vincent price follow up to house of wax ( 1953 ) and the film which cement his reputation a a horror icon and similarly revolves around a bitter albeit resourceful showman . though a remake and the former ( shot in technicolor ) remain the superior effort while that say and apart from some resistible comic relief and the obligatory resort to cheap gimmickry ( it be another 3 d showcase ) and occasional narrative shortcoming ( whatever happen to the miss bag which supposedly turn up at some police station contain a severed head . ) and this offer more than enough grand guignol type thrill and overall camp value ( price ham it up in a variety of disguise a an inventor of illusion impersonate amissing star conjurer who have take advantage of his genius ) to stand on it own two foot . incidentally and director brahm involvement here prove no mere coincidence since the narrative incorporates element from two horror title ( both star laird cregar ) he have previously helm i. e. the lodger ( 1944 ) and hangover square ( 1945 ) . the young lead be play by mary murphy ( a price ingénue assistant ) and patrick oneal ( a her police detective boyfriend curiously enough and he would himself take the lead in a similar piece and chamber of horror [ 1966 ] and which i have acquire just in time to serve a an encore to this one ) . an interesting sideline here be the latter adoption of a novel detection technique and fingerprinting and which be crucial in bring about price downfall ( in a predictable but rather awkward fiery climax ) though the persistent snooping of his amateur crime novelist landlady have at least as much to do with it in the long run . watch the star in a make to measure role and the film emerge a good deal of fun particularly at a compact 73 minute .