THE BODY SNATCHER & ISLE OF THE DEAD - BORIS KARLOFF + VAL LEWTON IN 1945

THE BODY SNATCHER (1945) d. Robert Wise (USA)
ISLE OF THE DEAD (1945) d. Mark Robson (USA)

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Producer Val Lewton, the master of atmospheric horror, collaborated with legendary actor Boris Karloff in 1945 on two memorable films: The Body Snatcher and Isle of the Dead. Both films showcase Lewton’s signature blend of psychological tension and poetic visuals, while allowing Karloff to deliver some of his most nuanced performances. They remain standout entries in both men's careers and in the horror genre at large.

I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE, THE LEOPARD MAN, and THE SEVENTH VICTIM (1943 VAL LEWTON SPECIAL)

I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE (1943) d. Jacques Tourneur
THE LEOPARD MAN (1943) d. Jacques Tourneur
THE SEVENTH VICTIM (1943) d. Mark Robson

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From 1942 to 1946, when rust was appearing on the Frankenstein Monster’s neck bolts, Dracula was growing longer in the tooth, and swaddled, swollen mummies were limping along, both literally and figuratively, a savior appeared on the horror horizon, who would provide welcome counter-programming to the usual parade of fur, fangs, and putty. That man was Val Lewton, and his debut production with RKO, 1942’s Cat People, heralded a new style of horror, where less was infinitely more, where shadows grew ripe with menace lurking just beyond the edge of the frame.

THE LEOPARD MAN (1943) Blu-ray Review

The Leopard Man (1943) d. Jacques Tourneur (USA) (66 min)

Produced and directed by the winning team of Val Lewton and Jacques Tourneur, this third effort is as atmospheric as their previous The Cat People and I Walked with a Zombie, yet is ultimately more a straight-ahead whodunnit than supernatural horror yarn. Authorities pursue an escaped panther in New Mexico, with suspicion slowly growing that a series of murders are being committed by a human pretending to be a panther.

THE BODY SNATCHER (1945) Blu-ray review

The Body Snatcher (1945) d. Robert Wise (USA) (78 min)

Arguably Boris Karloff’s finest onscreen performance, this is another great-looking piece of atmospheric horror from producer Val Lewton. Karloff’s Cabman Gray, oozing ill-intentions and menace while remaining innately likeable, emerges as one of the most intriguing characters in film, regardless of genre. Gray has been employed as a grave robber to provide cadavers for Dr. Wolfe “Toddy” MacFarlane (Henry Daniell) to use at his medical institute. When there are too few corpses to satisfy demands, Gray goes about supplying them through “other means.”

THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE (1944) Blu-ray review

The Curse of the Cat People (1944) d. Gunther Von Fritsch / Robert Wise (USA) (70 min)

Despite identical cast and characters from Cat People, this peculiar sequel (featuring neither cats nor curses) is more childhood fable than atmospheric chiller, which may confound fans of the original. Producer Val Lewton and co-directors Von Fritsch and Wise concern themselves this time not with the sexuality of shapeshifting cat women, but with the loneliness of a young girl.