Customer Reviews

Black Room [VHS]

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The "Black Room" enables the viewer to enjoy great acting (Karloff) and an entertaining story. Karloff portrays twin brothers. One kind and innocent beyond belief (Think of an intelligent Gomer Pyle). The other (brother) pure evil (Think of J.R. Ewing as a serial killer). The brothers are both doomed by a family curse, and bound by a beautiful maiden. If this story isn't interesting enough, just tune in to Karloffs' one man acting clinic. Karloff made me think. Why was I rooting for both the "good" and "evil" brother? I was probably just rooting for Karloff. However this film proved to me, someone of Karloffs' ability does not need a cheering section. Buy (or rent) this film. You won't be disappointed!

The two main characters in this movie are twin brothers, both played by Boris Karloff. One is pure evil, the other is unbelievably kind. Only an actor of high talent could give credibility to either of these two extremes - Karloff plays both of them perfectly! I would've never thought Karloff had such range, having only seen him in "monster" movies like THE MUMMY and FRANKENSTEIN. He does it with what appears to be no effort at all. It's an interesting tale - though it does get a little bogged down in some spots. The special effects are also first-rate, considering the year in which it was filmed. Sit back and enjoy a real master at work!

This is the kind of film no one has made in many years -- a horror film that is not only stylish and high-class, but even charming. It barely qualifies as horror, but it is a grim period melodrama (early 19th century, to be precise) with Boris Karloff as twin brothers, the good Anton and the evil Gregor. After Gregor murders Anton, he masquerades as Anton, which means Karloff is actually playing a THIRD role ("Gregor as Anton"), and is more subtle and effective than he was in the earlier scenes. The sequences in which two Karloffs are on screen simultaneously are technically very smooth, and the under-appreciated Roy William Neill does his usual good job of directing. The payoff, in which the ancient family prophecy is fulfilled, is ingenious and thrilling.

"Predictable" is a word that often has a perjorative ring to it when applied to a movie but it is apposite in this instance and I am using it in a complimentary sense .The very potency of the movie comes from its being both predictable and simple .There is a flavour of the "favourite old tale " ,oft told and reassuring by its very nature
It revolves around two noblemen ,identical twins , both played by Boris Karloff .One is bad ( Gregor) and the other is good ( Anton ) ,the latter of whom has a paralysed right arm .They are separated at birth ,the better to forestall a prophecy that the younger will slay the elder in the Black Room ,thus causing the fall of the family line .They are united when evil Gregor lures Anton back to the family home .He is about to be deposed by the irate and disaffected peasantry .He claims to be recalling Anton so he can abdicate and leave the estate to his brother.
They believe him and he lures Anton to the Black Room ,kills him and throws him into the pit where his previous victims have been cast
Gregor impersonates Anton and woos the beauteous Thea ( Marian Marsh ) and the question is whether or not his nefarious schemes can be exposed .There is
some fine direction by Roy Willam Neill ,of the Rathbone "Sherlock Holmes " series ,some impressive set design and lively action make this a satisfying slice of period melodrama .Add the great Boris at the peak of his ability and this is agood little picture .

The Black Room, 1935 film

We see a crowd in front of a castle [a Hollywood set]. They are dressed as in the early 19th century. A doctor announces the birth of twins; bad news for this royal family (according to the old legend). One twin is always the older. The younger has a paralyzed arm! Can this prophecy be prevented? One solution is to seal up the Black Room. Will this save the Berghman dynasty? Twenty years pass. The ruler Baron Gregor is threatened when he appears in public. [High taxes?] This baron is a fiend and a tyrant. Can the people strike back? The coach from Buda-Pest arrives. A man enters the tavern, he is recognized as Anton, the brother of Gregor. He is brought to Gregor, who asked for his return. Gregor uses a wine taster to avoid poison. [A double to appear in public?] A man with a knife attacks Gregor. What happened to his sister and the other women who disappeared? A beautiful young woman, Thea, plays beautiful music on a harp. She must never be alone with Gregor! Another man warns a girl against Gregor; she knows things about Gregor. But will she talk? We hear people talk about her disappearance.

Can the people appeal to the authorities? Will the mob assemble in front of the castle? [They are the 99%.] Colonel Hassel warns Gregor. [No armed soldiers to protect the Baron?] Gregor meets the people. Can they act in an orderly way? Gregor renounces his title as Baron so Anton will rule! He wants time to settle his affairs. [Too good to be true?] Gregor brings Anton into the Black Room through a hidden door. There is a pit with bodies in it! [Did you see this coming?] "Goodbye, brother." "I'll come back from the dead!" Gregor will impersonate his kindly brother Anton as the new Baron. Anton wishes to marry Thea, the daughter of Colonel Hassel. Another man objects! The Colonel signs a paper giving the Baron control over Thea's properties. [But the baron has a problem is writing left-handed!] The Colonel, watching in a mirror, sees Anton using his paralyzed right arm. But the Colonel will not tell. Next morning Colonel Paul Hassel's body is found in his room.

The witnesses testify about Lieutenant Lussan's threats. He is found guilty and sentenced to be shot. Anton is getting all the breaks. The peasants celebrate on the wedding day. Can anything go wrong? A dog barks. The Baron orders this dog's death! Will Lussan escape from prison? People gather in church for the Baron's wedding. Lussan secretly meets the bride Thea, then leaves for his freedom. There is an uninvited guest in church. The dog's attack forces the Baron to use his right arm, ending his impersonation! Gregor tries to escape by coach to reach the castle. The avenging hound and the crowd follow to the hidden door. When it opens the hound runs to Gregor, who falls into the pit. The prophecy is fulfilled.

This interesting story seems to have melded old stories into a new drama. You can read current events into this story about a people oppressed by the wealthy aristocracy.

We usually think of Boris Karloff in connection with the Universal horror films of the 1930s. In truth, about 1933 a contract dispute between Karloff and Universal led Karloff to break his contract with Universal--and although he would often return to Universal, he spent most of his career working as a freelance actor, signing for a particular film or for a limited number of films. Hence the 1935 Columbia production of THE BLACK ROOM, a somewhat obscure film with an Edgar Allan Poe aura.

Director Roy William Neill would eventually become best known as the director of many Sherlock Holmes films starring Basil Rathbone; writer Arthur Strawn would have a minor career, but co-writer Henry Myers went on to note for DESTRY RIDES AGAIN. In any case, the three created a very capable little film with THE BLACK ROOM, which tells the story of the Bergmann family, aristocrats who are dogged by a prophesy that if twin sons are born, the younger will kill the older in "the black room"--the castle's torture chamber--and thereby bring the family to an end. Needless to say, the baron is horrified when his wife does in fact bear twins, and in later years they are separated, Anton remaining at the castle as baron, Gregor leaving to enjoy life in Hungary. But Gregor receives a desperate message from Anton to return home--and when he does, he finds that Anton has made more enemies among the locals than can be counted. Because of this, Gregor declares his intention to abdicate his title in favor of his slightly younger brother, who is gentlemanly, kind, and liked by all. Needless to say, there is a bit more going on than anyone, including Anton, suspects.

Like most horror films of the time, THE BLACK ROOM has a fairly short run time, clocking in at about an hour and a quarter, so it plays out its story without overstaying its welcome. It is particularly noted because it gives Karloff the opportunity to play the double role of Gregor and Anton, and one can detect a bit of the acting talents that would later blossom in such films as THE BODY SNATCHER. The supporting cast is also quite fine. At present, the films seems to be available only on used VHS and via download from Amazon; it also plays occasionally on cable television. But if Karloff is your thing, or if you have a fondness for 1930s horror, THE BLACK ROOM will have plenty of appeal.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Karloff once again shows us what an incredible actor he was in playing both brothers in this classic. Well thought out story and good supporting cast make this one a classic. Rivals Universal's monster movies of the same era.

Made 4 years after Frankenstein, Columbia got a hold of Karloff and made this un-scary, unemotional melodrama. Not the Universal type Karloff fare we've grown to love. It's definitely Karloff, playing dual roles as good and evil brothers, but don't expect a Universal monster/horror gender film. No chills here. 3 Stars for Karloff.

This is not your usual Universal monster scare. Columbia got Karloff 4 years after Frankenstein and made this weak melodrama. No scares here. Karloff play twin brothers, one under a curse to kill his brother, the other the evil twin out to do him in before he gets it. 3 stars just because it's Karloff, but definitely no scares. More like a 1930's soap.