This week on SVENGOOLIE...

[RedRiver]

Yeah, the A&C films are not usually the ones we watch over and over!

[Rita Hayworth]

The Mad Ghoul

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I don't know anything about this movie that came out in 1943 ... it's any good or not?

[Western Guy]

Erik, it's a lesser Universal, typical "B" of the 40s. But it's fun in its own way. And you've got an aging Robert Armstrong as one of the most obnoxious newspaper reporters in screen history. Along with a few plot surprises, including a fairly "ghoulish" climax. I'd suggest giving it a look.

[moira finnie]

Svengoolie is going back into the files for The Mad Ghoul, which a couple of us chatted about here in this thread last Fall. Maybe we were wrong and it is well worth your time.

[RedRiver]

If you enjoy Svengoolie's program, THE MAD GHOUL is worth watching. On it's own merit? Don't expect too much!

[RedRiver]

Nonetheless, I'm thrilled that somebody, that ANYBODY still shows these all but forgotten camp classics. I'm so glad they were accessible when I was a child.

[Rita Hayworth]

WEREWOLF OF LONDON is on this weekend and I'm thinking of passing this one up.

[RedRiver]

"London" is pretty good. The Tibet storyline drags it down. But the more traditional sequences are fine.

[Western Guy]

I like it pretty much, though I keep thinking how much better it would have been had Karloff played Glendon and Lugosi taken on the role of Yogami.

[RedRiver]

I've always liked having Henry Hull around. A new player in the line-up!

[Western Guy]

I like Hull too, but in this instance I don't feel he engenders the same quality of sympathy that a reluctant werewolf should proffer its audience.

My two best examples of sympathy for the character is Steven Ritch in THE WEREWOLF and Oliver Reed in CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF.

My problem with Lon Chaney is that he starts to come across as too whiny and repetitive in those Universal sequels.

[RedRiver]

Steven Ritch. THE WEREWOLF. Should I know about this?

[Western Guy]

Take a peek at the trailer, RR. I think it's a fine film with one of the most frightening man-to-beast transformation scenes. And Ritch is a most sympathetic reluctant lycanthrope.

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[Rita Hayworth]

Take a peek at the trailer, RR. I think it's a fine film with one of the most frightening man-to-beast transformation scenes. And Ritch is a most sympathetic reluctant lycanthrope.

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I also want to add this ... It's one of my favorites as well because the frightening man to beast transformation period and it's done so well with special effects of which it was astounding back in those days.

[Western Guy]

And I might add, Erik, that two of those fright scenes are the epitome of claustrophobic terror. Really a great, underrated film, IMO.