BRIDE OF THE MONSTER Review

1955's BRIDE OF THE MONSTER was directed by the notorious Edward D. Wood Jr., widely recognized as the worst filmmaker of all time, and features Bela Lugosi in his last starring role. This is easily Ed Wood's best movie, although I must admit that I'm also a big fan of 1961's THE SINISTER URGE. Once you get past the cheap sets, senseless dialogue, and bizarro supporting cast, I think you'll be mesmerized by this movie. Lugosi, although old and frail, gives one of his finest performances as Dr. Eric Vornoff.

The good doctor's radiation-damaged henchman is played by pro wrestler Tor Johnson, whom you may recognize from the best-selling halloween mask based on his likeness, or from his role in PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE, another Ed Wood masterpiece. The role of Janet Lawton is played by Loretta King, who gave up acting after doing this film, and we're all better of because of it. The posters for BRIDE OF THE MONSTER promised an experience "More horrifying than DRACULA or FRANKENSTEIN," "The screen's master of the weird in his newest and most daring shocker...It'll make your skin crawl."

Sounds good to me.

Ed Wood always worked on the lowest of budgets, and had to beg, borrow, and steal to get his movies made. And when I say "Steal," I mean that literally. Ed and his pals stole that fake octopus from Republic Studios, where it was constructed for the 1948 John Wayne film WAKE OF THE RED WITCH. Unfortunately, they neglected to steal the motor which controlled the octopus' tentacles, and accidentally tore off one of its legs. Lugosi did his best to make it seem like a life and death struggle, but it looks more like he's struggling with a dead octopus, or at least a comatose one, with only seven legs. Genius, in its way.

Available separately, or as part of THE ED WOOD BOX, from Image Entertainment.