Well, well, well, hello everybody. Vincent here
with Camp Kaiju. I'm going to turn the reins
over to Mr. Peter and Lori here before you know
it, but I just wanted to say a few things about
our upcoming rest of the year, season five, part
two. Here we go, folks. Hello and welcome to
Camp Kaiju Monster Movie Podcast. We are your
hosts, Vincent Hannum. And Matt Levine. And we
are talking about all of our favorite monster
movies. The good, the bad, and the downright
campy and asking if they stand the test of time.
Traditional kaiju, creature features, space invaders,
the supernatural, and everything in between.
All strange beasts welcome here. Yeah? Yeah,
this is Peter Lorre speaking. I couldn't resist
the temptation to call you. I just read of your
new picture that you ought to make. Oh, that's
very nice of you. Thanks for your interest. Oh,
I thought you were magnificent in M. And just
the other night I saw your new picture. It demanded
you too much. What character are you going to
play in it? Oh, it's a most unusual story. You
know, it's a great love drama. I am to be a half
-mad scientist. I, a poor peasant, have conquered
science. Why can't I conquer love? He shall be
shut up when it's I who am mad. But nobody knows
that. Yes. Each man kills the thing he loves.
For those of you who have not yet listened to
our episode, Ibira Horror of the Deep, at the
end of that episode, me and Matt do reveal our
upcoming lineup. And what those are at first,
I'll just give you a little teaser. Coming up
next week already is Congo from 1995, based on
a Michael Crichton novel about killer gorillas
in Africa in the jungle. Um, it's an expedition
pulpy adventure film. Ernie Hudson is in it and
Laura Linney and Tim Curry and some talking gorillas.
Yeah. You got to see it to believe it. Um, it's
a wild time after that in August, later this
month, we will continue our creature feature
trend with jaws too. Um, which I am excited to
talk about. I know Matt is too. The sequel to
arguably one of the greatest movies of all time.
How does Jaws 2 hold up? Well, we're going to
watch it. We're going to discuss it. And then
after that, we have some traditional kaiju. We
have some King Kong movies. We have a Guillermo
del Toro flick. We have some classic Universal
monsters. So a lot of exciting things coming
up. But again, I'm going to direct you to our
episode on Abira, Horror of the Deep. You know
what? Feel free to skip ahead to the last 15,
20 minutes. I won't know if you do. So go ahead
and do it and hear what's in store. You can also
follow us on camp underscore kaiju underscore
podcast on Instagram, where I will also be sharing
information about the upcoming season. You can
follow us on patreon .com slash camp kaiju. You're
definitely going to get some insider baseball
there about what's coming up. So lots of ways
to support Camp Kaiju. We love you for that support.
We got to shout out our patrons who contribute
every month to keep this engine rolling. And
that's not me just, you know, talking out my
rear end there. Honestly, we appreciate everything
you do. We have ads up at the Riverview theater
in Minneapolis. We have a lot of overhead with
editing software that you are able to provide
and so much more. So honestly, thank you, Jason.
Thank you. Beast drool. Thank you, Chris B. Thank
you. Our anonymous patron. Thank you, Sean. Thank
you, Peggy. We hope you enjoyed the magnets and
we want to hear from you and all your favorites,
monster movies, things you'd like to, have us
cover on the show. And those of you who do chime
in again, much appreciated. And we hope you're
having a great summer. All right. Well, I'm going
to turn it over to Peter Laurie. For those of
you who don't know, this episode is kind of a
compilation of these segments. Mr. Laurie has
been recording about poverty row horror movies,
which is the term for a number of. Studios in
Hollywood in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, right?
You had the major studios, think about Universal,
Warner Brothers, MGM. And then across town, you
had the B -movies, the B -movie studios, just
churning out kind of quantity over quality. Republic
Pictures, PRC, and these studios, Monogram, how
could I forget? But these studios really... Their
forte were horror films and thrillers. And these
horror films are so bare bones with their budget,
their threadbare effects. Like when the bat flies
on screen, you can see the strings type of stuff.
But with that said, many of them are very charming
films. Many of them are weird. And I mean strange
pictures about mad scientists turning into gorillas.
werewolves, zombie gangsters. And I mean, that's
kind of the beauty of these poverty row studios
where, you know, they didn't have the budget
that Universal did, but they made up for it with
some really outside the box imagination because
they weren't hemmed in by all the other restraints
that come with some of the major studios at the
time. They ain't worried about the critics. Let
me put it that way. So it's been a really enlightening,
informative, entertaining series from Mr. Laurie,
who gets to talk about Bela Lugosi and George
Zuko and Dwight Frye and Boris Karloff, John
Carradine, kind of a who's who rogues gallery
of classic horror cinema. So if you haven't checked
out any of these movies, do so. They're all in
public domain, of course, all on YouTube. Tubi,
that's where I'm watching. But give this episode
a listen, get caught up to speed, and then stick
around and listen to each of our other episodes,
even if you've never seen, say, Congo. Well,
tune in for the continuing adventures of Peter
Lorre and all the hijinks he gets into. We hope
you enjoy. I hope you enjoy. Matt hopes you enjoy.
And until next time. Stay campy. Now we're going
to turn it over to Peter Lorre. Welcome to Poverty
Row Studios on the other side of Hollywood where
the stars were dimmer and the red carpets dripped
with blood. Together, we will watch the best
of the worst. Movies known for their limited
budgets, outlandish concepts, and questionable
performances. But with enough ghosts, zombies,
ape men, and devil bats to keep you up at night,
this is the Poverty Row Picture Show, and I dare
you to sleep through these nightmares. Hello,
listeners. And thank you for joining me in this
new segment as we scrape the bottom of the Hollywood
barrel. What we find may be questionable, but
keep an open mind. Some of our favorite monsters
live in the quagmire of our psyches. If I may
introduce myself, I am Peter Lorre. You may know
me from such films as The Beast with Five Fingers
and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. This week...
On the Poverty Row Picture Show, I... Oh, yes,
that is right, of course. Listeners, allow me
to introduce my assistant. No, Pierre, you are
not a co -host. I don't care what imaginations
you harbor in that insignificant brain of yours.
My apologies, listeners. This is Pierre, my little
rodent friend and in one time would -be assassin.
It is a tale of horror and bloodshed that I will
share as we get to know each other a little better
throughout the season. Now, as I was saying,
this week on the Poverty Row Picture Show, I
am discussing the 1940 horror comedy Boys of
the City from Monogram Pictures. This dreadful
affair stars the lovably dim -witted gang of
orphans known as the East End Kids. they made
dozens of screwball pictures throughout hollywood's
golden age boys of the city finds the rascals
solving a ghostly murder mystery in a mansion
in the country hilarity ensues when gangsters
arrive with their own schemes and desires for
fame and desires for riches now the film is directed
by joseph h lewis a director of later distinction
and despite the overall technical deficiencies
the ensemble offers enough charm for what it
is worth however Where I cannot in good faith
recommend this movie is in its portrayal of the
one black character of the gang played by Sunshine
Sammy Morrison. Oh, my friends, fellow listeners,
there are some regrettable moments of racial
caricature that are scarier than any of the ghostly
goings -on. I can only hope that future East
End Kid installments are more sensitive in this
manner. But only time will tell! No, Pierre,
you should not laugh at any of this. This was
a terrible moment in the film. What you are referencing,
don't ever do that again in my presence, please.
What is the matter with you? Go do whatever it
is that the little podcasting rats do. Anyways,
next time on the Poverty Row Picture Show, we
serve up our first mad scientist feature, a Boris
Karloff movie known as The Ape. It promises to
be some serious monkey business. You'll simply
go bananas over this tale of crazed madness and
monkeying around. Matt, is that someone by the
door looking in your window? Is it like a little
squat? German -looking fella with a bowl cut?
I think it might be. I think so. Oh, he's in
the room behind you. Hello, Matthew. Oh my god,
Peter! Hi. Just don't mind me. I gotta get to
the bucket of fish heads in the refrigerator.
We forgot to feed you. I'm so sorry, man. That's
okay. Now I can leave. the podcasting booth so
i can just help myself come and go uh maybe in
the middle of the night when you're when you're
when you're fast asleep uh i'll try not to disturb
you um but just know that i'll be creeping around
well i'm probably not gonna sleep at all tonight
if i think about you creeping around my bedroom
in the middle of the night but you know it's
cool you're welcome you can come in well believe
me matthew i am not as scary as some of these
poverty real picture show movies that that that
I'll be talking about tonight or today, this
week. I'll be talking about The Ape from Monogram,
a truly fiendish film starring Boris Karloff
from 1940. But I've got to get back to my booth
now and get ready to record, and I've got to
munch on these fish heads. Well, I can't wait
to hear it, Peter. Good luck. It's going to be
amazing as always. Okay, goodbye. Ausgezeichnet,
goodbye. You got to meet him. There he was. Yeah,
yeah. He kind of startled me a little bit, but,
you know, it happens. So I didn't know you like
you gave him a key or like what? I didn't know.
Yeah, I'm a little unsettled right now. I don't
know how he got into my apartment, but, you know,
it's cool. He's I guess he's in. He's a welcome
guest from now on. All right, that's it. You're
living with Peter Lorre. Yeah, it's going to
be the name of my autobiography, Living with
Peter Lorre. That's good. Okay, well, you know,
we got some more fun coming up, everybody. After
Peter Lorre talks with the Poverty Row Picture
Show, we're going to come up to my fun little
game here. Welcome to Poverty Row Studios on
the other side of Hollywood. where the stars
were dimmer and the red carpets dripped with
blood. Together we will watch the best of the
worst. Movies known for their limited budgets,
outlandish concepts, and questionable performances,
but with enough haunted houses, zombies, ape
men, and devil bats to keep you up at night.
This is the Poverty Row Picture Show. And I dare
you to sleep through these nightmares. Listeners,
oh my goodness, if you've ever tasted Matthew's
fish heads, you'd know what a delicacy I have
here. He is really a swell guy for taking me
in the way he has. I tell you, I have come a
long way since the imprisonment I suffered last
season. I tell you, these fish heads. All right,
all right, enough monkey business. Let's get
to The Ape starring Boris Karloff. This film
from Monogram Pictures stars the legend in his
only poverty road outing. Karloff had just starred
in the previous year's Son of Frankenstein with
Universal, and his star was bigger than ever.
In The Ape, Karloff plays a seemingly innocent
doctor who is searching for a cure for polio.
However, a gorilla has recently escaped the circus
and begins murdering the townsfolk. Karloff's
doctor then uses the spinal fluid from these
victims to complete the life -saving medicine.
Karloff and the gorilla are truly a dastardly
duo until the finale's shocking twist. It will
put you over a barrel of monkeys, it is so bananas.
Now, the ape is no King Kong, but it does offer
plenty of campiness to make it worth your while.
Karloff rises above the material with a subdued
yet sincere performance. He leaves all the absurdity
to the ape, here played by Ray Corrigan, an actor
we will see again play the part of a fiendish
killer gorilla, an entire genre popular with
the Poverty Row Studios. The screenplay for The
Ape was co -written by screenwriter Kurt Siodmak,
who was just getting started in Hollywood. But
after the ape, he would make a name for himself
writing, The Wolfman, I Walked With a Zombie,
Donovan's Brain, and all their classics. Well,
as for the ape, I guess we all have to start
somewhere. Next time on the Poverty Row Picture
Show, we now turn our attention to the skies
and cover our necks from the impending attack
of the devil bat. A Bela Lugosi movie from PRC
that makes the ape look like a nominee for Best
Picture. Yes, yes, listeners, keep hanging in
there and you will witness some truly batty filmmaking
when a rat with wings is turned into a rampaging
hellspawn of Satan. Speaking of, where has my
own little vermin friend run off to? Oh, no,
dear listeners, I do not like it when Pierre
hides from me. He... He cannot be trusted. No,
do not let your guard down. Not since the incident
last season with the meat cleaver. Welcome to
Poverty Row Studios on the other side of Hollywood.
Where the stars were dimmer and the red carpets
dripped with blood. Together we will watch the
best of the worst. Movies known for their limited
budgets, outlandish concepts, and questionable
performances. But with enough haunted houses,
zombies, ape men, and devil bats to keep you
up at night. This is the Poverty Row Picture
Show. I dare you to sleep through these nightmares.
In season four of Camp Kaiju, I was unceremoniously
resurrected from my grave by Matthew and Vincent,
and I was forced into reviewing monster movies
of the silent era in exchange for my eventual
freedom. I lived, worked, and ate fish heads
in this recording booth that soon became its
own kind of eternal sarcophagus of hell. As I
marked the days until my freedom, a little mouse
burrowed its way into my prison. Sporting a friendly
smile and an off -color sense of humor, this
rodent, whose name was Pierre, soon became not
only my bosom buddy, but my lifeline to the outside
world. All this changed one fateful evening,
when Pierre was overcome with murderous envy
for my natural broadcasting abilities. He attacked
me with a meat cleaver, and things have never
been quite the same. And now, well, well, I suppose
I better get back to the poverty row picture,
but I have not seen Pierre around, and flashbacks
to that terrible night flash before my eyes.
Listeners, beware of little mousy feet scurrying
in the night. Now, until the rat bastard shows
his face, Let us enjoy the antics of a certain
rat with wings known as The Devil Bat, starring
Bela Lugosi from Poverty Row Studio Producers
Releasing Corporation, better known as PRC. This
studio was the poorest of the bunch, but that
did not prevent Bela Lugosi from a string of
leading roles in their horror endeavors. The
Devil Bat may just be the best of the bunch.
Logosi stars as an amiable scientist with a mad
secret. He has been breeding enormous bats for
the purpose of exacting revenge on those business
associates who have cheated him out of a fortune.
These bats have been conditioned to seek out
the pungent odor of a certain aftershave that
Logosi tricks his victims into applying onto
their necks. Dracula move over. There's a new
blood -sucking monster in town, and it is a giant
rubber prop on strings screaming bloody murder.
Truly, listeners, The Devil Bat is essential
viewing for fans of classic horror movies. And
while critically dismissed in its day, The Devil
Bat nevertheless spawned rip -offs and its own
sequel. The popular appeal is no doubt thanks
to Lugosi. who delivers a signature deadpan performance
in an otherwise campy picture where you'll find
yourself laughing at the dramatic action and
groaning through the attempts at comedic relief.
It's really, really a joy of motion picture making
and a breath of fresh air as we delve into the
depths of classic schlock. Next time on the Poverty
Row Picture Show, we will discuss another Lugosi
film from PRC called The Invisible Ghost. in
which Lugosi plays another friendly town leader
beset with madness. This time, over the disappearance
of his wife. But is she really gone? Stay tuned
to find out! Of the dead. Hey you! What are you
doing here? Now you see him. Now you don't. Hold
your breath and save your laughs. When Bela Lugosi,
that master of horror, meets those gloom -busting
Eastside kids, even a respectable ghost gets
a nervous breakdown. It says here that in the
night he prowls about seeking new victims, and
in the daytime he sleeps in a coffin. Well, let's
wait till daytime. We ain't waiting for nothing.
We're going right now. Go ahead. Open it. Why
are you opening it? Maybe it ain't supposed to
be open till Christmas. Who are you? You don't
remember me. For 20 years ago in this very house,
you scared the hell out of me. there's bound
to be a lot of noise. But I, as a scientist,
take many things into consideration a layman
might overlook. Ever smell anything like this
before? Found it in Don Morton's bathroom. Well,
yes. That's the same stuff that's been on every
one of the Devil Bat's victims. All four of the
murdered people had this lotion on them when
the Devil Bat struck. Layton, I'm afraid all
these murders have affected your mind. Now, my
plan is to sit in the garden, and when the killer
makes one of those power dives, I'll blast him.
Tonight you have work to do. It's time you were
on your way. found new tracks up around Dr. Adrian's
house. Maybe we men of science think different
from other people, but if they ever find out
in the village what you've been doing... You
mean about the animals? Yes, some of the dogs
have been missed. Well, that phase of the experiment
is all over. That ape seems to take a fancy to
your place. Now, don't take offense, Doctor.
I'm just trying to clear up my mind. Them dogs
of mine have been sniffing ape for days. It's
made them foolish, I guess. That's why they snarl
at you. Eh? No. What are you gonna do to me?
I'm going to write you into medical history.
Poverty Row Studios, on the other side of Hollywood,
where the stars were dimmer and the red carpets
dripped with blood. Together, we will watch the
best of the worst. Movies known for their limited
budgets, outlandish concepts, and questionable
performances, but with enough haunted houses,
zombies, ape men, and devil bats to keep you
up at night. This is the Poverty Row Picture
Show, and I dare you to sleep tonight. these
nightmares. And perhaps this week's movie, Invisible
Ghost, could be the first to challenge your droopy
eyelids at the end of a hard day's work. This
film is the second of nine pictures that Bela
Lugosi made with quintessential poverty row studio
PRC. By 1941, Bela Lugosi was relegated to minor
supporting roles in the horror films at Universal
Studios. But on Poverty Row, producers eager
for even the dimmest of stars readily gave Lugosi
top billing in their pictures. For Lugosi, it
was truly better to be a king in hell than a
servant in heaven. And while the devil bat was
a hit, his follow -up project, Invisible Ghost,
leaves much to be desired in the ways of... Oh,
well, hello, Pierre. What is it you are holding
behind your... Oh, a bouquet of flowers. Lilac's
my favorite. No, no, Pierre, there is nothing
wrong. I was just concerned about your whereabouts
these several weeks. And how is your skin holding
up? Ah, breaking it in, yes, yes, that makes
sense, Pierre. Oh, all right, I will see you
later. Yes, my place at Matthews. Oh, he will
let you in, I am sure. Well, farewell. Farewell,
Pierre, my little rodent friend. Listeners, listen
closely. Pierre has returned with a peace offering,
or so it would seem. Time will tell if he can
be trusted since that fateful night with the
meat cleaver. That night where I overpowered
him and turned the cleaver on my friend. I thought
that was the end until I returned to Camp Kaiju
and discovered that my producers had stitched
Pierre back together like a furry Humpty Dumpty
from hell. And now Pierre's smile is forever
fixed on his face and burned into my nightmares.
Well, allow me to place these lilacs in a vase
while I continue to review Invisible Ghost. The
film was directed by Joseph H. Lewis. whom we
discussed on Boys of the City. Here, too, Lewis
valiantly imbues the picture with camera flourishes
and dramatic lighting. However, the film cannot
overcome its nonsensical story, whereby Lugosi
mourns his wife, whom he thought had run away,
but who secretly lives on the premises. And when
Lugosi sees her, he is bewitched into a murderous
fugue state. Night after night this happens and
as the bodies mount, you are left wondering why
A. folks are still living in the house and B.
why the detective does not suspect Lugosi. Shamefully,
the film takes on unintentional madness when
the police are willing to apprehend the one black
character for the crimes until Lugosi sees his
wife and drops into his crazed somnambulance.
Overall, invisible ghosts will leave you scratching
your head. However, Lugosi and Clarence Muse,
who plays Evans the butler, provide enough charm
to endure this 60 -minute cavalcade of confusion
that will leave you wanting to know what is next
on the Poverty Row Picture Show. Well, well,
listeners, it is our first zombie movie called
Thing of the Zombies. Matt, have you heard of
King of the Zombies? I've heard of it, but I've
never seen it. This movie, Poverty Row, a horror
film that Peter Lorre is going to dish on. This
movie, King of the Zombies, let me tell you what,
it has some problematic depictions of African
-Americans as a zombie movie would from the 30s
and 40s. With that said, there are some images.
that make it an interesting watch. And this movie
has a score that was nominated for an Academy
Award. Wow. Is it a worthy nomination? Did you
like the music? I did not notice the music. Okay.
But then I did read that factoid about it. It's
like a lot of jungle drums and rhythmic beatings.
sounds highly questionable yeah you know like
how much more do i have to say but yeah i think
1941 is also the year that i walked with a zombie
came out which we talked about on the podcast
before and which i really love there's some questionable
stuff in that movie too but i think the overall
intention not to go on too much of a tangent
uh is to you know condemn imperialism and slavery
and kind of depict the white uh colonizers in
that movie as totally messed up and just like
uh like burdened with guilt and uh yeah that's
that's a fascinating movie i would imagine that
king of the zombies maybe is not quite as complex
as i walked the zombie but i could be wrong maybe
not but uh but mr laurie let us turn it over
to you Welcome to Poverty Row Studios on the
other side of Hollywood. Where the stars were
dimmer and the red carpets dripped with blood.
Together we will watch the best of the worst.
Movies known for their limited budgets, outlandish
concepts, and questionable performances. But
with enough haunted houses, zombies, ape men,
and devil bats to keep you up at night. This
is the Poverty Row Picture Show. I dare you to
sleep through these nightmares. I am your host,
Peter Lorre. You may know me from such horror
pictures as Mad Love and Roger Corman's The Raven.
If only I had been cast in this week's feature
entitled King of the Zombies. After the initial
casting of Bela Lugosi fell through, Monogram
Studios reached out to me to play the leading
role. Alas, I had other obligations. Oh, what
could have been? I've always wanted to play in
a zombie picture, and the chance to play opposite
the wonderfully talented Mandan Moreland would
have been an honor. Oh, but listeners, I get
ahead of myself. We must begin with a little
plot synopsis and... And... Hmm... No, sorry,
I don't mean to be distracted by those lilacs
that Pierre had gifted me last time on the show,
but... No, no, it couldn't be. Did they move?
No, it must have been a shadow. A trick of the
light. My rational brain clouded by paranoia.
No. No, I am positive these are just your everyday
Ronald O'Meal immobile flower cuttings. They
smell wonderful. Okay, anyways. Thank you for
bearing with me. So, King of the Zombies. tells
the tale of three Americans who are piloting
a reconnaissance plane over the Caribbean. The
two pilots are clearly buddies, and the third
is the valet, played by African -American comedian
Mandan Moreland. Naturally, the trio get lost,
crash land on an island, and run afoul of a mysterious
Nazi agent practicing voodoo to control a population
of native zombies for nefarious deeds. Along
the way, Mandan Moreland provides comic relief
that is problematic in its minstrel presentation,
and yet, you can't help but appreciate the energy
and the charm the actor brings to an otherwise
lifeless picture. Did you know King of the Zombies
was even nominated for an Academy Award? Yes,
it's true, for Best Original Score. As dubious
as it may seem, it adds an additional bit of
novelty to this movie. King of the Zombies is
a poverty row horror film that throws too many
wild ideas into the mix to be ignored. Check
this one out, friends, and let me know what you
think of Mr. Moreland's performance. of the rhythmic
beating of the drums, and if I should have been
in this movie. You can be honest. I can take
it. I swear to all that is unholy. Next time
on the Poverty Row Picture Show, we will revisit
those East End kids as they get mixed up in a
haunted house stocked by none other than Bela
Lugosi and a dwarf assistant in a film called
Spooks Run Wild. Peter Lorre, you know, he's
around here somewhere. Is he still crashing at
your place, Matt? You know, he vanished, much
like Richard Stanley at the airport in Australia.
I don't know where he went. He's probably at
a retreat somewhere around here. Who knows? Eating
his bucket of fish heads, though, I'm sure. I
would love to see what kind of retreat he's going
to for long deceased. Horror stars. Probably
just the bottom of a well somewhere. That's what
he means by retreat. Well, wherever he's at,
he has recorded a segment for us for the Poverty
Row Picture Show, a movie called Spooks Run Wild
from 1941. That sounds made up, but it's a it's
it's a fun movie, actually, with Bela Lugosi
and the East End kids. And there's another dwarf
actor in that actually named Angelo Rosito. So
just a coincidence there, we're featuring two
movies with smaller, shorter than average actors.
So, Peter, take it away. Welcome to Poverty Row
Studios on the other side of Hollywood. Where
the stars were dimmer and the red carpets dripped
with blood. Together we will watch the best of
the worst. Movies known for their limited budgets,
outlandish concepts, and questionable performances.
But with enough haunted houses, zombies, ape
men, and devil bats to keep you up at night.
This is the Poverty Row Picture Show. I dare
you to sleep through these nightmares. I am your
host, Peter Lorre. You may know me from such
horror pictures as Arsenic and Old Lace and Tales
of Terror, the latter of which I co -star with
fellow creatures of the night, that villainous
Vincent Price and Basil Scullend Crossbones Rathbone.
I recently met up with my blood -curdling colleagues
at a secret retreat for long -dead horror icons.
No, I swore an oath to keep our antics under
wraps, but I can tell you I have never seen anyone
tear up a dance floor like Boris Karloff after
one too many. But listeners, it is good to be
back in my own room, in Matthew's home. He even
had a bucket of fish heads waiting for me. He
is a hell of a guy. Oh, as for Pierre, he is
taking some time off, but remember those lilacs
he so thoughtfully left me? Yes, they are thriving
beyond my wildest dreams. I came home to find
them as tall as I, and... Oh, what is this? Listeners,
there is a strange light emanating from the leaves.
I turn off the light and they glow in the dark.
I do not know what this is all about, but I will
put this out of my mind for now as I turn to
reviewing this week's Poverty Row picture, Spooks
Run Wild, starring Bela Lugosi. and that gang
of grotesque teenagers, the East End Kids. Now
this picture finds the kids solving the mystery
of the, quote, monster killer as they spend the
night in a countryside haunted house. Hijinks
abound as the kids run into cobwebs, suits of
armor and secret passageways. Lugosi plays the
supposed monster, along with his dwarf sidekick.
Now how does this story of hilarious suspense
end? You will have to see for yourself. The last
time we saw the East End kids on the Poverty
Row Picture Show was the odious Boys of the City,
rife with racist jabs at the lone black actor
of the troupe, Sunshine Sammy Morrison. How does
Mr. Morrison fare in this outing? I am pleased
to say much, much better. The problematic jokes
are still there, albeit turned down, and Mr.
Morrison appears more confident in his presence
in the gang, allowing such teasing to roll off
his back. He even gets some good zingers back
at his friends. The script is co -written. by
Carl Foreman who would go on to write the classics
High Noon and The Bridge on the River Kwai, believe
it or not. Now as for Bela Lugosi, he holds his
own and appears to enjoy spoofing his vampire
image. The picture was a money maker despite
mixed reviews and Monogram decided to reunite
Legosi and the Kids in 1943's Ghosts on the Loose,
which we will review at a later date. Next time,
however, we will discuss a John Carradine picture
from PRC entitled Bluebeard. Now, where did I
put my planting shears? Yeah, so glad he's back,
by the way. I kind of thought that ended at the
end of last season, but I'm glad that he's back.
We couldn't keep him away. Just when you think
he's out. No, that quote doesn't work in this
case. Sorry, never mind. You know what I'm getting
at, though. When I was listening to the Beast
from 20 ,000 Fathoms episode the other day, all
the stuff about the fish heads and Matt's fridge
was making me laugh pretty hard. And it's true.
I cannot get the stench out of my apartment.
It's terrible. Oh, gross. I love the Peter Lorre
thing. I came to say goodbye, Jones. You never
left me without saying goodbye. No clues, no
fingerprints, no motive, nothing. But surely
if a man was choked to death, there would be
imprints on his throat. Why in the world do you
stay in this place? We can't leave. Thank you.
Matt, did you know Peter Lorre has a growing
lilac in his room, which I think is across the
hall from your room? Ah, I did not know that.
I thought I could detect a faint whiff of floral
bouquet coming from his, you know, his tiny little
dungeon there, but I did not know that, no. Yeah,
I mean, next time, like, he's out of the house,
don't tell him I said this, but check on it.
He says it's starting to emanate like a glow,
like a radioactive glow. It might be getting
bigger for all the wrong reasons. I don't know.
Just check in on him. All right. I'm a little
scared. It might be like a little shop of horrors
scenario, I think. I think so, but he's never
seen that movie, so I don't know if he knows
what he's getting into. Yeah. Oh, man. Poor Peter.
All right. I'll check on his safety as well as
the lilac as soon as I can. Okay. Thank you.
We look out for each other here, listeners, at
Camp Kaiju. But Peter Lorre's going to talk about
the 1944 movie called Bluebeard from PRC, or
Monogram Pictures. Don't remember which. But
it stars John Carradine. He's a serial killer
slash puppeteer. And this movie actually has
quite a reputation. Have you heard of Edgar G.
Ulmer? Yeah. Yeah, he directed this movie. That
sounds great. I'm very excited to hear Peter's
thoughts about that. Edgar G. Elmer also directed
Detour, which is a great film noir. Yeah, so
I'll let Mr. Laurie dish on all that. But yeah,
interesting stuff coming up. Cool. Thank you,
Peter, as always. Danke, Shane. Welcome to Poverty
Row Studios on the other side of Hollywood, where
the stars were dimmer and the red carpets dripped
with blood. Together we will watch the best of
the worst, movies known for their limited budgets,
outlandish concepts, and questionable performances.
But with enough haunted houses, zombies, ape
men, and devil bats to keep you up at night,
this is the Poverty Row Picture Show. I dare
you to sleep through these nightmares. I am your
host, Peter Lorre. You may remember me and my
sultry voice from such pictures as The Maltese
Falcon with Humphrey Bogart and The Invisible
Agent, where I played a Japanese agent for Universal.
Well, I'm going to move on from that one. This
week on the Poverty World Pictures Show, we review
a film called Bluebeard from PRC, starring John
Carradine as a traveling puppet master who abducts
and murders unsuspecting women in the streets
of Victorian Paris. Oh yes, this is some sundry
escapades this week, my friends. In the same
vein as Hitchcock's The Lodger, which of course
was based on the Jack the Ripper murders in the
1880s in London. But I digress. Bluebeard is
a film directed by Edgar G. Ulmer, a fellow Austrian
and a film director with a now -renowned legacy
for shooting dark mysteries on unlimited budgets.
He directed 1934's The Black Cat for Universal
and allegedly worked on the classics. The Golem,
Metropolis, and M. Now, I starred in the latter
picture, and these rumors are unconfirmed. Sorry
to disappoint, but this Frank Capra PRC turns
in a slick historical noir in Bluebeard, with
John Carradine in the lead. Now, Carradine at
this time was known for his powerfully intimidating
screen presence in horror films. And in this
one, he looms over his co -stars with a steely
glare. And when he laughs, you are deeply unsettled,
for you know his character is merely playing
a part, and that the young ladies do not stand
a chance. Bluebeard was actually a film ten years
in development. originally a script to follow
up with Ulmer's The Black Cat. Eventually, Universal
passed on the project, and with it, the chance
for Ulmer to work again with Karloff. But now
with PRC, this film is as much of an A -picture
as the studio would ever release. And its reviews
were good, and it did prove a moneymaker. Today
it is often considered Ulmer's second best outing,
Detour, the 1944 film noir classic, which established
the director's reputation as an auteur. Now,
the most amazing aspect of Bluebeard, and which
speaks to Ulmer's talents, is that Ulmer shot
the picture in a mere six days. Now that is the
mark of a master. Next time on the Poverty Row
Picture Show, we review a film entitled... Black
Dragons, starring Bela Lugosi in a sinister movie
about Japanese and Nazi mad scientists. No, I
do not play one of either of those types of people.
I have learned my lesson looking back on some
of the roles I have played in my filmography.
I'll let you look into those titles at your own
risk. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must trim the
leaves of my glowing lilacs. They have grown
to the size of palm fronds, and I am doing my
best to keep these monster plants hidden from
Matthew. I fear he would prefer to get rid of
them, these plants from Pierre. They, oh, how
they baffle me so. Well, we are going to turn
it over to Peter Lorre. He's somewhere trimming
his lilacs. He's dealing with some kind of crazy
thing. I haven't talked to him in a while, but
he is going to talk about the 1942 Poverty Row
movie called Black Dragons. Whoa. It's a World
War II horror film starring Bela Lugosi. It involves
mad scientists, Japanese scientists, Nazi scientists.
I don't know anything about it, but I'm going
to learn something. And I always learn something
on the poverty row picture show. Yeah. Peter's
very knowledgeable about film history. Always
learn a lot from him. He was there. Yeah. Yeah.
True. Firsthand knowledge. Yep. I hope he's doing
all right. Is it trimming his lilacs? Is that
a euphemism for something? It sounds kind of
dirty. No, he has a, he has a lilac bush. Okay.
It's growing to monstrous proportions. Get your
head out of the gutter. What are you talking
about? It just sounded like it. Maybe I've been,
I watched Species 2 recently. That's probably
why. My mind's still in the gutter. No, I mean,
I know what I said. Yeah. I'm going to have to
research that phrase now. It has a hidden meaning
of some kind. You're just going to find a picture
of Peter Lorre. That'd be okay. I would not be
disappointed in that at all. Okay, before we
conjure up any other dubious images. Yeah. Welcome
to the Poverty Row Studios on the other side
of Hollywood, where the stars were dimmer and
the red carpets dripped with blood. Together
we will watch the best of the worst. Movies known
for their limited budgets. outlandish concepts,
and questionable performances. But with enough
haunted houses, zombies, ape men, and devil bats
to keep you up at night, this is the Poverty
Row Picture Show. And I, I, I dare you to sleep
through these nightmares. I am your host, Peter
Lorre. You may remember me from such motion pictures
as the Mr. Moto series I did for 20th Century
Fox. Yes, in eight pictures, I played the hard
-boiled Japanese secret agent, Mr. Moto. And
if you are thinking to yourself, but wait, Peter
Lorre is not Japanese, then you are correct.
It was a different time when cowardly Hollywood
executives would not cast Asians as such heroic
characters. And this prejudice would be cemented
with the outbreak of war between the Empire of
Japan and the United States in 1941. Another
consequence of the war, understandably, was the
proliferation of propaganda in Hollywood pictures.
This week's movie, Black Dragons, is perhaps
the first major movie to capitalize on the rah
-rah wartime spirit. It is about the real -life,
notorious society known as the Black Dragons
of Japan, a ruthless criminal organization, as
they concoct a devilish scheme with the Nazis.
The Black Dragons instruct a brilliant scientist,
Dr. Melcher, played by Bela Lugosi, to travel
to Japan on a secret mission. There, he operates
on six Japanese conspirators, transforming them
to resemble six American leaders. The actual
Americans are then murdered and replaced with
their likenesses. Treachery and espionage ensue.
Now, this film was rushed into production only
a month after Pearl Harbor, and the finished
product does reflect this hurried schedule. Dear
listeners, I do not exaggerate when I tell you
how poorly executed this movie is. Lack of budget
can hardly be blamed for the sloppiness on screen.
Plot points are contradictory, actors are lifeless,
and the camera work doesn't do anything to heighten
the would -be tension or clear up any confusion.
But you know what? This movie literally ends
with a big ol' American flag waving triumphantly
over the nefarious Japanese agents. It is a heck
of an exclamation point and somehow the most
memorable part of a film with so much potential.
To watch Black Dragons, you will either be a
die -hard horror fan or die trying to make sense
of it all. Hello, my lovely giant lilac. Is it
feeding time already? Well, dear listeners, if
you'll excuse me, I must take care of my plant.
It is growing remarkably well here in the apartment.
No, no, Matthew doesn't need to know. I have
everything entirely under my control. Until next
time, when we will be watching yet another bellicosey
picture called... The corpse vanishes. Vincent,
how's Peter Lorre doing these days? Last I heard,
he watched a terribly boring movie called Black
Dragons. But, you know. I'll let Mr. Laurie talk
about that. He did so in our last episode. This
week, he's talking about a movie with another
great title, but I don't know how it's going
to turn out. It's called The Corpse Vanishes
from 1942. Ooh, that is a great title. Yeah.
Where did it go? Yeah. Good question. Hopefully
Peter can tell us. I hope it's, and of course,
Bela Lugosi's in this movie. He's in all of these
Poverty Row films. But I hope it's just Bela
Lugosi around a haunted house yelling, where
did it go? It'd be sort of like an art movie
from Poverty Row, you know? Like, it's Bela Lugosi
in one room for an hour and a half. Actually,
it'd probably be like 58 minutes knowing these
Poverty Row movies. Oh, yeah, at max, yeah. But
Peter's good, you know? He's doing things in
his room that... You know, I hope he's doing
okay. There's glowing radiation coming from his
room. I could see it right now behind you. Whoa.
Down the hallway. Yeah, radiation. There's the
smell of lilacs. Maybe he's going to turn into
Gamera. He's unleashed from the Arctic ice. That
would take a turn. I did. I'm sorry. I didn't
mean to cut you off there. No, Hey, we're just,
we're riffing here. So, uh, you know, poor Peter,
man, keep the fish heads a common. Yeah. They're
going to start mutating though, with all that
radiation coming out of there, start flopping
around on their own. All right. Well, on that
note, Welcome to Poverty Row Studios on the other
side of Hollywood, where the stars were dimmer
and the red carpets dripped with blood. Together
we will watch the best of the worst. Movies known
for their limited budgets, outlandish concepts,
and questionable performances. But with enough
haunted houses, zombies, ape men, and devil bats
to keep you up at night. I am your host, Peter
Lorre. You may remember me from such films as
The Beast with Five Fingers and Voyage to the
Bottom of the Sea. This week, I am bringing to
you a wonderfully campy picture called The Corpse
Vanishes. Where did it go? You will have to see
for yourself. But rest assured, this movie delivers
the goods. My blood -sucking contemporary, Bela
Lugosi, but devil's a wise -cracking reporter
who is investigating a rash of murders involving
would -be brides on their wedding days. The common
clue linking the deaths is a dubious orchid that
we come to understand was grown by Lugosi's mad,
horticulturist character. But it is not just
the chemical compositions of flowers he is meddling
with. but also his ancient wife, whose youthful
complexion is rejuvenated with the blood of the
murdered brides. The film is altogether diabolical,
and yet it does not know just how silly it is
all presented. The Corpse Vanishes was produced
by Monogram Pictures in 1942. It co -stars Elizabeth
Russell as Lagos' wife. desperate for the anti
-aging serum. Now, Russell had a reputation in
the 40s for playing strong characters with nefarious
intent. Her brief appearance in Van Luton's Cat
People, for instance, remains a highlight of
that film. Now, the corpse vanishes as no Cat
People, but it remains worth your time if only
to witness a mystery that leaves your... that
leaves characters and audiences alike in stitches
yes my lovely lilac of course the real star of
the corpse vanishes is the orchid i did not mean
to presume otherwise hey whoa whoa hey now when
when did you grow such such fangs here have a
fish head Yikes! Listeners, this lilac is certainly
testing its limits. If you'll excuse me, it is
feeding time now, and I have learned that this
hour in the moonlight, my not -so -little lilac
tends to have a mind of its own. But I will return
next time with a picture called Mad Monster.
Back, lilac! Back! Get back! Until death do you
part? I do. Shall I telephone for the ambulance?
No. The undertaker. She's dead. Mysterious murder
strikes at the altar, and the maniac monster
creeps from his domicile of death to claim the
lifeless form of his latest bride. Police baffled.
a publican terror but nothing can stop this fiend
on his hideous trail except a girl reporter who
wages a brave foolhardy fight against the blackest
art this side of the grave why have you a mausoleum
in the basement all those dead girls and that
horrible dead creature my dear you must have
had a bad dream now look professor this was no
dream you wanted to see me reverend Suicide or
murder in the shadow of a nation's capital. The
screen's master of horror, Bela Lugosi, has the
answer to this mysterious death. Lugosi as the
madman on a mission of vengeance. Vengeance against
six men who plot destruction, country at war.
You've turned weakling, Van Dyke. We can't afford
to take any chances with you. You were both very
accommodating, Mr. Ryder. Thank you. When a young
woman's nerves commenced to give way, this time
she sought refuge in a strong man's arms. I just
ran into yours. Mine might be dangerous. Alice,
you were right. There was a body in the cellar
last night. You know that? I'm positive of it.
Only there were two bodies. Call you. Matt, how's
life with Peter? Oh, it's a little bit rough
sometimes. Let me tell you, there's some friction.
Oh, no. Yeah. Like the odd couple here. Trouble
in paradise. That's all I'll say. It's tough
cohabitating with somebody, especially diminutive
German fiend. I'll just say that. Yeah. Diminutive
German fiends. Well, I hope he doesn't hear you
call him that. I heard like a shriek from the
room behind me. So I think he is listening in
right now. He's not very happy. And I think things
are about to get even worse. So I will bear the
brunt of that. Well, I don't think I told you.
I mean, I should. You're privy to this. You're
his roommate, for goodness sake. So this lilac,
he's growing. He got word out to me that it is
reaching the ceiling now. And it's grown fangs.
and it's squawking, and it demands fish heads.
Oh. And I try to get through to Peter, but I
don't live with the guy, so maybe you have his
ear a little bit more, and you could really kind
of talk him down from this. I don't think this
lilac is good for him. Yeah, that makes a lot
of sense. That could be what the shrieking is
right now. I, yeah, it might not, it might be
totally unrelated to me and more about the fanged
lilac in his tiny closet. That could be, well,
I'll try to talk him down. I'll try to like produce
some more fish heads. Let me tell you, it does
not feel good to decapitate dozens of fish every
week. I didn't know. I didn't know you prepared
them. Oh yeah. Lovingly. I mean, I, I try to
make sure they're the best fish that I can possibly
find. So, you know, I mean, I'm doing what I
can for Peter and he's not appreciative. I'll
tell you that much. You're very kind. At this
point, I would tell a grown man to cut his own
fish heads. Oh, well, I keep them under lock
and key in his closet. What? Yeah. He's just
too intrusive otherwise. Wow. Well, he seems
to be okay with that arrangement because I haven't
heard that. But whatever works for you two, I'm
not going to get into your personal business
as long as he's paying his half of the rent,
right? Well, sometimes. Yeah. When I threaten
him. The more I talk about it, the more I understand
why our relationship is a little bit, a little
rough right now. I think I understand. Yeah.
Well, he's dealing with some things, so, you
know, we'll look for some improvements. Yeah.
You know, I'll talk to him. We'll sit down with
a domestic counselor. We'll figure things out.
It'll be okay. Okay. More to come on that soon.
I should check out that lilac, though. I'm a
little scared of that. Yeah, you might want to
stay on top of that. In the meantime. Check out
a movie called The Mad Monster from 1942. I think
it's about a mad scientist turning people into
wolfmen. Okay. I haven't seen it yet, but I cannot
wait to watch The Mad Monster and hear Peter
Lorre talk all about it. I feel like that title
could apply to Swamp Thing and many, many other
monster movies. Many others. Yeah. The vast majority,
perhaps. Well, I can't wait to hear more about
it. Welcome to Poverty Row Studios on the other
side of Hollywood. The stars were dimmer and
the red carpets dripped with blood. Together
we will watch the best of the worst. Movies known
for their limited budgets, outlandish concepts,
and questionable performances. But with enough
haunted houses, zombies, ape men, and devil bats
to keep you up at night. This is the Poverty
Row Picture Show. I dare you to sleep through
these nightmares. Hello there, I am Peter Rory.
You may remember me from such hard -boiled classics
as The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca. No? You
don't remember me? Yes, yes, with Humphrey Bogart.
Yes, the Casablanca. No, no, not with the Marx
Brothers, you know, forget it. See, this is what
I get for doing something outside the horror
genre. Fine, you want monsters, is it? Spooks,
specters, and ghosts? All right. then here is
a doozy for you this week. From PRC comes The
Mad Monster, starring fellow horror icon George
Zuko as a mad scientist who concocts a scheme
to transfer a wolf's blood into the hulking,
dim -witted gardener. The madman's aim is to
sic the genetically engineered wolfman on those
colleagues who spurned his experiments. And if
that wasn't enough, perhaps these wolfmen will
be unleashed upon Hitler's German army. A little
Frankenstein, a little wolfman, a little devil
bat. This is a million dollar idea that simply
cannot meet its own lofty aspirations. The direction
by Sam Newfield is sadly void of suspense, terror,
and mystery. Compounding this is an inexplicable
lack of scoring in such moments. The Wolfman,
played by Glenn Strange, is a decent screen monster
if you can look past his dopey overalls and bucket
hat. But Mr. Strange proved worthy of inheriting
the Frankenstein monster, as he did in the final
three pictures of Universal's famed series. As
the mentally impaired gardener, however, Mr.
Strange is tasked with a characterization that
is embarrassing at best and offensive at worst.
We will let you consider the long history of
medical abuse among our disabled brethren. Oh!
That must be Matthew, home from the market. Oh,
I can smell the salty stench of the herring from
here. What do you think, Lilac? Ready to have
some din -din? Oh, yes, I'll scratch your belly.
Oh, there's a good girl. Good girl. Alright,
alright, listeners, please check out Mad Monster
for yourself. It is no Casablanca, but it might
be so bad it's good. As for next time, we will
review Bowery at Midnight, where Bela Lugosi
plays a gangster with a basement full of zombies.
By Satan's beard with a premise like that, it
better be a masterpiece of the macabre. Welcome
to Poverty Row Studios on the other side of Hollywood.
Where the stars were dimmer and the red carpets
dripped with blood. Together we will watch the
best of the worst. Movies known for their limited
budgets, outlandish concepts, and questionable
performances. But with enough haunted houses,
zombies, ape men, and devil bats to keep you
up at night. This is the Poverty Row Picture
Show. I dare you to sleep from these nightmares.
I am Peter Lorre. You may remember me from such
films as Arsenic and Old Lace and The Face Behind
the Mask. This week on the Poverty Road Picture
Show, we will bring you another Bela Lugosi outing
from Monogram entitled Bowery at Midnight. Starring
Lugosi and that zany cast of delinquents. Whoa,
whoa, whoa, whoa. Let me check my notes here.
Believe it or not, but Bowery at Midnight does
not feature the Bowery Boys. In fact, well, yes,
yes, it features an equally groan -worthy pack
of the undead. That is right. Zombies, ladies
and gentlemen, we have another zombie movie.
But before you get... too excited about this
61 -minute film, know that these flesh -eating
ghouls are saved for literally the final two
minutes of screen time. Nevertheless, there may
be some sadomasochist pleasure to derive from
the rest of the film. So let me tell you about
Bela Lugosi cutting a devilish figure playing
two parts. That of a nice guy professor by day
and his evil alter ego by night. It is this character.
named Carl Wagner, who runs a criminal enterprise
from a soup kitchen in the slums with more secret
passageways than an escape room from hell. Dwelling
in the cellar of this hideout is a drug -addicted,
maniacal doctor who, unbeknownst to Wagner, has
been turning the victims of gangland into undead
fiends. In the end, with the police closing in,
It is Wagner who becomes the final victim of
these zombies. It is a juicy ending to an otherwise
bland outing. Fans of Lugosi will no doubt relish
the performance, but even for a monogram picture,
Bowery at Midnight struggles to make sense of
characters, relationships, or plot points. Now
if none of these things matter to you, Bowery
at Midnight may be a guilty pleasure. In one
scene, There is an Easter egg, a film poster
for the corpse vanishes that can be seen hanging
in the background. All this does is remind you
that you might rather be watching that cinematic
car crash. It does feature a deadly botanical
plot device. An orchid. But never mind Matthew
and Vincent. Never mind what they have been telling
you. My own pleasant plant pet. has been nothing
but kind. Oh, she may be a little protective
now and then. What good pet isn't? Isn't that
right, Lila? Yes. You must, you just be you.
Spread your roots as wide as you please. Matthew,
he is, he is only jealous of your companionship.
Anyway, next time on the Poverty Row Picture
Show. We will discuss our second George Zuko
picture, a film entitled Dead Men Walk for PRC.
By George, dead men will walk if they ever come
near you, Lilac, with trimming on their minds.
In a forgotten mansion deep in abysmal swampland,
a scientist, crazed by his lust for revenge,
repairs the last detail of a diabolical death
plan. A few moments ago, Plato was a man, a harmless,
good -natured man. Look at him now. He's no longer
human. He's a wolf, snarling, ferocious, lusting
for the kill. The beast strikes swiftly, the
first. of four violent fiendish murders. Into
this crime -ridden situation, a reporter finds
the biggest story of his career. This is more
than just a story to me. He was my friend. Joined
by the girl he loves, these two follow the gruesome
trail of the mad monster. Every lead proves false.
Then, one night, a strange, ominous power draws
this girl to a rendezvous with death. And...
Yeah, and then we're going to hear from Peter
Lorre here. He's doing all right. So I hear.
I don't know. Matt, you live with the guy, but...
Does not sound like he's doing all right. Yeah.
From my perspective, yeah. Right. There's some
weird noises in there sometimes. Have you talked
to him? No. Things are a little strained right
now between us. So, you know, I maybe knock on
the door a couple times just to make sure he's
still alive, but that's about it. You're a pal.
You're a pal. And roommate. Well, he's also not
the best roommate in the room. I'm just going
to throw that out there. What does he do? Oh,
what doesn't he do? There's the stench of fish
heads all over the place. There are weird stains
all over his room, which no human body can emit.
I mean, just weird mutterings in his high -pitched
German voice. I think he has some bad nightmares
because I hear him tossing and turning all the
time. I can't get a moment's rest around here,
you know? Well, I hope you figure that out soon.
In the meantime, join him as he watches the 1943
Poverty Row picture known as Dead Men Walk. And
I have not seen this film, but I would love to.
It is about a small town doctor's twin returning
from the grave to seek vengeance. Wow. I really
hope it's as good as it sounds. There was a remake
with Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon, right? Oh,
that was that? Yeah. That's the same story, I
think. I need new twin movies, though. You know,
I was thinking about that with like Sinners and
stuff. Like, I want to do like a twin marathon.
I'm going to throw that one into the mix. Would
you include doppelgangers in that? Yes, I would
include. Yeah. Yeah, I would include doppelgangers,
I think. yeah um what is that one film uh the
prestige that's kind of a doppelganger uh yeah
that's a fascinating subgenre yeah yeah a lot
to be said there i think yeah there's an older
one called dead ringer not the cronenberg movie
but the older one with betty davis i think where
she plays twins that movie's fantastic love that
one i gotta add that cool lots of good ones out
there Welcome to Poverty Row Studios on the other
side of Hollywood. Where the stars were dimmer
and the red carpets dripped with blood. Together
we will watch the best of the worst. Movies known
for their limited budgets, outlandish concepts,
and questionable performances. But with enough
haunted houses, zombies, ape men, and devil bats
to keep you up at night. This is the Poverty
Row Picture Show. I dare you to sleep through
these nightmares. Hello there. I am Peter Lorre.
You may remember me from such cinematic classics
as Quicksand and My Favorite Brunette. Truly
standouts in my long and varied career. But never
did I have the pleasure of playing in a poverty
row horror film. Lugosi, George Zuko, John Carradine,
sure. But did they ever call Mr. Lorry? Well,
they did as a matter of fact, but alas, I was
a busy bee elsewhere. Little did I know that
some 60 years after my one -way ticket to Terminal
Dreamland, I would be resurrected by two podcasters
in Minnesota. Oh, they would force me to review
classic monster movies in exchange for my eternal
soul. But the gig was too good to pass up. And
so, in the end, here I remain. A willing player
in the sums of Hollywood infamy. And as a bonus,
Matthew has opened up his home to me. He feeds
me, irons my clothes. and generally worship the
ground I float above. But whatever he tells you,
I am an outstanding roommate. Oh, sure, I may
be growing a large carnivorous lilac. It may
be our collective doom, but that is second banana
to tonight's poverty row horror film, Dead Men
Walk, about a doctor who battles his twin brother,
now returned from the grave as a vampire. helping
the vampire twin feast on the innocent, his horror
icon, the one and only Dwight Frye, essentially
reprising his Renfield from a decade prior. But
this one in Dead Man Walk would be among Mr.
Frye's last roles, and he delivers a sensationally
sadistic performance. As a whole, however, it
is as if the director took the title Dead Man
Walk too literally. Most of the cast sleepwalks
through the picture with little visual excitement
to keep your attention. Now again, Dwight Frye.
That man could act, and I will pour one out for
him. Oh, no, no, no, Lilac. It is only leftover
fish head juice that I pour out. I did not know
you were saving that. Lilac, stay down. Easy,
girl, easy. No. Lilac. You are... You are crushing
my bones. Please, for the love of Zuko, put me
down. You are... You are too powerful. Listeners,
help me. Help. It is not my time. I must review
our next film. A ditty called The Ape Man about...
Nogosi turning into a gorilla.