The Black Room

1935 "Dead or Alive... He could kill!"

The Black Room

6.9 | 1h10m | NR | en | Horror

In a 16th-century European town, the ruling family has been given a prophecy that, should there ever be twin boys born, the younger will murder the older; so is dismayed when twins are born to the popular baron. The older grows to be a selfish, slovenly man, who inherits the castle at his father's death and becomes ruler over the formerly happy villagers. He enjoys his power until he learns his younger brother is returning from abroad and, afraid of the prophecy, he determines to murder his sibling, hide his body in the "black room" - an old torture chamber sealed away behind the fireplace - and then impersonate him, right down to his withered arm. In this way he hopes to not only avoid the prophecy, but also escape consequences of his other criminal deeds and obtain marriage to a local girl of the nobility...

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6.9 | 1h10m | NR | en | Horror , Thriller , Crime | More Info

Released: July. 15,1935 | Released Producted By: Columbia Pictures , Country: United States of America Budget: 0 Revenue: 0 Official Website:

Synopsis

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Cast

Boris Karloff , Marian Marsh , Robert Allen

Director

Stephen Goosson

Producted By

Columbia Pictures ,

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Trailers & Images

Cast

Boris Karloff

as Baron Gregor de Berghman / Anton de Berghman

Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman Ian Rankin Investigates: Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde Bela Lugosi: The Fallen Vampire Lugosi: The Dark Prince Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed 100 Years of Horror: The Frankenstein Family How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Special Edition How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Documentary Macabre Serenade

Marian Marsh

as Thea Hassel

Murder by Invitation Missing Daughters A Desperate Adventure Saturday's Heroes Counterfeit Crime and Punishment The Black Room The Sport Parade Beauty and the Boss

Robert Allen

as Lt. Albert Lussan

Meet the Girls Ranger Courage The Awful Truth Law of the Ranger Air Hawks Fighting Shadows Crime and Punishment Law Beyond the Range The Black Room

Reviews

JohnHowardReid Although he is generally associated with fantastic horror films and the super-natural, cult icon, Boris Karloff, made quite a few straight thrillers in the Tod Slaughter horror tradition, the best of which is undoubtedly 1935's moody "The Black Room", in which Karloff most skilfully portrays twin brothers, one evil, one good. Directed with considerable imagination by Roy William Neill, and produced on a remarkably lavish budget, the movie's only slight demerit lies in the weak performance by the nominal hero, Robert Allen, whose part, fortunately, is surprisingly small.All told, "The Black Room" is Boris Karloff's film, and he makes the most of his many opportunities to excel.

bkoganbing No other worldly creatures. no man made type monsters are in this Boris Karloff film. Instead Karloff plays a pair of twin brothers, one good, one bad in The Black Room set during the 19th century in some German principality.The concept of twins is always an interesting one ever since Romulus and Remus battled in ancient times. Bette Davis did a pair of films playing good and evil women. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. did a great film The Corsican Brothers with the same idea about one good and one cursed apparently evil twin.But there's some prophecy here about a pair of twin heirs that one would slay the other. So the boys who grew up to be Boris Karloff were separated with one going off to live the life of a 19th century trust fund baby.Wouldn't you know it, but the bad twin is left in charge and Karloff is his usual malevolent self. Won't go into it, but he has evil designs on the young women of the domain like Marian Marsh and Katherine DeMille. The prophecy is fulfilled, but in a most ironic way.Note the presence of Robert Allen who at that time was Columbia's B picture western star for once not in cowboy gear for a film. He's a young guards officer with a thing for Marian Marsh.Karloff's double performance makes this one worth watching.

Michael O'Keefe A gripping tale featuring a brilliant performance by Boris Karloff in a duel role as twin brothers Anton and Gregor de Berghman. Gregor is a brutal baron living in the shadow of an aged prophesy that the handicapped younger brother Anton will eventually murder him in their castle's "Black Room". When the kinder twin returns after a long absence, Gregor is jealous of the high regard Anton is given. The older twin is suspected of evil doing concerning the disappearance of young women of the village. Gregor decides to relinquish his power to Anton; only to murder him in the concealed "Black Room" and take his identity. It appears the prophesy is broken. When the villagers later get wind of the impersonation, there will be an unruly uprising and the discovery of the de Berghman castle's hidden "Black Room" and the prophesy will come to a true and chilling demise. Karloff is more than outstanding. Also starring are: Marian Marsh, Thurston Hall, Katherine DeMille, and Robert Allen.

Bill357 When I was a boy people didn't own many videotapes. All the big Hollywood blockbusters were about twenty bucks each (eighties money) and every kid I knew had a collection of bargain tapes recorded in SP mode. One of my absolute favorites was the Goodtimes Home Video release of The Black Room.In my humble opinion this is the best horror film of the thirties, even better than the much touted Universal horrors. The first time I watched it, I was almost instantly mesmerized by the look and feel of this movie and by the incredible dual performance by Boris Karloff. The script is simple, to the point, and brilliant with a great ironic twist ending.The idea of a serial murderer trysting with young unmarried women and filling a pit with their corpses seems very daring for it's time. This is one of the few purely psychological horror films of the era but with a foreboding Gothic atmosphere and plenty of superstition that gives it the feel of the supernatural.Interesting note: The scene where Gregor (masquerading as Anton) is confronted by Anton's dog and treated cruelly by it's seemingly beloved master is repeated decades later in Karloff's Black Sabbath where he returns home having been turned into a vampire.