Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932 film) the Rue Morgue" were disappointing, and Lugosi's original Universal contract for "Dracula" was not extended. Today, however, the film is generally well-regarded by critics and is considered a cult classic. In Paris in 1845, a mad scientist, Dr. Mirakle (Bela Lugosi), abducts young women and injects them with ape blood, in order to create a mate for his talking sideshow ape Erik (Charles Gemora, the gorilla performer). Young Pierre Dupin, a young naive medical student and detective (Leon Ames — credited as Leon Waycoff — in the role of Poe's standard detective icon, C. Auguste Dupin), his fiancée Camille L'Espanaye
Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932 film) Morgue, "sends your thumping heart up into your throat!" Much praise is also given to cinematographer Karl W. Freund for giving the film a "German Expressionistic" look. A lot of the criticism arises from comparisons to other great horror films from the time period. A writer for the NY Times wrote, "The entire production suffers from an overzealous effort at terrorization, and the cast, inspired by the general hysteria, succumbs to the temptation to overact." A print is preserved in the Library of Congress collection. Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932 film) Murders in the Rue Morgue is a 1932