early into universal's horror franchise really didn't pump too much out that's worth watching, this one is one of the weakest, that's one reason it didn't spawn eighty sequels like dracula, frankenstein, or the mummy did.

I liked the hats and capes, but that was about it. Bela is always nice to see, but not with that absurd single eyebrow. The Paris police must have been staffed by American Congressmen; they're too busy shuffling papers, chasing their own tails, and trying to pin the blame on the first convenient scapegoat to ever get anything done.

Starts off ok, despite the anti-evolution undercurrent, but gets more and more ridiculous and drawn out as it goes on, right up to the terrible final 10 minutes. A few bits of visual creativity are about all that's redeeming here.

Considered strong stuff back then.

A not very compelling sixty minute movie.

This story never seems to turn out well on film. This is the least bad version to date

A bit of a mess although the more I see it the more I appreciate some of the subtle foreshadowing. Its greatest weakness is its finale which breaks up the suspense with a overlong comedic routine. It's a nice idea to keep tension but the execution frustrates the audience too much. There is an interesting alternate cut proposed by Tim Lucas which shuffles the beginning around to much better affect.