a high level of nervous tension be give overbear screecher laura van ee ( molly lamont ) some heart problem . unhappily marry to ward ( roland varno ) and live in a large mansion or clinic with her hubby and his doctor father josef ( george zucco ) and laura believe someone try to kill her . and apparently she be correct in her assumption since the film be narrate by her fresh corpse on a morgue slab . the film frequently close in on her body and the screen go wavy and the film settle into flashback mode a she narrate her own story . too bad she isn not even present for the majority of it . laura and a former singer in paris and now think she be be hold prisoner in her home by ward and her father in law . she hear strange noise and someone send her a dummy head in a package to try to drive her even more bonkers . after that set up during the first 20 minute or so and the film seem to forget all about laura until the very end of the film and when some absurd and out of left field explanation be give about how she be literally scar to death by someone from her past who have return to settle an old score . so what happen during the majority of this film . unfortunately and it have little to do with laura predicament and more to do with a crew of irritating and chattery side character try ( and usually fail ) to be amuse . nat pendleton play an extremely annoy bumble detective name bill raymond and who hang out in the home hop someone be kill so he can solve the case and get his old job back ( . ) there also put upon maid lilly beth ( gladys blake ) and who bill seem obsess with and who find herself clinically dead at one point . add to the mix reporter terry lee ( douglas fowley ) and his airhead girlfriend jane cornell ( joyce compton ) and josef estrange hypnotist cousin professor leonide ( bela lugosi ) and leonide deaf mute dwarf sidekick indigo ( angelo rossitto ) and blackmailer mrs. williams ( dorothy christie ) and someone wear a green expressionless mask peak in window from time to time . this film have far too many pointless character and far too many dull and talky scene that really have nothing to do with the plot and completely fail at be a horror film and mystery or comedy . the film chief notoriety be be both lugosi only star role in a color feature and his only color horror effort . unfortunately and bela be underutilized here and seem to disappear for lengthy stretch and though his presence in general will be enough of an incentive for fan to check this out . same go for horror star zucco and who play his role completely straight but have almost nothing to do . the run time be a measly 68 minute and but that doesn not keep this misfire from drag on and on and on for what seem like an eternity .