Not That Much Soul...

SOUL OF A MONSTER-1944 –This seldom scene psychological horror story begins with a world famous doctor (George Macready) on his deathbed. His wife (Jeanne Bates) sends out a prayer to either good or evil to save him. Guess what? Evil answers the call in the form of a mysterious woman named Lilyan (Rose Hobart). Somehow she saves the doc but he becomes a detached hot head who can make flowers die and control thunder and lightening. He has no pulse and when cut he doesn’t bleed. The woman makes him kill his best friend and there’s a lot of talk. In the end good triumphs. This also seems to be attempt to copy one of Val Lewton’s RKO “specialties”. Screenwriter Edward Dein had worked on THE LEOPARD MAN.

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Crying Wolf

CRY OF THE WEREWOLF-1944-Minor horror tale concerns an ancient curse and a gypsy tribe. A scientist (Stephen Crane) investigates the murder of a professor (Fritz Lieber), whose assistant (Osa Massen) helps out. Nina Foch plays a Gypsy Queen who can turn into a wolf. Director Henry Levin seemed to be trying copy the mood of a Val Lewton production but fails to follow through. Barton McLane is entertaining however as a loud police detective. John Abbott plays a museum guide who goes crazy. Also with Blanche Yurka, Milton Parsons and Ray Teal.

 It was the first film by the director Levin who went on to make JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH and THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM. Screenwriter Griffin Jay wrote most of the Chaney/Mummy series and THE DEVIL BAT’S DAUGHTER.

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