The Monster Maker (1944)

Director:

Sam Newfield

Writers:

Lawrence Williams (original story)
Pierre Gendron (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

15 April 1944 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Plot:

Mad scientist injects his enemies with acromegaly virus, causing them to become hideously deformed. |

Plot Keywords:

Mad Scientist | Acromegaly | Virus | Loss Of Wife | Remorse

Cast

J. Carrol Naish	...	Dr. Igor Markoff
Ralph Morgan	...	Anthony Lawrence
Tala Birell	...	Maxine
Wanda McKay	...	Patricia Lawrence
Terry Frost	...	Bob Blake
Glenn Strange	...	Steve
Alexander Pollard	...	Stack
Sam Flint	...	Dr. Adams
Ace the Wonder Dog	...	Ace

Also Known As:

The Devil's Apprentice (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

62 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Unrated

Company:

Producers Releasing Corporation

Trivia:

Lowly PRC hadn't released a horror picture in nearly 17 months, having spent most of 1943 substantially expanding their once-laughable capabilities by purchasing the bankrupt Chadwick Studio (a poverty row operation that specialized in renting stages and production equipment to low-budget producers along Gower) for $305,000. While critics - what few that would review a PRC release - complained about the film's lack of action, production values were noted to be somewhat higher than earlier releases.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The same wall barometer and elephant statuette seen in Dr. Markov's office are also visible in the office of Dr. Adams.

Movie Connections:

Edited into "Muchachada nui: (#1.9)" (2007)

Worth catching for several reasons

This is one of those films that's entertaining for its sheer audacity. It also has an unusually interesting cast for a small-studio B-picture. J. Carroll Naish (as the evil Dr. Markoff) and Ralph Morgan (as victim Anthony Lawrence) were veteran character actors who were always worth watching, and Glenn Strange (as Steve, Markoff's giant-size henchman) would be promoted that same year to playing the Frankenstein Monster in the first of three films for Universal.

This professional cast tries to lend believability to several ludicrous situations. At one point Markoff attempts to put his nervous female assistant under a Svengali-like hypnotic influence; when this fails, Markoff turns loose his pet gorilla (!) in the hope that the beast will kill the beauty, though all it does is overturn a table.

Some critics have found this film particularly distasteful since it deals with acromegaly, an actual disfiguring disease (see the bio for actor Rondo Hatton elsewhere on this data base). And the sight of the malformed Mr. Lawrence (when his daughter suddenly enters a darkened room) is certainly an unforgettable jolt.