Final Curtain

It's basically a radio drama with pictures. Duke Moore stumbles around a large empty theater while Dudley Manlove drones Ed Wood's dialogue on and on and on. When the Duke finally comes across a 'surprise' behind a door (Jeannie Stevens) it looks like dialogue might break out.............but, no. Duke closes the door and Manlove drones some more. Cinematographer William C. Thompson gives it a better look than it deserves. The music and sound FX aren't bad, but, again, those latter two elements would have worked just as well on radio. It's no surprise that even in an era with shows like Lights Out and Tales of the Unexpected, there were no takers for this talky nothing of a pilot. At least Wood got to recycle some of it for NIGHT OF THE GHOULS.

This could have been something if someone like the great Boris Karloff would have narrated it. But, unfortunately we get Dudley (Plan 9 from Outer Space) Manlove, and that is a little bit over the top. In fact annoying would be a better term. It's a good thing I'm an Ed Wood fan, or I couldn't bear the short 20 minute running time.

An actor (James "Duke" Moore) roams around an empty theatre after dark (though in typical Wood fashion the sky seen through a ceiling window is light). He hears creepy sounds and sees eerie things, including a female mannequin dressed as a vampire (again in typical Wood fashion her limbs can be seen moving). Also know as "Portraits of Terror" this short film (running time 22 minutes) was thought lost until 2012 and was written, directed and produced by the legendary Edward D Wood Jr, aka Ed Wood Jr. It was intended as a pilot for a planned TV series which sadly never materialised. I liked the creepy music and the female vampire but other than that not much happens. Certainly essential viewing for Wood Jr fans, I think that this would have worked better as a segment in a horror anthology film.

Don't get me wrong, this isnt a good movie, but it IS one of the better Wood vehicles.

Maybe because it's so short. You gotta wonder how toasted Wood was when he wrote these films. It must have cost a few hundred to make it. It's pretty much nothing but a guy standing back stage and a voice over of him explaining his silly thoughts.

I've often wondered just why Duke Moore had to be dressed in a tuxedo during the first half of Night of the Ghouls. Now I know. Ed tried to sell this television pilot but got no takers. He couldn't let this valuable footage go to waste so he inserted it into NOTG even though it makes no sense in the movie, either, thus Duke having to match up with the stock footage. Wood must have learned film producing under Jules White. Final Curtain is an Ed Wood stream of conciousness, which means it's about twice as long as it should be. As a one reeler it might have been OK, but at 2 reels it's strictly for the Ed Wood completist that has to see everything.