The Ape: 1940

   Welcome to my second gorilla-based review.  Today I will be focusing on the first installment of my last review simply entitled, "The Ape". Enjoy.

   Dr. Bernard Adrian is a kindly mad scientist who seeks to cure a young woman's polio. He needs spinal fluid from a human to complete the formula for his experimental serum. Meanwhile, a vicious circus ape has broken out of its cage, and is terrorizing town’s people.

   

   "The Ape", is the mentally ill older sibling to "The Ape Man".  This film seemed promising enough during the exposition.  I noticed that there seemed to be much more going on plot-wise.  A gorilla breaks out of a Circus and runs wild throughout the small town of which the Circus happened to be residing in.  It seemed simple enough, and there was also famous actor Boris Karloff to look forward to.  However this was merely the use of the same sales strategy as this movies sequel.  They took a very famous actor, and put him in a film that didn't deserve him.  Fortunately, like this movie's sequel, the actor they put in did the best with what he had.  I admit that their strategy to get more views for this film worked, but it was wrong.  If you want to make a film successful, focus on the actual film.

  

   

   The opening credits for this film compared to my last review, is very poor.  Now, I know that whoever composed it was trying to go for a circus theme, but that must have meant that this person only saw the first twelve minuets of this movie because, after that, we never see the circus again!  So, although it's overused, I would go for the Lugosi score over the Karloff score any day.  Another aspect that is not used well in, "The Ape”, is the editing.  There are moments where you can tell there's a cut so well, that it's annoying.  Remember that back then; editing was not done on a computer.  Instead, the film had to be cut and reattached to the film.  This technique of editing is called splicing, and if you've ever wonder where the proses of editing began, than I just taught you something new.

   The very last thing I would like to criticize about this film, are the sub-plots.  There were too many!  This film suffers from a compulsive need to keep you interested by adding new things, and this technique backfires horrendously.  It is for this reason that there are so many ends that are not tied at the end of this movie.  Sometimes, the only thing you should do to a movie is give it one consecutive timeline.  You don't need to branch off into all these different tangents, because in the end you'll lose the viewers interest.

   

   In Conclusion:  Less is sometimes more, or at least as much as you need.  "The Ape" was unsuccessful at pulling me in, because there were one too many things that this film wanted me to care about.  In effect, I lost interest.  The remake of this film, in my mind, was a bit more reserved and in turn, I was able to follow it from beginning to end.  I don't think at this point the actors matter anymore.  Both of these films didn't utilize their abilities at all, and though I do think of Boris and Bela to be the two greatest horror icons of their time, these weren't films for either of them.  This was also not a horror film!  I've been tricked once more!  It seemed to be coming from a Mystery and Science Fiction side.  "The Ape" was a thoroughly unenjoyable film, and the only thing that you'll lose by watching it is your attention span.

Verdict:

                     

I give this film 3 gorilla doctors out of 10

Next Review:  The Monster Walks 1932

The Terror: 1963

   
  Rodger Corman was, and still is known as, “The B-Movie King”.  He was the director of many horror flicks, most of which were made fast and inexpensive.  Around the time this movie came out, Corman was working on, "The Raven", an adaptation of the book by Edgar Allen Poe.  He must have been fond of Poe's work, because he made many more film adaptations like it, including, "The Pit and the Pendulum", and, "The Black Cat".  Anyway Rodger Corman finished, "The Raven" two days before its expected release, so instead of just making an audience wait two days to see a movie, he decided to make another film entitled, "The Terror", the film I will be reviewing today.  "The Terror", was filmed in the two days left over from the early release of, "The Raven", and it used the same props, sets, cast, and crew left over from, "The Raven".  Why not?  

   If you know the cast from the raven, then it won't be a surprise when I tell you the cast of this film are Boris Carloft and Jack Nicholson.  I bet you never would have thought these people would have crossed paths ever in the history of cinema, but there it is!  Wow!  You've got the famous older Boris Carloft with younger-soon-to-be-star, Jack Nicholson, while directed by the B-Movie master, Rodger Corman!  How could this movie possibly go wrong?  Francis Coppola worked on the film a little bit after Rodger Corman gave up the production.  Okay, you might think that this is the time that I go into the movie review like I normally do, but today we're going to do something different.  I'll be moving on right into my conclusion, but instead of labeling it, "In Conclusion", I'm not going to be making any separation from the back story and the actual review of the movie.

   This was a sad film, but not for the acting or the story or the characters.  It wasn't any of those things.  It was simply the fact that it was a clash of actors in the same year.  Boris Carloft and Jack Nicholson both have had their share of horror films, only, for one it was the beginning of a career, and for another the end of one.  But as for the story, it went everywhere with its twists and turns and changing of roles.  It never stopped!  My guess is that Rodger Corman made it this way, because of the lack of time.  He may not have known that his idea for, "The Terror” needed more separation between each possible explanation to a mystery.  To space out the twists until it was appropriate to use them.  There were some confusing parts too, like the very first scene, where you watch Boris Carloft travel down into the castle to open a door to find a skeleton.  This had no purpose to the story whatsoever.  It’s even in the beginning of the movie, so it seems as though it was meant to be paid attention to.  

   Ronald Stein composed the music for the film, and I'm sure that it was meant to be a powerful piece, but it ends up being redundant and forgetful.  Not only was this rushed, but the dialog and timing are sub-par, making for mediocre conversations, and since there is a twist every three scenes, you end up becoming unattached to the plot.  The performances were standard; however, Nicholson   interacting with Carloft was very interesting.  If you'd like to see what Jack Nicholson's career was like before he became famous, you should check this out.  However, it comes with a price.  In the climax its shown clearly, That Boris Carloft cannot do hand to hand combat at all, and you reflect upon the time that has gone by with his career, you now know his former way of life has come to a close.  The turning point of film has arrived with Nicholson, and ended with Carloft.  Out with the old and in with the new, I suppose.  Out with the old and in with the new... 

Verdict:  I give this film 3 unexplained skeletons out of 5

  

         Next Review:  The Vampire Bat 1933