The Black Sleep (1956)

[Scott]

THE BLACK SLEEP (1956) - Wow, TCM played this one this afternoon. It stars Basil Rathbone and even has Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Jr., and Tor Johnson in this Horror film. It's a good low budget monster movie with great images and scenes. Can't believe I've never seen nor heard of this film. While I only saw the last 30 minutes I know I'll be on the look out for the rest of the film. From what I can gather there's a mad scientist who is experimenting on humans and has a bunch of mutants in the basement of a mansion. You must see this one. There were a few scenes that I saw that just surprised me because I had thought I had seen most of the good horror films of the b/w era. Can't give a complete rating on the film since I didn't see the first hour, but what I did see makes it a classic for me. Hope TCM plays it again soon.

[RCMerchant]

And don't forget John Carridine and Akim Tamiroff,to boot! It was Bela's very last film.Chaney is quoted as saying Bela was so "ill" as drunk,he had to be carried






The BLACK SLEEP was Bela's Last film. In a interview with the Newark Star,Lugosi is quoted as saying:'There is Basil playing my part.I used to be the big cheese.Now I'm playing just a dumb part.I have no dialogue because I was a bit worried whether I could do justice to the expectations. I'm still recuperating."
  He was reported so ill, Chaney and Bela's pal Tor had to help him around the set.Sad.
It was also reissued as DR.CADMAN'S SECRET, and often played douple bills with the little seen the UNKNOWN TERROR.

[Scott]

Thanks RCMerchant, and I thought PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE was his last film. Like I said the 30 minutes that I saw were great and I look forward to viewing the whole film someday.

[RCMerchant]

Actually,PLAN 9 WAS Bela's last appearance on film,but he never knew it! The scenes of Bela were just old snippets that Ed Wood had lying around..and he incorperated into his "masterpiece" for star name value.
An interesting side note:A Film released in 1959 by New Realm titled LOCK UP YOUR DAUGHTERS. supposedly,Lugosi i s seen on screen introducing various film clips from old Sam Katzman films,coobled up into 50 minutes. He is said to have called the film his "obituary." Unfourtuantly,the film had a very limited release,on the   British roadhouse circuit,and has been lost to time since. it really was all about.

[Scott]

A British roadhouse release. Interesting. Thanks for the info.

[BoyScoutKevin]

I think I saw it, more for the cast, than for anyother reason.