2/5 "He Tampered In God's Domain!"
  by James "Scotman" April (Bakersfield, CA)
Bride of the Monster, aka Bride of the Atom

An Ed Wood film. Need I say more?

Bela Lugosi's last speaking part in this 1956 campy silliness as a mad doctor who somehow makes a fierce octopus that grabs people that walk too near Lake Marsh. The two guys who first get it are commenting on how unnatural the lightning is, and this is most likely caused by atomic bombs. Of course we don't listen to that, those are just a couple of superstitious hunters, right?

Well, after an attempt to get out of the rain but they are rebuffed by Lugosi's character (Dr. Varnoff) and his mute friend Lobo (who actually screams when you whip him, go figure). One guy falls in the swamp and gets attacked by the aforementioned octopus (why he just doesn't stand up, I don't know) and the other guy is put on a table and experimented on.

He dies.

Somehow a female reporter (Loretta King) gets the headlines that a monster is on the loose. This is not confirmed by the police nor anyone else. How she got that headline in the paper is anyone's guess. Her fiancé is on the police force, too and they have a chat with the police chief, bantering about. The chief (Henry Dunn, also seen on Teenagers from Outer Space, my review is buried on that farce elsewhere) has a pet bird that sits on his shoulder. Joy.

Anyway, long story short, Lugosi gets the girl on the table. Lobo likes her too much to see her fry and saves her. He then performed the experiment on Varnoff. Unfortunately the machine works on Varnoff, killing everyone else. Strange.

How can Lobo and Varnoff be bullet proof, yet the bullets don't mark their clothing? Why do guns have 7 or 8 bullets in them? Why are the alligators near the swamp also bullet proof? Oh, and there is a small spy problem with a doctor who wants to take Varnoff back home to some communist country to help them make supermen. That does not work out too well either.

Campy dialogue, overacting and an awful bantering episode between the chief and a file room woman -- awrghh....

Good movie to see for a laugh. I was surprised that the machine actually worked and did not kill Varnoff. Lugosi's double was about a foot taller and wider than the slight Hungarian actor.

Two stars for effort. Did you know that hypnosis can work through solid wood doors if you curl your fingers just right?

Other Ed Wood films and/or parodies:

The Ed Wood Collection - A Salute to Incompetence
Ed Wood (Special Edition)
The Ed Wood Box (Glen or Glenda / Jail Bait / Bride of the Monster / Plan 9 from Outer Space / Night of the Ghouls / The Haunted World of Ed Wood)
Barely Legal Lesbian Vampires - Curse of Ed Wood

5/5 BELA LIVES!
  by VALENWORTH (HAYWARD, CA United States)
Irresistible Monogram film. At the top of the list of movies that qualify for genre So-bad-that's-it's-good. Poverty Row films were filmed in 2-5 days with cardboard sets, wierd music (if any), preposterous plots, bad acting by actors required to wear their own clothes instead of being supplied with costumes, etc..
Bela is known for appearing in about 10 of these amusingly ghastly films. However--Lugosi always gave it his All, no matter how dreadful the script or working conditions. He never dissapoints; he never "walked through" a role. One of the true Immortals...

3/5 Wood's best movie
  by Byron Kolln (the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood)
Prime nonsense from the imagination of Ed Wood, featuring his regular "stock company" (Paul Marco, Tor Johnson, Dolores Fuller). BRIDE OF THE MONSTER is arguably his most polished and coherent effort, though it's of course also loaded with the stiff dialogue, clunky special effects and clumsy continuity errors we all love from this masterly moviemaker whose heart and best intentions were always in the right place.

Bela Lugosi is zany Dr. Vornoff, who lives in a ramshackle mansion in the middle of a swamp. Armed with brutish lab assistant Lobo (Tor Johnson) and a giant plastic octopus, Vornoff conducts experiments on trespassers, by trying to harness atomic energy in a quest to create a race of super-humans. Snoopy reporter Janet Lawton (Loretta King) looks set to be his next victim when she decides to investigate the latest series of swamp disappearances...

The "highlight" of BRIDE OF THE MONSTER is the mechanical rubber octopus, which Wood "borrowed" from the props department of Republic Studios. It was made for the John Wayne picture WAKE OF THE RED WITCH (1948). Unfortunately, Wood forgot to borrow the mechanical motor that caused the tentacles to thrash about, so the victims of the octopus had to physically sit on top of the creature and make the tentacles move themselves!

Loretta King allegedly nabbed the role of Janet because she had just come into a small inheritance and would also bankroll the film. The story is maintained by Dolores Fuller, Wood's girlfriend and GLEN OR GLENDA? leading lady; who was originally slated to play Janet but instead relegated to only one scene and a few lines of dialogue in a small role as one of Janet's friends. However, in interviews, Ms King later denied those allegations, stating that money never exchanged hands and she was in fact offered the role by an agent. Whatever the reason, I'm glad Loretta King won the role over Ms Fuller. As an actress, Ms Fuller was a fantastic songwriter.

BRIDE OF THE MONSTER is perfect entertainment for late-night movie buffs.

4/5 So bad it's good?? Oh,it's true!!
  by Gary Bowden (Fort Smith, Arkansas United States)
First of all,let me clarify something:Tor Johnson does not say "time for go to bed" in this movie,but it was the turkey "The Unearthly" starring John Carradine instead.Second,please do not take this movie seriously,even thought it tries to be.At least in Ed Wood's mind,that is.This is a bad movie,but still lots of fun.Third,Ed Wood was NOT the worst director.That award goes to Coleman Francis who did the awful "Red Zone Cuba" and The Beast of Yucca Flats";just to name a couple..The octopus in this movie was taken from a John Wayne movie,which,by the way,they forgot to get the motor that made it move.Plus,Mystery Science Theater 3000 did this movie to hilarious affect,but if you just want to watch the movie by itself,then I say,Go ahead! because it is fun to watch.As is "Plan 9 From Outer Space",too..I don't know if it's the bad editing or the bad acting or the goofs or maybe all three,so just sit back and enjoy!

5/5 Bela Lugosi Series ... Bride of the Monster (1955) ... Legend Films (2008)"
  by J. Lovins (Missouri-USA)
Legend Films presents "BRIDE OF THE MONSTER" (11 May 1955) (68 mins) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) --- now in COLOR and Glorious Black and White --- Dr. Eric Varnoff (Bela Lugosi) captures twelve men for his experiment: to turn them into supermen using atomic energy. Newspaperwoman Lawton gets too snoopy for her own good --- If you do not know Ed Wood then this movie will have little meaning to you --- So the first thing you have to do is learn about the life of Ed Wood --- He is one of the worst directors of all time, but also one of the most colorful. Bride of the monster is a good example of his ability to make the most out of his scarce resources --- You'll love it or you'll hate it -- Have fun!

Under the production staff of:
Edward D. Wood, Jr. - Director / Producer / Screenwriter
Alex Gordon - Screenwriter
Ted Allan - Cinematographer
William C. Thompson - Cinematographer
Frank Worth - Composer (Music Score)
Warren Adams - Editor
Tony McCoy - Associate Producer
Pat Dinga - Special Effects
William L. Nolte - First Assistant Director
Jane Huizenga - Production Director
David D. Martin - Technical Director

Story line and plot, Many person are vanishing in the Lake Marsh, nearby an old mansion recently bought by Dr. Eric Vornoff (Bela Lugosi) --- He lives with Lobo (Tor Johnson) and has an octopus in the lake, product of his experiment in developing somehow atomic energy --- Janet Lawton (Loretta King), a reporter of a tabloid, decides to investigate further the disappearance of locals and is abducted by Dr. Vornoff --- Her fiancée, Lt. Dick Craig (Tony McCoy), together with the police force, goes to the old house looking for Janet. This story, expected to be a horror movie, is indeed a funny entertainment due to the lack of talent of Ed Wood --- When we watch an Ed Wood's film, we know that it will be a movie full of flaws --- But why do we like him so much? --- Could it be since Tim Burton promoted this director, he became a cult personality --- There are unbelievable mistakes in framing and edition, such as, for example, about 36 minutes running time, we can see the microphone over the heads of Janet and Dr. Vornoff --- The performance of the cast is so ridiculous that becomes really funny --- The motionless octopus in the `lake' is also funny. And what about the screenplay, a kind of Frankenstein meeting the Loch Ness monster, with hilarious dialogs? --- This film is a great entertainment vehicle, especially since it has been colorized by Legend Films.

the cast includes:
Bela Lugosi ... Dr. Eric Vornoff
Tor Johnson ... Lobo
Tony McCoy ... Lt. Dick Craig
Loretta King ... Janet Lawton
Harvey B. Dunn ... Capt. Tom Robbins
George Becwar ... Prof. Vladimir Strowski
Paul Marco ... Officer Kelton
Don Nagel ... Det. Marty Martin
Bud Osborne ... Lafe 'Mac' McCrea
John Warren ... Jake Sloane
Ann Wilner ... Tillie
Dolores Fuller ... Margie
William 'Billy' Benedict ... Newsboy (as William Benedict)
Ben Frommer ... Drunk

BIOS
1. Bela Lugosi
Date of Birth: 20 October 1882 - Lugos, Austria-Hungary. [now Lugoj, Romania]
Date of Death:16 August 1956 - Los Angeles, California,

2. Tor Johnson
Date of Birth: 19 October 1903 - Sweden
Date of Death: 12 May 1971 - San Fernando, California

3. Edward D. Wood Jr. (Director)
Date of Birth: 10 October 1924 - Poughkeepsie, New York
Date of Death: 10 December 1978 - North Hollywood, California

SPECIAL FEATURES:
1. Rare interview with Bela Lugosi
2. The Strongest Man in the World
3. Legend films trailers

In 2006, the complete print was restored and colorized by Legend Films, using the latest technology --- Although the Legend Films release was advertised under its reissue title, both the color and black and white prints featured the original title and opening credits --- Legend Films can restore, colorize and release many of the classic earliest black and white films --- a patented coloring and remastering process makes each film picture perfect plus more vivd than ever --- no one can resist collecting every title that Legend Films releases.

Hats off and thanks to Barry B. Sandrew Ph.D. (Founder, COO & CTO) and his Legend Films Staff --- looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage era of the '20s, '30s & '40s --- order your copy now from Amazon where there are plenty of copies available on DVD --- if you enjoyed this title, why not check out Legend Films where they are experts in releasing long forgotten films and treasures to the collector.

Total Time: 68 mins on DVD ~ Legend Films. ~ (10/21/2008)