I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Best movie of this year hands down!

Wonderful character development!

A waste of 90 minutes of my life

There is something to be said for professional hackery in a hurry: shot in a month with reliable artisans -- running time around an hour -- simple gruesome plot -- in short, the bread and butter of Columbia and Universal in the 1930s. Everything about this film is competent -- photography, sets, costumes. Nice to look at, cuts to the chase, gets the job done. It's all good nasty fun, so it doesn't matter that every plot point is telegraphed enough to make children and the adult masses feel like very smart detectives.Karloff plays two roles in this early version of the 'evil twin' drama, and manages to get in some laudably subtle work as the plot whizzes by. Marian Marsh is lovely and makes the most of her stock 'damsel in peril' character.Also, great dog acting by the pup portraying undying loyalty and fearless courage, and great mob acting by a citizenry persecuted and betrayed by aristocracy.All that and a 'pit of death' . . .

Well-written and acted, this is a gem of a movie. Discover it and you will realize once again that Karloff truly was a great actor (in a dual role here as a cruel Baron and his kindly twin). The twin angle is played for tension and creepiness and really works in the hands of a great but under recognized director, Roy William Neill. Check out more of Neill's work- most often in the b-movie category but always superbly crafted. Neill's films are always a cut above the average and I believe that his gifts are nowadays finally being noticed and receiving well-deserved recognition.Marion Marsh hits just the right note in a fine youthful performance as the stunningly beautiful daughter of a local official, committed by family to potential lifetime unhappiness and depravity at the hands of the despicable Baron. Ms. Marsh was one of the most beautiful women ever in the long history of film, but is unaffected by her looks and is almost always natural and effective in her roles. Probably the best word to describe her is simply that she is likable- a good trait for a movie star but too often lacking in many of them.This film moves along energetically in juggernaut fashion and is marvelously entertaining, totally without any padding or slowness. Its a winner.

Nicely plotted period horror tale that just goes to show the kind of talent that the legendary Boris Karloff possessed. As directed by Roy William Neill, it's great fun, with a fine supporting cast, an adequate pace, thunderous music, and respectable atmosphere. It leads to a solid action climax and a satisfying denouement. This may not be one of Karloffs' better known vehicles, but it does deserve more exposure.Karloff plays twin brothers (one good and one evil, naturally) who have a nasty family prophecy hanging over their heads, seemingly solved when a room inside their castle is sealed up. Also helping matters is the fact that Anton, the nice younger twin, travels the world for a while before being summoned home by his brother, a cruel despot who abuses his position of power. This leads to a great twist, but it won't be revealed here. Gregor, the evil twin, has his eye on beautiful young Thea (the radiant Marian Marsh), and intends to marry her despite the fact that she's already attached to another man, Lt. Lussan (Robert Allen), whom he frames for murder."The Black Room" does have its assets, but chief among them are the dual Karloff performances; he's superb at creating two very different personalities. His delicious villainy when he plays Gregor easily rivals his equally compelling turn in "The Body Snatcher" a decade later. Also doing creditable work are Thurston Hall, Katherine DeMille, John Buckler, and Henry Kolker. The dog, Thor, is great too.Highly recommended to Karloff fans.Eight out of 10.

THE BLACK ROOM is a Gothic tale of horror that should appeal to any fan of Boris Karloff, since he plays twin brothers with the proper amount of relish and some subtle nuances.It seems he and his twin brother are doomed to kill each other in the black room of a castle, in accordance with a legend that has been built up over the years. The prophecy is indeed fulfilled since one of the brothers is a cruel tyrant who only invites his brother to the castle in order to dispose of him. A subplot involving a lovely woman (Marian Marsh) and her suitor (Robert Allen) keeps the plot moving forward quickly for the film's 75 minute running time.The sets and costumes are of Grade A quality, as good as any of the Universal sets that were a part of their horror series, and the B&W photography is excellent. Karloff gives one of his best performances in a dual role, helped enormously by the very effective special effects to create the dual image.