The idea of doing a horror comedy sounds like a good idea. Plus, getting the talents of Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff, Basil Rathbone and a cameo by Joe E. Brown sounds like a sure recipe for a hit film. Instead, however, the film started off well but ended in a giant and annoying mess.
The film begins with Vincent Price very unhappily married to Karloff's daughter. As for Karloff, he plays a very pathetic and broken down senile man--a very sad and awful role that is supposed to be funny. But, given how old and sickly Karloff looked, it's an idea that just didn't gel. As for Price, he's a nasty man who runs the family undertaker business. The problem is that business is VERY poor, and with the landlord (Rathbone) pressing for rent, Price and his employee (Lorre) go about town killing people in order to drum up customers! This is a very clever idea for a comedy (minus the senile Karloff part).
Unfortunately, the film just tried way, way too hard to be a kooky comedy. Obnoxious silly sound effects and slapstick just doesn't work well with a bunch of very old and tired looking men. Plus, by the end of the film it sort of degenerated into a free-for-all--with everyone fighting and hitting each other.
Overall, a truly bad film that wasted everyone's talents. A loud and obnoxious soundtrack, ham-fisted direction and a script that lacked finesse or subtlety all are the makings of a film that is hard to keep watching.
The film begins with Vincent Price very unhappily married to Karloff's daughter. As for Karloff, he plays a very pathetic and broken down senile man--a very sad and awful role that is supposed to be funny. But, given how old and sickly Karloff looked, it's an idea that just didn't gel. As for Price, he's a nasty man who runs the family undertaker business. The problem is that business is VERY poor, and with the landlord (Rathbone) pressing for rent, Price and his employee (Lorre) go about town killing people in order to drum up customers! This is a very clever idea for a comedy (minus the senile Karloff part).
Unfortunately, the film just tried way, way too hard to be a kooky comedy. Obnoxious silly sound effects and slapstick just doesn't work well with a bunch of very old and tired looking men. Plus, by the end of the film it sort of degenerated into a free-for-all--with everyone fighting and hitting each other.
Overall, a truly bad film that wasted everyone's talents. A loud and obnoxious soundtrack, ham-fisted direction and a script that lacked finesse or subtlety all are the makings of a film that is hard to keep watching.