Boris Karloff's at it again, unlocking the secrets of the human brain and doing so in a surprisingly short run time of just over an hour. His character is Dr. Julian Blair, driven to near fanatical obsession to make contact with his dead wife via his brain wave recording invention. Convincing a phony psychic (Anne Revere as Mrs. Walters) to become his lab assistant, Dr. Blair is encouraged by her admonition that "If you can do what you're trying to do, you'll rule the world"! It must have been that ten thousand volts of electricity coursing through her body that warmed her up to the Doc.
However it didn't appear to me that Blair was interested in ruling the world as much as simply getting in touch with the Mrs. Unable to function in the home they once shared, Blair sets out for Barshan Harbor, where he eventually comes under suspicion for a number of bodies that turn up missing. Those bodies wind up in an odd looking assortment of containment suits set up in séance position for Blair to continue his quest. Blair's own daughter (Amanda Duff) as it turns out, proves to be the most effective medium for getting in touch with Mrs. Blair in the great beyond.
Karloff gives it his all as the mad genius here before meeting his end in a Frankenstein inspired mob scene ending. Perhaps not as convincing as it could have been, at least the good doctor went out with proof of life after death. Until the next time.
However it didn't appear to me that Blair was interested in ruling the world as much as simply getting in touch with the Mrs. Unable to function in the home they once shared, Blair sets out for Barshan Harbor, where he eventually comes under suspicion for a number of bodies that turn up missing. Those bodies wind up in an odd looking assortment of containment suits set up in séance position for Blair to continue his quest. Blair's own daughter (Amanda Duff) as it turns out, proves to be the most effective medium for getting in touch with Mrs. Blair in the great beyond.
Karloff gives it his all as the mad genius here before meeting his end in a Frankenstein inspired mob scene ending. Perhaps not as convincing as it could have been, at least the good doctor went out with proof of life after death. Until the next time.