Reviews (5)

A solid member of the Charlie Chan series
This is a terrific film that shows the quality of the Charlie Chan series. Set in a theatre showing an opera, Chinese private detective Chan and his son solve a baffling murder mystery with plenty of false leads.

The opera being performed was actually written for the film by Oscar Levant and the recording is still available today. One of the main suspects Karloff seems to have wondered in from a Universal horror film, but it does not detract from the overall quality of the film. It is great fun.

It is not possible today to watch Charlie Chan without seeing some racial undertones. It is worth noting that it is an Asian character who is mentally faster and far more polite than his counterparts that solves the mysteries. He never resorts to violence and is calm in all situations. Rather than being racist, perhaps the films were a slap in the face to those who considered whites to be superior. But it must be said some scenes do jar a bit.

The mystery is played fair. All the clues are there. So go and enjoy it.

Karloff Used His Own Singing Voice
Warner Oland played Chan for the thirteenth time and Boris Karloff co-starred in this somewhat overrated film. Music credits were shared with two others by none other than Oscar Levant. Boris Karloff's role was that of an operatic baritone. He actually used his own singing voice. Lee Chan was again played by Keye Luke.

One of the finest in the series
Charlie Chan films are frequently accused of pandering to racial stereotypes. There is a certain truth to this, but Charlie Chan and company were neither more nor less stereotypical than such other popular series as the "Blondie" or "Dr. Kildare" series, and--while we may occasionally roll our eyes at a few 1930s sensibilities--its stereotypes are never mean-spirited and Charlie (along with his various sons) is always presented in a positive light.

CHARLIE CHAN AT THE OPERA is certainly one of the finest--and some argue the single best--of the series for the film was not made as quickly or inexpensively as most in the series. OPERA is given the first class treatment, and producers even went so far as to have Oscar Levant write an opera ("Carnival") for use in the film. The film pits Warner Oland's Chan, played with typical drop-dead aplomb, against none other than Boris Karloff, who plays a mysterious patient escaped from an insane asylum and now haunting an opera house during a stellar performance. Keye Luke appears as Chan's "number one son" Lee, and the supporting cast also includes such notables as Netta Harrigan and the always welcome William Demarest. The story and script are slight, but every one concerned is clearly having a terrific time with the project, and the result is quite a bit of fun. Fans of the series will enjoy it, and it is a recommended introduction to Charlie Chan for newcomers as well.

Boris Karloff makes this the best of the Charlie Chan films
"Charlie Chan at the Opera" is one of the best films in the series starring Warner Oland as the great sleuth, with Keye Luke as his Number One Son. The reason is that the villain this time around is played by Boris Karloff, who plays the great operatic baritone Gravelle. Everyone thinks the singer died in a theater fire, but he survived and ended up as an amnesiac in a mental asylum. One day he sees a newspaper photo of his wife, the soprano Lilli Rochelle (Margaret Irving), and suddenly Gravelle remember that she and her lover, Enrico Barelli (Gregory Gaye), tried to murder him by locking him in his dressing room when they set the place on fire. When Lilli learns her life is in danger, she calls Charlie Chan to save her. During a performance of "Faust" the two lovers are stabbed to death on stage. Is Gravelle the murderer or does Chan have another suspect?

Seeing Karloff dressed up as Mephistopheles is a treat, but what I like best about "Charlie Chan at the Opera" is that the script, by W. Scott Darling and Charles S. Belden, actually makes good use of the opera "Faust." Oland and Luke continue to work well off of each other, but the scenes between Oland and Karloff have a nice spark. This 1937 film was directed by H. Bruce Humberstone, who directed three other films in the series. But this one is the best, even taking into account the inherent racism of these films. Ironically, the following year Karloff made the first of his movies as the other great Chinese detective of cinema James Lee Wong in "Mr. Wong, Detective."

good mystery//great music
This Charlie Chan entry is 1st rate.The racial slurs might offend some people///remember it was made in the 30's//. The original operatic music was composed by Oscar Levant and it is quite good. Boris Karoff is an extra added attraction. The production is excellent and the supporting cast is in top form. This is an enjoyable 30's who done it..Sit back and enjoy this film ... Read more

Reviews (112)

AFI top 100 film, Universal's Frankenstein is#1, now on DVD!
Universal Studios made its indelible mark in Hollywood due to its famous mastering of the Horror movie. In 1931 Universals "Frankenstein" changed the film world forever. Even today it remains a very basic classic horror movie. The American Film Institute (AFI) voted it into the top 100 films in the first 100 years of film (1998).

Universal gathered the movie genius' and embarked on adapting Mary Shelly's novel to the screen. James Whale was chosen as the director and the make-up master Jack Pierce to create the giant Frankenstein Monster (played by Boris Karloff).

NOTE: The movie actually had a opening caution film introduction because of its 1931 unspeakable subject matter. People were genuinely scared, horrified but curious to see this film.

Summary: The mad Dr. Frankenstein (Colin Clive) & his hunchback Assistant Fritz (Dwight Frye) are robbing graves for bodys to construct a man to bring back to life. The Dr. still needs a brain to fullfill his inventory. Fritz steals a brain from the local medical school. Unfortunately the only one available is an abnormal one. The Dr. creates his monster being with the abnormal brain unknowingly. Through lightning storms, electrical shocks and unbelievable special effects brings the Monster to life! Now the horror is unleashed.

This is the first in Universal Studio's "Classic Monster Collection" DVD Series. This collection is the very best of their horror movies completely digitally remastered and uncensored. With lots of special features, photos and narratives. A must have DVD collection of classic Hollywood horror films.

It's Still Alive After All These Years
After repeated attempts of securing a Frankenstein, director James Whale hired a middle-aged character actor named William Henry Pratt (stage name: Boris Karloff) who had previously been limited to cameos, stand-ins, and predominantly small eccentric parts to play Frankenstein's monster. Karloff's restrictive age, massive obscurity, and absence of experience may have emerged as hindrances for this newly discovered personality. However, time and popular opinion has obliterated these fears into long lost paranoid hallucinations.

It is Boris Karloff's indisputably iconic and singularly haunting performance as the child-like brute, misunderstood and despised by all, whose only longing and desire is to be loved and cared for by others that continues to be one of cinema's timeless jewels of acting perfection, dramatic magnitude, and note-fully seamless pathos. Karloff's monster, like Anthony Perkin's Norman Bates or Robert De Norio's Travis Bickle, is one of cinema's fortunate accidents of how the exact casting of just the right perfect someone can unbelievably bolster the film. Karloff's casting as the inevitably sympathetic artificial concoction of a mad scientist with a deity complex turned out to be one of many grandiose happy accidents that has allowed this 70 year-old gothic horror film to continue to be copiously admired, internationally beloved, and enthusiastically cherished up to contemporary times.

Frankenstein retains numerous stellar elements including a magnificently captivating early sound ensemble cast including Edward Van Sloan (Doctor Waldman), Mae Clarke (Elizabeth), Frederick Kerr (Baron Frankenstein), Dwight Frye (Fritz), and the unforgettable Colin Clive, the archetypal mad scientist, (Henry Frankenstein), brilliantly provocative Frankenstein make-up by make-up genius Jack Pierce, manically splendid and cleverly articulated German Expressionistic sets ,that place this tale in an indescribable alternate Grimm Fairy Tale reminiscent landscape, James Whales immeasurably eloquent moral consolidation and inventively multi-faceted interpretation of Mary Shelly's tale, and forever crowned with one of cinema's most cunningly virtuoso and unredeemable bravura performances of inarticulate primal indignation and childish rage ever recorded on film by Karloff as the monster.

However due to it's age and Hollywood production values at the time, Frankenstein is not totally absent of problems: lacking of a musical score to countermarch the film's profuse talkativeness, predictably saddled with pedestrian and extremely dated comedic and romantic sub plots, and weakened by an awfully trite comedic conclusion. Despite these blemishes, Frankenstein consummately embodies the finest narrative qualities of the early Universal monster films, contains the simply greatest incarnation of Frakenstein's monster, and stubbornly remains both in ambiance and creative evocativeness the finest film version of the Mary Shelly story.

Talk about staying power!!!

As for Frankenstein's DVD format, it contains a uncannily pristine Pan and Scan
Standard presentation, intriguing Making-Of Documentary, Film Historian Rudy
Behlmer's audio commentary, original theatrical trailer, and much more.

Universally (pun intended) recommended to anyone interested in film classics,
the Universal Monster films, or films of the 1930's. Followed by James Whales
superior sequel The Bride of Frankenstein (1935).

P.S. Never Give Franky Flower Petals Near a Pond

Excellent
Being born in the 50's and enjoyin the classic Universal Horror Movies in the 60's was a great time for Horror Movies.
The Frankenstien DVD collection is excellent to say the least, especially seeing "House of Frankentstien" again, along with my other favorite, "Son of Frankenstien". It's real nice to see 5 Classic Horror Films on one DVD set. I would highly reccomend this to anyone who remembers the horror movies of the 50's and 60's, and to those who don't? go out and buy this DVD. It puts the new "slice 'em/dice 'em" movies to shame.

It's About Franken' Time!
Look, don't read this, just buy this thing before Universal realizes what they've done! They've opened their rusty old vault doors and let their most prized creations escape into open air! FRANKENSTEIN (dir.James Whale, w/ Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, Boris Karloff, Dwight Frye) is loose! His BRIDE (dir. James Whale again! w/ Colin Clive, Elsa Lanchester, Boris Karloff, Dwight Frye) too! Their hideous SON (Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Basil Rathbone, Lionel Atwill) is also rampaging! If that's not enough, the GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN (Lon Chaney jr., Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill, Sir Cedric Hardwicke) now walks among us as well! Yes, this collection has them all, and tosses in the HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney jr., John Carradine, George Zucco, Lionel Atwill) that long overgrown piece of wretched real estate! Hurry, before Universal slams those creaky doors shut once more! If you're a horror nut like yours truly, then this is a nightmare come true! Highest recommendation...

Its alive! ITS ALIVE
What a great collection. I had Frankenstein and the Bride on VHS but getting them again on DVD was great. I have all three legacy collections. The Bride is the best, Frankenstein is the second best, Son is the third, House is the fourth and Ghost is the fifth. I like all five altough its obvious Ghost and House were made for entertainment. I heard they're working on a third Mummy movie. Wonder if they'll release the original Mummy series in a legacy set? I liked the Mummy movies and Van Helsing and I have to wonder what Stephen Sommers next project could be. The Invisible Man? That would be interesting. With his seris also in a legacy set? For now I'm satisfied though (but I hope that does happen) ... Read more

Amazon.com

Howard Hawks's Scarface was one of the first "talkies" to reclaim the fluidity of the late-silent masterpieces, while also tapping into a feral new energy that came with talking smart and moving smarter on the motion picture screen. Outgunning such contemporaries as Little Caesar and The Public Enemy--in terms of both its ferocious death-dealing and dynamic style--the movie was interfered with by censors and kept out of circulation for decades thanks to its eccentric producer, Howard Hughes. It remains the gold standard among classic gangster pictures. Paul Muni's portrayal of Al Capone surrogate Tony Camonte etched a screen original: a merciless assassin who's not only reflexively criminal but pre-civilized, almost pre-evolutionary, a simian shadow ready to rub out the world if he can't have it for his own. This is still one of the greatest, darkest, most deeply exciting films American cinema has produced. Those demonically ubiquitous X's--starting with that titular scar gouged into Tony's cheek--rival "Rosebud" for resonance. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (14)

The Quintessential Gangster Film of The 30's!
A gritty, fast-paced gangster film that ranks among the best. Made with a purpose in 1932, take into consideration for example the complete title; 'Scarface: The Shame Of A Nation' and the beginning credits that ask you 'what are you going to do about it?', very straightforward but naïveté aside this is one of the best gangster films of all time. Paul Muni delivers a powerful performance, he is a driving force throughout the movie. Muni plays Tony Camonte, a character that is more than 'loosely' based on Al Capone. He easily dominates every scene he's in except one or two scenes that get stolen by Ann Dvorak as his sultry little sister. George Raft is equally impressive as Tony's best friend and partner in crime. Boris Karloff, fresh from the success of 'Frankenstein' just one year earlier, also appears as one of Tony's competitors. Ann Dvorak is excellent as Tony's sultry sister who is also in love (or is it lust?) with Tony's best friend (Raft). Scandalous at the time particularly because of the unhealthy relationship between Tony and his sister. Those hints of incest are still kind of shocking today. Some of the elements were taken from real life like the 'St. Valentine Day Massacre' for example and the name 'Scarface' is directed at Al Capone himself. The ending is a knockout. An intense and brutal gangster drama that's brilliantly directed by Hawks. A remake was attempted in the 80's with Brian DePalma and Al Pacino in the role of Tony Montana, but was much more graphic and violent not to mention overlong. This remains the best of the Scarface films. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film an 8!

Vintage Gangster Film
Howard Hawk's Scarface will always stand as the epitome of the early 1930's gangster film. The early talkie stars Paul Muni as Tony Camonte loosely based on the real life Al Capone. The acting in the film is typical of the time period. Muni goes way over the top in his portrayal( something that DePalma tried to get Pacino to do in the 1983 remake).

There are several performances that stand out in the film. Most notably is that of the coin flipping George Raft as Camonte confidante Guino Rinaldi. The script was written by Ben Hecht who won an academy award even though it gets somewhat preachy in order to satisfy the movie censors.

The action is particularly well filmed even with the technical limitations of the day. Note the shootouts and car chases. Another interesting plot device is the placing of X's throughout the film when something bad is about to happen.

This film was long unavailable on DVD but can now be found in that format as part of the Scarface Deluxe Gift Set. I'm hoping that the film will be remastered and released on its own with some additional bonus material. For now the only additional material that is available on the disc is an alternate ending Hawks shoot to get the film past the Film Review Board which has a captured Camonte led off to face trial and execution for his crimes ( a sort of crime doesn't pay message that the censors insisted on).

Do yourself a favor and see Scarface as it was meant to be. This important film is in many ways superior to the 1983 remake but does stand as a bookend to that piece. Get out and see this great piece of gangster history.

LOOK OUT I'M GONNA SPIT!!!!!
i find it amazing to think of all of those scarface fans out there that haven't heard of or haven't seen the original. i know it's hard to get but if you can track it down watch this movie you will be glad you did.seeing the 1983 version first, the 1932 version seems condensed but it carries the same weight and the same great storyline.it is a film that definitely stands out from other films of that time period and a film that needs to be respected because it IS the original and it spawned the greatest movie of all time. A MUST SEE!!

Shame of the Nation
Scarface. No, not the one with Al Pacino. This is the one from 1932. And it happens to be one of the most potent crime films ever made, as well as one of the most pioneering -- and most undervalued. As the gangster craze swept Hollywood, Howard Hawks, one of the most ground breaking yet unheralded directors in the history of film, forged Scarface in 1930, but because of its commitment to realism (that means lot's of killing), it was delayed for two years by the Production Code of Ethics. When it was finally released, the damage was done: it bombed, and this awesome, scary film would ultimately fall into obscurity. Amazing. The script was based on the 1930 novel by Armitage Trail, which was ultimately inspired by the exploits of Chicago's crimelord, the one and only Al Capone. Sadly, little of the original novel was kept except for the title. However, it must be said that the Big Man loved the film. Paul Muni plays the title role to perfection. His very presense is a threat.

Tony Camonte (Muni) is brutal, arrogant, stupid, and, dare I say, ape-like. He is a killer who revels in gaudy clothes and fast cars. But Tony is also insanely jealous of his slinky sister (Ann Dvorak), to the point where his feelings toward her are obliquely incestuous. Sick of working for middle level gangsters, Tony sets out to make a name for himself written in the (unseen!) blood of his enemies (including rival gangster, Boris Karloff!). Tony's boss Johnny Lovo (Osgood Perkins) not only has the power that Tony desires....but also the woman he wants, Poppy (Karen Morley). Among the film's inventiveness, a visual X motif appears throughout to signal that a murder is imminent. The X symbol takes such prolific forms as shadows, gown straps, wooden cross-beams, a facial scar, and a strike symbol on a bowling score sheet. Awesome. Indeed, the film works on the subconscious mind, rather than throwing the violence in your face. This was taken to a new level by Hitchcock......but it all began here. The original Scarface. Now, the 1983 remake by Brian De Palma has its own value: Al Pacino's Tony Montana became the modern, archetypal crime boss; but the film is way too long, with many scenes bordering on campy. In the end, one can only hope the original Scarface get's the DVD treatment it deserves.

X
Paul Muni the greatest character actor of all time. Paul never liked film acting, he loved the stage. His short Hollywood career was an unhappy one longing for his love for the stage. Also see Paul Muni as another tough gangster out for revenge in Angel On My Shoulder! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Edgar Ulmer's baroque masterpiece is the pinnacle of expressionism of Hollywood, a beautiful melding of gothic antiquity and modernity in the shadow of World War I. Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff square off in theirfinest film together as decades-old nemeses who meet for a fateful showdown on the very battlefield where Karloff's devilish dark priest sacrificed his own army and framed Lugosi's good doctor for the crime. Karloff plays the most evil character of his career, a mesmerizingly demonic architect (inspired by the notorious real-life Satanist Aleister Crowley) who stole Lugosi's wife and daughter and built his shrinelike home, a stunning piece of Bauhaus-inspired glass and steel architecture, on the graves of his victims. His intensity and hypnotic understatement is a revelation, a genuine monster in human guise far more insidious and evil than the creatures of Universal's more famous horror classics. Lugosi delivers his finest performance ever as a Van Helsing-like hero whose simmering hatred and rage finally boils over into madness and sadistic revenge. A pair of silly American honeymooners become but two more pawns in their game of vengeance. John Mescall, who shot the gorgeous Bride of Frankenstein, beautifully delivers eerie unease and sinister imagery, from the Caligari-like black church of slanting beams and slashing shadows to the tomb of glass-lined caskets displaying victims held in suspended animation. One of the finest horror films to emerge from Universal's golden age of horror. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (26)

A Great Psychological Thriller
Bella Lugosi and Boris Karloff team up into the psychological thriller "The Black Cat." Bela lugos plays a mysterious character named Dr. Vitus Verdegast, who has an interesting past. David Manners and Julie Bishop play a young couple on their way to a nice vacation. When these three passengers on a bus get into a accident. The three are led to the friend of Dr. Verdegast, Hjalmar Poelzig who is played by Boris Karloff. A bitter hatred is discovered between these to once friends. Hjalmar is discovered to be a priest in a satanic cult who has evil plans for his new guests. The atmosphere of the movie is a mix of classic horror and Art Deco. It's held to this atmosphere with terrific lighting and great sets. The mansion was filled with sharp edges and rounded circular objects. Also a spiral-staircase to the dungeon like rooms below was installed to give it homage to classic horror. Costumes were also very well done giving Mr. Poelzig a very intriguing look of mystery. This dialog was most important and well done to incite fear and suspense in to the film. Lugosi does a great job showing the unusual psyche of his characters fear of cats and his scheming mind. Karloff's character was well portrayed as an evil satanic priest who kills without a thought of even ones he loves. Overall the movie is a great psychological thriller that is very intriguing and pokes at your thoughts.

Even Ailurophobes Should See The Black Cat
Honeymooners Peter and Joan Alison (David Manners, Jacqueline Wells) get involved in a deadly contest between architect, devil worshiper, and talented organist Hjalmar Poelzig (Boris Karloff) and psychiatrist, former POW, and talented knife thrower--or was that just luck?--Dr. Vitus Werdegast (Bela Lugosi).

While Karloff and Lugosi are superb in playing their roles, it's the main setting that is the highlight of the film: Poelzig's home. Built on the site of a World War I battleground, this fort-turned-domicile is an austere, high-tech monument to Bauhaus architecture and interior design.

Adding culture to the horror is a classical music sound track that includes Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A Major; Schumann's Quintet in E Flat Major; Liszt's Sonata in B Minor; Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet; Schubert's Symphony No. 8 in B Minor Unfinished; Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor; and Bach's Adagio from Toccata, Adagio, and Fugue in C Major, BWV 564.

The Black Cat does have its flaws. There are set problems: Poelzig's servant can't latch the front door. Not to be outdone, Werdegast's servant falls against a flimsy concrete wall. There are plot problems: How did Werdegast manage to become "one of Hungary's greatest psychiatrists" if he tells us "for 15 years I've rotted in the darkness" as a prisoner of war? How did "one of Austria's greatest architects" manage to include a "red switch" in the construction of his home? How did the bus driver manage to become one of the cultists?--or am I seeing things? Whatever the film lacks in credibility it more than compensates for with a remarkable synthesis of aesthetics and depravity, presented entirely in glorious black and white.

The eeriest scene is that of high priest Poelzig's convening with his fellow satanists and performing the rites of Lucifer in Latin. If devil worship doesn't appeal to you, then perhaps you'll enjoy the necrophilia, borderline incest, torture, and murder--I know I did.

universal, put this on dvd!
where is that little area where we can vote for this film to be put on dvd?
they've dug into their vaults and released such dumb titles as 'house of frankenstein' but havent released this art deco masterpeice! come on!
karloff and lugosi's best teaming!

Masterpiece of the Macabre
A story that finds a recently-released WW I prisoner of war, Dr. Vitus Werdegast, travelling by train to the eerie mountain-top home of his former commanding officer, Hjalmar Poelzig, who betrayed Werdegast and his comrades to the enemy army, subsequently marrying Werdegast's wife (whom he told died during the war) and, after killing her and preserving her body, marries Werdegast's daughter as well. Sworn on revenge, Werdegast brings fellow travellers Mr. and Mrs. Alison to Poelzig's home, a Caligariesque fortress which Poelzig designed, as he happens to be an architect when he's not too busy running his Satanic Cult from the depths of his house. The house, it seems, was built upon the ruins of the WW I fort Poelzig had commanded during the last years of the war, the very spot where tens of thousands of Poelzig's own men were murdered or taken prisoner of war thanks to his betrayal of them...

It is against this background that the two men, Poelzig and Werdegast, play out a living chess game against one another, using the young Mr. & Mrs. Alison as the stakes for a macabre ritual played out between the betrayer and the betrayed.

One of the very best of the Universal horror films,even though it can properly be regarded as *not* being what one would think of as a "horror film," this one is a must for any deep-thinking person who desires to understand the potential for extreme darkness the human soul can be capable of.

Disappointing resolution
A pair of young American newlyweds (David Manners and Julie Bishop) become involved in the face-off between the devil-worshipping architect Poelzig (Boris Karloff) and Werdegast (Bela Lugosi), the man he destroyed years before, who has returned for his vengeance. The style of the film is operatic, with big exaggerated performances, a swelling score derived from classical tunes, and magnificent, brooding set design. Director Edgar Ulmer does a wonderful job of building an atmosphere of sinister dread that makes the early part of the film utterly fascinating.

However, once Poelzig reveals his true nature and intent to the young couple, the film abruptly runs out of steam. The masterful build-up is resolved by a lot of frantic running from room to room, capped off by the obligatory and ludicrous explosion at the end. Is this due to the studio hacks that supposedly recut Ulmer's film? It would be nice if a restored version could be released on DVD some day. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Fiendish fun
The Mask of Fu Manchu easily could have served as inspiration for Raiders of the Lost Ark. Archaeologists dash to retrieve a relic to save Western Civilization from the diabolic Dr. Fu Manchu. There's feats of derring-do. Scenes of despicable torture and heroic bravery.

What makes this movie so much fun is that in "Raiders" you know Dr. Jones will win. Nazis are mere obstacles in his path to run over.

But in this movie, Boris Karloff's performance as the insidious Dr. Fu Manchu makes the Nazis seem like mere shadows of a threat compared to his evil genius. His Fu Manchu is a villain you not only fear, but respect.

Myrna Loy as his daughter is wickedly good. While the sparks put off by Fu Manchu's diabolical invention are impressive special effects, they are nothing in comparison to the sparks emitted by a young, scantily clad Myrna Loy.

Karloff amazes
If you are a Karloff fan, you must see this movie. What a role - a rich Asian sadist! Myrna Loy is also quite impressive. I think the best part of this movie (other than Karloff's acting, and his make-up job - wow!) are the sets. There are different torture rooms for different characters. I've never read any of the Fu Manchu books, so I can't comment about that. But Karloff's portrayal is pure evil and pure genius!

BEST MOBIE EVER MADE!!!!
this is the ebsat movie ever PERIOD! **MANCHU'S PICKS** # 1, this is a must get as you all kno this is my grandpa and he is one of the geraytest actors that ever looiked into a camrera, this is about his many faces and mask and stuff, obut dont listen to me get it, A MUST!

Love this piece of exotica!
"The Mask of Fu Manchu" would have to be one of the unfairly maligned cinema efforts of the 30's. Myrna Loy in her great autobiography while referring to it as pure hokum also had the good sense (something you would expect from Nora Charles!!) to point out how alot of effort went into the production and it was peopled by wonderful actors ideally cast.

I have always loved the sheer exotica of this film and the lavish production and look of the piece will keep you entranced from start to finish.

Towering over all is Boris Karloff as the nefarious Dr. Fu Manchu... everyones favourite villian. It was a role Boris was born to play and he employs the right combination of sheer evil, cruelty and even wry humour to bring the part the right conviction. Karloff was a fine actor who too often was trapped in poor material in his Hollywood years. He does have a role of a life time here in Fu Manchu and, despite loving Christopher Lee is his interpretation of the evil doctor, I feel he has never been equalled in this role .

Special mention must also be made of Myrna Loy as Fu's "ugly daughter!" She is terrific in the role of the evil daughter who has designs on the young white explorer Charles Stratton. Only one year off real stardom in "The Barbarian" with Ramon Novarro and "The Thin Man" of course with William Powell, here she is playing the last of her exotic roles before she became in the next evolution of her illustrious film career the "perfect wife" ( a title she hated). She is pure evil here and is quite startling in the controversial whipping sequence which was cut out of many prints for years . Lewis Stone lends his always excellent support as the head of the expedition to the Gobi desert in search of the fabled tomb of Genghis Khan.

Full attention was lavished on the look of the film from the exotic art deco/Chinese palace interiors by Cedric Gibbons to the out of this world creations by Adrian for Karloff and Loy which will take your breath away. The film has the definite MGM feel to it so you know great care was taken in every area in mounting this production.

All of the evils associated with the "good doctor" are here to be relished by the viewer.Pits of hungry crocodiles, bell tortures, the "room of a thousand fingers" which is in reality a wall of spikes and assorted creepy crawlies in glass jars. Totally engrossing stuff!!!. No one need ever take this film seriously but it is terrific fun and as a lover of films of the 30's I can't help but admire the work that went into it.
One note though, it appears that the film was edited for release onto video as I always feel that Myrna Loy's character seems to simply disappear before the finale and no explanation is ever given. The jacket cover mentions that someone betrays Fu Manchu to help release the men but that doesn't occur in the version on video. Just a little mystery that needs to be cleared up.

Enjoy "The Mask of Fu Manchu" As a piece of first class froth it has no equals

enjoyable camp
Ah yes, Boris Karloff as an Oriental nutcase in search of the mystical mask of Genghis Khan. His daughter is "Fah-Lo-See," (love the pun) played by then vamp, later to be Nora Charles, Myrna Loy. The movie is great fun, and of course the bad guys get their comeuppance in the end. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

The Best of Danny Kaye's work!
I have seen The Secret Life of Walter Mitty once, but that was all it took for me to love it. The girl he played opposite was fantastic, and had worked with him before in various other movies. Kaye's character in this movie had some pretty wild day-dreams, and sometimes those day dreams got him into trouble. When the girl of those dreams came into his real world, it was funny to watch how he dealt with it. Kaye's talent for singing, and the bar scene in which he played the pilot and pretended to be his old high school teacher, I thought it was the best part of the movie. Any one can love the way that Kaye loves and sometimes loses, and the way he handles it. He was the best actor/singer Hollywood ever had (and needs more like him!!!!), and this is certainly his best movie.

A fun movie!
Walter Mitty (played by Danny Kaye) is an inveterate daydreamer - henpecked by his mother, unregarded by his fiancé, and abused by his boss. But, when a man is murdered in his presence, Walter soon finds himself protecting a beautiful woman and running from a group of ruthless hoodlums, and nobody believes that this isn't just another daydream. Now, all that Walter has to do is hold onto his sanity and save that girl! [Color, released in 1947, with a running time of 1 hour, 50 minutes.]

This is a fun movie! Any Danny Kaye (1913-87) movie is worth seeing, and this one is doubly so. It has Danny's great hijinks and his wonderful off kilter singing. I liked the storyline and all of the antics, and the fact that the whole family could sit down and laugh along to this great comedy. If you like good comedy, and want something family-friendly, then you can't do better than this movie - buy it!

What A Great Movie
I happen to have gotten a copy of this movie which is the same editino pictured. I love Walter mitty and don't see why it isn't on DVD. Even though HBO did put it on DVD it was only on the market for 6 months than it was off the market. And now you have to pay a whomping fee just to get a DVD of it. The lowest price I have seen ws $215.00 Which is an outrage. This is a hilarious comedy with Danny Kaye.

One of Danny Kaye's Most Successful Pictures Ever!
Wow! What a movie! If you like Danny Kaye, then without a doubt you'll enjoy this classic Kaye film. In addition to Danny's normal good humor and hilarious puns, you'll enjoy suspense as Walter Mitty (played by Danny Kaye) has experiences (or are they just daydreams????) that bring the movie to life. Danny Kaye uses his great talent as an actor as he plays various parts in his short, but comical daydreams. His "real" life is just as funny as he constantly does unusual and absent-minded little things that make his friends and family wonder...You'll love it.

Full array of talents
Probably one of Danny kayes best known movies, and never seems to lose it's charm. A very thin story line is beautifully padded by the multiple personalities played out in the daydreams of our erstwhile anti-hero. A wonderful cameo from Boris Karloff adds to the comic excitement of a fast paced story, and Kaye delivers brilliantly with impeccable timing during each sub plot. Almost a multiple picture in picture movie, the ending really holds no suprises, but gently jogs the viewer along, without some of the kitch so prevalent in other movies of the era. Danny Kaye really was a comic genius, and in some ways the picture reflects his own life which was widely believed to be that of a painfully shy and reserved man. A great family film, my daughters aged 12 and 14 actually stayed glued to the film throughout, proving that "old fashioned" homely family films can stand the test of time with contemporary audiences. A worthy addition to any collection. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Boris Karloff glows and sizzles.
Universal Studios took time off from Frankenstein flicks and vampires long enough to produce this early sci-fi thriller. Dr. Janos Rukh (Karloff) theorizes that a meteor of the nebula Andromeda crashed into the Earth eons ago. After finding the meteor in Africa, Rukh suffers a fiendish transformation caused by contact with Radium X, a powerful element from outer space. His body glowing with eerie special effects, and his mind frazzled by chemical poisons, Rukh sets out to destroy his enemies. His very touch is deadly. He is a grim angel of death in a slouch hat and a dark coat. He leaves day-glow handprints on his victims. He uses his ray gun (powered by Radium X) to melt a statue at a nearby church after each murder. The complicated plot goes off in all directions, but holds the interest. Karloff and Lugosi collaborated on many films, and this is one of their best. Bela's three-dimensional portrayal of a brilliant but ambitious scientist blends the light and dark of the human soul. He develops a counter-active drug for Rukh but warns him it is not a cure, only a temporary measure to ease the symptoms. He warns that failure to administer the drug carefully will cause Rukh to crumble to ash. Lugosi's slicked-back hair and pointed goatee makes him appear especially demonic, even as he heals children. Viewers that recall Bela starring in an endless string of low-budget turkeys, looking old and tired, will appreciate him in his prime. Karloff's frizzy hair symbolizes the scrambled brains of his character. His trademark scowl hi-lighted by his tortured eyes effectively round out his portrayal. Classic horror fun for kids of all ages. ;-)

From the past
This is my favorite Boris Karloff - Bela Lugosi movie. Rukh (Karloff) learns to capture and project light rays from the past, not bad effects for 1936. He proves to Benet (Lugosi) that radium-x, 1000 times more powerful than uranium, is in Africa from a meteor that crash there years ago. Going to Africa, Rukh becomes poisoned by radium-x and everything he touches dies. Benet discovers an antidote but not a cure and eventually Rukh becomes a killer out for revenge, believing Benet and the party that went to Africa has stolen his discovery.

I hope Universal will put this one on DVD.

Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi discover deadly Radium X!
In this 1936 film Boris Karloff plays Dr. Janos Rukh, who proves that a meteorite landed in Africa centuries ago that contains an unknown but powerful element. Dr. Benet (Bela Lugosi) agrees to an expedition to find the element. But when Rukh locates Radium X he suffers radiation contamination that means whoever he touches dies. Dr. Benet creates an antidote that can provide temporary relief, but Rukh is convinced Benet and the others have stolen his great discovery and he seeks revenge. Certainly this is not as good a Karloff-Lugosi film as "The Black Cat," but "The Invisible Ray" does deserve to be remembered as an early science-fiction film. The plot of the earnest scientist whose great discovery ends up threatening humanity is old hat now, but it was relatively new back in 1936. One person in the crew who deserves to be singled out is John P. Fulton, whose special effects are first-rate for the time, especially the bit about the Andromeda nebula. Director Lambert Hillyer, who made "Dracula's Daughter" later that same year, was primarily a director of westerns.

Boris and Bela in Good Form
Though it doesn't reach the heights of "The Black Cat" (1934), the underrated "Invisible Ray" (1936) remains an intriguing Karloff-Lugosi vehicle with its offbeat mixture of horror and sci-fi elements. For both actors, it's a definite change of pace. Boris chews the scenery as the radiation-poisoned scientist, while Bela effectively underplays his part as the sympathetic colleague. In retrospect, the film might have been stronger if Karloff and Lugosi had switched roles. Still, "The Invisible Ray" survives as a memorable chiller and John Fulton's special effects are excellent.

Little seen Karloff/Lugosi team-up is fun classic
Part sci-fi, part standard mad doctor on murderous rampage, this is nevertheless a must-see for golden age horror buffs. The story of Karloff discovering Radium X and how it turns him into a glowing killer is pretty dated. You'll cringe at some of the "science". But the fast pacing, sets and characterizations make this decent fun. Karloff is pretty hammy, and Bela surprisingly not (usually it's the reverse). View this in the context of its time and with the spirit of a Universal horror fan, and The Invisible Ray will give you a pretty electric feeling! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

It appeared, at the end of the epochal 1931 horror movie Frankenstein, that the monster had perished in a burning windmill. But that was before the runaway success of the movie dictated a sequel. In Bride of Frankenstein, we see that the monster (once again played by Boris Karloff) survived the conflagration, as did his half-mad creator (Colin Clive). This remarkable sequel, universally considered superior to the original, reunites other key players from the first film: director James Whale (whose life would later be chronicled in Gods and Monsters) and, of course, the inimitable Dwight Frye, as Frankenstein's bent-over assistant. Whale brought campy humor to the project, yet Bride is also somehow haunting, due in part to Karloff's nuanced performance. The monster, on the loose in the European countryside, learns to talk, and his encounter with a blind hermit is both comic and touching. (The episode was later spoofed in Mel Brooks's Young Frankenstein.) A prologue depicts the author of Frankenstein, Mary Shelley, being urged to produce a sequel by her husband Percy and Lord Byron. She's played by Elsa Lanchester, who reappears in the climactic scene as the man-made bride of the monster. Her lightning-bolt hair and reptilian movements put her into the horror-movie pantheon, despite being onscreen for only a few moments. But in many ways the film is stolen by Ernest Thesiger, as the fey Dr. Pretorious, who toasts the darker possibilities of science: "To a new world of gods and monsters!" Absolutely. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (90)

A Classic Horror Sequel That Outdoes the Original
Even after nearly 70 years, few horror movies match the perfect juxtaposition of spooky ambiance and morbid hilarity that can be found in James Whale's THE BRIDE OF FRANEKENSTEIN. Superior to the first film--though that one is also a masterpiece--Whale's direction is brilliant throughout. Especially interesting is the scene where the "Bride" is created: The use of harsh lighting, odd camera angles, and abrupt cutaways creates an eerie and uncomfortable feeling that heightens the horror of the event depicted, and while watching it all unfold seamlessly, it easy to see why the film is considered the archetype for all mad-scientist horror flicks.

The acting is also quite superb. Ernest Thesiger (Doctor Pretorious) and Elsa Lanchester (The "Bride") both deliver wonderfully quirky over-the-top performances, but they don't upstage Karloff, who still imparts his portrayal of the monster with the same ambivalent mixture of pathos and loathing that helped make the first film so memorable. The performances alone make this film worth watching (again and again!), but add to it the gothic sets, the fine direction, and the outrageous mixture of horror and comedy, and you have a classic horror flick that has yet to be beaten.

Whale's best film, by far!

THIRTIES GEM
This caricature by some very knowing people is a macabre comedy classic....i.e., The Monster (Boris Karloff) is the only sympathetic character! James Whale, who had a good gothic sense of humour, directed, with Elsa Lanchester as Mary Shelley in the prologue, and then as the Bride. For many of us, the scene where she says "Eeeek!" in repulsion when she first sees her intended was so satisfyingly silly that she won our hearts forever! Inimitable Thesiger plays the weird doctor who convinces Frankenstein into making a mate for his monster. One of the silver screen's most fondly regarded horror stories, this excellent sequel to the 1931 FRANKENSTEIN offers an excellent blend of black humour and thrills, with all concerned in top form. Lanchester excels in her playing of the bride; she's also seen in the prologue as author Mary Shelley! The pastoral interlude with the blind hermit and the final, riotous creation scene are among the highlights of this truly classic film of which the lighting, photography, sets and direction could hardly be better.

Universal's definitive Frankenstein motion picture
Rarely is a sequel, particularly a horror sequel, better than its predecessor, but Bride of Frankenstein (1935) easily replaced the 1931 original classic as the definitive Universal Frankenstein movie. Director James Whale did not want to do another Frankenstein movie for the most admirable of reasons, and largely because of his feelings on the matter he brought to a life a sequel that sought perfection in every discernible way and provided a much deeper and more poignant look at the monster of Frankenstein's creation - the comedic exploitation of the monster did not begin on his watch. The addition of a full-scale musical score added depth and its own emotional layers to the drama, Karloff brought amazing pathos and humanity to the creature, and Elsa Lanchester, in a few short minutes, gave the world one of the truly eternal horror images and icons in the form of the Bride of Frankenstein's Monster (which is what the film should have been called).

Most of the principal cast members of the original Frankenstein movie reprise their roles here, including Colin Clive as Frankenstein and the inimitable Boris Karloff as the monster. Mae Clarke, however, was unavailable for health reasons, and a seventeen-year-old Valerie Hobson took on the role of Elizabeth, Frankenstein's fiancée. This is a noticeable change, as Hobson played Elizabeth in a strikingly different manner. As you may have guessed, Frankenstein's monster did not actually die in the big fire that ended the first motion picture. The windmill was built over a cistern (more like a great big underground pond, if you ask me), and the monster escapes the conflagration, not before killing a couple of people and scaring Minnie, this film's version of interminable comic relief, half to death. Dr. Frankenstein, for his part, also survives (although we already knew this thanks to the last-minute concluding scene of the first movie). He regrets his foolish attempts to play God, even though he still speaks with a mad zeal about the dreams he pursued so dangerously. Enter Dr. Praetorius (Ernest Thesiger), a former professor of Frankenstein's and the kind of evil genius our reformed young doctor should have become. Praetorius has been doing his own God-like experiments and now seeks to join his knowledge with that of Frankenstein to make not a man, but a woman. In the film's only borderline ridiculous moments, we see the products of Praetorius' work - the film work and special effects are brilliantly done, but the whole idea is just laughably silly. Still, you can't help liking old Praetorius because he is everything a mad scientist should be. Frankenstein has now become - well, (...) a cowardly man who seems incapable of acting on his own accord. Luckily, Dr. Praetorius knows how to deal with a man such as Frankenstein, and he eventually succeeds in getting the good doctor back in the lab for one final experiment.

As for Frankenstein's monster, we finally get to see the humanity of the character emerge. Seeking friendship, he is met only with fear, screams, and malice. He does manage to find a friend in the countryside, however - the sound of violin music takes him to the home of a blind hermit. In one of the most touching scenes in cinema history, the blind man takes the monster in, thanks God for finally sending him a friend to assuage his loneliness, and shines the full light of humanity, all too briefly, on the lonely creature. Naturally, this time of happiness does not last long, but the monster does develop the ability to speak before he is separated forever from his friend. He ends up crossing paths with Dr. Praetorius, who quickly sells him on the idea of a mate, setting the stage for another pyrotechnic creation scene that gives us the unforgettable Bride of Frankenstein.

The cinematography, musical score, and basically everything else are well-nigh perfect in this film; despite the ridiculous editing demands of the censors, Bride of Frankenstein achieves the pinnacle of monster movie success. Still, it bothers me that these films have defined Frankenstein's monster as a creature much different than the literary monster of Mary Shelley's creation. The first film completely stood Shelley's story on its head, missing the point entirely. How ironic it is for Bride of Frankenstein to feature a prologue featuring the character of Mary Shelley herself, in company with her companion Percy Bysse Shelley and the flamboyant Lord Byron, explaining the meaning of her work and then introducing yet another bastardization of the real Mary Shelley's literary masterpiece. The original monster, as envisioned by Shelley, was not the creature at all; it was Dr. Frankenstein, not so much because he played God but because he abandoned his monstrous creation and left him alone to fend for himself. Bride of Frankenstein rights some of this wrong by showing the depth of humanity in the monster, but it cannot undo the wrongs already done the character. In the context of the cinema, he will forever be a "monster," a shadow of his true literary self, forced to suffer at the hands of man while the true villain of the story fails to even attempt to redeem himself or to suffer the harsh yet noble fate that he so rightfully earned in Shelley's original story.

A Alltime Classic
theres 1 thing i dont like and its the title
The Bride of Frankenstein.... but it aint hte bride of frankenstein because frankenstein is suppose to be the scientist or whatever u call him
if the title was
The Bride of Frankenstein's Monster then it'd tell the whole thing on what its about

But still its 1 of my fav horror films of all time!

James Whale's new world of gods and monsters
From a cultural standpoint the 1931 Universal film version of "Frankenstein" that introduced Boris Karloff as the Monster is an important film because it ended up replacing Mary Shelley's novel in the popular consciousness. The great sin by the novel's Dr. Frankenstein was not the creation of the creature but abandoning it once it was alive, but in James Whales' film it is clearly the act of creation that is the abomination. This idea ends up being quite ironic given that the authoress herself appears in the prologue to the 1935 sequel, "The Bride of Frankenstein," which is actually the better film.

Mary Shelley (Elsa Lanchester), Percy Shelley (Douglas Walton), and Lord Byron (Gavin Gordon) are sitting around on a dark and stormy night and having apparently narrated the events of the first film, Mary tells her audience that the collapse of the windmill was not the end of the story and that both Dr. Frankenstein and the monster have both survived. The doctor has learned the error of his ways and wants to stop tampering with the forces of life, but his wife, Elizabeth (Valerie Hobson) is kidnapped by Dr. Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger), an even madder mad scientist if ever there was one. Alone Frankenstein created a man; together they will create a mate for the monster, a bride (also played by Lanchester in an unforgettable performance that owes much to the traditions of German expressionist film).

The sequel is a better film mainly because the production is much more polished and Colin Clive has come back from the edge in terms of both his character and his performance. However, while the film works perfectly well on its own it has been reinterpreted in light of Whale's homosexuality, which became part of the cultural landscape with the 1998 biopic "Gods and Monsters." Critics like Gary Morris are not alone in now seeing "Bride of Frankenstein" as a bold gay parable, especially given that Thesiger was also openly gay in the Hollywood of the 1930s and that his performance is pure high camp. However, you can enjoy the film perfectly without working out the idea that the monster and his bride have a pair of male parents.

It is important to see both of Whales' "Frankenstein" films and to appreciate the important differences between the two works. To do so you only have to look at a pair of memorable scenes. In the 1931 film this would be the scene where the monster comes across little Maria (Marilyn Harris), throwing daisies in the lake and he accidentally drowns her as they play together. In the 1935 sequel the key scene is when the monster comes upon the hermit (O.P. Heggie) living alone in quiet solitude and finds a friend. Both scenes represent the apotheosis of pathos in their respective films, but they also indicate great irony of how the more human the monster becomes, the wider the gulf that is created between him and humanity.

Even as a master metaphor of current age the saga of the Frankenstein monster remains a very human story as well, and it draws its enormous narrative power from both. The performance by Karloff, who is now able to speak a few words (most notably, "I love dead"), creates a pathos for the monster that is unmatched in all the Frankenstein films made since. Much more than the original and despite the title, "The Bride of Frankenstein" is Boris Karloff's film. ... Read more

Reviews (53)

The Original "Monsters Inc."
If you grew up on "The Munsters", "The Addams Family", old MAD magazines, and "Monster Mash", don't miss "Mad Monster Party", a great and goofy animated monster spoof from the late '60s. I never heard of it until recently, but this is good stuff and quite sophisticated for its day. Rankin/Bass, known for their many holiday-season shows ("Rudolph", "Frosty The Snowman"), pulled out the stops here with their animatronic horror-movie characters. MAD regulars Jack Davis (artist) and Harvey Kurtzman (writer) were involved. So were Boris Karloff as Dr. Frankenstein, and Phyllis Diller as- well- Phyllis Diller in a Bride-of-Frankenstein cape! Trust me, it works. This is "Monsters Inc." three decades early, complete with cool Henry Mancini-ish monster-movie jazz and classic movie-monster caricatures. The unsung hero is Allen Swift, one of the best voice-over guys of the '60s and a fantastic Hollywood-legends impressionist. Allen does all the male voices except Karloff: Jimmy Stewart (for Felix, "Uncle Boris"' nephew), Bela Lugosi (for Dracula), Alec Guinness (for Dr. Jekyll), and an absolutely fantastic Peter Lorre (as "Yetch", Frankenstein's leering butler). All this and King Kong too! I think this might have gone right over the heads of kiddie-show audiences in the '60s, making it a cult item now. But I read that this was Tim Burton's favorite movie before he did "Batman" and other neo-monster hits.
Me? I'm not sure whether I want to follow up with the original
"Bride of Frankenstein", "Young Frankenstein", or go find "The Maltese Falcon" to see the real Peter Lorre! Anyway, if an animated movie from the '60s wakes up all kinds of memories for a big kid of 47, it's worth a look. "Mad Monster Party": it's the real "Monster Mash"!

A MONSTER MASH
This is a much sought after title by horror fans who grew up with the UNIVERSAL CLASSICS in the 60s & 70s. No FREDDY, JASON or MICHAEL here just good clean fun. TNT used to show this until there copy was stolen from there video archives & the film hasn't been seen on TV in several years. The movie is a RANKIN/BASS production (famous for their CHRISTMAS movies) from 1968, with monster designs by top "MAD MAGAZINE" artist JACK HARRIS. Originally BORIS KARLOFF was not to play himself but after he saw clips from the film he joined the team of creative talent behind the first true HALLOWEEN (""Animagic") cartoon. It's a classic tale of suspense, love & skullduggery with a lot of cornieness thrown in to boot. Hey it was made in the 60s! The plot involves DR. FRANKENSTEIN (who it just so happens has recently created the most deadly chemical compound to date) planning his retirement party. He along with his beautiful assistant FRANCHESSCA invite all the old gang (the old gang just so happens to be all the CLASSIC UNIVERSAL MONSTERS) to his island retreat in the middle of nowhere & also his normal human(?) nephew FELIX gets an invitation. FELIX of course has no clue what his UNCLE does nor who he keeps company with. The quirks of his shipmates goes completly unnoticed by him as he bumps into them one by one on the journey to DR. FRANKENSTEIN's castle. All goes well until DR. FRANKENSTEIN reveals who he's going to entrust his duties to upon his retirement. What ensues is a murder attempt on the unsuspecting heir by those that feel they should recieve DR. FRANKENSTEIN's duties. PHYLLIS DILLER gives a top notch-over the top performance as THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN as only she is capable of. DRACULA, THE WOLFMAN, THE INVISIBLE MAN, THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, FRANKENSTEIN, THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, THE MUMMY, A ROCKIN' SKELETON BAND, KING KONG (oddly enough refered to as IT...maybe to keep him a surprise or possibly avoid copyright infringment), ZOMBIES, DR.JECKYLL & MR. HYDE & even a nod to PETER LORRE as portrayed by the love struck-head loosing butler YETCH this movie has it all! It even has a TWILIGHT ZONE ending & big explosions. The trip to the island, the party scene & the sleeping arrangements are classic scenes not to be missed.

LOST CHILDHOOD
I have mixed feelings about this movie. Like everyone else I remember seeing this as a kid, but I only saw the last 15 minutes. I was mezmerized by it and for some years always searched for it on TV. It was my white whale. I never did see it until I purchased this DVD.

The quality is terrific. The colors are vivid and the image is crystal clear. There are great extras, a thick booklet and some monster cards. This is a bargain. An absolute steal.

Having said all this I was sorta disappointed in the movie. The story is just O.K., but nothing special. After all these years I guess I just expected to be blown away or have it rekindle memories. I still give it 5 stars, but I did not find my childhood in it.

My advice is that if this movie was special to you when you were a kid either don't purchase or buy it knowing it will not be as good as you remember.

A Rollercoaster of Monster Proportions
I had never seen a model/puppet movie before in my life because at first I thought they were rubbish but when my parents came home one day they had bought me Mad Monster Party on video , when I saw the box I was quite intrigued and put it on straight away and DAMN THIS MOVIE IS AWESOME its got everything a monster buff wants its got EERIE MUSIC , COOL SCENERY , (...), WELL MADE PUPPETS AND SOME ABSOLUTELY HYSTERICAL MOMENTS LIKE FOR INSTANCE WHEN THE MONSTERS MATE TOLD 'FANG' WHAT IS HE GOING TO DO WHEN CAPTURED BY IT AND HE BURST INTO TEARS this movie may be too scary for young children so I recomend an older person watch it with them first time through You have got too see it too believe it

Those Mad, Mad, Mad Monsters!
Doctor Baron Von Frankenstein has discovered the secret to total destruction, and, after previously discovering the secret of life, he now feels it is time to retire as head of the Worldwide Organization of Monsters. But who will be his successor? The Baron keeps it a secret that he intends to bestow that honor on his nephew, pharmacist/soda jerk Felix Flankin. He soon invites all his Monster friends to his secluded island home for a Monster Convention, where he will reveal their new leader. Dracula, the Wolfman, the Invisible Man, the Creature, the Mummy, and plenty of others show up for the wild event, including the level-headed, young Mr. Flankin. All seems to be going well for the Baron, but little does he know that his trusted assistant, the lovely Miss Francesca, is conspiring against his wishes. She wants to be the one who inherits the Doctor's position, and all his secrets!

Mad Monster Party was one of Rankin/Bass's rare, theatrically released Animagic feature films. While it doesn't quite have the charm or timelessness of their better known productions, such as the sacred Rudolph and Frosty classic specials, Mad Monster Party is still an entertaining treat, especially for R&B fanatics and classic monster lovers. The film is often mistakenly regarded now as a Rankin/Bass Halloween Special that somehow got lost, along with all those other classic Halloween Specials, until recently. But while the film was not made as an annual TV treat, and has no mention of Halloween, it certainly could be enjoyed as such. The DVD is excellent, especially for the price, including some nice extras on and off the disc. As for the cast, Boris Karlof is outstanding as always, and so is everyone else. But, while I sometimes do enjoy Phyllis Diller, I have to admit that I found her performance as the Monster's Mate a wee bit annoying, especially when she bursts into song early on. Some of the songs are as good as the beloved Rankin/Bass Christmas fare, but a couple didn't sit quite well with me, and Diller's was one of them. Aside from that, it's all great Monster fun and I highly recommend it to those feeling nostalgic for R&B or some classic monster comedy! And if this one isn't enough for you, look for Rankin/Bass's Mad, Mad, Mad Monsters! Made a while later, and sort of a Mad Monster Party prequel, it tells the story of the Monster's wedding to his newly created Mate in traditional R&B animation. Currently it can be found only on VHS. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Brace yourself: this is a clever, consistently entertaining, and even inspired continuation of the mean-spirited slasher series. For those not in the know, Chucky is a mop-top kid's doll come to life with the soul of a serial killer and the voice of Brad Dourif (doing his best Jack Nicholson). Revived by his former paramour Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly, looking every inch a life-size Barbie in stiletto heels and skintight black leather), Chucky proceeds to turn his human sweetie into a pint-sized Talking Tina doll with attitude, and together they hit the road for a magic amulet and young new bodies to inhabit. They hitch a ride with sweet young runaways Katherine Heigl and Nick Stabile and leave a trail of corpses bloodied, burned, and cut to ribbons. The kids are cute, but the real heat is generated by the latex lovers who use murder as foreplay and consummate their renewed romance in a night of passionate sex ("Shouldn't you wear a rubber?" "I'm all rubber!"). Hong Kong director Ronny Yu (The Bride with White Hair) directs with a light touch and against all odds transforms walking dolls Chucky and Tiffany into funny, energetic, full-blooded characters: l'amour fou has never been more crazy. John Ritter costars as Heigl's overprotective uncle (another obstacle on the road to dolly freedom) and Alexis Arquette is hilarious as a lanky goth nerd. The wild conclusion leaves room for another high-concept sequel. The DVD features two commentary tracks, a behind-the-scenes documentary, and "Jennifer Tilly's Diary." --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (179)

The best of the "Chucky movies"
"Bride of Chucky" is in my opinion, the best of all the Chucky movies. Although it is not pure horror and suspense, Bride of Chucky still beats out the previous 3 Child's Play movies. The atmosphere is creepy and gothic, and there are a couple of gory death scenes. But the main appeal of this movie is its humor. I loved how Chucky and Tiffany played off each other.

I also thought that the music was perfect for this movie. Instead of using a creepy musical score, they used songs from Rob Zombie and other metal groups.

The features on the dvd were very good. The audio commentary with Jennifer Tilly (Tiffany), Brad Dourif (Chucky), and Don Mancini (the movie's writer) were both informative and funny.

I won't give the ending away, but let's just say that it was unexpected. It was gross and sick...but it was also a perfect ending that will lead to the next Chucky movie.

Jennifer Tilly bumps otherwise average movie up a big notch!
Although I am a horror fan I have never been a fan of the slasher genre and had never planned to see this movie, but I just happened to watch it by accident one night and was very pleasantly suprised.

What places this movie a cut above the usual moronic slasher flick is an OUTSTANDING performance by Jennifer Tilly as Chucky's "bride" Tiffany. I had never seen her in a starring role before, and the whole time she was on the screen I kept asking "Who IS this chick? She's great!!" and couldn't wait to look up her name in the closing credits. -- Definitely not the usual quality of acting you'd expect in this type of B-movie.

After she meets her demise and is transformed into a doll, the film becomes more predictable and gradually descends more to the level of your standard Chucky flick. The late great John Ritter's talents seem wasted here in a pretty cardboard role, and unfortunately the two teen leads are never more than the typical generic "kids in distress".

But director Ronny Yu does seem to have some notion of his film's place within the horror genre, and there's a wonderful and inspired nod to classic horror and "The Bride of Frankenstein" during Tiffany's transformation sequence. Nice little touches like this, and the fact that this movie does not take itself too seriously and often seems more like a parody of the slasher/Chucky genre, made it even more enjoyable for me.

I hear that Jennifer Tilly will also be involved in the sequel currently filming, "Child's Play 5: Seed of Chucky", which should make it interesting. But I actually wish they'd go back and do a PRE-quel to this movie, focusing on living woman Tiffany's life before bringing back Chucky. -- She is one deliciously twisted, mean and sexy momma!

This movie has not made me a Chucky fan, but it definitely has made a new fan of Jennifer Tilly out of me.

In conclusion, if you're looking for a fun, mindless and light movie just to waste a couple of hours on, this one isn't bad.

Stunningly BAD
This movie absolutely puts the rest of the CP series to absolute shame. It's just a slapstick movie with forced laughs and dry humor, and almost no horror. Gone is organization -- they threw in a plot involving an amulent, and Andy could be in hell for all we know. This movie really drops the CP series' quality and honestly, may be the worst movie I've ever seen. The plot is weak. The only plus is good acting, at least by Jesse (Stable) and Jade (Heigl). The movie isn't worth a buy; barely worth a rental.
I do give it credit for not having as many "bloopers" as the first three - editing's been done to the max. But there are a few that I won't mention. Still, the first three had plot holes. This movie technically, unforutnately, has no hole in the plot. It just introduces a new element, which is weak. I think they either could have left the CP then-trilogy alone, or just made something better. But I could see the CP idea getting lame anyway.
Leave it alone...

More funny
I like the Child's Play series and though I personally think the first one is the best, this one is good in its own way. Bride of Chucky has much more humour, a lot killings in more unique ways and an extra doll. If you like the Child's Play series, you will definitely enjoy this one but if you never liked the series, I doubt you will find anything enjoyable about this one.

Hardly a good movie but still a lot of fun to watch
Before Chucky turned killer doll, he had a girlfriend named Tiffany. In this movie Tiffany recovers the body of Chucky from a polive evidence locker. Chucky was pretty much torn to pieces in 3 so she sews him back together and uses the vodoo chant to bring his spirit back to the body. He returns just as evil as ever and horror/comedy takes up the rest of the movie.

This is not a good film. It is a horror movie that is so over the top on ridiculousness that it borders on comedy. I never thought I would see Chucky the killer doll, who I feared so much as a child, in a love scene. Seeing Tiffany the killer doll making cookies for Chucky while they're holding a couple hostage is quite amusing. The domestic dispute that develops between the dolls shortly after this is just hilarious.

This movie isn't for everyone. You'll enjoy this if you were a fan of Jason X, Freddy vs. Jason or the Evil Dead movies. If you have a dark sense of humor you'll probably love this movie. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A classic horror masterpiece
Karloff commands as the title role in this sinister look at medical schools in the 1800s. In case anyone doesn't know, this kind of thing (stealing bodies for dissection in schools) really did go on back then, which makes Karloff's character even creepier. In particular the scenes between Karloff's character Grey and the little girl are particularly haunting, as you see his "tender" side on the surface while at the same time knowing what lurks beneath. It's based on a Robert Louis Stevenson story. I believe this was the last movie pairing of Karloff and Bela Lugosi (I could be wrong). The sad thing is that Lugosi's career was already going down, and his role is minimal. This movie has one of the best endings of any horror movie I have ever seen.

A Classic Horror Film
A great tale of the macabre world of doctors who arrange for the pilfering of graveyards for dead bodies to be used in medical dissection, this film is not terrifying so much as it is creepy.
Set in Scotland in the 1830's, this is classic Hollywood horror. The tension of the story itself sets you on edge, rather than the gory special effects which are commonplace today.

Although Boris Karloff was the box office draw when this film was released in 1945, with Bela Lugosi playing a lesser supporting role, the one who made the movie for me was Henry Daniell, the brilliant character actor who plays Dr. MacFarlane, a man torn between conscience and the need to expand the knowledge of the human body available to medical science. Karloff plays the coachman who does MacFarlane's dirty work of graverobbing, a humble footman who relishes the power of the secret he holds over the doctor. MacFarlane sees the graverobbing and Karloff both as necessary evils to be dispensed with at the earliest opportunity, but his old friend the coachman has other plans...

a small, great performance hidden in lewton classic
so much has been written (and deservedly so) on the performances of daniel and karloff that a little space is needed for a smaller role; that of bela lugosi.
for once, he is not made to just 'play bela'.
he is required to act here in the role of devious, mentally handicapped servant.
his performance is a nuanced one and a powerful example of just how good an actor he was and, unfortunately, how wasted he was.
his delivery is methodically slow, almost painfully delivered.
it seems in smaller roles lugosi really shined.
this role is an excellent example, as is his equally small role as bela the fortune teller in the wolfman, of just how effective a character actor he truly was.
and of course his indisputably greatest role was as ygor in son of frankenstein (yes, much more than dracula. in that role he was far better in abbott and costello meet frankenstein).
for great lugosi i suggest son of frankenstein, the black cat
( the edgar g ulmer one with karloff, not the later one) white zombie, aboot and costello meet frankenstein, the wolfman, the body snatcher, chandu the magicican, and the thirteenth chair, pretty much in that order.
hopefully, this and letwons other films will see a dvd release soon.

Medical progress is so debatable
This film is a simple dramatic story about medicine. It is a science that has to go beyond some rules to progress and improve man's lot. This is not easy to practIce because it attracts some criminal minds. It is not easy either because it goes along with a tremendous amount of doubt and self-denial. But it has to be done. When thE rules are too narrow, then crimes are unavoidable. For crimes to be avoided, the rules have to be adapted and curbed. Unluckily it is not easy to change rules about human life and human death. Does a doctor have the right to do what is forbidden to others ? Does a doctor have the right to decide on life and death ? Does society have the right to impose rules to science ? These questions have been in the air of our consciousness for centuries. And medical progress has always come from and through the breaking of a rule, of a law. It was once forbidden to dissect human beings. It was once forbidden to even speak of the inner functioning of the human body. Some had the courage to go against such rules and progress came. The film does not ask questions on modern times, on the very problems we are facing today like euthanasia or cloning. Yet the film is optimistic about medical progress and stands by the doctors who go beyond the rules.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

Perhaps the Greatest Horror Film Of All Time
For those of you who love great horror films from the Golden Age of Hollywood, you must purchase a copy of producer Val Lewton's and director Robert Wise's eerie 1944 screen adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson classic, "The Body Snatcher." The ghoulish character of Cabman John Gray is perhaps the most unnerving, sinsister portrayal in Boris Karloff's long and great career. Loosely based on the real life story of grave robbers and murderers Burke and Hare who stole cadavers (and then produced even more corpses by murdering innocent men and women) for the esteemed mid-19th century Edinborough surgeon John Knox, this film is a tour-de-force of Lewton's legendary shadow and suggestion production techniques and Wise's deft directorial touch. But most of all it is Karloff at his menacing, spine-chilling best as the sinister John Gray who drives a horse and buggy cab by day but who, once the sun goes down, heads out into the foggy Scottish night in search of "bodies" with which to supply the surgeon Toddy McFarland. Both men were old friends and colleagues of Knox many years earlier when they, along with the famous surgeon and his cadaver suppliers Burke and Hare, were put on trial for murder. But whereas Knox and McFarland escaped justice unscathed, Gray took the rap by protecting both Knox and Gray on the witness stand. Now Gray refuses to allow McFarland to forget the fact that his life and reputation were ruined by mob justice. McFarland is played flawlessly by the great yet underrated British actor Henry Daniell. Daniell is excellent in portraying the virtually unfeeling and amoral Doctor McFarland, whose approach to the advancement of medical science leaves much to be desired in human terms. Indeed, Daniel's understated characterization of the self-righteous Dr. McFarland is almost as chilling as Karloff's Cabman Gray. When McFarland learns that the "redoubtable" John Gray is no longer simply grave robbing but murdering to keep his business with McFarland alive, he tries to bribe Gray out of his life and out of the city of Edinborough. When the spiteful and vengeful Gray refuses to accept McFarland's bribes and threats, McFarland decides to "rid myself of Gray once and for all." I won't tell you the haunting final thirty minutes of this extraordinary horror classic. Let's just say its ending may be unrivaled in the history of the horror genre. No better use of nightmarish atmosphere was ever accomplished on film. Also on hand is the always wonderful Bela Lugosi, in more or less a cameo role, as the great actor was now in ill health. Yet even in a relatively minor role Bela lends additional ghoulishness to this already disturbing film. All of Lewton's films were genre classics that depended not on blood or gore, but rather on suspenseful and haunting atmospheres created through the use of shadowy photography, eerie lighting, and even eerier quietness at the tensest of moments. Purchase a copy of "The Body Snatcher" for Halloween. You'll remember Daniell's "Toddy McFarland" and Karloff's "John Gray" long after you've viewed the film. Happy Halloween. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

"This is another fine mess you've gotten me into!"
Vincent Price and Peter Lorre were the Laurel & Hardy of horror films. Their by-play in this film and in THE RAVEN and TALES OF TERROR is priceless (sorry). And when you add Boris Karloff to the mix, you suddenly have Moe, Larry and Curly, with Basil Rathbone more-than-ably filling in the Vernon Dent/Bud Jamison role.

Why all this comedy name-dropping? Simply to underscore the fact that this is a classic comedy. "Why did I ever escape from prison?" mourns Lorre when forced into another murderous midnight recruitment venture for their undertaking establishment. "It was so nice and peaceful!" And watch Vincent's face as he suddenly wipes off his hands when giving Lorre a leg-up, growling, "What DID you step in? Wipe your feet, for pity's sake!"

Watch Boris' graphic maunderings about Egyptian mummification processes ("they yank out the brain with a hook!") at the dinner table and the excellent, underrated Joyce Jameson's grossed-out reactions. Watch Basil's oh-so-superior sneers as he threatens to evict Vincent & Co. in orotund dialogue worthy of a Snidely Whiplash meller-drammer. Watch the dead Rathbone return to life again. . .and again . . .and again . . . and again . . .and again, with Vincent's facial reactions getting broader each time. Watch Lorre carry on with the shapely Jameson as the romantic lead (that alone is worth the price of admission!)

The film's comic premise is richly endowed with black humor, put-downs, slapstick