Hollywood Legends of Horror: 6-Film Collection (Blu-ray Review)
Director
Tod Browning/Michael Curtiz/Karl Freund/Charles Brabin/Vincent ShermanRelease Date(s)
1936/1932/1935/1939 (October 14, 2025)Studio(s)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Warner Bros. (Warner Archive Collection)- Film/Program Grade: See Below
- Video Grade: See Below
- Audio Grade: See Below
- Extras Grade: B+
- Overall Grade: A-
Review
Previously available as single releases, the Warner Archive Collection presents the Hollywood Legends of Horror: 6-Film Collection featuring The Devil Doll (1936), Doctor X (1932), Mad Love (1935), Mark of the Vampire (1935), The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932), and The Return of Doctor X (1939). All 6 discs are identical to their original releases, five of which were originally reviewed by Dennis Seuling (The Devil Doll, Doctor X, Mad Love, The Mask of Fu Manchu, and The Return of Doctor X) and the other by Tim Salmons (Mark of the Vampire).
THE DEVIL DOLL
Paul Lavond (Barrymore) and fellow convict, aged Professor Marcel (Henry B. Walthall, The Road to Mandalay), help each other to escape the formidable prison. Marcel, who had been experimenting with miniaturization before his arrest, leads Lavond to a remote house where Marcel’s wife, Malita (Rafaela Ottiano, Anthony Adverse), has been carrying on his experiments. Marcel shows Lavond a group of toys and demonstrates that they’re actual animals that he has miniaturized, deactivated, and can bring to life through telepathy. His goal is to end hunger and starvation by shrinking humans so the entire world’s increasing population can be fed. Marcel and Malita are ready to experiment on a human being—their housekeeper, Lachna (Grace Ford, Thrill of a Romance).
When the experiment proves successful, Lavond sees in the doll-sized, entirely controllable woman a means to exact his revenge. To escape detection by the police, he poses as an elderly female storekeeper, calls himself Madame Mandilip, and begins using miniaturized humans to finally avenge himself for the seventeen years he was wrongfully imprisoned. By hiding in plain sight, he can easily gain access to the men who stole those years from him. Those stolen years have also stolen his family, and Lavond hopes to reconcile with his now-adult daughter, Lorraine (Maureen O’Sullivan, Tarzan, the Ape Man) before he’s caught.
Barrymore’s portrayal of Lavond disguised as Madame Mandilip is reminiscent of Lon Chaney’s female impersonation in both versions of The Unholy Three. With a high-pitched voice, stooped posture, and granny clothing, Barrymore transforms himself into the purveyor of the deadly toys. Barrymore’s performance as Lavond inspires sympathy for the betrayed man so that when he goes after the bankers who’ve wronged him, we root for him. His novel method of seeking revenge might be a bit convoluted, but it’s fascinating. Rafaela Ottiano as Malita is reminiscent of both Elsa Lanchester in Bride of Frankenstein with her shock of black hair shot through with a thick streak of white, and Dwight Frye in Dracula with her mad, bulging eyes. Ottiano’s Malita walks with a pronounced limp, adding yet another element of oddness to her performance. She might be the first female mad scientist of the screen, as Malita is clearly obsessed and easily drawn into Lavond’s scheme to use the dolls for a nefarious purpose. She may chew the scenery in more than a few scenes, but that also contributes to the character’s creepiness.
This was one of the first American films to incorporate a science fiction element into the plot, though it retains a strong basis in horror. It was a forerunner of other films about miniature people, such as Dr. Cyclops and The Incredible Shrinking Man. Director Tod Browning crafted a unique picture and had the considerable resources of MGM to bring his vision to fruition. With the film’s many quiet sequences, he emphasizes visuals and tells key parts of the story through well-planned shots and reliance on pantomime. For a director whose career started during the silent period, this isn’t surprising. The scenes with dialogue also come off quite effectively, particularly a climactic scene in which Lavond finally sees Lorraine. Some scenes are simply charming, such as when a full-sized St. Bernard peers curiously at a bunch of miniature dogs running around on a table top. Though Browning’s Dracula and Freaks are more famous, The Devil Doll ranks right up there with them.
The Devil Doll was shot by director of photography Leonard Smith on 35mm black-and-white film with spherical lenses and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.37:1. A 4K scan of preservation elements provides a beautiful, pristine image with excellent grain replicating actual film. This represents another feather in Warner Archive’s cap for restoring movie classics. Blacks are deep and velvety and the grayscale outstanding. The optical shots lack the perfect integration of CGI with live action but nonetheless hold up well and are entertaining. Details such as the miniature dogs, equipment in Marcel and Malita’s lab, wrinkles on Madame Mandilip’s face, thick foliage, and close-ups of expensive jewelry are well delineated.
The soundtrack is English 2.0 mono DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. Dialogue is clear and distinct. Barrymore as Madame Mandilip speaks with the high-pitched voice of an elderly woman. Rafaela Ottiano speaks with a maniacal intonation. Franz Waxman’s score is particularly effective in adding just the right atmosphere to the unusual tale. Sound effects include flasks bubbling in the lab, ambient street traffic, a clock chiming, and Malita’s full-sized dogs barking. There are no pops or other age-related imperfections.
Bonus materials include the following:
- Audio Commentary by Dr. Steve Haberman and Constantine Nasr
- Milk and Money (8:09)
- The Phantom Ship (7:36)
- Theatrical Trailer (1:54)
Audio Commentary – Film historians Dr. Steve Haberman and Constantine Nasr note that The Devil Doll has gotten the “short shrift” in terms of recognition, referring to it as the most accessible of Tod Browning’s talkies and a film that provides an “emotional ride.” Based on the novel Burn, Witch, Burn!, the original plot of the film was about witchcraft and the working title was The Witch of Timbuktu. Special effects in the 1930s had advanced significantly. Arnold Gillespie headed the special effects department at MGM, which purchased $75,000 in equipment to make the effects look as believable as possible. The Devil Doll was a typical studio production that went through several rewrites, and various versions of the script are discussed. The film had several writers, including Garrett Ford, Guy Endore, and Erich Von Stroheim, whose 211-page treatment was far too long. The final shooting script was representative of Browning’s style. Lionel Barrymore wasn’t well at the time the film was made and used a wheelchair, but was up to the job when “action” was called. Rafaela Ottiano, who plays Malita, was a member of the Grand Guignol Theater of Paris. The film is suspenseful, imaginative, and creepy, with an almost spiritual ending that’s emotional rather than shocking. The Devil Doll emphasizes vengeance but Lavond finds vengeance empty. By giving his daughter peace, he makes a selfless gesture. The commentators observe that “Tod Browning was one of only a few complete directors.”
Milk and Money – In this black & white Looney Tunes cartoon from 1936, with animation by Chuck Jones and Virgil Ross, Porky Pig applies for a job as a milkman with a strict condition not to break a single bottle. He’s doing well until Hank Horsefly follows him into town. He stings Porky’s horse, Dobbin, who crashes and causes all the milk bottles to smash. They come upon a horse race and accidentally enter. Dobbin is taking his time until he gets stung again. Porky wins the $10,000 race and drives home in a limousine.
The Phantom Ship – From 1936, this black & white Looney Tunes cartoon was animated by Paul Smith and Don Williams. Uncle Beans and the kids are off to visit a haunted ship trapped in the ice, hoping to find a pirate treasure. They encounter ghosts and goblins but eventually find what they’ve been looking for. When Beans tries to warm up by throwing some chairs in a stove and lighting it, he thaws out a pair of pirates that chase the trio around. The treasure seekers are ultimately forced back into their plane and they decide to fly away.
THE DEVIL DOLL (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): A/A/A
DOCTOR X
A madman has been terrorizing New York in a series of grisly murders that also involve cannibalism. The police trace a weapon to the medical academy run by Dr. Xavier (Lionel Atwill), who works with four other doctors conducting their research at the institute. The police want to launch a full-scale investigation but Xavier, dreading the negative publicity, convinces them to give him 48 hours to conduct his own investigation.
Based on the comedy-mystery play The Terror, Doctor X magnifies the play’s horrific elements and turns a routine murderer into a monster. Warner Bros. decided to use the new two-color Technicolor system, lending the film a creepy greenish look in most of its scenes. Set designer Anton Grot added to the sinister atmosphere by creating elaborate sets complete with electrical devices arranged in dark, cavernous surroundings. The film combines horror and mystery with comedy, intended to balance the film’s more gruesome moments but mostly falls flat. The comic moments rely on fast-talking reporter Lee Taylor (Lee Tracy), whose fondness for a hand buzzer supplies a tired running gag that is corny and better suited to a junior high school class clown. Other bits of comic relief include a scene in which skeletons seem to take on a life of their own, and an exploding cigar that kills a suspenseful moment.
Lionel Atwill, a stage-trained actor, is appropriately enigmatic as the mysterious doctor and we never know whether he’s the murderer or if one of the other doctors is the culprit. Fay Wray plays Dr. Xavier’s daughter, Joanne, present mostly to look pretty and serve as an awkward love interest to the annoying Taylor. Later in the film, she becomes the requisite damsel in distress when the killer’s identity is revealed. Atwill and Wray would team up once again the following year with director Michael Curtiz in The Mystery of the Wax Museum, a far better film.
Atwill carries the film dramatically and fits the role of the “mad doctor” perfectly. He would play variations of this character in many horror films to come, adding a palpable sense of authoritative villainy, while Wray would make her most famous film, King Kong, the very next year. Doctor X looks really odd using this early Technicolor process. Together with excellent lighting and the use of deep shadows, it’s highly atmospheric, breaking new ground as a pre-code horror film with grim subject matter about cannibalistic murderer.
Doctor X was shot by director of photography Ray Rennahan and Richard Tower on 35mm film using the two-strip Technicolor process with spherical lenses, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.37:1. The Blu-ray release features a restoration that’s been lovingly restored by Warner Archive from the only surviving nitrate print, making the film look brand new. Dirt specs, scratches, end-of-reel damage, and cue marks have been removed. Rich, deeply saturated color has replaced print fading, and the contrast of light and shadow has been digitally adjusted to create an eerie effect. Flesh tones are basically good, though Wray’s cheek rouge often looks a bit exaggerated. Both of the main settings, the Academy of Surgical Research in New York City and the doctor’s huge Long Island mansion, look foreboding. Green-glowing lab equipment highlights the production design. The monster make-up is literally smeared on and has that precise look as a human being is transformed before our eyes. The two-color process uses reds and greens to define images. Because other colors are absent from the palette, the film takes on an unearthly tone, enhancing the film’s uncanny mood.
The soundtrack is provided in English 2.0 mono DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. Dialogue is clear throughout. The film is dialogue-heavy in its early scenes and becomes more visual as it proceeds. Fay Wray gives out with screams that foreshadow her vocal terror in King Kong. The lab’s whirring, crackling electrical equipment suggests sinister experiments. Sounds of a struggle between Taylor and the monster involve bodies pummeled, objects thrown, and bodies hitting walls and floors. There’s no musical score except over the main and end titles, though an atmospheric score would definitely have amped up the suspense.
Bonus materials include the following:
- Black and White Version (77:03)
- Audio Commentary by Alan K. Rode
- Audio Commentary by Scott MacQueen
- Monsters and Mayhem: The Horror Films of Michael Curtiz (27:39)
- UCLA Before & After Restoration Reel (7:40)
- Theatrical Trailer (2:15)
Black and White Version – This version of Doctor X, originally intended for smaller U.S. markets and international distribution, has been restored from its original nitrate camera negative. It hasn’t been seen in over 30 years. It’s free from visual debris but far less impressive than the color version.
Audio Commentary #1 – Film historian and author of Michael Curtiz: A Life in Film Alan K. Rode discusses similarities between Doctor X and Mystery of the Wax Museum. Both films starred Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray, were directed by Michael Curtiz, and were filmed in early Technicolor. Career overviews are provided for key cast members. Rode explains why some studio films were released under First National, a distribution arm of Warner Bros. The play and film are based on the 3X Killer case, a real-life series of “chain murders” that parallels events in Doctor X. The morgue set resembles the one later created for Mystery of the Wax Museum. Many of Curtiz’ directorial efforts are noted, along with enthusiastic testimonials from stars who worked with him, including Joan Crawford, John Garfield, and Doris Day.
Audio Commentary #2 – Scott MacQueen, head of preservation at the UCLA Film & Television Archive, notes that many of the images in Doctor X had never been seen on screen before—a removable artificial hand, blood-splattered lab coat, and smeared-on monster make-up. The theme of cannibalism wasn’t dealt with on screen again until the 1960s. Several later films dealing with cannibalism are noted, culminating with the Academy Award-winning The Silence of the Lambs in 1991. Lionel Atwill was a popular Broadway leading man, an acclaimed specialist in Ibsen roles, and played Caesar opposite Helen Hayes’ Cleopatra. Atwill became an in-demand Hollywood character actor. His precise, brisk stage delivery translated well to talkies. He shined in roles of villainy and authority. Mad doctors became his acting template. The Long Island mansion of Dr. Xavier adds to the film’s Gothic atmosphere. Doctor X was one of the ten highest-grossing films of the season, earning nearly three times its cost. The color was universally praised as one of the film’s best aspects. The black-and-white version was intended for export. Doctor X was limited to 127 color prints for domestic distribution. By contrast, Mystery of the Wax Museum was issued in 189 domestic prints and 200 foreign prints, all in color. The equipment shown in the lab sequences was scientifically useless but visually spectacular. Cinematographer Ray Renahan shot both Doctor X and Mystery of the Wax Museum. He had done camera tests for the Technicolor Corporation and shot the first Technicolor feature using the two-color process, Toll of the Sea. A specialist in color photography, he won Academy Awards for Gone with the Wind and Blood and Sand. Michael Curtiz was known for working his casts very hard during long shooting days. Nineteen of the Doctor X 28 filming days were 14 hours or longer. Six exceeded 20 hours. Wray referred to Curtiz as a director with a military style and didn’t like him as a person. A number of contemporary reviews of the period are quoted. The studio’s promotional guideline to distributors was, “Sell comedy and romance, not horror.”
Madness & Mystery: The Horror Films of Michael Curtiz – Alan K. Rode notes that Curtiz is not thought of as a horror director despite having directed three successful horror films of the 1930s for Warner Bros: Doctor X, Mystery of the Wax Museum, and The Walking Dead. Scott MacQueen, head of film preservation, UCLA Film & Television Archive, notes that “Curtiz hasn’t been given his due in the area of classic horror.” He was a great director and one of the foremost directors at Warner Bros. He directed all types of films. Warner Bros needed to make money at the depth of the Great Depression in the early 1930s. The studio was desperate to get audiences into theaters, many of which had closed. Horror was one way to attract audiences. The studio downplayed the term “horror” in its advertising since it didn’t want to identify horror as the Warner Bros’ “house style.” Lee Tracy as the smart alecky, fast-talking reporter was inserted into the film to soften some its shock value. Color adds mood to both Doctor X and Mystery of the Wax Museum, but the latter featured more elaborate camera movements. The Walking Dead was a 66-minute programmer starring Boris Karloff, who had become a star with Frankenstein after years toiling as a character actor. Curtiz shot this immediately after Captain Blood, an A picture starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland.
UCLA Before/After Restoration – Scott MacQueen shows before and after examples of the restoration, explaining how fading, scratches, dirt, changeover cue marks, and print scuffing were removed. He also explains how missing dialogue, crackles, and noise distortions were treated. Color correcting and color balancing completed the process of bringing back the film to its the original intent. The restored versions of the scenes are dazzling by comparison.
DOCTOR X (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): C+/A/B
MAD LOVE
Peter Lorre, in his first American film, plays Dr. Gogol, a genius surgeon living in Paris who becomes obsessed with Grand Guignol horror theater star Yvonne Orlac (Frances Drake, The Invisible Ray). He attends every one of her performances and sends flowers to her dressing room. Visiting her backstage on the night of her final performance, he’s devastated to learn that she’s married and abandoning the stage to travel with her husband, brilliant pianist/composer Stephen Orlac (Colin Clive, Frankenstein). Yvonne is chilled by Gogol’s creepy manner and appearance and disgusted when he force-kisses her passionately.
Stephen, meanwhile, is on his way to meet Yvonne in Paris when his train derails. He barely survives and his hands are badly mangled. To save his life, they must be amputated, ending his career at its most promising moment. Putting her personal aversion to Gogol aside, Yvonne visits the doctor and pleads with him to save her husband’s hands. He cannot, but that same day he had attended the execution of the knife murderer Rollo (Edward Brophy) and he transplants the hands of Rollo onto Stephen’s arms. After weeks of extensive surgeries and rehabilitation, Stephen can’t play the piano but has become adept at flinging sharp objects with Rollo’s uncanny accuracy. Gogol sees this development as an opportunity to drive Stephen mad and win Yvonne for himself.
Unlike the novel and an earlier silent film based on it, which center on Stephen Orlac, Mad Love focuses on the character of Dr. Gogol. Lorre is excellent in conveying the doctor’s infatuation with Yvonne. In an early scene as her stage character is tortured, Gogol appears most excited at the moment of her greatest pain. Later, he purchases an advertising dummy of her and places it in his home as a kind of shrine, referring to it as his Galatea. Lorre’s bulging eyes, bald head, whispery voice, and intense performance are creepy and contribute greatly to the film’s atmosphere of unhealthy sexual passion.
Clive, so wonderfully manic in Frankenstein and The Bride of Frankenstein, adds nervous tension, frustration, and despair to his portrayal of Stephen, yet never elicits chills when his new hands appear to act on their own volition. Considerable make-up was required to make his hands look horrible. Frances Drake is a lovely femme fatale and her expressions and body language when Gogol comes close to her at her farewell party convey Yvonne’s intense discomfort toward the doctor. Some largely inept comic relief is provided by May Beatty as Gogol’s constantly tipsy housekeeper and Ted Healy as a pushy reporter.
Director Karl Freund (The Mummy) draws on German expressionism for the look of Mad Love to create the right atmosphere for this tale of insanity, murder, dismemberment, and forced sex. This dark excursion into psychological torment and unrequited love is more disturbing than Universal’s monster films because it centers on a human being with twisted motives for its horrific effect.
Mad Love was shot by director of photography Gregg Toland (Wuthering Heights) on 35mm black-and-white film with spherical lenses, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.37:1. For Warner Archive’s Blu-ray features a high definition master struck from a 4K scan of the best preservation elements. The expressionistic photography of shadowy sets look great. Blacks are deep, rich, and velvety. Gray levels are well balanced. There are no visible imperfections, such as scratches, splices, or dirt specks. Details such as clothing patterns, paneling on the train, Drake’s hair, and scars on the transplanted hands are distinct. A scene with a crazed, hatted figure with a neck brace and dark cloak is shot from a low angle, giving him a horrifying look. Lorre’s bulging eyes communicate his lust for Yvonne.
The soundtrack is English 2.0 mono DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. Dialogue is clear and precise throughout but there’s occasional crackling surface noise. Lorre’s distinctive speech pattern stands out. He never raises his voice above a stage whisper, suggesting his madness rather quietly. Though lacking the excitement of Franz Waxman’s score for The Bride of Frankenstein, Dimitri Tiomkin’s music enhances the dark nature of the story by suggesting an undercurrent of evil, particularly during a montage showing a passage of time during Stephen’s operations. Sound effects include shattering glass, high-pitched screams, a moving train, knives hitting their mark, horses’ hooves and carriage wheels, and footsteps on stairs.
Bonus materials include the following:
- Audio Commentary by Dr. Steve Haberman
- Theatrical Trailer (2:05)
Film historian Steve Haberman’s audio commentary from 2006 is thoroughly researched and highly informative. Mad Love originally opened on a black screen with a warning almost identical to Edward van Sloan’s opening in Frankenstein (written by John L. Balderston), but it was excised prior to release. This was Dimitri Tiomkin’s first film score. He subsequently wrote the music for films directed by Capra, Hawks, Hitchcock, and for many big Hollywood epics. The Grand Guignol theater lasted until 1952. Geared to adults, it presented short plays featuring madness, torture, and blood. Karl Freund’s career as director of photography includes Metropolis, The Last Laugh, Sunrise, Dracula, All Quiet on the Western Front, and Murders in the Rue Morgue. Mad Love was the last of 8 feature films he directed. Career overviews of Peter Lorre, Frances Drake, Colin Clive, and Ted Healy are provided. Lorre became known for M directed by Fritz Lang, who made the actor miserable during filming. Lorre would go on to appear in The Maltese Falcon, The Face Behind the Mask, Crime and Punishment, The Beast with Five Fingers, and several pictures with Sydney Greenstreet, among others. Mad Love had a production budget of just over $217,000 and a shooting schedule of 24 days. Reviews were favorable, especially for Lorre. There have been many versions of The Hands of Orlac on stage, in films, and on TV. In an interesting touch, Haberman also does a pretty good Peter Lorre impression when he quotes him.
MAD LOVE (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): A-/A/A-
MARK OF THE VAMPIRE
One of classic horror’s most-discussed entries, Mark of the Vampire is also a remake of London After Midnight, one of the most famous lost films in history. As such, the back and forth between fans of the genre on whether the film’s infamous twist ending works or not has been hotly debated since the film was originally released in 1935. It’s rumored that Bela Lugosi himself was annoyed by it, campaigning for the story to be more of a straightforward vampire tale of sorts instead. How much truth there is in that isn’t all that clear, but what’s obvious is that director Tod Browning was keen on having another go at this particular story with MGM’s support.
The murdered body of Sir Karell Borotyn (Holmes Herbert) is discovered with two small holes in its neck, cluing in the superstitious locals that a vampire is afoot. The police, including Inspector Neumann (Lionel Atwill), toss the notion aside as utter nonsense. Despite this, a pair of vampiric figures, Count Mora (Bela Lugosi) and Luna (Carroll Borland), begin appearing at night on the foggy grounds. Believing Sir Karell’s daughter Irena (Elizabeth Allan) to be in danger, they enlist the help of Professor Zelen (Lionel Barrymore), who convinces the group that they’re indeed dealing with something supernatural and must stop it before Irena becomes the next victim.
Despite the fact that there are inconsistencies in the plot in relation to the eventual outcome of Mark of the Vampire (revealing the ending would spoil it for those who’ve yet to experience it), it’s still an atmospheric and clever premise. The performances are quite good and, thanks in part to MGM’s meddling, the film was purportedly relieved of much of its comic relief. Even the Universal horror films of old were guilty of shoehorning in broad characters to pull faces and be generally slapstick-ish for the audience, but Mark of the Vampire thankfully has very little of that.
Bela Lugosi has very little screen time and says almost nothing, as does the pearlescent Carroll Borland, but they make for an effective pair. Hints of Luna being Mora’s daughter and that they might have had an incestuous relationship while still alive were dropped out of the story altogether, leaving the patch of blood on the side of Mora’s head unexplained. The film was also trimmed down from 75 minutes to 60 after early screenings, mostly to scale back some of the comic relief (or so it’s believed). Regardless, the film did well upon release, despite the criticisms laid against it. Today, it still generates avid discussion among fans, particularly those fans of Dracula who might have expected more of an uncomplicated vampire tale.
Mark of the Vampire was shot by cinematographer James Wong Howe on 35 mm black-and-white film, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.37:1. Warner Archive’s Blu-ray features a 4K scan of the original nitrate camera negative. It’s a gorgeous black-and-white presentation with thoroughly resolved grain. It also features excellent clarity and contrast with deep blacks and perfect grayscale. Detail is high in every scene, but appropriately bright and dark in the correct areas. The high bitrate sits primarily at 35 to 40Mbps. The only imperfection to be found is a minor bit of speckling, which is difficult to spot. It’s near perfection in 1080p.
Audio is included in English 2.0 mono DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. It’s a clean track with only very mild hiss, but excellent support for dialogue and score.
Bonus materials include the following:
- Audio Commentary by Kim Newman and Stephen Jones
- A Thrill for Thelma (18:00)
- Happy Harmonies: The Calico Dragon (7:57)
- Theatrical Trailer (2:00)
The audio commentary with authors and film historians Kim Newman and Stephen Jones was recorded in 2006 for the Warner Bros. Hollywood Legends of Horror Collection DVD release. Though it’s a vintage track at this point and the two occasionally make references to things that are out of date, it’s still an enjoyable and educational listen. They watch the film together and provide their own insights into its creation, while also offering criticisms of its content.
A Thrill for Thelma is an MGM short film from 1935 that was a part of the Crime Does Not Pay series. In it, a young woman and a police detective relate the events that led to her downfall into a life of crime. The film was directed by Edward L. Cahn, who helmed a number of these short subject films, but also much later directed The She-Creature and It! The Terror from Beyond Space.
The Calico Dragon is a Happy Harmonies cartoon short, also from 1935, in which toys come to life in a little girl’s dream to fight a dragon.
The theatrical trailer is great as it features exclusive footage of Bela Lugosi speaking directly to the audience about the upcoming film.
MARK OF THE VAMPIRE (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): B/A+/B+
THE MASK OF FU MANCHU
Evil master criminal Dr. Fu Manchu (Boris Karloff) is the tyrannical ruler of an unspecified Oriental nation who wants to rule the world and wipe out the white race. Only the supernatural powers of the golden sword and mask of Mongolian war lord Genghis Khan, buried with him in his tomb hidden somewhere in the Gobi desert, can Fu Manchu attain such unchallengeable power.
The head of the British Secret Service, Nayland Smith (Lewis Stone, Grand Hotel), has gotten wind of Fu Manchu, aware that his friend, museum director Sir Lionel Barton (Lawrence Grant, Son of Frankenstein), knows the tomb’s location, and enlists him to get to there first. Fu Manchu’s spies kidnap Sir Lionel and spirit him away to Fu’s lair, where he’s tortured mercilessly but steadfastly refuses to reveal the location of the tomb. Sir Lionel’s daughter, Sheila (Karen Morley, Scarface) and her fiancé, Terry Granville (Charles Starrett, Murder on the Campus), insist on joining the archaeologists to find her father. They succeed in unearthing the tomb and Nayland joins them, but spies keep Fu Manchu one step ahead. Meanwhile, Terry goes to Fu Manchu with the golden sword and mask, hoping to exchange them for Sir Lionel’s release. Fu Manchu seizes the relics and turns Terry over to his sadistic daughter Fah Lo See (Myrna Loy, The Thin Man), who drugs and seduces him.
Director Charles Brabin packs lots of action into a mere 68 minutes. The film is wonderfully over-the-top, with Karloff enjoying his role immensely as he revels in projecting Fu Manchu’s wretched soul. Myna Loy, who would become one of MGM’s major leading ladies, is wildly entertaining as the ruthless daughter who derives sexual satisfaction from torturing and seeing others suffer. Making the best of the narrow parameters of the role, she devours the scenery, often eliciting laughs when other reactions may have been intended. Lewis Stone, known best for playing Judge Hardy in a series of Andy Hardy movies, looks out of his element. Starrett is serviceable as the nominal hero, though he comes off rather bland, and Karen Morley as his fiancé serves, late in the picture, as the damsel in distress and moral opposite of Myrna Loy’s depraved Fah.
Cedric Gibbons’ art direction, as might be expected, is lavish in keeping with the studio’s signature style. A corridor of mummy cases and Fu Manchu’s court complete with extravagant costumes and headdresses, hundreds of attendants, impressive electrical equipment, and elaborate torture devices elevate the film from programmer to glossy production.
The pre-Code screenplay is filled with what today is considered unacceptable content. During its initial release, the film was subjected to censorship from various states and even countries. A re-release in 1972 was also strategically cut. Surviving today unadulterated, The Mask of Fu Manchu is filled with torture, racist dialogue, sexual lust, and sadism all wrapped up in an exotic adventure yarn.
The Mask of Fu Manchu was shot by director of photography Tony Gaudio on 35mm black-and-white film with spherical lenses, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.37:1. Warner Archive’s Blu-ray is source from a 4K scan of the best preservation elements. In keeping with their high standards, clarity and contrast are excellent, especially for a film more than 90 years old. Details are particularly prominent and well delineated in the sparkly, beaded, flowing costumes on Fu and Fah. Karloff’s make-up is right up there with his Frankenstein Monster and Mummy. Ominous shadows often loom large against walls and windows to create atmosphere.
The soundtrack is English 2.0 mono DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. Dialogue is clear and distinct. Karloff’s lisp can be heard and his speech is somewhat affected by an appliance set over his own teeth. Myrna Loy’s performance as Fah is either at fever pitch or simply silent as she observes and plots. The electrical equipment, shown to full advantage with lights dimmed, buzz, crackle and hum, and a kind of ray gun emits a thick bolt of lethal electricity.
Bonus materials include the following:
- Audio Commentary by Greg Mank
- Freddy the Freshman (6:54)
- The Queen Was in the Parlor (6:46)
Audio Commentary – Film historian Greg Mank refers to The Mask of Fu Manchu as the “most gleefully sadistic, sexually delirious, high camp horror movie of pre-Code Hollywood.” In 1932, MGM made a profit of $8 million when other major studios lost money. The film had a shaky start. Karloff referred to the production as a “shambles.” The film’s original director was Charles Vidor, but he was replaced after only three days with Charles Brabin. Other writers were hired. MGM wanted a “piece of the action” with horror films, and was out to “out-horror” Universal. Karloff’s lisp was heard for the first time by audiences but it worked for the role. His elaborate make-up took 2 1/2 hours to apply each morning. Myrna Loy, reading the script, said it was obscene. Numerous problems with the censors occurred and many are discussed. In some venues, Loy’s “Faster!” exclamations when Terry is being whipped were either cut down or completely eliminated. The fictional Fu Manchu was created by Sax Rohmer, who was fascinated with ancient Egypt and the Orient. Over 100 million people had read the Fu Manchu novels. Initially, an actual hand from a cadaver was going to used for a key scene, but a rubber hand was ultimately used. Kenneth Strickfaden, who had created the electrical lab equipment for Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein, also provided the equipment for Fu’s laboratory. A brief overview of racism directed toward Asians is provided and the “Yellow Peril” explained. The Mask of Fu Manchu premiered in New York City on December 2, 1932, and in Los Angeles a week later. It was laughed at by audiences, who accepted it as an over-the-top comic book movie. Boris Karloff remains the screen’s most famous Fu Manchu.
Freddy the Freshman – This 1932 black & white Merrie Melodies cartoon directed by Rudolf Isling is built around Freddy the Freshman, the Freshest Kid in Town a song written by Cliff Friend and Dave Oppenheim. Freddy the Freshman, clad in a raccoon coat, is a canine big man on campus who crashes a college pep rally and becomes the star of the big campus football game.
The Queen Was in the Parlor – Also directed by Rudolf Isling, this 1932 Merrie Melodies cartoon pokes fun at chivalry in the days of knights and their ladies. When the king returns to his castle, he’s told the queen is in the parlor and won’t be seen. He goes to the throne and his jester, Goopy Geer, arrives. A black knight arrives and threatens the princess. Goopy tries to battle him with an ax, then with armor made from kitchen utensils, and finally with a mounted animal head, which results in the black knight’s losing all his armor. He repairs it and runs away. Rudy Vallée croons I Will Gather Stars Out of the Blue and Goopy does an impression of radio’s Amos ’N Andy.
THE MASK OF FU MANCHU (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): A/A/A
THE RETURN OF DOCTOR X
Ambitious newspaper reporter Walter Barnett (Wayne Morris, Double Alibi) sets up an exclusive interview with famous actress Angela Merrova (Lya Lys, Murder in the Air) in her suite at the Park Plaza Hotel. When he arrives, he discovers her dead on the floor, amid evidence that she was murdered. He first calls his editor and asks him to publish an extra edition with the news, scooping all the other papers in town. By the time the police arrive, the body has vanished and so has Barnett’s credibility. The next day Angela reappears, very much alive, declaring that she’s suing the newspaper. Barnett is fired on the spot and convinced that something strange is afoot, resolving to get to the bottom of the mystery. He consults his friend Dr. Mike Rhodes (Dennis Morgan, The Great Ziegfeld), but the doctor is skeptical and busy. He’s due in surgery immediately with his irascible mentor, hematologist and surgeon Dr. Flegg (John Litel, The Enchanted Forest), and can’t be bothered with Barnett’s inquiries.
Several other peculiar crimes occur and it seems that only Barnett can see a connection. His persistence leads him to Dr. Flegg and his assistant, Dr. Quesne (Bogart), a weird-looking individual with a pasty face, white skunk stripe in his hair, and dead eyes. When we first see him, he’s stroking a lab rabbit menacingly. A nurse, Joan Vance (Rosemary Lane, The Oklahoma Kid), becomes involved in the intrigue and eventually becomes the film’s damsel in distress.
From a routine murder mystery, the film develops into a mad-scientist horror flick with Bogart as the resident “monster.” Dragging one leg as his character dutifully goes about his experiments for Dr. Flegg, his appearance is unsettling, and even Rhodes and Barnett comment on how bizarre it is. Quesne (pronounced Cain) is the kind of role that usually went to Boris Karloff, so it’s quite surprising to see Bogart essaying a creepy persona, and doing a good job. In fact, his performance is what makes a viewing worthwhile.
Morris, as the wisecracking reporter, adds levity to a number of scenes to balance the gruesome elements of the plot. His performance contrasts with Morgan’s as his friend Dr. Rhodes. One always has a wisecrack, while the other plays his role straight. Litel, as Dr. Flegg, is appropriately arrogant and condescending as the venerable hematologist who harbors a grim secret that the viewer can easily figure out well before it’s revealed.
Director Vincent Sherman moves the story along briskly and there isn’t a wasted or padded scene. This is in keeping with Warner’s rat-tat-tat style of pacing. Low angles and atmospheric shadows enhance the mood, especially in the film’s second half as the plot moves into the realm of horror. The film would have benefited from greater suspense, but with its short running time, driving the plot forward was the priority. It’s most notable for the fact that it’s the only horror film Humphrey Bogart ever appeared in. The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca were still a few years off and Bogart, a Warner Bros. contract actor, had to appear in whatever the studio ordered. The film has similarities to Doctor X, made seven years earlier, but the plots and characters are completely different.
The Return of Doctor X was shot by director of photography Sidney Hickox on 35mm black-and-white film with spherical lenses, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.37:1. Warner Archive’s Blu-ray is sourced from a 4K scan of the original nitrate camera negative. The quality of the natural film grain is excellent. Detail is well delineated in equipment in Dr. Flegg’s lab, the newspaper editor’s office, a hospital operating room, and a cemetery tombstone. The cinematography reflects expressionistic touches in the film’s second half, with low angles casting atmospheric shadows on walls. Black levels are deep and rich.
The soundtrack is English 2.0 mono DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. Dialogue is clear and distinct. Bogart’s manner of speaking is slow and deliberate, adding another odd element to his characterization. Morris speaks quickly, especially when delivering his character’s wisecracks. Sound effects include gun shots, the gurgling and bubbling of scientific equipment, and car motors.
Bonus materials include the following:
- Audio Commentary by Vincent Sherman and Dr. Steve Haberman
- Dog Gone Modern (7:26)
- Porky’s Hotel (6:48)
- Theatrical Trailer (2:33)
Audio Commentary – Author and film historian Steve Haberman discusses how The Return of Doctor X was developed. Warner Bros. announced a sequel to Doctor X based on the short story The Doctor’s Secret by William J. Mankin, with Boris Karloff as the star. The studio hoped to add Bela Lugosi to the cast. This version was set in 1885 England. Instead, the studio economized by setting the action in a present-day American city, scheduled a 21-day shoot, and jettisoned the plan to cast expensive stars in favor of contract actor Humphrey Bogart. Comedy was emphasized over Gothic atmosphere. The director himself, Vincent Sherman, provides an extensive overview of his career. He had worked in theater, studied the films of William Wyler and the art of filmmaking, and was a writer and director at Warner Bros. for years. Sherman says Bogart did the best he could with the roles handed to him. He and Bogart got along because of their similar background in theater. Sherman felt the combination of comedy and horror would work with an audience. He always liked to put something hopeful in his pictures. For The Return of Doctor X, Sherman was influenced by James Whale’s Frankenstein. He requested lots of scientific equipment for a scene in which a rabbit is brought back to life. Studio head Jack Warner was always pushing Sherman to work quickly. He appreciated the security of being under contract to a studio. Haberman explains the similarities and differences between Doctor X and The Return of Doctor X, noting that despite its title, the latter is not a sequel. He provides career overviews of Wayne Morris, Rosemary Lane, and Dennis Morgan. He describes The Return of Doctor X as a “male bonding film” that “works best as a B unit thriller with horror overtones.”
Dog Gone Modern – In this 1939 Technicolor Merrie Melodies cartoon directed by Chuck Jones, two curious dogs enter a model home equipped with an assortment of modern inventions, including a robot programmed to sweep up anything that touches the floor. The dogs push various buttons as machines get carried away and overstep their intended functions. Mel Blanc provides voice characterizations.
Porky’s Hotel – Robert Clampett directed this 1939 black & white Looney Tunes cartoon. Porky Pig is the proprietor of a hotel in the small town of Donut Center. A goat with gout checks in for a rest, but a talkative young duck prevents him from getting any, especially when the duck starts chasing after a fly with a hammer.
THE RETURN OF DOCTOR X (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): B-/A/A-
Overall, this is a fine collection of 1930s Warner Bros. thriller and suspense films, some more overtly horror than others, but a nice, affordable way to pick up a set of classics. If you haven’t purchased any of these titles individually, this set comes highly recommended.
- Tim Salmons and Dennis Seuling
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