Best movie of this year hands down!

Perfect cast and a good story

Disturbing yet enthralling

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

The Monster is an early "Old Dark House" styled comedy which features a mad doctor whose oddball band of henchmen kidnap unsuspecting motorists who happen to be in the vicinity of the old sanitarium where he conducts his experiments to discover the secret of eternal life. Investigating the local disappearances is Johnny Goodlittle, a timid amateur detective, who provides much of the film's comic relief. Disappointingly, the film never really delivers a monster, nor does it make much use of Chaney's mildly frightening character (Klaus Ming March 2017).

Lon Chaney is a good villain here. What is hard to figure out is his motivation. He seems to be having a good time kidnapping people whose cars are forced off the roads. But once he has them, what does he want to do. I guess they are to be experimented on with a "soul transfer." Soon three young folks end up in his trap. About half the movie involves them trying to get out and each of them being treated in some silly way by Chaney, the mad doctor. There is quite a sensual scene as the young woman is strapped to a gurney as Chaney sort of drools over her. The two men are a couple idiots which make this a comedy, not to ever make us worry about the consequences of the mad doctor's actions. This is a pretty much a long, drawn out movie that could have really stood some editing.

Lon Chaney, like Edward G. Robinson, was more than happy to parody his image. The surprising thing with Chaney is that it came so early in his "horror" career. This was his second MGM movie - straight after "He Who Gets Slapped", which is probably why it wasn't that popular. A big problem was that audiences of the time found it so hard to understand a movie poking fun at a genre that only came into existence a few years earlier. Roland West was the perfect director for it but although he directed a few atmospheric thrillers like "The Bat", "The Monster" and the excellent early talkie "Alibi", his output was sparse and by 1931 he had directed his last film "Corsair" with his good friend Chester Morris and current girl friend Thelma Todd.Adapted from the play by Crane Wilbur (earlier the hero of "The Perils of Pauline" serial) it had opened in New York in 1922 with a respectable 101 performances. The movie starts out creepily enough. "A human monster watched with cat like eyes for a victim"!!! Then John Bowman, the town's wealthy farmer is run off the road with the old "smoke and mirrors" trick and disappears!!! For the next half hour the film becomes a small town comedy - it seems everybody's a detective and has an opinion, none more so than Johnny Goodlittle (Johnny Arthur) who has just earned his detective diploma and has found a clue at the crime scene - a scribbled message for help with the name of a disused sanitarian - but instead he becomes the town laughing stock.No wonder audiences felt shortchanged. Lon Chaney didn't make his appearance until the 30 minute mark and the two male leads were pretty under whelming. Johnny Arthur, as the put upon hero would not have caught any small town girl's eye and basically played a mincing milquetoast, a role he perfected in the talkies and Hallam Cooley was pretty forgettable as his rival. The last hour takes place at the sanitarian where the lunatics have taken over the asylum and as usual Lon Chaney puts everyone else in the shade. He plays Dr. Ziska and he brilliantly overplays it to the hilt - with his weird bunch of henchmen - "You are trying to make me MAD - and I have an operation to perform"!!! and as one body hurtles down the chute "You sent me a MAN - and you know I wanted a woman"!!! I suppose more sophisticated movie patrons of the time would have enjoyed it but most were probably expecting (with a title like "The Monster") another "Phantom of the Opera". Gertrude Olmstead, as Betty, was a nice actress who was more than happy to retire when she met the love of her life Robert Z. Leonard who was recovering from his years of being married to "Queen of the Divas", Mae Murray.

Lon Chaney, (Dr. Ziska) plays the role of a mad scientist who takes over a sanitarium full of lunatics and removes all the professional staff and begins to use the mental patients as his helpers in getting him bodies for his experiments. Johnny Arthur, (Johnny Goodlittle) plays the role as a sissy or pansy and has a great attraction for Betty Watson,(Gertrude Olmstead) who also seems attracted to him also. Johnny Goodlittle is also studying to become a detective and to prove himself as a successful crime expert. There is plenty of creepy looking characters and secret panels all over dark looking homes. The great actor, Lon Chaney gave an outstanding performance in a very great silent film from 1925 and there was also plenty of laughs. Don't miss this great film classic. Enjoy