lugonian MAN-MADE MONSTER (Universal, 1941), directed by George Waggner, could have been the subtitle to the earlier Universal horror success of FRANKENSTEIN (1931) about the title character and his monster creation. Based on the original story "The Electric Man," which should have been its title instead, the film in general in often overlooked among the horror/science fiction genre made famous by Universal. For its new decade of the 1940s, the studio produced further sequels to its earlier successes for DRACULA (1931), FRANKENSTEIN (1931), THE MUMMY (1932), and THE INVISIBLE MAN (1933), often starring different actors. MAN-MADE MONSTER not only has the distinction of being an original premise with no further sequels to follow, but an introduction to the horror cycle for Lon Chaney Jr. before achieving further establishment later that year as THE WOLF MAN (1941). With The Wolf Man being Chaney's most famous horror character, replayed again in further sequels, his MAN-MADE MONSTER ranks one of his better of the second feature productions, even though star billing goes to Lionel Atwill in a secondary role.The story opens with a bus traveling down the road, only to minutes later meet with an accident crashing into an electrical tower, killing all its passengers except for one, Dan McCormick (Lon Chaney Jr.). Recuperating in a hospital, this good-natured young man's survival has stumped many, including reporters and doctors. It so happens that Dan's profession happens to be as an electric man in side shows and carnivals, and that he possibly has this special immunity towards electricity. Doctor John Lawrence (Samuel S. Hinds), an electric-biologist, invites Dan to his home to study him while conducting experiments along with his associate, Doctor Paul Rigas (Lionel Atwill). Also at the Moors estate is Lawrence's niece, June (Anne Nagel), who becomes interested in Dan. As Dan makes himself at home, even to a point of bonding favorably with the family dog, Corky, Dan subjects himself to experiments during Lawrence's absence at a medical convention under Rigas. Rigas then takes it upon himself to strap Don on a laboratory table to do more than instructed by Lawrence. Placing more electricity than his body can handle, Dan's cheerful personality changes to depression, even to the point of aging. Becoming an electric man with super human strength, Dan unwittingly kills Lawrence under Rigas' orders. It is Rigas who labels Dan insane to the authorities, leading to his trial and sentence to die in an electric chair. Further shocking developments follow. Also in the cast are Frank Albertson (Mark Adams, reporter for the Glove Dispatch); William B. Davidson (Ralph D. Stanley, district attorney); and Russell Hicks (Warden Warren Harris). Although veteran character actor, Byron Foulger, is listed in the cast, his scenes are not visible in the final print.As much as MAN-MADE MONSTER belongs to young Chaney, Lionel Atwill, who specialized playing mad doctors in the past, does so once more in this production, with certain scenes opposite Anne Nagel reminiscent to those he did opposite Fay Wray in both MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM (1933) and THE VAMPIRE BAT (1933). The electrical special effects used for Chaney are first-rate, along with mood underscoring most familiar in many Universal-horror productions. The film in general offers some light touches, especially Chaney's early scenes involving Corky, and some brief romantic interest between its co-stars of Frank Albertson and Anne Nagel that doesn't get in the way of the story. While some sources label MAN-MADE MONSTER at 64 minutes, circulating prints, ranging from broadcast (like Shock Theater - how appropriate!) to cable television (Sci-Fi Channel in the 1990s), to video cassette to DVD process, clock at 59 minutes. It moves swiftly at fast-pace rate, especially towards the finish, thanks to Chaney's high voltage performance as the electric man. (**1/2 volts)

bkoganbing Lon Chaney, Jr. plays the title role in Man Made Monster, a man who through electricity is turned into a killer. The doer of this evil deed is Lionel Atwill playing the part of the mad scientist with the usual relish he brings to these kind of roles.It all starts out when Chaney is the sole survivor of a bus crash which hit a power line. All the other passengers are electrocuted when the downed power lines hit the bus. But Chaney emerges with a few cuts and bruises.Turns out he has a carnival act of sorts in which controlled amounts of electricity pass through his body and it's given him a certain tolerance level. Chaney agress to live with Dr. Samuel Hinds and his niece Anne Nagel to be a human guinea pig for some relatively benign experiments. But Hinds's associate Atwill has other ideas and his experiments turn Chaney into a walking dynamo who can electrocute at a touch and needs those jolts of electricity from Atwill to stay alive.As I said before Atwill is the real star of this film. He must have chewed two living room sets of furniture in Man Made Monster, but it all works beautifully for his performance. Frank Albertson is also around as a wisecracking reporter and love interest for Nagel.Chaney seems always cast as the good, but doomed soul, a part played well in Of Mice And Men and the original Wolfman movie. In Man Made Monster he's not simple minded like Lennie Small, but he's a happy go lucky sort when we first meet him. He does change and horribly.In the end its not humans who do him in, but rather the properties of electricity itself. Watch this good horror flick from Universal to see what I mean.

JoeB131 Lon Chaney Junior has an odd distinction in the Universal Horror Canon. He was the only actor to portray the Wolf Man. he was the only actor to play all the major monsters- Frankenstein, the Mummy, the Wolf Man and Dracula. But this little film is often overlooked.He plays "Dynamo Dan", a carnival performer who works with electricity who inexplicably survives an electrical accident that kills many others. He goes to work for mad scientist Lional Atwill who proceeds to turn him into an electric powered zombie.Sentenced to die in the electric chair, he rampages across the countryside after a botched execution and gets his revenge.it contains all the flavor of a Universal Horror film with none of the substance.

dougdoepke Plot— to control his mind, a mad scientist (is there any other kind) sends a big current of electricity through a carnival guy making him glow like a neon sign. Trouble ensues.Anyone familiar with horror pictures of the 30's and 40's knows that under no circumstance do you let Karloff, Zucco, or Atwill strap you down, especially in a laboratory. Pity poor Chaney Jr. He's really a nice guy, but after one horizontal session with Atwill, he lights up like Main St. on a Saturday night. But then he should have seen it coming— after all, Atwill's laboratory has more bells and whistles than Cape Canaveral. Chaney'll never get his old life back now that he's turned into a walking light bulb.Worse, after Atwill has fried Chaney's brain, the big guy has all the personality of a zombie. So, what does the trial court's head doctor say is wrong with him after he's murdered a guy —why, acute melancholia, of course. Sounds to me like the screenwriter has something against head doctors. But then, he doesn't much care for district attorneys either. Because a woman drops dead of fright right after the righteous DA says the public has nothing to fear. Hope the guy has a back-up job.Good slick production from a practiced Universal crew. I especially like Corky the dog, a fine canine actor, along with ingénue Anne Nagel who certainly lit up my corner of the room. All in all, I guess we have electricity to thank for these pre-war laboratory monsters and then nuclear radiation for the post-war mutant monsters. One way or the other, they're still a lot of fun, like this one.