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The
Haunted Strangler
Monsters & Madmen
Collection
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U.K.
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1958
Directed by Robert Day
Starring
Boris Karloff
Jean Kent
Anthony Dawson
B&W
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78 Minutes
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Not Rated
Format: DVD (R1 - NTSC |
4-disc set)
Criterion Collection
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10
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Guest
Review by Troy
Howarth |
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One of the films in the Monsters
and Madmen Collection
• DVD Rating is for
entire set
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A
journalist (Boris Karloff) investigates the case
history of a murderer known as "The Haymarket
Strangler", only to discover that the man
executed for the crimes may have been innocent...
By 1957,
Boris Karloff was in something of a precarious
situation as far as film work was concerned. He
had not really had the opportunity to carry a
film worthy of his talents since his tenure with
Val Lewton in the late 1940s, and many of the
films he had been making were happy to trade on
his name while giving him little to do. One only
has to see him slumming it in pictures like Abbott
And Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
or The Strange Door
to make the situation crystal clear: ever the
professional, he gives perfectly competent performances,
but a sense of contempt for the material is clear.
Thus, when he read a story called Stranglehold
by Jan Read, Karloff was only too keen to pursue
a film adaptation —
this was a project that could allow him a chance
to show his range as an actor, and if it were
properly mounted it would evoke the class and
mood of the Lewton films of which he was so very
proud. Independent producer Richard Gordon signed
a deal with the actor, and in 1958 Stranglehold
would emerge as either Grip
Of the Strangler or The
Haunted Strangler, depending on which side
of the Atlantic you saw the picture.
The
plot has definite parallels to Stevenson's Dr.
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but it also has a central
mystery that gives the film great forward momentum.
Karloff's investigation into the Haymarket Strangler
leads to a conclusion that may seem fairly obvious,
but which is nicely handled by director Robert
Day and Karloff himself —
that the kindly journalist played by Karloff is
actually the strangler himself, his mind clouded
by shock; the irony is therefore that the hunter
has been tracking himself all along. It's a difficult
idea to pull off, and there are moments where
this is especially evident (no matter how much
Karloff's features distort when he reverts to
his former personality, it's still hard to believe
that nobody would recognize him), but Karloff
and Day do their damndest. The actor throws himself
into the role with appreciable enthusiasm —
his intrepid, kindhearted journalist evokes nothing
but sympathy, but when he changes into the strangler
(with the aid of no makeup —
Karloff simply removed a bridge from his teeth
and distorted his face all on his own; the end
result is surprisingly effective) he is as menacing
as any of the classic horror film characters for
which he is remembered. In addition to Karloff,
the solid supporting cast includes some fine British
character actors, notably Anthony Dawson (Dr.
No, Curse
Of The Werewolf) as a skeptical Scotland Yard
inspector.
Director Robert Day deserves
a lot of credit, as well. His economical approach
ensures that little time is wasted —
save for a little too much padding during the
nightclub routines —
and he gives the film quiet style and authority
without resorting to showy gimmickry. The low
budget is ably concealed and the film looks comparable
to the early Hammer horrors being shot during
the same period. The decision to shoot the film
in black and white may have hurt it in comparison
to the Technicolor g(l)ories of Hammer, but Day
stages at least one surprisingly brutal set-piece
when Karloff slashes a guard's face with a piece
of broken glass. The focus on Karloff's investigation
ensures that the film doesn't lose too much time
with tedious subplots, and even the obligatory
romantic subplot is briskly dispensed with. All
told, the film is a fine example of unpretentious
care and craftsmanship.
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Criterion's
release of The Haunted Strangler,
as part of their Monsters and Madmen Collection,
is every bit as stellar as one might expect. It
is to be regretted that they have opted not to
sell the four movies separately —
personally, I could have done without The
First Man Into Space and The
Atomic Submarine —
as this has driven their already hefty price tag
up even further. (Corridors
of Blood, starring Karloff and Christopher
Lee, is the set's fourth film.) That said, the
set can be obtained at a discount through various
online retailers, and the quality does justify
the expenditure. Previous video incarnations of
this particular title always looked rather pale
and cheap, approximating the look of TV kinescopes
of the period. This newly remastered print —
in its appropriate fullframe aperture —
is sharp and detailed, with rich blacks and clean
whites; it's conceivable that even the theatrical
prints didn't look so good. Print damage is minor
and limited to some speckling. The mono soundtrack
is clear and vivid, doing ample justice to Buxton
Orr's barnstorming soundtrack. Extras include
a commentary track with producer Richard Gordon,
moderated by Tom Weaver, as well as a trailer,
radio spots, a featurette that includes interviews
with Day and surviving members of the cast, a
still gallery, and production liner notes. 4/23/07
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