I am sometimes wary of Alpha Video releases, not so much because of the bad transfer / original film quality but because I kind of figure if a bigger company hasn't picked one of these things up and re released it it probably isn't all that good. As always, I think it's safe to say I had my head up my a** on that one, as this is yet another good and significant Alpha product, albeit with low quality sound and reproduction. Bela Lugosi stars as a scientist who drains women of their glands or something in his basement lab and injecting them into his 80 year old wife who looks , ehh, , 40 45? It's cheap and not quite a masterpiece but solid and very recommended if you enjoy Hammer movies and stuff like "Dr FU Manchu" . I loved when they ring the doorbell nad lugosi is playing the organ while his wife sits on a throne overlooking the living room. and a dwarf answers the door. There was one line I didn't understand when the reporter goes "can I get a byline?" and the boss guy says "after this, you'll get a clothesline, with my shirt on it" ?? 4/5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNkm0SLjobQ
this was a season one mst3k So I will definately be watching that on the youtube
Great movie! Easily one of the top 3 poverty row Lugosi films, in my opinion. I don't know about the Alpha DVD, but my vhs copy that I taped off of AMC or TCM a long time ago is of better quality than the Madacy DVD double feature which I purchased for the other film it included. The DVD is watchable though.
I'm getting Bowery at Minight tuesday
of Lugosi's Monogram and PRC films of the 40's the CORPSE VANISHES,BOWERY at MIDNIGHT (which borrow ideas from the HUMAN MONSTER-also with Bela) and the DEVIL BAT are favorites.
One Of Lugosi's Finest Underrated classics!
Bowery at midnight:
This was about as good as "The Corpse Vanishes" which is to say really pretty good. The plot isn't quite as strong, or believable (the guy lives a triple life as a teacher and a shelter owner AND a criminal ), but it makes up for it with added diablolical ness from Lugosi. Several people are killed dasterdly-ly , in general it's pretty violent. Features the ruggedly handsome Tom Neal from the noir classic "Detour" . His tragic romance with bombshell Barbara Payton would make a good horror-noir. and who doesn't like where you like move a candle and the bookcase opens up to a secret chamber of some kind? They got one of those.