Noite de Horrores

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...

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.

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!

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.

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.