El regreso del doctor X

I love this film and that's the reason I'm adding a review to a film that already has 30 reviews. First of all, many previous reviewers complain that this is not a typical horror movie from the period. For example there is no Karloff or Lugosi in a starring role. That is true, but the film plays more like a breezy, fast paced Warner Bros. B' crime film. I have no problem with that. Although the horror isn't stressed, the finale with Bogart taking the girl to the abandoned farm house is pretty spooky.

I argue with those saying the cast isn't very good. While Bogart isn't at home playing a corpse who has returned to life, he doesn't disappoint. John Litel, is over the top (and great) as the doctor who returns Bogart from the dead. Finally Wayne Morris, who is the real star of the film, plays the wise guy reporter investigating the strange happenings. The rest of the cast is well above average for a "chunk it out as fast as possible" B' picture. This includes, Dennis Morgan, Rosemary Lane, Huntz Hall, and the spooky Lya Lys.

This is no masterpiece, but this is fast and fun and never boring for a second. Ah, if only there were only more films like this. Who doesn't love a Bogart zombie film? Must viewing for any film buff.

You've got to see it to believe it. Bogie in makeup looking ghostly white with a white streak in his hair, in a combination Frankenstein and vampire horror film. It actually happened, due to knuckleheads at Warner Bros. who put him in this film against his wishes. I was amused as well as amazed throughout, and enjoyed watching Bogie stroke his pet rabbit and playing it all straight. Others in the cast (Wayne Morris, Rosemary Lane and Dennis Morgan) were fine, but Bogie is the only reason to see this movie. Be prepared to shake your head in disbelief.

The movie must have gone through some heavy editing, because there were many credit errors. First, the end credits bill Wayne Morris as Walter Barnett, but he is called Walter Garrett in the movie throughout and that name is also printed in newspapers several times. Next, Charles Wilson is billed as Detective Ray Kincaid, but he is called Roy throughout. Finally, many of the actors who were supposed to be in the movie never turn up, including two who were credited onscreen - Howard Hickman and Arthur Aylesworth.

Had this film not cast Humphrey Bogart as the title mad scientist, this film would probably regarded as just another 1930's big studio "B" thriller. Bogart tries hard , but he is Bogart, and its just to hard to take seeing him playing an executed mad scientist brought back from the dead who is now a scientific vampire. Supposedly, Boris Karloff was slated to play the title role, but was not available.

I have to admit I was very impressed with the films art direction (credited to Esdras Hartley.) The laboratory of Dr. Flegg consists of a maze of glass tubes dripping a dark fluid in beakers, and has the look of a giant circulatory system, reflecting the films emphasis on blood.

Hollywood legend has it that Bogart was having trouble with WB brass at the time with the type roles they were giving him. The WB brass wanted to punish him by casting him in this and KING OF THE UNDERWORLD in order show Bogie who was boss.

As others have pointed out, this really isn't a sequel to the 1932 film "Doctor X." Too bad....it might have been better had it been. Not that this is bad; it isn't, but isn't anything to write home about, either. Thanfully, it's only 62 minutes. Had this been 20 minutes longer, it would have been a yawner.

First, for a "horror" picture, this isn't much horror. Actually there is no horror, nothing in here that is going to frighten the most timid of souls. The only strange- looking person is Humphrey Bogart and all classic film buffs will do is laugh when they see "Bogie" in here. With a plastic-looking face and some weird hair coloring, you want to laugh out loud when you first see him.

Wayne Morris and Dennis Morgan are the real stars of the film. They are in almost every scene, with Morris as reporter "Walter 'Wichita' Garrett" and Morgan as "Dr. Mike Rhodes." John Litel plays a Dr. Frankenstein-type character in "Dr. Flegg," a key member of this cast.

This movie is almost all talk until the 59-minute mark when "Dr. X" makes a run for it and gets involved in gunfire. Yet, it's never boring, either. The scenes move quickly from place to place and plays more like a crime film than anything else. Typical of early '30s crime movies, we get some corny humor from one of the characters, in this case from Morris.

Kudos to the Hollywood Legends Of Horror series to make this DVD transfer so nice looking. It's part of an attractive package of 1930s horror films.

If you're container is filled up with blood type 1, there's a chance that you may be emptied and then gone, as it's required by a cadaver, to remain as life's gate crasher, although he's generally quite guarded and withdrawn (and quite pale and anaemic to boot and not particularly pleasant).

It's not the greatest rip off (in part) of a Mary Shelley classic you might be familiar with, and it's probably Bogart's worst film, certainly of the ones I've seen, although he does an admirable impression of Boris Karloff lite, which I'm sure he must have relished - I fancy Cagney had a good giggle too. The rest of the performances are as stereotyped for the time as any although, coming in at a smidgen over 1 hour, it won't leave you feeling or looking as jaded as the titular Doctor.