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The Body Snatcher

The Body Snatcher

1945
Drama, Suspense/Thriller
1h 18m
In Edinburgh, renowned surgeon and now teacher of anatomy Dr. MacFarlane, has been paying John Gray, a cabman, to clandestinely bring him exhumed bodies of the recently deceased for classroom demonstration purposes. With cemeteries being increasingly guarded, Gray turns to murder to provide MacFarlane with fresh bodies... (imdb)
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The Body Snatcher

1945
Drama, Suspense/Thriller
1h 18m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 60.81% from 369 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(369)
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Rated 03 Jul 2023
88
75th
Takes place in a Scotland with no Scottish accents. Worth seeing primarily for Karloff's sinister yet charismatic performance - he easily dominates all his scenes. Lugosi is second-billed but onscreen for maybe five minutes. The grave-robbing plot eventually gives way to a more-interesting battle of wills between two men with a shared dark secret. The movie assumes we're familiar with the 1828 West Port murders, so maybe read up on those before watching. Deserves more recognition.
Rated 14 Sep 2008
75
44th
It's a B-movie through and through, but thanks to great source material and good lead performances it's a real pleasure to watch.
Rated 23 Nov 2010
85
85th
Dark, classic horror. The whole cast is admirable, but Boris Karloff absolutely steals the show with a great performance. Wise's tight directing and an unforgettable ending make this a must see Val Lewton horror.
Rated 25 Dec 2020
70
61st
The Body Snatcher gives Karloff a villainous role to really sink his teeth into, and he’s superbly menacing playing against the excellent Henry Daniell. Russell Wade on the other hand is an atrocious actor. Still, this is certainly one of Lewton’s best productions, thankfully not hinting at the existence of the supernatural in the usual deceptive fashion, and utilising its small budget and talented young director effectively.
Rated 16 Mar 2012
76
82nd
Collecting dead bodies from cemeteries is such a horror cliche, and yet, it is not a tired one.
Rated 05 Oct 2014
83
55th
A dark, brooding atmosphere engulfs each and every frame in this concise chiller. The matter-of-fact performances and execution of the story downplay the grim reality of what is going on in the story, and because of this we, as the audience, are left to wonder why we are not incredibly repulsed by what we see. Boris Karloff plays a grave robber and is such a slimy, dirty, manipulative, evil man, but at the same time very charismatic, as the character should be. Also, it's a little over an hour!
Rated 21 Dec 2009
82
81st
Marvelous horror starring a very snide, cynical Daniell and Karloff doing probably his best work ever as a lecherous grave robber. Lugosi is in there too, albeit briefly, and in unusually toned down form, doing fine work as well. Couple this with asured and tight work from director Wise and you've got the best of the classic Val Lewton horrors.
Rated 25 Sep 2022
85
75th
The characterization & ethical questions raised here are certainly above average & much more subtle for horror movies of the time (& probably nowadays, come to think of it), which I guess should be expected in a Lewton adaptation of a Stevenson novel. The film looks great too & Karloff is great at creepy & evil while at the same time, understated enough that he's not bad all the time & his motivations become understandable. All of this made me disappointed in the ending which felt mandatory
Rated 15 Jan 2023
80
75th
How I had never heard of this? This is a stone-cold classic. Maybe this is more of a me issue.
Rated 22 Jan 2012
65
45th
Not a favourite from the Val Lewton horror films, but it's a great feeling to see Boris Karloff centre stage and stealing the entire film from everyone else.
Rated 07 Mar 2010
72
74th
It takes a really long time to get going, but holy crap what an ending. This might be my favorite Karloff performance, too.
Rated 25 Jul 2010
80
62nd
Another well done RKO horror flick. Karloff and Lugosi have shared the screen plenty of times, and their performances here are particularly effective. Once again, Val Lewton and the folks at RKO give us a well-shot horror movie, with a smart script and a unique historical backdrop.
Rated 18 Nov 2011
87
95th
Having watched the Frankenstein movies more times than I care to count, I think I took Karloff for granted. In this, he's absolutely brilliant. One of the best villain performances I've seen.
Rated 30 Jan 2009
8
84th
"You could not have gotten this body fairly!", wails the young doctor. Well, d'oh. What did you expect? It's Boris Karloff sporting a long, black jacket, an evil grin and a nasty general disposition! Oh yeah. And a superb finish. "Neverridofme... neverridofme... neverridofme!!!"
Rated 01 Nov 2008
5
80th
Another remarkable horror flick from Val Lewton that baffles in its talent [especially in lighting / acting] & production design on a B-level budget. The finest of Lewton's work along with his Jacques Tourneur collaborations. Karloff is particularly amazing here.
Rated 09 Apr 2012
38
23rd
Heavy-handed in both concept and execution, lacking the sordid atmosphere of the best Val Lewton productions, as well as the depth of Robert Wise's best stuff. I know it boasts both Lugosi and Karloff but the acting is clumsy across the board.
Rated 03 Oct 2014
79
54th
The Body Snatcher succeeds exactly as it should. It's as dark and creepy as the subject matter. And then there's the performances that are all great. Boris Karloff gives yet another great performance here. Plus, it features both him and Bela Lugosi, so any fan of these two legendary horror icons should check it out.
Rated 20 Apr 2014
78
58th
77.500
Rated 04 Oct 2009
81
66th
Another excellent and atmospheric film from producer Val Lewton. The direction of Wise is controlled and makes wonderful use of light and shadow. Karloff is appropriately creepy as the mysterious cabman, the presence of the singing girl contributes both sadness and tension to the overall mood, and the ending is extremely well-executed.
Rated 09 Aug 2010
87
85th
A very dark, violent, fun movie. Boris Karloff is superb as the grave robber. He makes the character so creepy and interesting. His charisma and subtly sinister smirk - he's just so fun to watch. Bella Lugosi is also good in his small role, and Henry Daniell does a good job as the dark-hearted doctor. With its intriguing plot, great gothic style and unforgettable performance by Karloff, this is one of my favorite Lewton films.
Rated 19 Feb 2022
78
71st
The future that technocrats desperately want. But unfortunately for us I’m sure their endings will be a lot different than those suffered in this movie
Rated 31 Mar 2007
90
86th
The best of the Val Lewtons
Rated 23 Oct 2008
78
82nd
Karloff, a hard working blue-collar man in 19th century Scotland takes up grave-robbery as a means of making some extra cash to support his family. Great cast and crew come together for this creepy gem!
Rated 20 Sep 2010
72
89th
Literate script, tasteful direction and a truly menacing Boris Karloff performance. One of producer Val Lewton's best films.
Rated 24 Jan 2013
65
60th
I was wincing every time someone attempted a Scottish accent, and it doesn't rank as one of my favourite Lewton productions, but it's pretty good nonetheless. A macabre subject matter and a good atmosphere (horse's hooves have never sounded creepier), with strong acting from both Karloff and Daniell.
Rated 29 Feb 2008
85
87th
Dark and daring! Karloff is wonderful as a frightening and evil fellow, and the rest of the cast are quite good. Lugosi's role is a small but welcome one.
Rated 29 Jan 2010
80
42nd
Good Val Lewton with good performances, particularly by Daniell and Karloff.
Rated 23 Mar 2009
88
85th
Boris is at his menacing best as a 19th-century grave robber. The film sports a terrifically chilling ending.
Rated 18 Jan 2011
75
55th
75.125
Rated 11 Mar 2008
98
92nd
Not really "horror" in a supernatural way--the body snatcher title refers to grave robbers in England. I'd call it more of a psychological drama. Either way--Boris Karloff gives a great performance, and I love watching it for that reason!
Rated 14 Apr 2012
3
45th
Morbid.
Rated 20 Oct 2019
80
37th
In this movie, Boris Karloff looks like a bad Jerry Lewis character. Great performance though.
Rated 01 Apr 2019
85
94th
Boris Karloff gives a wonderful performance, and Henry Daniell holds his own against him in this tight, brilliant and extremely enjoyable Val Lewton produced horror/thriller.
Rated 19 Oct 2019
80
78th
A psychological horror movie with some amazing acting. The story feels like one from Edgar Allan Poe after a medical student begins to learn where the sample bodies are coming from. There's a wildness in Karloff's performance, and Daniell holds his own. (I couldn't help think Snape might be patterned on this doctor.) Enjoyable.
Rated 08 Jun 2022
80
78th
Well-executed, dark and visually appealing. Karloff is known for his non-speaking roles, but he is very good and sinister here - and quite chatty. Lugosi is present, but can hardly be called a co-star. His role is extremely minor and we don't see much of him at all. Similar to Cat People, things become too literal towards the end, when it could have settled for a more spiritual fulfilment of the narrative. The shoehorning of a supernatural element was unnecessary and pulled me out of the film.
Rated 11 Apr 2020
71
58th
It's a pretty slow build, but the ending sequence was genuinely engrossing and a subtly executed piece of horror. Also makes for a great entry in the Lugosi-Karloff rivalry canon.
Rated 19 Apr 2020
70
96th
Boris Karloff has played many dubious characters throughout his career, but his portrayal of Cabman John Gray is one of his most ruthless! Not a likable feature. Something which gives the slimy Henry Daniell counterweight, as he was also not likable, but compared to Karloff's character, he was a angel. A angel you'd want to die. And death and dead bodies is the main theme of The Body Snatcher (1945). All done with classic goth sets and wonderful atmosphere. Some slow spots.
Rated 19 Jul 2021
65
60th
Well made, if a little tame, dramatic 'horror' makes the most of its small budget and limited sets. Karloff is rightly praised for his work as a creepy grave robber, and Wise's controlled direction adds a touch of class. Could have used more Bela though.
Rated 07 May 2022
69
45th
Major pacing issues
Rated 22 Oct 2022
75
57th
Very fun, efficient B type suspense/horror movie with A list horror cast including Karloff and Lugosi. Karloff is amazing in this, giving a super creepy and evil and at times understated performance. Maybe the most interesting performance I've seen from him. Lugosi plays a secondary role but is good as well. Daniell is very solid. Character motivations are all strong and elevate the movie, as does the work with shadows, etc. Loved the fight scene with shadows on the wall behind the watching cat
Rated 26 Nov 2022
80
68th
This adaptation of a Robert Louis Stevenson short story is the first of three films Karloff made for Val Lewton, and the only one directed by Robert Wise. It's the strongest Karloff performance of the three as he plays particularly well off Daniell.
Rated 08 Jan 2024
65
86th
I enjoyed this very much. The themes it explores are interesting and very well developed.
Rated 18 Jan 2024
75
60th
Really good horror, very gloomy, only a few cheesy parts, much less than usual for the period. Lugosi in a small supporting role, must have miffed him badly. Hard to imagine a better role for Karloff. The story seems far-fetched but is based on real events.

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