Thursday, October 11, 2012

Doomed to Die (1940)



Who's in it?: Boris Karloff; those other people from the Inspector Wong series.

What's it about?: Wong, Street, and Logan investigate the murder of a shipping magnate.

How is it?: It's a forgettable mystery, but has the same advantages of the other one I watched. That is, Police Captain William Street and reporter Bobbie Logan have some fun chemistry and I enjoy watching them argue and try to beat each other to the mystery's solution. Of course, Wong's always going to outdo both of them.

I wouldn't mind watching all six of the Wong films some day (this was the fifth, and the last one for Karloff; Keye Luke took over for the final movie), but I'm frustrated by 50 Horror Classics' including two of them in the set. One was a novelty; two feels like a rip-off. As much as I can be ripped off when I only paid 50 cents per movie, I guess. I really don't have room to gripe.

Anyway, under other circumstances I'd enjoy these more, but right now they just make me want to watch an actual horror movie. Or Charlie Chan.

Rating: Bad.

2 comments:

Erik Johnson Illustrator said...

It decently dawned on me how Boris Karloff has a very unique and distinctive voice. Hearing it, you would never associate it with the brutish speech of the “Frankenstein” features. Its impossible for me to hear his voice without his face and not immediately think “Grinch Who Stole Christmas”. Listening to it some more there is an eerily hypnotic quality in his delivery. Its as soothing as it is sinister. I think of it like a razorblade, sharp, but leaving behind a smooth path. It burns like whiskey but soothes like ice water.

Does this set include his picture "Walking Dead"? I was fond of the poster for that flick.

Michael May said...

Unfortunately Walking Dead isn't in it. You're right, that's an awesome poster. Slinky dame and creepy Karloff!

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