This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

Crappy film

Am I Missing Something?

I was totally surprised at how great this film.You could feel your paranoia rise as the film went on and as you gradually learned the details of the real situation.

Of course this film was meant deadly serious back in 1943, and it surely scared lots of moviegoers out of their wits - but today, it's become one of those little gems that every B movie fan will love: the script is absolutely lousy, the direction as well as the settings are meager, and most of the performances are highly hammy - except for Bela's, who as always puts his heart and soul into his performance even in a little cheapie like this. And even if, towards the end, we REALLY start doubting the sanity of the author - that priceless joke on this very subject in the final scene is worth the whole thing! Now rating movies like this one is always difficult: looking at it in an unbiased way, it's more or less impossible to give it more than 6 - but in our hearts, it gets a much higher score!

The Ape Man is best remembered as another of the multitude of poverty row pictures which have been given historical interest as vehicles for horror acting legend Bela Lugosi. This one was directed by William Beaudine who was nicknamed 'One Shot' on account of his habit of shooting everything once and not presumably being too concerned about the quality of what he put in the can. Like many cheap potboilers that Lugosi and Beaudine worked on, this one was released by the notorious low budget studio Monogram. With all this in mind, it's hardly surprising that this is no classic or under-appreciated gem.Like countless horror films from the period it focuses on a mad scientist. In this case his experiments involve spinal fluid extracted from a gorilla, which he naturally uses on himself which turns him into the title character. In all honesty he looks more like a member of the indie band Oasis than an actual ape man. He is a pretty low budget monster to say the least. Unsurprisingly his sidekick is a gorilla played by that ever present staple of 40's movies, namely a man in an ape suit. This pair of villains goes around murdering poor unfortunates for reasons that I can actually recall but simply cannot be bothered typing out. Needless to say, they find themselves up against that other staple of 40's potboilers – a wisecracking duo of male and female sleuths. They don't provide much successful comedy and Lugosi isn't very scary, so the result is a film that can only be appreciated if you take it with a pinch of salt and can get on-board with its campy nonsense value. It's pretty poor overall, but not exactly painfully so and will offer something to those who like to seek horror movies in the old style.

The Ape Man produced by Monogram Pictures stars Bela Lugosi as a scientist who has been experimenting on himself with ape spinal fluids. Why anyone would do that God only knows, but the result is Lugosi as regressed back to a Cro-Magnon state and is kept in a cage with a gorilla who apparently he relates to.As he's a well known scientist he's keeping undercover, but his disappearance has aroused all kinds of curiosity including that of law enforcement with J. Farrell MacDonald and the press in the persons of Wallace Ford and Louise Currie. The press are police are kept somewhat at bay, by Bela's sister Minerva Urecal.But when Bela and his gorilla start killing people for their human spinal fluid so Lugosi can get back to being human again, that of course arouses the populace. I think you can figure out where this is going.It's from Monogram so naturally one's expectations is low and you're not disappointed. In a recent biography of Bela Lugosi, the author Arthur Lennig uses The Ape Man as a prototype Monogram product and contrasts it with the Universal Pictures Gothic horror films. He and I and you'll agree when you see The Ape Man, Universal has it over Monogram by an early round knockout.

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.