by Warner Home Video
Sales Rank: 38785
Price: $9.94
The set designs provide the real atmosphere in this film based on Edgar Allan Poe's "Murders In The Rue Morgue" as a series of beautiful women are brutally murdered and the suspect is chased through the gas lighted streets and rooftops of turn-of-the-century Paris after each killing. You can imagine this film tried to catch the feel of 1953's HOUSE OF WAX. Both films were made in 3-D. However, PHANTOM OF THE RUE MORGUE lacks the intensity and absorbing morbidity of that film. Composer David Buttolph scored both films but his brilliant score for HOUSE OF WAX is unfortunately unequaled here lacking a certain fear factor that this film terribly needed. PHANTOM OF THE RUE MORGUE has certain campiness about it bolstered by the performances of Karl Malden's exaggerated sociopathic zoologist and Claude Dauphin's perfunctory and languorous police inspector. On the other hand, Steve Forrest performance as a dedicated and resourceful psychology professor is very energetic and charismatic and really gives this film much needed vivacity. Steve Forrest is the main suspect of the murders under Dauphin's inept investigation and this is the catalyst that moves the story as we once again have "the wrong man" accused of these crimes and the audience clearly knows better. Steve Forrest is probably one of Hollywood's biggest failures. When an actor possessing such charm, charisma and screen presence fails to go on to greater things one questions the overall system. But that is another issue. Here, Steve Forrest saves this film along with Bernard Tuttle's atmospheric art designs. Roy Del Ruth's directing is somewhat pedestrian with the exception of the knife throwing sequence at the beginning of the film. The images of an intensely unhinged looking Paul Richards, the knife thrower, tossing those blades towards his female partner on stage are brilliantly filmed and very suspenseful. This scene immediately captures the interest of the viewer. Richards has the look of a man on the verge of insanity and that foreboding look will usher in the killings that will follow. Juxtaposed to this are Steve Forest and his students out on the town in the audience watching the act and enjoying the gaiety of the surroundings unknowingly innocent to the fact that they will be drawn into the vortex of these murders. Remarkably this film works well and never fails to entertain. I like it. <br />
Viewer Reviews One of my favorite movies. Karl Malden is awesom as the crazed doctor and Steve Forrest as the handsome hero. The story is changed but this one has mystery and horror with great acting and directing. The color is pretty cool for a 50's movie. One of the overlooked movies from 50's! Highly recommended for any fan of classic mystery and horro.
