The Monster Maker
Promotional release poster
Directed bySam Newfield
Written byLawrence Williams
Pierre Gendron
Martin Mooney
Produced bySigmund Neufeld
StarringJ. Carrol Naish
Ralph Morgan
Tala Birell
CinematographySam Newfield
Edited byRobert E. Cline
Music byAlbert Glasser
Distributed byProducers Releasing Corporation
Release date
  • April 15, 1944 (1944-04-15)
Running time
62 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Monster Maker is a 1944 science-fiction horror film starring J. Carrol Naish and Ralph Morgan. Albert Glasser supplied the film score, his first, an assignment for which he was paid US$250.[1]

Plot

Dr. Markoff (J. Carrol Naish) has concocted a formula that spreads acromegaly, a hideous disease that extends bones and distorts facial features. Markoff has no moral dilemma in experimenting on unsuspecting human subjects. His amoral behavior assumes monstrous dimensions when famed concert pianist Lawrence (Ralph Morgan) is injected with the doctor's disease-inducing serum. In return for an antidote, Markoff intends to exact more than his pound of flesh by extorting a fortune from Lawrence and demanding the hand of the musician's pretty daughter Patricia (Wanda McKay).[2]

Cast

Production and reception

Lowly PRC hadn't released a horror picture in nearly 17 months, having spent most of 1943 substantially expanding their capabilities by purchasing the bankrupt Chadwick Studio (a poverty row operation that specialized in renting stages and production equipment to low-budget producers along Gower) for $305,000. While critics, what few that would review a PRC release, complained about the film's lack of action, production values were noted to be somewhat higher than earlier releases. The working title of this film was The Devil's Apprentice.[3]

The film holds an extremely low 3% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 4.7/10 on the Internet Movie Database.

See also

References

  1. Weaver, Tom (2006). Science Fiction Stars and Horror Heroes: Interviews with Actors, Directors, Producers and Writers of the 1940s Through 1960s. McFarland. pp. 98–99. ISBN 0-7864-2857-0.
  2. Erickson, Hal. "The Monster Maker". AllMovie. Retrieved 2009-08-04.
  3. The Monster Maker TCM Notes
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