Thursday, December 7, 2023

Early Color Horror

 

 (tcm.com)


DOCTOR X-1932-Reporter Lee Taylor (Lee Tracy) investigates cannibalistic murders (The Moon Killer) that seemed tied to the medical research facility run by Dr. Jerry Xavier (Lionel Atwill). A few of his eccentric suspicious staff have had brushes with cannibalism. After he meets Xavier's daughter Joanne (Fay Wray), Taylor's almost done in by a cloaked monster but a trick cigar saves him. To avoid a scandal, Xavier asks the police to give him 48 hours to discover if the killer is on his staff. He sets up an elaborate machine that measures subjects' blood while recreating the murders. 

This early two-tone technicolor horror has great direction (from Michael Curtiz, who made MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSCEUM the next year), is very creepy in spots, has lots of suspects and some weird sfx but is brought down a bit by a static screenplay and an annoying wisecracking performance by Tracy.

Thanks for reading!

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