The Monster 1925

Harri reviewed The Monster (1925)

Quirky, Unbalanced Horror Comedy, Yet Influential and Rewarding.

As one of the very first films in the Mad Scientist genre, "The Monster" presents plot devices and characters that are novel in its day and that will be prominent in later classics. Though not a classic in its own right, this odd gem offers a great deal of entertainment through its characterization, some flashy special effects, speedy action scenes and partially funny dialogue. The humour indeed contains both hits and misses, ranging from blatant to laughable. All of the unsuccessful comedy does not, however, overshadow any of the film's stronger moments, which there are enough of.

Johnny Arthur's stamp performance as a shy wannabe detective leaves little to be desired; Chaney (the mad scientist) also manages to shine, mostly through his huge presence, even though this is clearly not one of his greatest moments in cinema. Olmstead, the love interest, and Cooley, the competing suitor, both appear mostly out of place, displaying their emotions disjointedly and lacking the timing and consistency of both Chaney and Arthur. The mansion lunatics provide much intrigue and entertaining moments of madness.

This must have been one of Ed Wood's favourite films (see Bride of the Monster for evidence) and it has evidently affected also other mad scientist & haunted mansion films later on; a pretty obvious source of inspiration for great horror icons such as Cushing, Price and Lugosi. However, in all its arguable influence, there is nothing overtly monumental in the film. Lamentably, the weak, trivial plot brings this otherwise commendable "Haunted Mansion" genesis down from a classic into just another, albeit mostly entertaining, early special feature worth a look, especially for friends of silent cinema, of course.