For decades, this film was nigh lost...apparently all that survived was a single extremely tattered/spliced/beat-up 16mm print, under the U.S. retitling of THE MAN WHO LIVED AGAIN, which finally made its way into the hands of the good people at Sinister Cinema, who released it on VHS around 15 years ago. Even in such a compromised state, the film was so good that it almost didn't matter. And then, happily, late last year, it came out of nowhere: an obscure label by the name of Shanachie Video released a DVD mastered from a beautiful, nigh-flawless 35mm print (or it could even be the original negative, not sure) under the original British title. Where this print or negative was found, I don't know, but I do know that I'm ecstatic over it!
WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW!!!
Boris Karloff is EXCELLENT as Dr. Laurience, a scientist trying to get the scientific community to accept his process of transferring "thought content" from one brain to another, ostensibly to preserve the knowledge and personality gained over a lifetime instead of leaving it to rot with the body after life has expired. After his presentation, his peers of course think he's nuts, and his financial backer, newspaper publisher Lord Haslewood, turns on him as well, taking possession of his notes and all the lab equipment. Coupled with the rejection of his romantic advances by his lovely assistant Clare, this, in the time-honored tradition of horror and sci-fi stories, proceeds to send the doctor over the edge...
Boris Karloff manages to make his character by turns likable, detestable, frightening, and sympathetic, according to the demands of the story; at all times he is believable and utterly compelling. Anna Lee, as Dr. Clare Wyatt, the good doctor's assistant, makes for an intelligent, sophisticated, well-dressed, and above all luscious damsel-in-distress. John Loder, as the publisher's son, Dick Haslewood, is his usual lightweight likable leading-man self, and infinitely preferable to David Manners, who often played these types for Universal Studios. If you like John here, you'll also like him in Hitchcock's classic SABOTAGE, also filmed in 1936. Frank Cellier is perfect as Lord Haslewood, Laurience's initial benefactor, later nemesis and eventual victim. He really gets a chance to shine in the clever dialogue exchanges of the boardroom scenes. The direction by Robert Stevenson (who would go on to helm many Disney classics including MARY POPPINS) is right on the money, as is the art direction and set design. Perhaps most importantly, the script is a sophisticated top-notch balance of thrills and light comedy, co-written by John Balderston and Sidney Gilliat. Balderston, scribe of such stage-derived '30s chillers as FRANKENSTEIN, Dracula, and THE MUMMY, provided the serious stuff, and Gilliat, scribe for Hitchcock (THE LADY VANISHES, JAMAICA INN) and Carol Reed (NIGHT TRAIN TO MUNICH, THE YOUNG MR. PITT), supplied the wit, with excellent results.
The new DVD is a revelation. If all you've seen before is that shredded 16mm print on VHS, and liked it then, prepare yourself to be blown away by this transfer...and if you've never seen it at all, and are a fan of classic horror and sci-fi, you can't go wrong with this undeservedly obscure gem...one of Boris Karloff's finest hours.
One minor caveat: the DVD appears to be either mastered from a PAL source or a bit time-compressed; the voices are at a slightly higher pitch than they should be, but this shouldn't be too noticeable to the majority of viewers. I just tend to be obsessive about this stuff...
WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW!!!
Boris Karloff is EXCELLENT as Dr. Laurience, a scientist trying to get the scientific community to accept his process of transferring "thought content" from one brain to another, ostensibly to preserve the knowledge and personality gained over a lifetime instead of leaving it to rot with the body after life has expired. After his presentation, his peers of course think he's nuts, and his financial backer, newspaper publisher Lord Haslewood, turns on him as well, taking possession of his notes and all the lab equipment. Coupled with the rejection of his romantic advances by his lovely assistant Clare, this, in the time-honored tradition of horror and sci-fi stories, proceeds to send the doctor over the edge...
Boris Karloff manages to make his character by turns likable, detestable, frightening, and sympathetic, according to the demands of the story; at all times he is believable and utterly compelling. Anna Lee, as Dr. Clare Wyatt, the good doctor's assistant, makes for an intelligent, sophisticated, well-dressed, and above all luscious damsel-in-distress. John Loder, as the publisher's son, Dick Haslewood, is his usual lightweight likable leading-man self, and infinitely preferable to David Manners, who often played these types for Universal Studios. If you like John here, you'll also like him in Hitchcock's classic SABOTAGE, also filmed in 1936. Frank Cellier is perfect as Lord Haslewood, Laurience's initial benefactor, later nemesis and eventual victim. He really gets a chance to shine in the clever dialogue exchanges of the boardroom scenes. The direction by Robert Stevenson (who would go on to helm many Disney classics including MARY POPPINS) is right on the money, as is the art direction and set design. Perhaps most importantly, the script is a sophisticated top-notch balance of thrills and light comedy, co-written by John Balderston and Sidney Gilliat. Balderston, scribe of such stage-derived '30s chillers as FRANKENSTEIN, Dracula, and THE MUMMY, provided the serious stuff, and Gilliat, scribe for Hitchcock (THE LADY VANISHES, JAMAICA INN) and Carol Reed (NIGHT TRAIN TO MUNICH, THE YOUNG MR. PITT), supplied the wit, with excellent results.
The new DVD is a revelation. If all you've seen before is that shredded 16mm print on VHS, and liked it then, prepare yourself to be blown away by this transfer...and if you've never seen it at all, and are a fan of classic horror and sci-fi, you can't go wrong with this undeservedly obscure gem...one of Boris Karloff's finest hours.
One minor caveat: the DVD appears to be either mastered from a PAL source or a bit time-compressed; the voices are at a slightly higher pitch than they should be, but this shouldn't be too noticeable to the majority of viewers. I just tend to be obsessive about this stuff...