Taking a look at the website of DVD company Network,I spotted a Boris Karloff title featuring a commentary from Stephen Jones & Kin Newman,which led to me getting ready to uncover the ghoul.
View on the film:
For the first ever (sound) British Horror film, (labelled "Horrific" when it first came out)director T. Hayes Hunter & cinematographer Günther Krampf soak the title in a haunting Gothic Horror atmosphere,with Hunter and Krampf using low lights to give the creeks bursting from Morlant's country house a real crunch.
Along with the creeping Gothic chills,Hunter also reveals a keen eye for stylish set pieces,as Morlant's mansion is revealed to contain a straight from Egypt tomb,and a fiery pit,which leads to Hunter delivering an explosive final.
Whilst Hunter sets the mood for his adaptation of Leonard Hines and Frank King's play,the screenplay by Rupert Downing/Roland Pertwee & John Hastings Turner struggles to give Hunters spooky backdrop a suitable foundation.
Sending Henry Morlant to the tomb in the first 15 minutes,the writers take a hazy mystery route which tries to build up suspense for Henry's return,but fails thanks to the writers not giving any of the other characters distinctive features,and also holding back Henry's jewel from being the driving force behind the Horror mystery, until the last minute.
With Karloff's prescience being locked in the tomb for most of the title,the rest of the cast sadly make his absence from the screen be one that is strongly felt,with Anthony Bushell giving an incredibly stilted,dry performance as Ralph Morlant.Returning to the UK,Boris Karloff gives a great performance as Prof. Henry Morlant,with Karloff revealing Morlant to be in a decaying near-zombie state,as Morlant comes out of the tomb.
View on the film:
For the first ever (sound) British Horror film, (labelled "Horrific" when it first came out)director T. Hayes Hunter & cinematographer Günther Krampf soak the title in a haunting Gothic Horror atmosphere,with Hunter and Krampf using low lights to give the creeks bursting from Morlant's country house a real crunch.
Along with the creeping Gothic chills,Hunter also reveals a keen eye for stylish set pieces,as Morlant's mansion is revealed to contain a straight from Egypt tomb,and a fiery pit,which leads to Hunter delivering an explosive final.
Whilst Hunter sets the mood for his adaptation of Leonard Hines and Frank King's play,the screenplay by Rupert Downing/Roland Pertwee & John Hastings Turner struggles to give Hunters spooky backdrop a suitable foundation.
Sending Henry Morlant to the tomb in the first 15 minutes,the writers take a hazy mystery route which tries to build up suspense for Henry's return,but fails thanks to the writers not giving any of the other characters distinctive features,and also holding back Henry's jewel from being the driving force behind the Horror mystery, until the last minute.
With Karloff's prescience being locked in the tomb for most of the title,the rest of the cast sadly make his absence from the screen be one that is strongly felt,with Anthony Bushell giving an incredibly stilted,dry performance as Ralph Morlant.Returning to the UK,Boris Karloff gives a great performance as Prof. Henry Morlant,with Karloff revealing Morlant to be in a decaying near-zombie state,as Morlant comes out of the tomb.