Sure glad these times have passed. Or at least I hope they have. I'm thinking of the days of Burke and Hare, of course. All hail to those who donate their bodies for medical research, I say.

Anyway, there are numerous references to the two culprits in the little gem The Body Snatcher. And it was much better than expected. There is both a good story and thrills here, it must be considered a true horror film, at the same time it finds room for an intriguing story about a sick little girl in dire need of an operation. It's not everyday and everywhere you find a story of this kind so full of moral anguish.

Besides, the film shouldn't be missed for the meeting between Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. There is, for that time at least, quite an ugly fight between the two. And the final sequence with horse, corpse and carriage was really good!

The dialogue adds a layer of bluntness that Robert Wise cannot fully bend to the delectable creep of his crawl around alternately howling and terribly silent Edinburgh. Wise is more brutish than Lewton's other great discovery, Tourneur, but that suits the material well, especially when delivered through the film's avatar of pure evil, Boris Karloff in one of his finest performances. Wise syncs perfectly with Karloff's grave robber, drawing out the horror of the man's gruff implications just as Karloff plies his own lisp into hanging out each syllable to dry (and in rainy Scotland, we have to wait a while). Great stuff.

A London surgeon is blackmailed by the grave robber he depends on for his experiments on cadavers. A very atmospheric film that delivers, especially the one scene that is shared by Karloff & Lugosi.

The dialogue adds a layer of bluntness that Robert Wise cannot fully bend to the delectable creep of his crawl around alternately howling and terribly silent Edinburgh. Wise is more brutish than Lewton's other great discovery, Tourneur, but that suits the material well, especially when delivered through the film's avatar of pure evil, Boris Karloff in one of his finest performances. Wise syncs perfectly with Karloff's grave robber, drawing out the horror of the man's gruff implications just as Karloff plies his own lisp into hanging out each syllable to dry (and in rainy Scotland, we have to wait a while). Great stuff.

Sure glad these times have passed. Or at least I hope they have. I'm thinking of the days of Burke and Hare, of course. All hail to those who donate their bodies for medical research, I say.

Anyway, there are numerous references to the two culprits in the little gem The Body Snatcher. And it was much better than expected. There is both a good story and thrills here, it must be considered a true horror film, at the same time it finds room for an intriguing story about a sick little girl in dire need of an operation. It's not everyday and everywhere you find a story of this kind so full of moral anguish.

Besides, the film shouldn't be missed for the meeting between Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. There is, for that time at least, quite an ugly fight between the two. And the final sequence with horse, corpse and carriage was really good!

Further helped--along with Cat People--to take the slightly sour taste of Bedlam out of my mouth. Works in ideas of moral compromise being necessary for progress and the psychic scars of guilt as Karloff's specter of a carriageman looms over the proceedings, refusing to allow Daniell any peace of mind for his past transgressions. Nice atmosphere.

I really enjoyed this movie...it is proof that Boris Karloff was an excellent actor and not just a movie monster. It is a psychological tale of blackmail, grave-robbing and murder and Karloff is perfect as he shows his range from a sweet man with a crippled girl to a menacing evil. The other actors are good as well and Bela Lugosi has a small, but interesting role. Beautiful scenery and direction. Recommend if you like classic horror or suspense movies.

Good cast. Nice direction.