The Ape Man (1943)

OCTOBER 3, 2008

GENRE: PREDATOR, MAD SCIENTIST
SOURCE: DVD (BUDGET PACK 4!!!)

The Ape Man is is more or less the exact same movie as The Ape, except that instead of Karloff you get Lugosi, and instead of a guy dressing up as an ape for plot reasons, you get a guy dressing up as an ape for “a real ape probably can’t be trusted to only fake killing Lugosi” reasons. Otherwise, same shit – dames in distress, reporters, something about spinal fluid, inept police, etc.

This one’s a bit better though. Lugosi is turning into an ape, and he has fun doing the walk and wearing the hairy makeup. The transfer is also a hell of a lot better, so I was actually able to follow the story at all times. But still, like all these 40s movies, it’s pretty dull, and I spent half the movie wondering what the equivalent of these movies are today. I would guess DTV scarecrow movies. I’m really curious as to how these movies were received by horror fan audiences back then. Did they get annoyed when they’d see a cool poster/star’s name but wind up with the umpteenth “let’s run around the house finding bodies until the final 2 minutes” movie?

This one does have a pretty unique element though. At the very end of the film, the screenwriter drives up and talks directly to the camera about what a ridiculous story it was. Then he rolls up his window, on which THE END is printed. OK, whatever.

I also dug how Lugosi’s character dealt with both gorillas and apes, as it kept alive my streak of not knowing which is which.

What say you?

2 comments:

  1. sounds like rediculous fun...i have 2 of the horror budget packs (horror, and chilling), eventually i'll actually start watching the movies in them...this one sounds like rediculous fun (especially the ending)

    ReplyDelete
  2. sounds like rediculous fun...i have 2 of the horror budget packs (horror, and chilling), eventually i'll actually start watching the movies in them...this one sounds like rediculous fun (especially the ending)

    ReplyDelete

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