Travis Simpkins: Boris Karloff

Saturday, February 25, 2017

The Fatal Hour (1940): Mr. Wong and Jade Smuggling

Directed by William Nigh, based on the stories by Hugh Wiley, The Fatal Hour (1940) is one of the best film versions of Chinese-American detective Mr. Wong. When a San Francisco police officer is found murdered, the lead detective and Mr. Wong are on the case… and their sleuthing leads them to a clandestine jade smuggling ring, fencing stolen Ming Dynasty antiquities from China. Boris Karloff is great as the famous Mr. Wong. Marjorie Reynolds is good as a sharp-witted reporter. The other cast members are somewhat wooden by comparison, but get the job done

Boris Karloff: The Fatal Hour

: The Fatal Hour

Boris Karloff: The Fatal Hour

: The Fatal Hour

Boris Karloff and stolen art: The Fatal Hour

Boris Karloff: The Fatal Hour

: The Fatal Hour

Boris Karloff: The Fatal Hour

: The Fatal Hour

"The Fatal Hour"

Saturday, October 24, 2015

The Mummy (1932): Boris Karloff in Ancient Egypt

Directed by Karl Freund, and produced by Carl Laemmle Jr., The Mummy (1932) is one of the renowned Universal Monster Movies… a true Classic in every sense. The story begins with the discovery of the tomb of cursed Ancient Egyptian high priest Imhotep, who is brought back to life by the incantation on a papyrus scroll… and continues with Imhotep's hypnotic and murderous power to reunite with his beloved Ankh-es-en-amon. Spurred by the Egyptomania following Howard Carter's discovery of King Tutankhamen's tomb in 1922, the film provides the manic view of archaeology and museums at the time for all things Egyptian. The sets, while stagy, are well-designed and give the proper feel. Boris Karloff delivers one of the all-time Iconic portrayals in Horror with his role as the revived mummy Imhotep. Zita Johann is lovely as his romantic infatuation. David Manners and Edward van Sloan co-star.