***SPOILERS*** In a role literally tailor-made for him, Boris Karloff offers up a smiling, bowing sadist who would bend his betters to his will- if only there were a way... He moves confidently through the lightless confines of the asylum he oversees, making merry with the "tortured souls" he encounters. He is very much at home, here in the dark. Would that one of the nobles with whom he rubs shoulders could spend some time here... An opportunity presents itself, and the trap is laid. No longer will he walk these "hollowed" halls alone...
The Lewton unit delivers another creepy classic, this one- in terms of the storyline itself as well as the patented approach to filmmaking- relying first and foremost on SUGGESTION. Each of these so-called "B" ("budget") pictures admirably stands the test of time; would that today's bloated-budget bombs could say as much. With limited resources and unlimited imagination, Val Lewton and company crafted gem after unforgettable gem. Finer filmmakers are almost impossible to find.
The Lewton unit delivers another creepy classic, this one- in terms of the storyline itself as well as the patented approach to filmmaking- relying first and foremost on SUGGESTION. Each of these so-called "B" ("budget") pictures admirably stands the test of time; would that today's bloated-budget bombs could say as much. With limited resources and unlimited imagination, Val Lewton and company crafted gem after unforgettable gem. Finer filmmakers are almost impossible to find.