Sunday, October 18, 2009

31 Days of Halloween - Day 18 - Movie 1















"The Undying Monster" (1942) concerns itself with a curse on the Hammond family in which a legendary monster attacks only members of this family, leading to their deaths. When a new attack occurs, Scotland Yard is brought in to investigate only to find their investigation openly blocked by the staff and friends of the Hammonds until a new attack reveals the truth about the family curse.

This movie is little more than b-movie fare, yet is elevated to something far more by director John Brahm, and cinematographer Lucien Ballard. The movie oozes atmosphere and features fantastic sets. The movie also features a good cast of actors and likable leads which keep you involved as the mystery unfolds. The monster itself is only seen for a few seconds, but the havoc it creates early in the film, gives it a tangible presence. This is an engaging movie and worth watching.

2 comments:

Steven Altis said...

I've been looking for a good black and white hallowe'en-ish movie to do my off-center, out-of-focus picture taking thing with and this one sounds like it might fit the bill. Am adding it to my Netflix queue immediately!

John Rozum said...

It's perfect for that.