Director Gordon Hessler's MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE is a vast expansion on the original short story by Edgar Allan Poe. This film is less like its source material, and more like THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Here, a vengeful, disfigured killer (Herbert Lom) haunts a theater in search of prey. This isn't a spoiler, since we're shown the madman's identity in the opening minutes.
The main problem with this movie lies in casting Jason Robards in the role of Cesar Charron. He's not a horror actor and is completely out of his element (drama). The obvious choice for such a role would have been Vincent Price, who would have torn into it with gusto. Robards, a fine actor otherwise, comes off as languid and disinterested.
On the upside, the manner of the homicides is novel, and though the story is quite padded out, it does lead up to a decent twist at the end...
The main problem with this movie lies in casting Jason Robards in the role of Cesar Charron. He's not a horror actor and is completely out of his element (drama). The obvious choice for such a role would have been Vincent Price, who would have torn into it with gusto. Robards, a fine actor otherwise, comes off as languid and disinterested.
On the upside, the manner of the homicides is novel, and though the story is quite padded out, it does lead up to a decent twist at the end...