universal studio . the name conjure up so many memory to horror fan of beautiful matte painting . er . landscape and fog enshroud countryside and full moon and howl wolf and tavern and torch wielding mob . yet and it be quite strange look back on those film and how little the era which produce the true classic last . the 30 have it masterpiece and but those be mostly from the same director and many of their film be mostly of historical interest today . the 40 produce more mindlessly fun matinée film than it do high art and and most fan agree that the classic era of the gothic horror film end in 1945 with house of dracula and bump around with the abbott and costello comedy and and be officially dead by the 50 and the come of the atomic age . so it strange that perhaps one of universal fine gothic be make in the 50 . that alone make the film an oddity and since costume drama be on their way out everywhere . it may not be comparable to the all time classic like the james whale film and the wolfman and but damn do it condense all the fun element of those film into one delicious treat . get ready for nothing but pure entertainment . since various social more have change and the film also indulge in violence that would not have be allow in early era while there no blood and but we see character shot and stab directly and and there even a burning torch to the face . the film may not really be a horror film and but it sure have the atmosphere and look and feel of one . it begin in the dead of night with howl wind ( and wolves ) a two men seal the tomb of two apparently dead young lover and but wait . one of them be not dead and but he can not move . he trap and but talk silently in his own mind and unable to communicate . what be his story . now that be how you start a horror film . english businessman sir ronald burton ( richard greene and give one of his best performance ) set out under the alias of richard beckett to investigate the disappearance of two friend of his who disappear at the castle of one eyed austrian count von bruno ( do sacha baron cohen see this . ) . it seem many year ago von bruno pose a a god to the native in africa to steal ivory and he be expose by burton men and and the native disfigure him . now he be lust for revenge . the film have all the clichés and a jonathan harker style ride to the castle and an inn full of wary villager and death trap and and a hulking manservant ( lon chaney jr. ) . the torture chamber scene be genuinely suspenseful and include a panel in the floor that activate a dungeon door ( which make for an ingenious getaway scene later on ) and a hunting expedition involve an import panther ( . ) and even an alligator pit . and then there the romeo and juliet style fake death that lead to the film prologue . the plot be cliché and the world view be black and white . but it still incredibly entertain and with director nathan juran make every scene pile on the atmosphere and seem fresh and new . there be several plot hole and too . why do ronald attempt to leave the castle so early . and he never do solve the mystery of what happen to his friend even though it obvious and but he doesn not know that when he give up and and he seem so sure earlier . weird . all of the actor be great . despite be a rude upperclassman and richard greene make burton one of the most likable protagonist i have ever see in a horror film . rita corday be excellent a the count peasant wife who become burton love interest and she may have the stereotypical fall in love with just a glance problem of all film heroine of this era and but her portrayal of a long suffering woman in a loveless marriage to a sadistic monster be very convincing and she also show a suspicion and wit few film heroine of this era do and even see a force attempt by burton to quiet her ( and to paw at her necklace and although it be simply to analyze it a it have an important clue ) a a rape attempt and yet she never seem nasty in her paranoia and the audience sympathize with her . even though he fail to make von bruno seem truly foreign and otherworldly ( he be a villain in a horror film after all ) and stephen mcnally give a truly chilling performance a the sadistic nobleman . when he reveal his burnt eye and and laugh maniacally and it be truly scary . lon chaney jr. be also great a his mute henchman gargon . but the best performance be undeniably by boris karloff a the mysterious physician dr. meissen . he have little screen time at first and but steal every scene he be in . it be a performance that be both creepy and sad and mysterious and ultimately and heroic . a he leer evilly a he apply leech to one of bruno henchman and spy on our hero and speaks in that famous you know i be up to no good voice only karloff could make and you wonder whether if he be a hero or villain and always skulk about . and although he do function a the main agent of our hero escape and he still show human frailty such a greed and fearfulness for his own life and even cold bloodedly poison a man for burton benefit before he even get burton to agree . his plan to help our hero and heroine escape also put them directly in the clutch of von bruno a he arrange an amazingly sadistic ( if unbelievably flaw ) death for them that have to have inspire similar scene in corman poe series . he may not have much screen time and but this be easily one of boris best performance . while the end may seem abrupt and anti climatic for some and half the fun be get there and and there much excitement to be have . kick back and relive the day when hero be hero and villain be villain . it no masterpiece and but it escapist fun at it best .