Man Made Monster (1941)

A mad scientist turns a man into an electrically-controlled monster to do his bidding.

Director:

George Waggner

Writers:

Harry Essex (story "The Electric Man") (as H.J. Essex), Sid Schwartz (story "The Electric Man")

Stars:

Lionel Atwill, Lon Chaney Jr., Anne Nagel

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Lionel Atwill	...	Dr. Paul Rigas
Lon Chaney Jr.	...	Dan McCormick
Anne Nagel	...	June Lawrence
Frank Albertson	...	Mark Adams
Samuel S. Hinds	...	Dr. John Lawrence
William B. Davidson	...	District Attorney Ralph B. Stanley (as William Davidson)
Ben Taggart	...	Detective Sergeant Regan
Constance Bergen	...	Nurse (as Connie Bergen)
Ivan Miller	...	Doctor
Chester Gan	...	Wong
George Meader	...	Dr. Bruno
Frank O'Connor	...	Police Detective
John Dilson	...	Medical Examiner
Byron Foulger	...	Alienist #2

Storyline

"Big Dan" McCormick is the sole survivor of a bus crash into hydro lines. 5 others were electrocuted. Intrigued by Dan's apparent immunity to electricity, Dr. John Lawrence, distinguished elector-biologist, asks Dan to visit him at his laboratory, where Lawrence's assistant, Dr. Paul Rigas, is secretly conducting experiments to prove his theory that human life can be motivated and controlled by electricity. Rigas persuades Dan to submit to tests, where Dan absorbs increasingly powerful charges until he develops an amazing degree of immunity, and becomes a walking hulk of electricity. Rigas does a final test of pouring a tremendous charge into Dan's body, and Dan becomes superhuman and his body glows. He is also a robot that is controlled by Rigas. When Lawrence tries to stop the experiment, Rigas orders Dan to kill him. Rigas removes the electricity from Dan's body and he becomes a shrunken shell. Despite the efforts of June Meredith, Lawrence's niece, and newspaper reporter Mark ...

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Plot Keywords:

electricity | reporter | theory | scientist | rubber | 

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Taglines:

A New Horror strikes the screen! (original print ad)

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 March 1941 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Atomic Monster

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

59 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"Man-Made Monster" launched Lon Chaney Jr.'s career as a star in horror films and the film's success directly led to his casting in the big budget role of his career, "The Wolf Man."

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Goofs

After Dr. Rigas has infused Dan McCormick with electricity, sparks to erupt from Dan's fingers. Leaving the laboratory, he reaches toward a glass goldfish bowl, which seems to attract the electricity in his body. But glass is an insulator; only a grounded, electrically conductive substance would attract the sparks.

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Quotes

Dr. Paul Rigas: [to June] Dan McCormack, as you knew him, was doomed the first day he came into this laboratory.

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Connections

Featured in Monsterama Sci-Fi Late Night Creature Feature Show Vol. 1 (1996)

User Reviews

A model B movie

Watching this movie again recently I was impressed with how efficiently crafted it was. Clearly not meant to be a major feature, MAN MADE MONSTER is nonetheless put together with great skill. I was particularly impressed with how fast they kept the pace and the attention paid to fleshing out the characters. The attempted execution is conveyed only through the reactions of supporting characters who are clearly conscious of the grim circumstances of state approved homicide. Chaney portrays the likable lug turned pathetic victim with real sincerity. He has no idea what's happening to him, and in one of the final scenes his mime reminds me of Karloff's original Frankenstein monster (ironic since when Chaney himself played the monster he had no such opportunity). And Lionel Atwill as a scientist more mad than evil is, as always, a delight. Good movie.