This suspenseful classic combines horror and psychology, and features a memorable duel between Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi as two well-matched opponents. Nothing against the rest of the cast, but here both they and their fates are pretty much in the hands of the two leading characters. The tense story works as long as it is not analyzed too closely, and as long as you aren't waiting for a Poe connection - the title is more to set the atmosphere than anything else.
Boris and Bela work very well together, not only because both are highly skilled in the genre, but because even their acting styles make for an interesting contrast. In "The Black Cat", they are evenly matched adversaries who both have plenty of resources at their command. The psychological aspect of their confrontations is just as interesting as the battle of tactics between the two. There are several significant themes that are either stated or implied, giving the story some depth.
The story is also set off quite well by the settings and the musical score. The house in which Karloff's character lives is an interesting and well-chosen setting, with the modernistic home sitting atop the ruins of an older building with significance to both of the main characters. Despite the fairly obvious lack of a big budget, it looks pretty good, and the possibilities are used well in the story.
Everything fits together, and it all makes for an interesting, well-crafted horror feature that is well worth seeing.
Boris and Bela work very well together, not only because both are highly skilled in the genre, but because even their acting styles make for an interesting contrast. In "The Black Cat", they are evenly matched adversaries who both have plenty of resources at their command. The psychological aspect of their confrontations is just as interesting as the battle of tactics between the two. There are several significant themes that are either stated or implied, giving the story some depth.
The story is also set off quite well by the settings and the musical score. The house in which Karloff's character lives is an interesting and well-chosen setting, with the modernistic home sitting atop the ruins of an older building with significance to both of the main characters. Despite the fairly obvious lack of a big budget, it looks pretty good, and the possibilities are used well in the story.
Everything fits together, and it all makes for an interesting, well-crafted horror feature that is well worth seeing.