It had started to rain, sheets of water rattled against the side of the car chilling our bodies to the very core. We came around the pass and in the distance stood the monstrosity of a house. The dimly lit windows was like an uneven number of eyes staring out of a deformed face. Yet, the structure still held some simple elements of beauty. It beckoned us forward until we came to the very threshold of the beasts mouth. It was there we entered, doomed to stay the night.
Sound familiar? It does to me. It's the story of a creepy mansion or house that a group of strangers become stranded in for a night. My favorite sub-genre of both the horror and mystery is the Old Dark House. Through out the 20s, 30s, and 40s, there seemed to be an unending stream of these types of films. And the genre continues to infect film and book up to our present date. It is the classic concept that I grew up on and the fueled my thirst for more. Needless to say, I spent most of my weekends playing Clue and watching old horror flicks.
The Gorilla is just one example of an enjoyable and humorous Old Dark House mystery. The Gorilla is actually not a gorilla at all. He is a serial killer who is out to murder someone in the house. When Lionel Atwill, a wealthy man, is sent a letter informing him that he is next to die he hires three private eye detectives (the bumbling Ritz Brothers) to help protect him. With the arrival of a niece and her fiance, the group is set to wait out the night . . . and the Gorilla.
Sound familiar? It does to me. It's the story of a creepy mansion or house that a group of strangers become stranded in for a night. My favorite sub-genre of both the horror and mystery is the Old Dark House. Through out the 20s, 30s, and 40s, there seemed to be an unending stream of these types of films. And the genre continues to infect film and book up to our present date. It is the classic concept that I grew up on and the fueled my thirst for more. Needless to say, I spent most of my weekends playing Clue and watching old horror flicks.
The Gorilla is just one example of an enjoyable and humorous Old Dark House mystery. The Gorilla is actually not a gorilla at all. He is a serial killer who is out to murder someone in the house. When Lionel Atwill, a wealthy man, is sent a letter informing him that he is next to die he hires three private eye detectives (the bumbling Ritz Brothers) to help protect him. With the arrival of a niece and her fiance, the group is set to wait out the night . . . and the Gorilla.
The story only gets better from there. The Gorilla and the house guests begin a game of cat and mouse, shutting off lights, running through secret passages, making bodies disappear into thin air. Soon a real Gorilla is actually set loose sending the three detectives on a wild goose chase after the hairy ape. Meanwhile we are left wondering the whole time if one of the members of this little party is actually The Gorilla.
In all the mayhem it sometimes gets slightly confusing about where the plot line is actually going. Especially at the end where we have 4 or 5 reveals almost all at once we are left scratching our heads and laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. In the end the bumbling detectives are the ones to save the day and somehow manage to figure things out.
In all the mayhem it sometimes gets slightly confusing about where the plot line is actually going. Especially at the end where we have 4 or 5 reveals almost all at once we are left scratching our heads and laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. In the end the bumbling detectives are the ones to save the day and somehow manage to figure things out.
Summing it Up
Overall this is a very enjoyable romp through a creepy mansion. It isn't the best Old Dark House film out there, but it certainty holds up as an enjoyable film. The obscure plot twists leave holes in the story and the comedy is always a little bit off, but for me, as a huge fan of creepy houses, enjoyed this film. I just wish Bela Lugosi had a bit of a larger (And Creepier) role in the film. Other than that it's a hilarious little horror flick.
Deaths: 0
Language: 0
Gore Factor: 1
Sex Factor: 0
Scare Factor: 1
Fun Factor: 4
Overall Rating: 4
Deaths: 0
Language: 0
Gore Factor: 1
Sex Factor: 0
Scare Factor: 1
Fun Factor: 4
Overall Rating: 4
To learn more about my rating system click here.