` the phone be dead . do you hear that vitus . even the phone be dead . what a great line . this be one of my favorite horror movie of all time . bela lugosi and boris karloff play chess and fight it out over old wound and new one . the entire supporting cast be splendid a be the direction edgar g. ulmer . yet could we expect less from a story ( loosely adapt a it be ) by edgar allan poe and this cast . see for yourself and i be sure you would not be disappoint . many aspect of this film remind me of ` old dark house and i like it just as much . if you know me you would realize what a ring endorsement that truly be . i think you will be refreshingly surprise at lugosi play the sympathetic character and even though it not entirely clear early on in the movie . one of the scene that have always stand out in my mind since first watch this film be the one near the end when lugosi tie up karloff . there be no blood and yet it be more gruesome than many of today graphic moment . it go to show that there be more to great horror than have to show every detail . keep an eye out for the title of the book karloff read in bed . very creepy stuff . i rate this movie a 9 plus in the category of horror classic . to me it not frankenstein or dracula but not that far below .