Night of Terror (1933) User Reviews

Good Bela Mystery

[nova-63 · 6/10 · 8 September 2009]

This is a classic murder mystery set at a spooky old mansion. Wealthy Richard Rinehart is murdered at his posh estate. There are plenty of kooky and creepy people about who frequent the manor. Bela plays a household servant, a mystic who believes in his wife's ability to foretell the future.

Wallace Ford plays the wise cracking reporter who seems one step ahead of the police. While the police believe an escaped maniac is the killer, Ford probes to learn who will benefit from Rinehart's murder.

One problem I have with the film is the escaped maniac who is about and who is killing people in the area. We are told that he has already murdered 12 people. The police then announce he was last seen around the Rinehart estate. He murders a yard worker at the estate early on and then spends the rest of the film peering in windows and skulking about the estate. It is beyond reason that the maniac is not captured or that the police are not hunting madly for a man who has murdered 13 people. That said, I understand he is present as a red herring and the murderer has used the maniac's present to commit the murder.

Mad Killer Roams Around Old Dark House

[snicewanger · 7/10 · 19 August 2015]

This movie is "The Cat and the Canary" meets "The Old Dark House". Lugosi is given top billing but his character is secondary in the plot . A mad killer is stalking the grounds of a spooky old house after going on a killing spree and evading the local police. Inside the house are some murder victims but is the mad killer the real culprit? The house also contains a laboratory where a young scientist is attempting to experiment with a chemical formula that he hopes will raise the dead and is using himself as a guinea pig."Night of Terror" is yet another murder mystery masquerading as a horror story. Bela Lugosi was added to the cast to give the film a horror element but all he does is provide a few menacing glares. Old Dark House thrillers were very popular with movie audiences in the 1930's and Night of Terror is a prime example of one. Wallace Ford is around to add the obligatory comedy relief that film makers felt was necessary to relief the tension in these kinds of productions at the time.The film also has a black comedy ending.

Night of Terror was included in the Son of Shock Theater Movie package sold to local TV stations across the country in 1958 by Screen Gems following the success of Shock Theater in 1957. Night of Terror may seem quaint by today's standards but film buffs will find it an entertaining way to spend and hour

Kind of silly but enjoyable

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 30 October 2015]

During his career, Bela Lugosi made a ton of cheap B-movies. "Night of Terror" is a bit higher budgeted and a bit less dumb than his usual Bs. Now don't get upset--when I call them dumb, I still like them...but the often have a lot of very silly plot lines and this one is no exception. A maniac is running about stabbing people and pinning articles from newspapers to their bodies. At the same time, a weirdo scientist is working on a secret formula to allow people to stop breathing for long extended periods with no ill effects! Believe it or not, Lugosi doesn't play either role but instead is an odd-ball servant in turban, Degar. Add to that a typical cliché of the age, a hot-shot reporter (Wallace Ford) and a another, the dopey cop, and you have a typical sort of film from the era. It's silly but a bit better written and a bit less silly--though the ending is strange because of its extended exposition to explain half the film! Worth seeing for Lugosi fans or fans of Bs.

Great Late Night Thriller

[wdbasinger · 3 November 2004]

If I were going to list the ten best films Bela Lugosi appeared in, this would be one of them. This film has everything, including sliding panels, secret tunnels, mysterious visitors, sudden and horrifying killings, a seance where a murder occurs, bizarre characters, bizarre behavior such as the clipping of newspapers on the bodies of victims, and a rampaging misanthrope called The Maniac with a distorted, hair-raising face that would frighten the proverbial "boogieman". The bizarre ending in which the true murderer is revealed is a delight. (I won't reveal it here). Also the last scene in which The Maniac comes back to life is classic.

10 out of 10.

Dan Basinger

Yes, you've seen it all before, just in several different movies

[AlsExGal · 6/10 · 24 September 2016]

A dark house chiller from Columbia with all of the usual ingredients - serial nutso killer running loose (called "The Maniac" by newspaper headlines), an isolated house in the countryside, with a (constantly) screaming heroine, mysterious servants, one liking to peer into crystal balls and go into trances and make proclamations of death coming soon, a wiseguy newspaper reporter who bursts out gleefully "Boy, what a story" every time another dead body turns up and a hard nose detective who doesn't have a clue.

Oh, yes, "comedy relief" is supplied by a black chauffeur who gets scared really easily. When asked what he would do if he met "The Maniac," the chauffeur replies, "I would become famous. I would become the first man to fly without wings." (Truth is, that might be the best line of dialogue in the film).

These kind of films are easy to poke fun at and also, on occasion, fun, if you happen to like this kind of film genre (which I do).

This particular film benefits, though, from a pretty good cast, with Bela Lugosi top billed over the title. Bela plays Degar, a manservant, dressed all in black, including a black turban. Oh, he's mysterious alright, in that ominous Lugosi way, but is he just a red herring? He has a sister, Sika (played by Mary Frey in her only film role), and she's even spookier. She's the one going into trances (yes, at one moment in this film they do have a seance with Sika the star of the show). Guess what? One of the participants holding hands at the table won't make it through the seance without a knife in the back.

It's pretty Sally Blane (Loretta Young's sister) as the screamer and Wallace Ford as the reporter with the snappy one liners and an overly pleased manner whenever a new corpse turns up. There's also Tully Marshall as the owner of the mansion (Bela keeps calling him "Master"). I remembered Tully getting knocked off in the silent version of the similar Cat and the Canary and kept counting the minutes before his character would do the same in this one.

"The Maniac" (who carries an oversized knife) keeps popping up throughout this film, peering through bushes with a scarred face and demented smile full of sharp teeth, climbing through windows and, generally, keeping everyone on their toes, until he lays a few of them out at their feet, that is.

Night of Terror does have a bit of originality with one of the occupants of the house, a scientist (George Meeker) who plans on having himself buried alive in a coffin on their property in an experiment to see if, with an antidote administered eight hours later, he will still be alive. Fun kid. Needless to say, things don't go as expected, but the writing here at least fooled me a little. Nuff said.

Night of Terror can be found if you scrounge around the internet - there's a chopped up version in installments on You Tube, but you're probably better to go to dailymotion.com for a one hour version of this thriller. So far not even Alpha Video has bothered with this one.

Early 'old dark house' story

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 22 December 2017]

NIGHT OF TERROR is an early entry in the creaky 'old dark house' genre which was all the rage in the 1930s. It has all of the right ingredients in pretty much the right order, and at just an hour in length it doesn't drag on too much. A familial home is the setting for a night of murders and mysterious disappearances as the police struggle to investigate. You get mad scientists, a maniac killer prowling the countryside and knifing his victims, a mystic, comedy relief from a frightened black servant, a shifty servant, secret passages, plotting, hidden motives, and gloomy old locales. Bela Lugosi headlines the production, riding high on the big success of DRACULA, and is fantastically creepy. The rest is dated but nonetheless a lot of fun.

Night of Terror (1933) **

[JoeKarlosi · 5/10 · 19 October 2005]

I'm sorry I waited so long to see this film; for years I'd heard how poor it allegedly was, so I made the mistake of steering clear of it for far too long. It's nothing 'great,' but it certainly was fair enough and hit the spot with me for Halloween-time viewing. It's a murder mystery set in a creepy house with a decent share of horrific elements: a Mr. Hyde-like goon with a knife in top hat and cape called The Maniac stalks the grounds; a scientist experiments with suspended animation and getting himself buried alive; the otherworldly Bela Lugosi headlines as a peculiar household servant in a turban who's married to his eerily mystical wife. Add to the mix Wallace Ford (THE MUMMY'S HAND, THE MUMMY'S TOMB, THE APE MAN) and some occasional dashes of humor, and there are far worse ways to spend just over an hour. The wrap-up of this whodunit is satisfying, and there is a secret 'gag' ending that really delivers. ** out of ****

Good 1930s Killer On the Loose Flick

[ryan-10075 · 6/10 · 19 November 2018]

A somewhat interesting horror flick from the 30s starring horror legend Bela Lugosi as Degar a creepy manservant. A madman is running around at night and killing people just for kicks. We follow the main characters who are at a mansion and start to become victim to the madman. Soon Professor Arthur Hornsby (who is working on a serum to revive the dead) will marry the pretty Mary Rinehart (Sally Blane). But, it is during this night that her uncle (Tully Marshall) is slain. So on another night the will is read a loud to see what everyone gets. Soon fear strikes the hearts of some of people believing they may soon be killed due to what the will says. Oh dear! The murders continue by the gutsy killer as he is committing them right under the cops' noses.

One negative point of the film is that an uncredited Oscar Smith plays the role of Martin the chauffeur. He is African-American and plays the role 90% of the time completely terrified for "comic relief". While he can be funny I found the role to be very typecast for that time for the black actors and sadly may not have received correct recognition for his role. If you can allow for this you may enjoy this old time B&W horror film.

One final note the ending is quite interesting as the killer reveals that he will come back from the dead to haunt you if you tell other people the plot twist. Phew! Thank goodness I did not do that!

Everything but the kitchen sink in this 1933 cult classic

[mlraymond · 5/10 · 30 March 2009]

This is by no means a great film, but it's awfully entertaining. An isolated old mansion is the scene of a strange experiment, with a scientist preparing to test a secret formula by having himself buried alive. At the same time, a madman with snaggle teeth and wild eyes is on the prowl, stabbing a lengthy list of victims, and leaving a newspaper clipping about himself pinned to the corpse's clothing each time.

Throw in Wallace Ford as a fast talking reporter who's investigating the murders, and romancing the pretty niece of one of the victims, a mysterious servant played by Bela Lugosi, Tully Marshall as a rich man who gets killed off, leading to a classic reading of the will sequence, and a black chauffeur who asks to be disinherited when he hears that he is to be paid a pension " for as long as (he) live(s)". Add some dislikable relatives plotting to cut the servants out of the will, a grumpy police detective getting fed up with unsolved murders and the reporter's jibes, various hapless victims of " The Maniac", vintage cars, clothing and telephones, along with the basic collection of sliding panels, secret tunnels, clutching hands, etc.

Result: one very entertaining old movie, with more action crammed into an hour than ten other movies put together. There's a slightly tongue in cheek quality reminiscent of Doctor X, though not as openly satirical. Anyone who enjoys old dark house mysteries and Thirties horror movies should get a kick out of this.

Good but odds are you've seen this before

[dbborroughs · 6/10 · 18 January 2009]

Top billed Bela Lugosi has a minor role in this tale of a maniac on the loose. It seems a maniac is going around killing people (I think the count given at the start is 11 people)while at the same time a group of people gather at the family estate to hear the reading of a will and a séance...and people begin dropping like flies. This is a buy the numbers old dark house released by Columbia that suffers because there have been so many other similar films. To be certain the film has a higher budget thanks to the big studio infusion of funds, but its probably nothing you haven't seen before. As for Lugosi, he's good, but this was around the start of his march through the wilderness where he was hired purely for his name and given nothing to do. The film is good but not anything you haven't seen before.

Terror By Night

[lugonian · 3/10 · 31 October 2015]

NIGHT OF TERROR (Columbia, 1933), directed by Benjamin Stoloff, being one of many contributions to the horror film mysteries attributed to Universal's cycle that all began with Dracula (1931) starring Bela Lugosi, stars that legendary Hungarian actor in an interesting horror/ murder mystery commonly produced at that time. Though not the best nor worst of this type, NIGHT OF TERROR has become one of the most neglected and least known of the forgotten thrillers due to lack of availability, even with the Lugosi name above the title.

As the credits roll through the caption of a crystal ball with performers credited solely by their character names rather than the traditional actors and their roles billing, the story opens during the midnight hours with full moon in background view as a crazed bearded lunatic in dark suit and hat known as The Maniac (Edwin Maxwell) commits his latest killing on a young couple inside a car, leaving a note behind, the twelfth murder to occur which has both police and reporters baffled. The Maniac soon prowls onto the Rinehart estate where he hides himself about the home until it's time to resume with his uncontrollable urge to kill and kill again. At the estate are: Richard Rinehart (Tully Marshall), whose nephew, Arthur Hornsby (George Meeker), a scientist experimenting on a fluid injection he intends on using while buried alive inside a coffin for eight solid hours with the intent on using to help save lives on those trapped in cave-ins or submarines. Although Hornsby is engaged to marry Mary Rinehart (Sally Blane), she's become the sole attention of Tom Hardy (Wallace Ford), a newspaper reporter; Richard's brother, John (Bryant Washburn), and his wife, Sarah (Gertrude Michael, surname billed as Michaels). There's also Degar (Bela Lugosi), a Hindu and 15 year servant for the Rineharts; Sika (Mary Frey), a housekeeper/psychic who performs séances; Martin (Oscar Smith), a Negro chauffeur who claims he would be "the first man to fly without wings" when approached by The Maniac. Upon Richard's murder, and the last will and testament having him leaving his entire fortune to his servants rather than his immediate family, it soon becomes "death among the heirs" while, at the same time, Hornsby going on with his experiment from beyond the grave, much to the dismay of a harassed Detective Bailey (Matt McHugh) called upon to investigate with his partner, Detective Dooley (Richard Powell).

During its slow-pacing and bit confusing 64 minutes, NIGHT OF TERROR is actually two separate stories rolled into one. The phantom killer resembling that to Fredric March's evil half from DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE (Paramount, 1931) acquires more of interest than to a dull scientist's experiment being buried alive to prove his theory and invented serum effective. Although Bela Lugosi could have played either one of those character roles more favorably, his Hindu servant with turban and earring on right ear addressing his employer, "Yes, Master," gathers enough attention in spite of being basically secondary. Sally Blane, Loretta Young's look-a-like sister, does her part with her occasional screams, with one harrowing scene where she's abducted by an approaching hand from behind the wall.

Regardless of being produced by Columbia, NIGHT OF TERROR looks more like something from "poverty row" Monogram Studios from the 1940s, right down from the stalking phantom-ish Mr. Hyde in the resembling manner of Fredric March's evil half from DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE (Paramount, 1931), to the surprise finish recycled in some ways for Lugosi's Monogram cheapie of THE APE MAN (1943). Watch for it.

With the Maniac as part of the story process, and no real background to whom he is and why, NIGHT OF TERROR rightfully deserves its contribution in the horror film cycle. Unseen on commercial television since the mid 1960s, and never distributed to video cassette, NIGHT OF TERROR has turned up decades later onto DVD as well as broadcasts on cable television's GET-TV (with commercial breaks) in October 2015 in commemoration of Halloween. Regardless of Leonard Maltin's "BOMB" rating critique found in his "Movies on TV-Video Guide" NIGHT OF TERROR is worthy of rediscovery and something to consider for avid fans of bad cinema at best. (**).

A GREAT "Old House" film!

[Norm-30 · 8/10 · 6 February 2001]

As usual, i must disagree with the other reviewer. All that cliche-ic stuff (secret panels, the "maniac", seances, etc) is what makes this film a GREAT "Old House" film! Granted, Lugosi is wasted in this role, but the entire film builds up a creepy, sinister "atmosphere".

Both Maltin and the other reviewer dismiss the end of the film, where the maniac speaks to the audience but, I first saw this when I was about 6 years old, and it scared the bejesus out of me for several nights!

Don't analyzse this film....just WATCH it....and ENJOY!

Norm

I made a mistake, and so did many other reviewers!

[JohnHowardReid · 7/10 · 20 January 2018]

I had originally intended to add Night of Terror (1933) to my listing of films to avoid, as I incorrectly assumed that sloppy writing was to blame when it was revealed at the conclusion that character X played the maniac.

I knew this was untrue as in at least one important scene the X character and the slasher had appeared on the screen at the same time. Stupid me! I did realize that two different actors played the slasher, but I thought this was due simply to sloppy budgeting.

True, his appearance differed, but this was no doubt an economy measure. WRONG, it was actually a vital part of the plot which it seems many other reviewers - in addition to my stupid self - totally missed!

So rate this as a rather a good try in the Old Dark House category. The script has a measure of wit, as well as the customary thrills and chills. Producer Bryan Foy's budget was really expansive, the cast line-up led by Bela Lugosi, Sally Blane and Wallace Ford, top of the range.

(Formerly available on a very good VintageFilmBuff DVD).

NIGHT OF TERROR (Ben Stoloff, 1933) **

[Bunuel1976 · 4/10 · 8 March 2007]

This Columbia "B" thriller features many of the typical 'old dark house' trappings (which proliferated throughout the late 20s up till the mid-30s) and is therefore quite predictable; still, the denouement is rather effective – and it's all capped by an amusing (if hammy) interpolation by the maniac killer of the main narrative, which sees him coming back to life to warn cinema patrons not to reveal the twist ending!

A mere two years after his runaway success with Dracula (1931), the film already sees Bela Lugosi reduced to playing thankless roles because, even though he receives sole above-the-title billing here, the horror icon's presence constitutes a red herring and nothing more (the way he's made to intimidate his spiritualist wife during a séance proves especially pointless) and is further hindered by the unflattering Hindu attire (turban, gypsy earrings) he is saddled with throughout. Frankly, after having seen several films of Lugosi's (and with a handful more coming up), I still can't make up my mind whether his unique (i.e. sluggish and heavily-accented) delivery of lines is an asset or a liability!

To get back to the 'monster' of the film, again, his involvement results to be irrelevant to the central mystery (with an inheritance at stake, members of a wealthy family are getting bumped off one by one): familiar heavy-set character actor Edwin Maxwell is credited with playing the role, but he was unrecognizable behind the make-up. Lovely Sally Blane (who happens to be Loretta Young's sister!) and Wallace Ford (insufferable as the fast-talking reporter hero, a role he virtually reprised in a later Lugosi cheapie – THE APE MAN [1943]) provide the obligatory romantic interest; another requisite – and equally resistible – is the politically incorrect comedy relief supplied by the household's 'scaredy cat' black chauffeur.

Given a somewhat harsh BOMB rating by Leonard Maltin, I knew not to expect much from the film – but, ultimately, it's a harmless way to kill 60 minutes or so…and, in any case, the script does come up with a handful of undeniably hilarious lines: when a delegation of scientists arrives at the mansion to assist to a dangerous experiment, the chauffeur remarks that they look like undertakers – later, when he sees these same men transport a coffin in which his current master is about to be buried alive, he observes that he had been right all along!; driven as much by jealousy as the promise of a scoop, Ford bursts into the household to see Blane – noticing four other hats in the parlor (belonging to the illustrious guests), he asks her whether she had been entertaining the Marx Bros.; when the bodies start piling up and the police is called on the scene, Ford offers his help but is told off by the investigating officer – however, on asking for the generalities of all the persons in the room, the response of one of the scientists comes in the form of an unpronounceable foreign name and, so, the befuddled cop gladly relinquishes the writing duties to the newspaperman!; still, my favorite bit is when a hand-cuffed Lugosi asks the detective guarding him if he can smoke, and the latter – with quite unwarranted hostility – snaps back "I don't care if you burn!"

"Death Is Always Very Close!"...

[azathothpwiggins · 31 December 2018]

In NIGHT OF TERROR, we learn that "The Maniac" killer (Edwin Maxwell) has struck again, and is on the loose! Meanwhile, at the nearby Rinehart estate, the murdering madman slips into the mansion unnoticed. This, while resident scientist, Professor Hornsby (George Meeker) prepares to be buried alive, to prove the efficacy of his new life-restorative formula, and resident mystic, Degar (Bela Lugosi) creeps about the place.

Enter Mary Rinehart, whose father, Richard (Tully Marshall) hopes for wedding bells to ring for she and Hornsby. As the night progresses, more murders take place.

Enter smart aleck reporter, Tom Hartley (Wallace Ford), and a squad car full of cops! As more family members and scientists arrive, the tension grows, and second resident mystic, Sika (Mary Frey) forecasts doom!

A great "old dark house"-type film, this one has a lot of moving parts. There's even a seance! The turban-wearing Lugosi is at his menacing best, while Ford is heroic and humorous by turns.

Thoroughly enjoyable hokum...

Run of the Mill Murder Mystery with Bela Lugosi

[Reviews_of_the_Dead · 7/10 · 15 May 2023]

This was a movie that I discovered through podcasts. It was covered on one of the many I listen to and I'm not entirely sure which. I decided to watch this since I needed a horror movie from 1933 and figured it would make an interesting Featured Review for my Traverse through the Threes. Other than that, I knew that Bela Lugosi was in this so it was another from his filmography to knock off.

Synopsis: the heirs of a family fortune are required to attend a séance at the spooky old family mansion. However, throughout the night members of the family are being killed off, one by one.

That synopsis is a bit misleading, but it is what it is. The opening credits are done through a crystal ball and we see the character name with their face. I did like this touch. We then see a couple that is parked. A maniac happens upon them, killing them both. This character is played by Edwin Maxwell. His calling card is to leave a newspaper article about the things that he has done and pins to them.

We then shift to the estate that belongs to the Rineharts. The head of the family is the uncle, Richard (Tully Marshall). Living with him is his niece, Mary (Sally Blane). She is engaged to be married to Prof. Arthur Hornsby (George Meeker). He seems like he might live there while he conducts experiments. His goal is to create a serum that will allow suspended animation. This could help with surgery and the like. He is going to be buried alive while his colleagues monitor him to see if it works.

Now also at this house is Degar (Lugosi), who is the butler. He is married to Sika (Mary Frey) who is the housekeeper. She also is a psychic who goes into trances. Degar doesn't like it. Mary doesn't either unless it is important.

Things then take a turn when the maniac shows up. He sneaks into the laboratory of Arthur. He flees to avoid being seen. That is until Richard is in the room alone. He then kills this old man. This in turn causes Tom Hartley (Wallace Ford) to show up. He is chasing after Mary and now a story. This also brings John (Bryant Washburn) and his wife, Sarah (Gertrude Michael) to the manor. John is the brother of Richard; I believe that is the connection. The will has to be read. In it, it splits up the estate between the surviving members of the family and the staff who works at the manor. This includes Arthur, Degar, Sika and Martin (Oscar Smith), who is the chauffeur. The maniac is also nearby and continues to kill. He might not be the only one as someone is using this as a scapegoat to gain more of the inheritance.

That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I want to start this one becomes an interesting murder mystery. It also has elements of things happening by circumstance as well. We have this maniac who is killing people. He targets a young couple and we see that it is scaring the people of the area. I like this element. What I don't like and this might be a slight spoiler, this never gets resolved. The maniac is just a killer who goes about at random. He has a cool MO of pinning the newspaper articles on his victims. What I like here is that the news sensationalizes crime. This maniac is using that to his advantage. This has a direct correlation to even today.

Now with that explored, let me go over to this murder mystery. This feels like it could be a stage play. We have minimal sets and location. I love this manor. There are light elements of the 'The Old Dark House'. That doesn't come about until the reveal though. There is the initial murder of Richard that spirals this family. It could derail the experiment that Arthur is conducting. There are also a lot of suspects and in turn, red herrings. Anyone that is in the will could be killing the others. It also could be using the murders of those that are in the will to help someone get more money. There is also built in racism here. Because Degar and Sika are different and have beliefs that aren't normal, they are immediately accused. I'd even go as far to say that the police are bumbling, being led by Detective Bailey (Matt McHugh). I did guess who the killer was, but it was late. If you have a keen sense, I think this can be worked out.

What makes this work though is the acting. I thought that Lugosi was good as our butler. It is interesting that he has top billing, but he doesn't have a lot of screentime. If anything, I would say that Degar, Tom and Mary share this responsibility. There is also an interesting dynamic between Ford, Blane and Meeker. The latter disappears for a good part of this story due his experiment. Tom is after Mary, even though he knows she is engaged. I found this a bit racy to be honest. I'd say that Ford, Blane, Washburn, Marshall, Michael, Meeker, Frey and the rest of the cast rounded this out for what was needed. Special credit to Maxwell as this maniac for just how wild he looks and acts. I did come to find out though that most of the time, it is Lugosi. That made more sense.

Then from there it would just be filmmaking. I think that the cinematography here is solid. It didn't stand out or do anything that took me out of it. I'll give credit for that. The setting of this is good. That is why it feels like a stage play. You could do this with minimal sets. We don't get a lot in the way of effects. This is also early into cinema so I'm not shocked there. The look of the maniac was good. He looks so dirty. Other than that, I thought the soundtrack was fine as well.

In conclusion, this is a solid little movie. The problem that I run into is that it feels like others I've seen from the era. It doesn't do a lot to stand out. There are good performances though. The best being Lugosi, but he's relegated to being a secondary character. The rest are solid as well. I do like the setting. It is interesting to have this maniac attacking the manor and the implications that come from there. I would also say that this is well-made. If you like the era or are out to watch the filmography of Lugosi, then give this a go. Be warned it is from 1933. The copy I watched wasn't in great shape.

My Rating: 6.5 out of 10.

"Death is always very close"

[greenbudgie · 6/10 · 27 February 2021]

This is the most bizarre film I've watched recently. Professor Hornsby is a scientist who is working on experiments for it to be possible to live without breathing for eight hours. And then if that works to do the same for even longer periods. He seems quite sure of himself because he is willing to be buried alive for eight hours and then to be dug up again and be revived with a special serum he has formulated. He has a couple of fellow professors standing by to act as undertakers and see the experiment through in the name of science.

Hornsby is living in a grand mansion on the Rinehart Estate. Rinehart has a niece who is engaged to Hornsby although Hornsby seems to find very little time for her. Rinehart is murdered and suspicion falls on a serial killer who has been seen stalking the Estate. The stalker is crazy-looking monster man in a slouch hat who leaves newsprint headline strips on the back of his dead victims.

The big star of the film is the Rinehart Mansion itself. There are some good exterior shots of it and the interior is a dream too with it's sliding panels and other country house thriller attributes. The sinister servants include the turban-wearing Degar played by Bela Lugosi with his solemn pronouncement "Death is always very close." And Degar's wife Sika who keeps going into a trance.

The action involves a drugged cigarette and a seance and a number of killer attacks. I reckon this is a re-watchable mystery from the Screen Gems logo of Columbia Pictures and is bound to be of interest to country house thriller fans.

Seen on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater in 1966

[kevinolzak · 3/10 · 6 January 2014]

1933's "Night of Terror" is distinguished by the top billed presence of Bela Lugosi, plus its status as the very first bona-fide horror film from Columbia Pictures, part of the SON OF SHOCK television package that enjoyed widespread success in the late 50s. Perhaps this is the reason why so many disparate elements get shoehorned into the film; an old dark house setting, a prowling maniac who has already claimed an impressive 12 victims, a scientist who creates a serum that will suspend life, intending to have himself be buried alive to prove its effectiveness. Like "Doctor X," there is the presence of an obnoxious reporter, but in the casting of Wallace Ford he is slightly more likable. The leading lady is Sally Blane, lovely older sister of Loretta Young, quite the best thing to see, as Lugosi is given precious little to do as skulking Hindu servant Degar, who at least is involved in the climax, as in the 1939 "The Gorilla." Bela would soon work with Loretta Young herself in "The Devil's in Love," and with elder sister Polly Ann Young in 1941's "Invisible Ghost" (he would be plagued by Wallace Ford at Monogram, in 1935's "The Mysterious Mr. Wong" and 1943's "The Ape Man"). The role of the Maniac is credited to Edwin Maxwell, who destroyed Lionel Atwill's masterworks in the earlier "Mystery of the Wax Museum," and it is clearly his voice we hear in the final scene, regardless of whether he was doubled or not (Dave O'Brien plays the first on screen victim). "Night of Terror" made two appearances on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater, Jan 8 1966 (following the 1933 classic "The Invisible Man"), and Aug 3 1968 (following the 1966 British "Invasion").

"The maniac has murdered again!"

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 23 October 2021]

Here's a case of getting two murderers for the price of one! A knife wielding killer is observed in an opening scene stabbing a lover's lane couple in their car. He then makes his way to the Rinehart estate for more of the same, but then the plot gets a little tricky. It seems the owner of the mansion is targeted for removal by his future son-in-law, and with the terms of Richard Rinehart's (Tully Marshall) will, all his living relatives along with the household staff are entitled to an equal share in his wealth.

We don't know about Arthur Hornsby's (George Meeker) role as a killer till the end of the story, so up until the reveal is made, you've got your traditional B movie scenarios involving gloved hands appearing out of nowhere, lights out sequences and a good old seance thrown in for good measure. I especially got a kick out of the skeptical followers of Hornsby in his quest to prove that his new serum that suspends animation and respiration actually works. He has himself buried in a coffin, but my question would be - why cover the coffin with dirt if you're only going to dig it back up again in eight hours? Seems like a lot of work for nothing!

As a Bela Lugosi fan, it didn't take much for me to decide on this flick when I came across it this morning on one of the streaming channels. Sadly though, he's only a supporting player as a Hindu type servant in the Rinehart household. His wife Sika (Mary Frey) becomes a victim when she's stabbed through the back of her chair conducting the aforementioned seance. With Hornsby eventually uncovered as the Rinehart killer, it still leaves the original maniac (Edwin Maxwell) on the loose, though not to worry - breaking the fourth wall, he advises the viewer not to tell!

As an aside, stay alert for that scene when Lugosi's character Degar offers Detective Dooley (Richard Powell) of his 'Oriental' cigarettes. One guess as to what that was!

More turbans for Mr. Lugosi.

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 25 January 2017]

On the heels of "The Old Dark House" comes one of its dozens of imitators, a decent B feature starring Bela Lugosi on loan to Columbia from Universal. It starts off by showing "the menace", a grinning killer straight out of silent films, then shows two young people meeting their fate thanks to the obvious mad man. It's off to the Rhinehart house where scientist Tully Marshall is being stalked by the menace and eventually struck down. More members of the family follow, leaving reporter heroine Sally Gray in jeopardy with boyfriend Wallace Ford and two darkly clad servants (Lugosi and Mary Frey) to look after her. Other greedy relatives arrive, adding suspects and victims up, but it's done at a very slow pace, often as creaky as old attic steps.

A bit of comedy with Ford and stereotypical black chauffeur Oscar Smith who gets some funny, if cowardly revealing lines. As for Lugosi, he seems to be serving the same purpose he did in "The Gorilla", "Night Monster" and "One Body too Many", basically added for name value but no plot importance. At least here, he's given the same look he had in "Chandu the Magician" which gives hope to the fact that he'll contribute something to the story. But it's still fun to try to figure out, with plenty of twists and turns and plenty of moody atmosphere. Decent sets, shadowy photography and the homage to Lon Chaney make this a notch above the many others that came before and after. A seance by the Gale Sondergaard like Frey is the spooky highlight of the film.

A Superior Old Dark House Flick

[boblipton · 7/10 · 26 February 2024]

A family gathers to hear the will of a rich relative. It requires them to stay the night for a seance. During the night, a local serial killer called 'the Maniac' kills them, one by one.

Director Benjamin Stoloff pulls out all the stops in this Old Dark House mystery, with corpses falling face-first through opened doors, servant Bela Lugosi looking as creepy as ever, and Sally Blane shrieking in terror several times. Other cast members include Wallace Ford as a reporter phoning the office every time a new corpse shows up, Bryant Washburn, Tully Marshall, and Gertrude Michael as hopeful heirs and possible victims, George Meeker as a scientist with a scheme for reviving corpses, and Matt McHugh as the ineffective cop. Joseph Valentine's lighting makes everything a bit more shocking in this superior creepy-crawly.

Musty, Old, Dark House "Thriller"

[sanzar · 5/10 · 18 June 1999]

Bela Lugosi once again dons a turban (easily his favorite movie headgear) for a cliched turn as Degar, sinister Hindu servant of a well-to-do but overly disfuntional family, in "Night Of Terror", a seldom seen, quasi-horror thriller from Columbia studios. Although top-billed, Lugosi is mired in an undistinctive supporting role, which calls for him to skulk around, look mysteriously sinister and discover a freshly murdered corpse every 10 minutes or so. Still, he provides the ONLY reason to watch this movie.

A maniac killer on the loose is blamed for a series of murders, but it's pretty obvious that one of the family members is the true fiend, plotting to control a family inheritance. Spooky elements are sprinkled throughout; secret passages, a seance, a suspended animation experiment that requires a man to be buried alive, not to mention frequent cutaways to the hunchbacked lunatic who's constantly lurking about the estate. None of it adds up to much.

Wallace Ford plays a smart aleck reporter, a role he would repeat with slight variations throughout his career. "Comedy relief" is provided by a black chauffeur, who jumps and stutters at every shadow - tired, overly familiar stuff, to be sure!

The ending is ridiculously hokey, as the lunatic killer threatens the audience with death if they reveal the ending of this film to anyone. Not much of a threat when you're too embarrassed to tell anyone you watched this flick in the first place.

A double dose of Karloff and Lugosi

[marquisdeposa · 8/10 · 6 November 2006]

(THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE DVD Invisible Menace/Night of Terror)

This DVD presents Karloff and Lugosi, each in a film that is not part of their usual fare seen in other collections.

THE INVISIBLE MENACE is a Warner Brother's quickie (clocking in at under 60 minutes) that shows that Boris Karloff could do far more than play monsters. Most reviews of this film right it off as a poor example of his talents. I disagree. In it's 54 minute running time it manages to combine murder, red herrings, and an extremely quick paced mystery. The comedic antics of Marie Wilson and Eddie Craven may be a bit trying at times for those looking for pure mystery, but they are far less intrusive than many other mystery films where comedy is injected at random. At least their situation is part of the plot. As to Boris's role being beneath him, I tend to look at as an extension of his abilities to create a character. His gray hair, glasses and quiet manner (except when he is gesturing wildly pleading for justice) are a precursor to his role as Professor Linden in The Linden Tree, which he would play on the New York stage in the late 1940's. Overall it is an enjoyable little film.

The second feature, with the generic title NIGHT OF TERROR, comes as a welcome surprise. I had only seen it listed on Bela Lugosi film bibliographies. It is a variation on the old dark house thriller, with moving panels, tunnels, a gathering of heirs for the reading of the will, etc. This film has the advantage of Lugosi's performance. Reading other reviews of the film led me to believe that he was "wasted" in the part of Degar. Once again I tend to disagree. Bela is in almost every scene of the picture. His mysterious delivery of his dialogue is perfectly in line with the film's eerie atmosphere. As for him being "wasted" he turns out to be the most intelligent person of the lot-including the police and a wise cracking newspaper reporter. Being a B picture, and over the years being subject to scrutiny, the plot discrepancies are pretty evident, but overall it is an entertaining film. As to the peculiar ending, it is no more quirky that Edward Van Sloan's prologue to FRANKENSTEIN or his epilogue to Dracula (cut from most prints of the film)

Lugosi at his staring best in this sadly little seen creepy old dark house chiller

[vampire_hounddog · 5/10 · 16 August 2020]

A crazed knife wielding serial killer (Edwin Maxwell) is stalking a family and guests at an old dark house where there is the reading of a will.

Effective low budget programme horror film from Columbia Pictures with a good deal of ol' fashioned creepy and creaky style, not to mention Maxwell's face at the window. A turbaned Bela Lugosi as the mysterious and exotic butler gives out his signature stare with some gusto here.

B Horror classic, so bad it it is good

[clementj · 2 November 2011]

This film has a special interest to me because it was the only one with my grandmother, Mary Frey, on screen. It has all of the usual old spooky house elements with lots of screams and surprises. Along with this there are the stock incompetent police, and elements of classic farce. But I think the director had some fun with these elements. Check out the scenes with the grinning skeleton. With all of the special effects now available we can't take this film seriously, but we can laugh at the clichés. One notable flaw is the music which does not go well with some of the scenes. It is way too upbeat when it should be communicating mystery. However, it is very soft so it is not obtrusive.

The séance scene has a little history. According to my father it was filmed during an aftershock of the Long Beach earthquake. But the actors were stage professionals and kept going despite the heavy lights swaying over their heads. The director was so impressed by the intent expressions that he said it was perfect with no retakes needed.

OK, the characters are one dimensional, but that is common in this genre. Lugosi has ample opportunity to use dramatic facial expressions and outbursts. Very small children may find this movie frightening. The only available copy from Sinister Cinema is a fairly good, but soft focus print.