JohnHowardReid
Bela Lugosi (Dr Lorenz), Luana Walters (Patricia Hunter), Tris Coffin (Dr Foster), Kenneth Harlan (editor), Vince Barnett (Sandy), Elizabeth Russell (Countess Lorenz), Minerva Urecal (Fagah), Angelo Rossitto (Toby), Joan Barclay (Alice Wentworth), Gwen Kenton (Peggy Woods), Frank Moran (Angel), George Eldredge (Mike), Gladys Faye (Mrs Wentworth), Eddie Kane (district attorney), Murdock MacQuarrie (minister), Frank O'Connor (policeman).Director: WALLACE FOX. Screenplay: Harvey Gates. Story: Gerald Schnitzer, Sam Robins. Photography: Arthur Reed. Release prints processed in sepia. Film editor: Robert Golden. Art director: Dave Milton. Music directors: Johnny Lange and Lew Porter. Production manager: Ed W. Rote. Assistant director: Arthur Hammond. Sound recording; Glen Glenn. Associate producer: Barney Sarecky. Producers: Sam Katzman, Jack Dietz.Copyright 8 May 1942 by Monogram Pictures Corp. U.S. release: 8 May 1942. No recorded New York opening. 7 reels. 64 minutes. Alternative title: Case of the Missing Brides.COMMENT: This really silly story about a mad scientist who extracts the blood of virgin brides to keep his wife young, is given a bit of life and vitality through the sterling efforts of some of its players and by Wallace Fox's occasionally slick direction. The players who come to the rescue of the script are led by the lovely Luana Walters, the surprisingly personable Tris Coffin (as the hero, no less), ever-reliable Kenneth Harlan and the fascinating Angelo Rossitto (who actually has a few words of dialogue). I have exclude Mr Lugosi who can play this sort of role standing on his head. Somehow the film's strained production values seem to match his waning charisma.
Eric Stevenson
I think this may in fact be the oldest movie that was ever featured on "Mystery Science Theater 3000". I guess there were some serials that were in fact earlier, but I think this fits the bill. This movie features Bela Lugosi doing, well exactly what the plot synopsis says. There's almost nothing else that goes on. It was really weird to just see a bride die for no reason at the beginning of the movie. It does make a little more sense later, but it's still pretty dumb. It's weird how this wasn't the part where Lugosi was in bad movies.He became much more infamous during the Ed Wood years. Well, there were always cheesy movies. The main problem is how slow this movie is. You just keep on seeing characters walk around for the longest time. I guess the story could have been dumber. You could say it set a sort of weird precedent for later bad movies. Well, "Reefer Madness" was earlier. There's too much darkness and the characters have little depth, but at least it was short. **
binapiraeus
There's a very strange and frightening murder series going on: young brides all of a sudden faint and die during their wedding ceremony - the nightmare of every young couple and their parents... But not enough with that: the bodies of the brides are stolen practically right from the altar! But a cheeky girl reporter finally finds a clue: an orchid with a strange smell, and she soon finds out that every one of the brides wore an orchid like this.And so, determined to get out of her gossip column job at last and into the REAL (yellow press) journalism, she finds out who grows these rare orchids, and ventures right into the lion's den - where she meets a perfect, but somehow reserved gentleman and his beautiful, but obviously psychologically disturbed wife. But what she doesn't know yet: this gentleman is the same man who peeps grinning out of the hearse every time it takes away the bodies of the dead brides...Here Bela Lugosi REALLY seems to be in his element: the stately, well-mannered, but somehow sinister gentleman who turns out to be something COMPLETELY different at the end - but not a blood-thirsty monster as we may suspect, but a caring, obeying husband; only not in the USUAL way...This is one of the 'serious' movies that Bela made for Monogram - and he DID take it serious. His performance is excellent, and even if the script at a close look does show some flaws, the direction is perfect: the classic, haunting atmosphere of doom seems to hang above everyone's head - but will fate spare anybody? Find out for yourself - it's REALLY worth watching, a 'must' for every fan of classic horror!
kai ringler
I really enjoyed this one,, not a classic by any stretch but way better than the amazing mr. x . this one had me laughing all the way,, a news reporter from the society page is assigned the task of figuring out why and who keeps killing virgin young brides, then proceeds to steal the corpse away to an unknown location for as yet unknown purpose. Bela Lugosi does his usual good acting in this acting his usual creepy self. their are many interesting characters in here and all with very interesting parts throughout the movie. it was full of laughs and very enjoyable to watch throughout. without getting into why the corpses are taken away, and to what they are used for I will have to let you watch this and see what you all think about it, I personally loved this movie.
AD
