The Black Cat

May 7, 1934

1h 5m

★ 6.7

Things you never said before nor even dreamed of!

Overview

After a road accident in Hungary, the American honeymooners Joan and Peter and the enigmatic Dr. Werdegast find refuge in the house of the famed architect Hjalmar Poelzig, who shares a dark past with the doctor.

Genres

Horror

Production Companies

Universal Pictures

The Black Cat Trailers

Cast

Hjalmar Poelzig

Boris Karloff

Dr. Vitus Werdegast

Bela Lugosi

Peter Alison

David Manners

Joan Alison

Julie Bishop

The Majordomo

Egon Brecher

Thamal

Harry Cording

Karen

Lucille Lund

The Sergeant

Henry Armetta

The Lieutenant

Albert Conti

Cult Organist

John Carradine

Cultist (uncredited)

John George

Waiter (uncredited)

Albert Pollet

Hanns Heinz Ewers' grim science-fiction novel Alraune has already been filmed twice when this version was assembled in 1928. In another of his "mad doctor" roles, Paul Wegener plays Professor Brinken, sociopathic scientist who combines the genes of an executed murderer with those of a prostitute. The result is a beautiful young woman named Alraune (Brigitte Helm), who is incapable of feeling any real emotions -- least of all guilt or regret. Upon attaining adulthood, Alraune sets about to seduce and destroy every male who crosses her path. Ultimately, Professor Brinken is hoist on his own petard when he falls hopelessly in love with Alraune himself. Alraune was remade in 1930, with Brigitte Helm repeating her role, and again in 1951, with Hildegarde Knef as the "heroine" and Erich von Stroheim as her misguided mentor.

7.2

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Dec 24, 1931

Dr. Henry Jekyll believes that there are two distinct sides to men - a good and an evil side. He believes that by separating the two, man can become liberated. He succeeds in his experiments with chemicals to accomplish this and transforms into Hyde to commit horrendous crimes. When he discontinues use of the drug, it is already too late.

6.5

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Aug 12, 1941

Dr. Jekyll believes good and evil exist in everyone and creates a potion that allows his evil side, Mr. Hyde, to come to the fore. He faces horrible consequences when he lets his dark side run amok.

6.3

Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Aug 1, 1953

As American policemen in London, Bud and Lou meet up with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

6.9

Island of Lost Souls

Dec 23, 1932

An obsessed scientist conducts profane experiments in evolution, eventually establishing himself as the self-styled demigod to a race of mutated, half-human abominations.

7.5

Frankenstein

Nov 21, 1931

Henry Frankenstein pieces together body parts in the hope of bringing a human-like creature to life. The mad scientist’s dreams are shattered by his monstrous creation awakening with rage to a world that hates and fears him.

7.8

Freaks

Jan 1, 1932

A circus' beautiful trapeze artist agrees to marry the leader of side-show performers, but his deformed friends discover she is only marrying him for his inheritance.

7.2

Dracula

Feb 12, 1931

A British estate agent travels to Transylvania to meet the mysterious Count Dracula, who is interested in leasing a London castle. After Dracula enslaves the agent and drives him to insanity, the pair return to London together, where Dracula, a secret bloodsucker, begins preying on socialites.

7.5

Bride of Frankenstein

Apr 20, 1935

Dr. Frankenstein and his monster both turn out to be alive after being attacked by an angry mob. The now-chastened scientist attempts to escape his past, but a former mentor forces him to assist with the creation of a new creature.

7.9

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

Feb 27, 1920

Francis, a young man, recalls in his memory the horrible experiences he and his fiancée Jane recently went through. Francis and his friend Alan visit The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, an exhibit where the mysterious doctor shows the somnambulist Cesare, and awakens him for some moments from his death-like sleep.

7.6

King Kong

Mar 15, 1933

Adventurous filmmaker Carl Denham sets out to produce a motion picture unlike anything the world has seen before. Alongside his leading lady Ann Darrow and his first mate Jack Driscoll, they arrive on an island and discover a legendary creature said to be neither beast nor man. Denham captures the monster to be displayed on Broadway as King Kong, the eighth wonder of the world.

4.5

Robot Monster

Jun 24, 1953

Ro-Man, an alien robot who greatly resembles a gorilla in a diving helmet, is sent to earth to destroy all human life. Ro-Man falls in love with one of the last six remaining humans, and struggles to understand how his programming can instruct him to kill her while his heart demands that he can't.

6.5

Doodlebug

Jan 1, 1997

There's something in his apartment. A man looking for an insect-like thing devolves into a bout of insanity as his subconscious mind begins to strangle his waking one.

5.9

The Countess

Mar 13, 2009

Kingdom of Hungary, 17th century. As she gets older, powerful Countess Erzsébet Báthory (1560-1614), blinded by the passion that she feels for a younger man, succumbs to the mad delusion that blood will keep her young and beautiful forever.

6.7

The Thing from Another World

Apr 5, 1951

Scientists and US Air Force officials fend off a blood-thirsty alien organism while investigating at a remote arctic outpost.

7.5

The Invisible Man

Oct 31, 1933

After experimenting on himself and becoming invisible, scientist Jack Griffin, now aggressive due to the drug's effects, seeks a way to reverse the experiment at any cost.

5.7

Children of the Corn

Mar 9, 1984

A traveling couple end up in an abandoned Nebraska town inhabited by a cult of murderous children who worship a demon that lives in the local cornfields.

6.8

Creature from the Black Lagoon

Mar 5, 1954

When scientists exploring the Amazon River stumble on a “missing link” connecting humans and fish, they plan to capture it for later study. But the Creature has plans of his own, and has set his sights on the lead scientist's beautiful fiancée, Kay.