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The Black Room

1935, Movie, NR, 73 mins

The Black Room: Review

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Boris Karloff is superb in a dual role as twin brothers (one evil, one good) in one of the few horror films produced by Columbia Pictures in the 1930s. The action takes place in the early 1800s in Czechoslovakia, where twins Gregor and Anton are born to the ruling de Berghmann family. Anton, the good child, is born with a paralyzed arm and is taken away when very young to be educated abroad. The evil brother, Gregor, grows to inherit the castle and becomes infamous for his sadistic behavior. Many of the young women in the village have entered his domain never to return, and the populace is beginning to turn nasty. The villagers rejoice when Anton returns, and Gregor steps down and allows his sibling to assume control of the castle to avoid being lynched by the peasants. But Gregor has a plan. He takes his twin to a hidden part of the house known as the Black Room and murders him, assuming his identity so that he may continue his heinous acts in the good brother's guise. Directed with a great sense of style by Roy William Neill, this is first-rate gothic horror, with Karloff giving one of his greatest performances, especially in the scene in which the evil Gregor rehearses his portrayal of his crippled brother. Karloff's skillful portrayals plus good optical work and excellent editing succeed in creating the illusion of two Karloffs interacting. As a comparison of special effects and acting, THE BLACK ROOM and David Cronenberg's DEAD RINGERS (1988) would make a fascinating double bill. leave a comment
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