After an enjoyable version of The Bat, my Halloween movie viewing takes a sharp turn back to mediocrity with The Mad Monster.
Dr. Cameron is a scientist (why are scientists always loony in these old movies?) who has developed a serum from the blood of wolves that will turn people into homicidal werewolves. He believes it's a brilliant idea with many practical applications. His colleagues disagree and ridicule him. So he and his adult daughter, who is oblivious to her father's "experiments", pack up and move to the country, where he can continue his important work in peace. And conduct imaginary meetings with his former colleagues.
Conveniently, his new house in the country comes equipped with a mentally-challenged gardener. The perfect subject for the serum's human trials.
The harmless gardener soon transforms into a ferocious werewolf. He is released from the lab by Dr. Cameron, kills someone, and then calmly returns to the lab. Where he is restored to his human form with no memory of what has happened. Delighted with the success of his experiment, Cameron takes the next logical step. He plots the deaths of his former colleagues at the hands of his monster/gardener.
His plan is moving along swimmingly, until his daughter finally becomes somewhat suspicious of her father's true motives and confides in her journalist boyfriend. Because she certainly couldn't be expected to deal with this on her own.
Clues are assembled quickly and the plot unravels before too many sane scientists are killed.
But not before the film's highlight. Watching Dr. Cameron hold up a vial of his serum and laugh maniacally. As only a mad scientist can.
That laugh never gets old.
Dr. Cameron is a scientist (why are scientists always loony in these old movies?) who has developed a serum from the blood of wolves that will turn people into homicidal werewolves. He believes it's a brilliant idea with many practical applications. His colleagues disagree and ridicule him. So he and his adult daughter, who is oblivious to her father's "experiments", pack up and move to the country, where he can continue his important work in peace. And conduct imaginary meetings with his former colleagues.
Conveniently, his new house in the country comes equipped with a mentally-challenged gardener. The perfect subject for the serum's human trials.
The harmless gardener soon transforms into a ferocious werewolf. He is released from the lab by Dr. Cameron, kills someone, and then calmly returns to the lab. Where he is restored to his human form with no memory of what has happened. Delighted with the success of his experiment, Cameron takes the next logical step. He plots the deaths of his former colleagues at the hands of his monster/gardener.
His plan is moving along swimmingly, until his daughter finally becomes somewhat suspicious of her father's true motives and confides in her journalist boyfriend. Because she certainly couldn't be expected to deal with this on her own.
Clues are assembled quickly and the plot unravels before too many sane scientists are killed.
But not before the film's highlight. Watching Dr. Cameron hold up a vial of his serum and laugh maniacally. As only a mad scientist can.
That laugh never gets old.