BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Juana what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Marva It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

JohnHowardReid Copyright 15 May 1934 by Monogram Pictures Corp. A Paul Malvern Production. No recorded New York opening. U.S. release: 30 March 1934. 62 minutes. NOTES: Only film appearance of bandleader and radio personality, Ed Lowry. COMMENT: Here's an odd one. This version follows the stage play fairly closely, despite a quarter-hour of opening out with a Prologue in a Poverty Row India and a scene in a lawyer's office. The name of the play, however, has been changed. On the other hand, when Monogram re-made the property under its original title, The Ape, in 1940, the story was altered beyond recognition. Both versions were directed in a fairly humdrum style by William Nigh. Despite this lack of creativity, the original play retains a moderate amount of interest here, thanks largely to a few thrills in the plot and a lot of fairly amusing comedy relief. The players also rise to the occasion, particularly Harry Bradley as a wonderfully dotty professor of Egyptology and Mary Foy as his sharp-tongued harridan of a wife. I also enjoyed the gloriously exotic Joyzelle Joyner, who has at least two wonderful scenes and two superb changes of costume. Ed Lowry does okay by the brash insurance salesman hero, though way outclassed by lovely Verna Hillie's attractive feminine lead. Alas, Clay Clement overdoes the villain and Brandon Hurst disappoints as the chief priest. Irving Bacon's flamboyantly dumb detective also fails to distinguish himself, as does "Gabby" Hayes as a surprisingly dull gambler. As for the ape, this creature is no clone of Kong, but an obvious stunt man in a moldy gorilla suit.

Chase_Witherspoon An archaeologist (Clement) offends the Hindu spirit of Khali whilst on the Sub-Continent, then returns to England with his ill-gotten gains peddling a ruse that the fortune he's amassed is tainted by debilitating visions of apes crushing his windpipe, in an attempt to put off suspicion and the investors in his expedition who've come to collect their dues.Comedy-thriller is nothing more than a haunted house romp, with Clement starring as the charlatan John Prendergast (aka Pren), fond of the liquor and the ladies, particularly his nubile house nurse Hillie which upsets his faithful Indian servant-woman Joy. Irving Bacon is quite amusing as the detective without a clue, while Sheehan does a pretty good Groucho Marx impersonation as Scotland Yard incognito.Mild slapstick and witty dialogue couple with some innovative camera angles and dolly tracking, unusual for 1934 cinematography leave an impression, but otherwise, there's little to entertain even at barely 62 minutes brief.

Michael_Elliott House of Mystery (1934) ** 1/2 (out of 4) An adventurer kills a sacred monkey and soon a curse is put on him. He returns to America and his share holders want their money but before he returns it they must stay a week in his mansion where all sorts of strange things are going on. This is yet another "old dark house" film with another mystery and another deadly gorilla. As I've said countless times before, I'm really not sure why everyone of these films had to have a gorilla in it but I guess people in the 30s were terrified of them. The cast of characters are pretty varied and fun including a nerdy professor and his pushy wife. There's some light comedy thrown in that works as well but the film mainly tries to work its mystery and it does so to a nice effect. I think the screenplay is rather good and I enjoyed how they added in the curse of the monkey. The gorilla outfit doesn't look too bad but then again I might be saying this because I've seen some really bad ones out there. Clay Clement does a very good job in the lead and the supporting cast is fine.

wrbtu The movie begins in Asia (India) in 1913, where the main character (a Mr. Prendergast) kills a monkey, & then moves ahead to 1932-33 in the US, where the Curse of Kahli follows him. This is a solid old dark house kind of movie that has comic elements & a seance. It's a treat for fans of the Hopalong Cassidy B western series to see a 47 year young beardless George Hayes in a small role. There are lots of murders, several surprises, & the mandatory man in the gorilla suit. Chanda (played by Laya Joy, AKA Joyzelle Joyner), after an early stint in the movie as an exotic dancer (she's does a good job at that) walks around the rest of the movie zombie-like, almost speechless. Fans of the old dark house genre will certainly enjoy this one.