Reading Kim Newman's excellent Nightmare Movies book,I noticed Newman mention that the first Human Centipede shared similarities with "mad scientist" movies starring George Zucco.Taking a look at a box set that an IMDber had kindly sent me,I was delighted to find a Zucco title starring James Whale collaborator Dwight Frye,which led to me getting ready to see a dead man walk.
The plot:
Attending his brother Dr. Elwyn's funeral, Dr. Lloyd Clayton hears whispers from the towns people that Elwyn is not really dead,due to him having been involved in the occult.Joining the hushed discussions of the residence,Elwyn former assistant Zolarr suspects that Lloyd knows more about his brothers death than he is letting on.Unknown to the towns people and his brother,Elwyn had made secret plans with Zolarr which would allow Zolarr to bring him back from the dead as a vampire.Coming back from the dead,Elwyn decides to sink his fangs deep into his Lloyd's life.
View on the film:
Filmed in just 6 days,director Sam Newfield gives the movie some stylish touches,with the overlapping reappearance/disappearing image of Elwyn Clayton giving the title a ghostly atmosphere.Running at a trim 64 minutes,the screenplay by Fred Myton offers a charming mix of "mad scientist" and vampire bite.Openly mentioning Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,Myton does very well at setting up expectations for a Hyde tale,which are gradually twisted into a clear divide being made between Lloyd & Elwyn,with Lloyd being a man of reason,and Elwyn being a creature of the night.
Slobbering over the screen, Dwight Frye gives a cheerful performance as Zolarr,with Frye's bug eyes popping out as he tip toes in the shadows to do his masters bidding.Taking on two roles in this flick, George Zucco gives a wonderful performance as the Clayton's,thanks to Zucco giving Lloyd some shots of upper-crust charm,which are counted by the red-eye madness of Elwyn,as the dead men drop.
The plot:
Attending his brother Dr. Elwyn's funeral, Dr. Lloyd Clayton hears whispers from the towns people that Elwyn is not really dead,due to him having been involved in the occult.Joining the hushed discussions of the residence,Elwyn former assistant Zolarr suspects that Lloyd knows more about his brothers death than he is letting on.Unknown to the towns people and his brother,Elwyn had made secret plans with Zolarr which would allow Zolarr to bring him back from the dead as a vampire.Coming back from the dead,Elwyn decides to sink his fangs deep into his Lloyd's life.
View on the film:
Filmed in just 6 days,director Sam Newfield gives the movie some stylish touches,with the overlapping reappearance/disappearing image of Elwyn Clayton giving the title a ghostly atmosphere.Running at a trim 64 minutes,the screenplay by Fred Myton offers a charming mix of "mad scientist" and vampire bite.Openly mentioning Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,Myton does very well at setting up expectations for a Hyde tale,which are gradually twisted into a clear divide being made between Lloyd & Elwyn,with Lloyd being a man of reason,and Elwyn being a creature of the night.
Slobbering over the screen, Dwight Frye gives a cheerful performance as Zolarr,with Frye's bug eyes popping out as he tip toes in the shadows to do his masters bidding.Taking on two roles in this flick, George Zucco gives a wonderful performance as the Clayton's,thanks to Zucco giving Lloyd some shots of upper-crust charm,which are counted by the red-eye madness of Elwyn,as the dead men drop.