78.250

A grim past precedes the grim present in The Black Cat, a frequently sublime film, whose multiple horrors might be defined by character history, that does itself become historic. Its copious morose scenarios (thought up in service of a narrative that ruminates on satanism and mass death) drip the kind of atmosphere one could only want from '30s horror -- an assortment of films whose shining stars (Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff) both reign in Edgar G. Ulmer's expressive classic.

I can see the attraction to Lugosi and Karloff but their, and everyone else's, performances leave a lot to be desired. A lot of stilted delivery combined with awkward pacing leave us with a film with some bright moments but which is mostly a chore to get through despite being pretty short.

Although it has nothing to do with the Poe story, this is a terrific creepy classic. The atmosphere is high Gothic, thanks to a combination of Ulmer's expressionist direction, the moody music, and the one-two punch of Lugosi & Karloff. Rarely does the film get corny, as the humor is kept to a bare minimum. A surprisingly intense climax, with Satanic rituals and vengeful torture. Seems like some aspects could have been more fleshed out... on the other hand, I appreciate short and sweet.

What rubbish. At numerous points in this film I can't help but ask myself whether they were running out of film. Not only is it just an hour long but they rushes everything, and it not like the content is remotely worth while either. A petty excuse to put two giants in the same film.

I wasn't a huge fan. The Black Cat was pretty boring overall and the constant tense score playing in the background just made the action on the screen seem inconsequential.

The battle between two of horror's all-time legends is undeniably fun. I want it remade with Christopher Walken and...Gary Oldman (Subject to change).

it didn't take universal to long to try an cash out on their other movies by throwing karloff and lugosi in the same picture, but this movie doesn't have the lasting power of either of the two's other movies. it's got one or two interesting parts, but as a whole it's a real bore.

#969

Very cool art deco sets, creepy bad guys, bizarre happenings....what more can you ask for? :-)

Nice performances from both Lugosi and Karloff but the whole thing seems to static and stagey and, once again, Universal saw fit to give a huge bundle of lines to the incredibly stiff and charismatically dead Manners. Why? Still, any movie that features the two greats is worth seeing at least once.

Great performances from Lugosi and Karloff, and it all looks very cool, but the story itself is pretty weak.

With all fault (like among this is story Black cat of Po, it isn't), I have a high sympathy for this movie only because the rival between Lugosi and Karloff... They are in some strange way for me here very cooollll....

Interesting effort. Lugosi has a classic line: "Supernatural, perhaps... baloney, perhaps not."

Karloff and Lugosi--and a digital clock in 1934! And that house as a set! It's so cool. And all by the guy who gave us Detour.

Arty, morbid and quite gruesome for its time, with Bela as the hero locking horns in a losing battle with Karloff as a villain who meets an unbelievably macabre fate; losing by winning, as it were, when he succeeds in driving Lugosi right around the bend. One of the Universal Studios classics.

Takes a modern art deco approach to horror, with that classic hate and vengeance festering underneath the performances between Karloff and Lugosi. The script gets a little dopey but its focus on the psychological warfare between these nemesis is a refreshing and satisfying tale.

Karloff's (he looks so incredibly evil!) and Lugosi's acting make the movie really worthwhile. The story isn't too special, but since it's done well, it's no problem.

Low-budget with great Bauhaus sets. The usual good work from Karloff is complemented by a surprisingly restrained performance by the typically hammy Lugosi. Edgar G. Ulmer, the king of the B's, comes through again.

It's Karloff and Lugosi, c'mon!

Boris and Bela's maiden screen teaming is a suitably bizarre bout pitting good guy Bela against devil-worshipper Boris. Surreal sets, Ulmer's atmospheric direction, and Karloff's New Wave hairstyle also help make this a memorable scare gem. The fleeting appearance of a lone black feline supplies the only link with Poe's famous tale of the same name.