While I certainly understand Crinderman's point of view, I quite enjoyed this film. Yes, the plot is a mess and the film feels rushed, but it has a unique atmosphere and Lugosi's and Karloff's performances are great.
The Black Cat, "suggested by" a story by Edgar Alan Poe, has very little to do with that literary classic. The first pairing of Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff, it toys with the audience's expectations concerning those actors. Is the true villain Lugosi's intense psychologist who drugs the heroine after a car accident? Or is it Karloff's famous architect who keeps beautiful dead women (a Poe trope, at least) in his basement? The film does try to do new things with Gothic, in particular with a slick, modern house as its setting, but a lot of the ideas on show seem unfinished. Characters might not react normally to seeing something shocking, for example, and the more supernatural elements are never explained. And somehow, it's never not watchable, strange to the point of inviting cult status. The music is sometimes a bit heavy-handed, almost silent film-style, and I could do without the final punchline, but as a creepy struggle between two Universal Monsterverse stars, it has real spark.
Surprisingly really good! The atmosphere steadily builds to a chilling creep factor, the chemistry between karloff and lugosi is perfect and the directing is pretty inspired at times - many of the shots and cuts felt modern and clever. It watches like a short story reads (if that makes sense lol). Worth the watch IMO.
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Comments 1 - 10 of 10
St. Gloede
Poor acting, poor dialog, poor and silly plot, rushed, not too well made. This is just a crappy film made to get some cheap movey.Skyscore
http://www.afisha.ru/movie/170338/review/146654/timmy_501
I thought there were plenty of nice visual touches here. Ulmer obviously had a lot of talent.Shazaaaam
I'd second Kowry. For all the obvious problems here, the sheer weirdness of it is terrific.DarkPizza
This movie is really f-ing weird and bears absolutely no resemblance to the Edgar Allan Poe story. But, Boris Karloff + Bela Lugosi? Can't complain.ricer11
http://www.archive.org/details/PhantasmagoriaTheater-TheBlackCat1934948-2Kowry
While I certainly understand Crinderman's point of view, I quite enjoyed this film. Yes, the plot is a mess and the film feels rushed, but it has a unique atmosphere and Lugosi's and Karloff's performances are great.Siskoid
The Black Cat, "suggested by" a story by Edgar Alan Poe, has very little to do with that literary classic. The first pairing of Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff, it toys with the audience's expectations concerning those actors. Is the true villain Lugosi's intense psychologist who drugs the heroine after a car accident? Or is it Karloff's famous architect who keeps beautiful dead women (a Poe trope, at least) in his basement? The film does try to do new things with Gothic, in particular with a slick, modern house as its setting, but a lot of the ideas on show seem unfinished. Characters might not react normally to seeing something shocking, for example, and the more supernatural elements are never explained. And somehow, it's never not watchable, strange to the point of inviting cult status. The music is sometimes a bit heavy-handed, almost silent film-style, and I could do without the final punchline, but as a creepy struggle between two Universal Monsterverse stars, it has real spark.PrinceJax
Surprisingly really good! The atmosphere steadily builds to a chilling creep factor, the chemistry between karloff and lugosi is perfect and the directing is pretty inspired at times - many of the shots and cuts felt modern and clever. It watches like a short story reads (if that makes sense lol). Worth the watch IMO.Wise Jake
I found it to be a masterpiece, personally. Bizarre, sadistic, and original. The chemistry between the actors is miraculous.