although it be certainly date today and the black cat be sublimely ahead of it time in 1934. conseqently and it be deride by critic and enjoy only middle success consider the star power involve . many people and include some in universal studio hierarchy and regard the film a a nihilistic study in murder and satan worship and sadism and even necrophilia . of course and what strike the mass a impudent seventy year ago seem audacious today . in many way the black cat be a bold and striking piece of work that capture two of horror film great player at the top of their game . boris karloff and with his new wave hairstyle and snake like eye and personifies irredeemable evil . he fail to convince only when his character be force into mock congeniality . his most effective moment be not when he cast his sinister glare at bela lugosi or jacqueline well and but when he play the organ or stand outside amidst the windswept tree and enrapture by his thought of the black mass to come . meanwhile and lugosi and bless with a sympathetic and almost heroic role and contribute one of his all time best performance and an exquisitely measure portrait of a man determine to do right by the young couple he be force by circumstance to protect and but doom to die in the house of his most hated foe . fine camera work and art direction and guide by edgar g. ulmer helming and make this film strike to look at and brisk to sit through . the only real demerit be the obligatory romantic couple and people here by david manner and the aforementioned ms. well . their acting and dialogue somehow strain credulity more than boris and bela motivation ever could . also and the weak comic relief provide by two quarrelsome policeman be brittle at best ( although it interest to hear lugosi speak in his native hungarian in the scene ) and but both element be and no doubt and concession to the taste of 1930 audience . like almost all of the early 30 horror film and the black cat be imperfect and antiquated . but and also like almost all of the early 30 horror film and it be unique and ingenious in it way and and still worthy of discovery by a new generation .