Disapointment

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

I do not know why people do like this movie. Any who knows a good horror story when they see it will like this movie. It is a very scary movie. It has a great story line. It also has great acting. It a very scary move. See it.

This is not Bela Lugosi's best film but it's not a total snore either - quite a fun little flick. It's worth watching if you like Lugosi, stories surrounding primates or sci-fi films.Lugosi is Dr. James Brewster. Dr. Brewster & Dr. Randall are conducting experiments concerning humans and primates. Dr. Brewster turns himself into an ape man and decides he does not want to live the rest of his life like that - he feels he must be cured at any cost.This movie make a good afternoon film - something to kick back to and enjoy a few giggles with. Quite fun to watch Lugosi as an ape man - he did a pretty good acting job with this character.8/10

I suppose that one could see this film as a brilliant metaphor for drug addiction. Being a drug addict was called in slang "having a monkey on your back" in the 1940's. Here Bela Lugosi has a real monkey on his back, face, neck, and ass. We can see his fights with the monkey as metaphorical fights with his addiction. This way of looking at the film doesn't make it any better, but it does pass the time.According to the trivia section, the director, one-shot William Beaudine, took 19 days to shoot this. One must imagine that he took a two week vacation during the shoot or Bela Lugosi needed two days rest for each scene in which he tries to imitate a gorilla. It is painful to watch poor Bela at age 60 and in bad health, trying to play a gorilla. Very possibly, he had to take drugs to accomplish it.Is there really any redeeming feature for this movie? I think the mysterious character who appears to be watching from outside Lugosi's window and helps to prevent one woman from being murdered adds something to the film. It seems to be a failed attempt at adding humor, but it does add a touch of creepiness which relieves the dreary mad scientist tedium.

If you have limited time or money and want an introduction to the 9 films Bela made for Monogram, you might want to start with THE CORPSE VANISHES, or THE BOWERY AT MIDNIGHT, the one he made before this one. BUT if they don't stock anything old on your local video shelf, THE APE MAN has been in public domain for years and very easy to find. You still get Dave Milton as art director making great looking scenes for pocket change. It was shot by Mack Stengler, who was around for BOWERY and a couple of others. The plot is also as crazed as all the rest. This time something went wrong in the lab and Bela has turned to a sort of semi ape. This is one of the best running gags in the movie. The make up makes him look like a roadie for The Oakridge Boys. Speaking of running gags, we come to Ralph Littlefield. Ralph was the bum playing checkers last time in BOWERY. This time he keeps watching the action or advising the characters. He pops out of nowhere, making everyone wonder who he is. The pay off isn't worth it. Worse, it cheapens the film by appearing to lump it in with the two 'comedies' Bela made with Monogram. A lot of the same cast and elements also made it to the last 2 Mongrams in better form. Leading lady Louise Currie was back for VOODOO MAN, one of the best films of the series. His doctor pal, Harvey Hall also returns in VOODOO MAN as the sheriff. Ralph Littlefield is also back...reduced to an uncredited cameo. Even Mongram could admit it when they made a goof. The 'doctor pal role' turns up again in RETURN OF THE APE MAN, this time played by John Carradine. Both men make the same mistake of telling Bela FIRST they won't work for him anymore BEFORE calling the cops. Carradine is just better at it. Go ahead. Guess what Bela does. For Bela fans, you'll want to see it at least once, and it IS enjoyable in that loopy Monogram style..but there are bigger fish to fry.