Horror Double Feature: Die, Monster, Die! & I, Monster

In today’s Shocktober Double Feature we have two curious stories, courtesy of H. P. Lovecraft and Robert Louis Stevenson. It’s Die, Monster, Die! and I, Monster!

DIE, MONSTER, DIE! (1965)

“The Colour Out of Space” has long been one of my favorite H.P. Lovecraft stories, so I was curious to see how this 1965 film adaptation, directed by Daniel Haller, had turned out. Very well indeed, I’m happy to report. In this solid little AIP chiller, Nick Adams, an American, comes to Arkham, England to visit his college girlfriend. Her father, played by Boris Karloff, presides over a house that the local villagers shun, and once there, Adams realizes that some strange things are going on, to put it mildly. A meteorite has lately resulted in all manner of plant and animal mutations, and Boris’ servant and wife are starting to come down with symptoms… This is a rather loose adaptation of the Lovecraft story at best, but, handsomely mounted as it is, with impeccable acting by the entire cast and with solid direction by the man who was once art director for AIP’s Poe cycle, succeeds on its own terms. There are several moments that will make the viewer jump, and the thing that Boris eventually turns into is like nothing I’ve ever seen on screen before. The decision to place Arkham in England, rather than the Massachusetts foothills – not to mention Boris’ character’s name being changed from Nahum Gardner to Nahum Witley – may offend Lovecraft purists, myself included, but this is a minor issue. Die, Monster, Die! remains an excellent minor horror entry, and loads of fun. You won’t be bored, that’s for sure. Now, when is some fine filmmaker going to tackle Lovecraft’s “The Shadow Over Innsmouth”?!?!

I, MONSTER (1971)

The makers of the “deluxe” I, Monster DVD apologize on screen at the film’s beginning for the quality of the presentation, explaining that they used the best video and audio sources available. And an apology certainly is in order, as the look of this eagerly awaited release (it was released for the first time on DVD in January 2005) is quite grainy, revealing what was most likely lousy 16mm print sources. Flesh tones are uneven, sound quality is so-so, and the crisp look that DVD viewers have come to expect is wholly lacking. Extras on this “deluxe” release are comprised of one trailer (in execrable shape) and five or six stills. Anyway, that’s the bad news. The better news is that the movie itself, directed by Stephen Weeks, turns out to be not half bad. Christopher Lee plays Charles Marlowe, a psychotherapist in 1906 London who injects himself with a serum to wipe out his superego inhibitions. Only problem is, he keeps turning into a progressively ugly and more violent beast (one called “Mr. Blake”) every time he does so. Sound familiar? Yes, this IS Robert Louis Stevenson‘s Jekyll & Hyde tale repeated again for the umpteenth time. So why not just call it Jekyll & Hyde? Who knows? Stevenson IS credited, after all! Anyway, Lee is darn good in his dual role, and Peter Cushing is dependable as always as his suspecting friend. Some very unusual music by Carl Davis adds some strange atmosphere, and a very streamlined screenplay avoids unnecessary clutter (such as characterizations). There’s really not much to this movie, actually, besides Lee going bonkers, and without his and Cushing’s presence, it certainly would be less than watchable. Still, I suppose we should be grateful for what little we have here, as any opportunity to see Cushing and Lee together is one that all fans of classic horror should pounce upon. Just don’t go in expecting anything on the order of Cushing & Lee’s Horror Express…

COMING ATTRACTIONS: A monstrous crocodile! Robert Englund! A ferocious leopard! Yummy Nancy Kwan! It’s Eaten Alive and Night Creature, in the Shocktober Double Feature #8….