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The Monster Maker More at IMDbPro »
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| Index | 32 reviews in total |
21 out of 21 people found the following review useful:
I enjoyed this nasty little b-grade thriller., 1 June 2003
Author:
Infofreak from Perth, Australia
The evil Dr. Markoff (J. Carrol Naish), is a scientist experimenting with a cure for the rare disfiguring disease acromegaly (which cult actor Rondo Hatton, "The Brute Man" suffered from in real life). At a concert by pianist Anthony Lawrence (Ralph Morgan) he sees a beautiful girl who reminds him of his late wife. Backstage he discovers that she is Lawrence's daughter Patricia (Wanda McKay). He sets out to woo her, but after she spurns his advances he deliberately infects her father with acromegaly with the plan of forcing him to "give" his daughter to him in return for a cure. I really enjoyed this nasty b-grade thriller. It was obviously made on a tiny budget, the script is pretty dumb and the acting is variable, but I got a kick out of how twisted the central premise was, and Naish was extremely entertaining as Markoff. McKay's cute, future Frankenstein's monster Glenn Strange is one of the supporting cast, AND there's a guy in a gorilla suit, always a sign of a silly but fun movie in my book. 'The Monster Maker' is recommended to fans of old school "bad" b-grade horror movies.
16 out of 17 people found the following review useful:
Worth catching for several reasons, 5 February 2001
Author:
pmsusana from New Orleans, Louisiana
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.
12 out of 12 people found the following review useful:
Interesting Low Budget Horror Film!, 18 October 2003
Author:
(bsmith5552@rogers.com) from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
"The Monster Maker" was one of the better products produced by poverty row
studio PRC in the 1940s. Directed by the "busiest director on poverty row",
Sam Newfield, it benefits from the casting of veteran character actors J.
Carroll Naish and Ralph Morgan in the leading roles.
Anthony Lawrence (Morgan) is a successful concert pianist whose daughter
Patricia (Wanda McKay) just happens to resemble the deceased wife of Dr.
Igor Markoff (Naish). Markoff sees Patricia, whom he vows to marry, while
attending a Lawrence concert with his assistant Maxine (Tala Birtell), who
of course is in love with him. The evil doctor has been working on a cure
for the rare disease of acromeglia (I may have the spelling wrong), a
dehabilitating disorder which causes extreme swelling of the feet, hands and
face.
When Lawrence comes to see Markoff about his advances toward his daughter,
Markoff knocks out the pianist and injects him with the aforementioned
disease. Lawrence slowly develops the disease and takes on a grotesque
appearance. This forces Patricia to come to the mad doctor for
help.
Ralph Morgan's make up is very good for a "B" movie, in fact it was done by
the same person (whose name escapes me) who "aged" Orson Welles in "Citizen
Kane" (1941). Naish plays his mad scientist role with conviction and the
under rated Morgan is excellent as the tragic Lawrence. Birell is better
than her material as the scorned Maxine. McKay looks lovely as the heroine
and Terry Frost has little to do as the token hero Bob Baker. Also in the
cast is veteran heavy Glenn Strange as Naish's brutish assistant. There's
also a gorilla and a faithful dog in the cast but they have little to do
with the story.
One of the better "B" mad doctor films.
11 out of 13 people found the following review useful:
The maddest of ALL mad scientists!, 29 August 2005
Author:
Coventry from the Draconian Swamp of Unholy Souls
Very cheap but hugely enjoyable 40's horror with above-average acting performances and a surprisingly well-written script. In case you too are a fan of those typically 40's low budget flicks revolving on mad scientists, you have to see "The Monster Maker" as J. Carrol Naish portrays one of the most dangerously insane men of science ever!! Well, maybe along with George Zucco in "The Mad Monster"… Naish, obviously imitating Bela Lugosi, is a doctor who enjoys infecting people with the acromegaly-disease (which makes them look kind of like "The Elephant Man"), simply because he's the only one who found a cure for it. He really goes out of his mind when he contaminates the eminent pianist Anthony Lawrence in order to get close to his beautiful doctor, Patricia. Is it just my impression, or are all mad scientists actually sad romanticists? The structure and plot are fairly standard but this film especially gets itself noticed because of the brutality! There are a couple of shocking images (the revelation of Lawrence's horribly deformed face) and Naish character is a really evil and relentless man! Considering the time it was made, "The Monster Maker" is quite a nasty horror film that shamelessly tries to outdo the famous Universal monster-classics. Oh, the guy inside the hilariously fake gorilla suit is a blast!
6 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
Everything you always wanted to know about acromegaly, but were afraid to ask., 20 October 2008
Author:
capkronos (capkronos00@hotmail.com) from Ohio, USA
Acromegaly (a syndrome where the pituitary gland produces excess growth
hormone resulting in giantism and then disfigurement), was all the rage
in horror movies between 1944 and 1946, thanks primarily to actor Rondo
Hatton, a real-life sufferer. Hatton's large size and dis-proportioned
features led to a memorable, though short-lived, stint as a horror star
at Universal beginning with his role as "The Creeper" in 1944's THE
PEARL OF DEATH. The reporter-turned-actor would go on to take
half-a-dozen more roles before his death in early 1946. PRC, who were
considered the lowest of the low as far as low-rent movie companies of
its day went, were also ready to cash in on the sudden interest in the
disease. Though this one doesn't actually star Hatton, it's likely that
it was made because of his success at Universal. Ironically, after
Hatton died, Universal felt so embarrassed about "exploiting" their
ill-fated new horror star that they sold the rights to Hatton's final
film THE BRUTE MAN to another company. Guess who? Why PRC, of course!
Back to THE MONSTER MAKER. It's really not a bad low-budget B effort at
all. The science is erroneous at times and there aren't too many
creative flourishes, but it's an entertaining way to spend an hour. The
always-great J. Carrol Naish, complete with Eastern European accent,
headlines as Dr. Igor Markoff. What a perfect mad scientist name that
is, huh? While attending a concert with his enamored female assistant
Maxine (Tala Birell), Markoff spots the lovely Patricia (Wanda McKay)
in the audience and can't help staring. After all, she's a dead ringer
for his long-dead wife. Quickly becoming obsessed, Dr. Markoff starts
sending flowers to Patricia three times a day, nevermind the face she's
already keeping company with Bob Blake (Terry Frost). Annoyed, Patricia
sends her father, pianist Anthony Lawrence (Ralph Morgan), to Dr.
Markoff's clinic to tell him she's not interested and to leave her
alone. Markoff quickly bonks Anthony over the head with a candlestick
and shoots him up with an extremely potent shot of the acromegaly.
Pretty soon, poor Anthony becomes restless, has sudden bursts of
energy, a stronger-than-usual appetite and finally transforms into a
deformed, unrecognizable shadow of his former self. Since Dr. Markoff
is the only one with an antidote, he demands Patricia's hand in
marriage or else he'll let the condition worsen until her father passes
away. The plot also makes room for a large caged gorilla and even
features an appearance from "Ace the Wonder Dog." How can you not love
this stuff?
I liked the majority of the cast in this one. Naish and Morgan both get
to have a lot of fun and even though I don't see many people mentioning
Birell in their reviews, I thought she was excellent as the assistant
who's been in love with the mad doctor for a very love time but is now
at her breaking point. The two "romantic leads" were alright but, as
usual, they take back seat to the three aforementioned performers, who
have the showier roles. Glenn Strange (who would go on to replace Boris
Karloff as The Frankenstein Monster the very next year) has a small
supporting role as Markoff's brutish butler Steve. The film itself is
well done inside its budget; efficiently put together and very well
paced, too. The acromegaly make-up is surprisingly good as well and
actually reminded me of the same design later used in Lynch's THE
ELEPHANT MAN!
5 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
"The dead have no place for the living.", 27 July 2005
Author:
classicsoncall from United States
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Having just seen Boris Karloff in "The Ape", I was somewhat taken aback
to see another "man in a gorilla suit" sharing office space with the
protagonist of "The Monster Maker". Though not credited, I wouldn't be
surprised to learn if it was Ray "Crash" Corrigan in the get up, up to
his old monkey shines once again. In the movie, J. Carrol Naish
portrays mad scientist (is there any other kind in these 1940 era
poverty row productions?) Dr. Igor Markoff, suddenly smitten with the
appearance of Patricia Lawrence, daughter of famed concert pianist
Anthony Lawrence (Ralph Morgan). You see, she's a dead ringer for the
mad doctor's own deceased wife, who we learn committed suicide when she
was reduced to the ugliness of acromegaly, a disfiguring disease which
is glandular in origin. Markoff had injected her with a serum when a
romantic rival tried to steal her away years ago so he could have her
all to himself. Obviously, Markoff believed in the adage - beauty's
only skin deep.
Markoff's plan to win Patricia involves injecting Lawrence with the
acromegaly virus, with promise of a cure if the pianist can convince
Patricia (Wanda McKay) to marry him. The makeup job on Lawrence was
surprisingly well done, without being too outlandish. Holding out as
long as he can, Lawrence finally seeks Markoff's help, but rather than
committing to assist him in his scheme, he becomes Markoff's prisoner,
with Markoff pulling more strings to entice Patricia to his lair.
As usual, good triumphs over evil, as Lawrence breaks his bonds and
wrestles a handgun away from Markoff, shooting him in the tussle.
Markoff's able assistant Maxine (Tala Birell), offers hope for a full
recovery, as she is familiar with the doctor's work, and knows just
where the X-54 serum antidote can be found - very convenient. The film
ends as it opened, with Lawrence performing in concert to an
appreciative audience that includes Patricia, her fiancé Bob, and
Maxine, none the worse for wear for having endured his debilitating
condition.
Final mention must be made of Markoff's brutish lab assistant, played
by veteran "B" heavy Glenn Strange, usually to be found in hastily
turned out Westerns of the era. However in his career, he managed to
portray the iconic Frankenstein on three occasions ("House of
Frankenstein", "House of Dracula" and "Abbott and Costello Meet
Frankenstein"). The twist in this film is the name he was given, for
once the mad doctor was called Igor, and the assistant was "Steve"!
4 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
Gorilla in the Midst, 15 July 2008
Author:
wes-connors from Earth
"A scientist has developed a serum which grotesquely distorts the
victim's hands and heads. The scientist decides to use his serum on a
concert pianist to extort money from him for the cure as well as take
the man's daughter for a wife," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.
J. Carrol Naish (as Dr. Igor Markoff) plays "The Monster Maker" in the
low budget Bela Lugosi mode.
Mr. Naish's serum causes a real disorder, "acromegaly", which American
Heritage defines as, "A chronic disease of adults marked by enlargement
of the bones of the extremities, face, and jaw that is caused by
overactivity of the pituitary gland." Ralph Morgan (as Anthony
Lawrence) plays the afflicted man with some dignity. Pretty blonde
Wanda McKay (as Patricia "Pat" Lawrence) is the daughter desired by mad
scientist Naish; in early scenes, Ms. McKay and Naish emote
hilariously.
Watch for Tala Birell (as Maxine) in a surprisingly good supporting
performance; she plays the somewhat Garbo-like, and long suffering,
assistant to Naish. Ms. Birell definitely steals the film; and, you've
got to question Dr. Markoff's sanity in casting her aside. Glenn
Strange (as Steve) and a crazed gorilla (Ray Corrigan) add to the fun.
The monster makeup (Maurice Seiderman) is very good.
***** The Monster Maker (4/15/44) Sam Newfield ~ J. Carrol Naish, Ralph
Morgan, Tala Birell, Wanda McKay
4 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
Not another monkey, 10 October 2006
Author:
manicgecko from United States
What is it with monkeys and pre-1960 monster movies? This monkey really
doesn't even have a major role, but we will cast one just to make this
movie more authentic?? Besides that fact, this was a decent little
intrigue flick. Taking an obscure at the time disease, and showing
close-up of random medical literature (that has nothing to do with
anything in the movie by the way) add the element of truth every movie
needs to cause fear. Control this rare disease with an elixir of
pititary (yummy!) and you have a monster. Add to it some real clever at
the time plot twists and this movie is better than most.
And for people like me that love the corny gems hidden inside old
movies this one also delivers on the 2 well known axioms of dating.
First the way to a woman's heart is by poisoning her dad. Second - if
you want to keep a woman faithful - make her ugly. Besides every woman
needs a good workout on a badmitton course. You even get multiple
scenes of Markoff wandering around in his suit like a fat Ricky
Ricardo, giving the other cast members the Bela Lugosi patented "look
into my eyes" treatment.
One of the forefathers of the current day medical thriller - this movie
delivers not only on the sci-fi camp I love but by also being a
completely watchable movie. Just trust the fact that there needs to be
a man in a monkey suit for some reason.
5 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
Rather enjoyable sci-fi/horror from PRC, 23 June 2005
Author:
Chris Gaskin from Derby, England
I've seen The Monster Maker a couple of times and found it quite
enjoyable, despite reading bad reviews about it.
A mad scientist falls in love with a pianist's daughter when he sees
her at one of her dad's concerts. After he goes round to the
scientist's home one night to tell him to stop sending her flowers, he
knocks him out and injects him with a fluid that will give him a
disease of the glands and turn him into a monster. He gradually turns
over a period of time and goes back to this mad scientist after his
doctor recommend him as he has a cure for this disease. Back at the
scientist's home, the scientist straps him to a bed and will only give
him a cure if his daughter agrees to marry him. The pianist's
daughter's lover turns up and kills the mad scientist and the pianist
is given the fluid that will cure him by the scientist's assistant and
makes a full recovery.
In the mad scientist's laboratory, we get to see a pig that he has been
experimenting on, a dog and, best of all, a gorilla (a man in a gorilla
suit), which tries to kill the scientist's assistant.
There several familiar faces in the cast in this movie: J Carrol Naish
(House of Frankenstein), Ralph Morgan (Night Monster) and Glenn Strange
(House of Dracula). Also in the cast are Wanda McKay, Tala Birell and
Terry Frost.
The Monster Maker is a must for all sci-fi/horror fans. Great fun.
Rating: 3 stars out of 5.
3 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
One of the better offerings in…, 20 October 2009
Author:
catfish-er from Orlando, Florida
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
I'm working my way through the Horror Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection
and THE MONSTER MAKER is one of the better movies in the set.
"THE MONSTER MAKER" offers a compelling story, believable characters,
plausible character development; and, good special effects for the
1940s.
A successful concert pianist's daughter resembles the deceased wife of
Dr. Igor Markoff, who shows her considerable; and, unwanted attention.
He audaciously vows to marry her, while throwing off the affections of
his long-suffering, female assistant.
The doctor is an expert in hormonal disorders; and, has been working on
a cure for Acromegaly. However, in a fit of rage, he injects the
concert pianist, to gain control of the daughter, by promising a
cure...
Throw in a jealous boyfriend, a gorilla, and a dog; and, horror ensues!
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