1970 1958
Frankenstein 1970 is a 1958 film with Boris Karloff as the last surviving Frankenstein. It's directed by Howard W Koch, the story is by Aubrey Schenck and Charles A Moses, the screenplay is by Richard H Landau.
Frankenstein rents his house out to some TV people to shoot a made for TV movie. He needs funds to buy an atomic reactor so he came bring a cobbled together creature to life. It doesn't go so well for Frankenstein or the creature.
Another entertaining film, not quite as good as the first, but worth seeing. There's an interesting commentary with Charlotte Austin, who was in the film, Bob Burns and film historian Tom Weaver.
You'll Find Out 1940
You'll Find Out is a 1940 Kay Kaiser film. It's mix of horror, comedy and music. Kay is a band leader and him and his orchestra, the Kollege Of Musical Knowledge, appeared regularly on radio in the 30s and 40s. They appeared in several films too. This is one.
You'll Find Out is another film with a pile of writers attached, David Butler, James V Kern, Monte Brice, Andrew Bennison and RTM Scott. Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi and Peter Lorre all star. It's directed by David Butler.
That unholy trio are plotting against a young heiress played by Janis Bellacrest. The orchestra has been hired for a party and seance. They figure out something is going on with laughs and lots of screaming and running about. I enjoyed it a few years ago and all over again. It would only have been better with a nice commentary.
Zombies On Broadway 1945
Zombies On Broadway is a 1945 horror comedy with Bella Lugosi. It's written by Robert Kent and Lawrence Kimble, the director is Gordon M Douglas. Gordon was a long time director and he directed a lot of films I've seen. You might know Them!, Tony Roma, The Great Gildersleeve, Dick Tracy Vs Cueball, In Like Flint, They Call Me Mr Tibbs!, just to mention a few I know.
Some dopey press agents want to get a zombie for the opening of the Zombie Hut, a nightclub owned by a gangster played by Sheldon Leonard. Trouble is, where does a fella find something that doesn't exist.
Lucky for them Bella has a zombie on the Caribbean island of San Sebastian. They plot to get hold of the thing and wind up in a heap of trouble. There's plenty of goofy antics and a bit of singing. Probably the worst of the four movies and it's still entertaining, enough. The two publicity men are played by Wally Brown and Alan Carney, I didn't find them to be that interesting.
I liked the set quite a bit and I'll be happy to watch them all over again. I also like the posters and lobby cards for these old films and glommed onto a number of them from the internet.
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