Customer Reviews

The Body Snatcher

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3 star:		(2)
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For those of you who love great horror films from the Golden Age of Hollywood, you must purchase a copy of producer Val Lewton's and director Robert Wise's eerie 1944 screen adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson classic, "The Body Snatcher." The ghoulish character of Cabman John Gray is perhaps the most unnerving, sinsister portrayal in Boris Karloff's long and great career. Loosely based on the real life story of grave robbers and murderers Burke and Hare who stole cadavers (and then produced even more corpses by murdering innocent men and women) for the esteemed mid-19th century Edinborough surgeon John Knox, this film is a tour-de-force of Lewton's legendary shadow and suggestion production techniques and Wise's deft directorial touch. But most of all it is Karloff at his menacing, spine-chilling best as the sinister John Gray who drives a horse and buggy cab by day but who, once the sun goes down, heads out into the foggy Scottish night in search of "bodies" with which to supply the surgeon Toddy McFarland. Both men were old friends and colleagues of Knox many years earlier when they, along with the famous surgeon and his cadaver suppliers Burke and Hare, were put on trial for murder. But whereas Knox and McFarland escaped justice unscathed, Gray took the rap by protecting both Knox and Gray on the witness stand. Now Gray refuses to allow McFarland to forget the fact that his life and reputation were ruined by mob justice. McFarland is played flawlessly by the great yet underrated British actor Henry Daniell. Daniell is excellent in portraying the virtually unfeeling and amoral Doctor McFarland, whose approach to the advancement of medical science leaves much to be desired in human terms. Indeed, Daniel's understated characterization of the self-righteous Dr. McFarland is almost as chilling as Karloff's Cabman Gray. When McFarland learns that the "redoubtable" John Gray is no longer simply grave robbing but murdering to keep his business with McFarland alive, he tries to bribe Gray out of his life and out of the city of Edinborough. When the spiteful and vengeful Gray refuses to accept McFarland's bribes and threats, McFarland decides to "rid myself of Gray once and for all." I won't tell you the haunting final thirty minutes of this extraordinary horror classic. Let's just say its ending may be unrivaled in the history of the horror genre. No better use of nightmarish atmosphere was ever accomplished on film. Also on hand is the always wonderful Bela Lugosi, in more or less a cameo role, as the great actor was now in ill health. Yet even in a relatively minor role Bela lends additional ghoulishness to this already disturbing film. All of Lewton's films were genre classics that depended not on blood or gore, but rather on suspenseful and haunting atmospheres created through the use of shadowy photography, eerie lighting, and even eerier quietness at the tensest of moments. Purchase a copy of "The Body Snatcher" for Halloween. You'll remember Daniell's "Toddy McFarland" and Karloff's "John Gray" long after you've viewed the film. Happy Halloween.

A great tale of the macabre world of doctors who arrange for the pilfering of graveyards for dead bodies to be used in medical dissection, this film is not terrifying so much as it is creepy.
Set in Scotland in the 1830's, this is classic Hollywood horror. The tension of the story itself sets you on edge, rather than the gory special effects which are commonplace today.

Although Boris Karloff was the box office draw when this film was released in 1945, with Bela Lugosi playing a lesser supporting role, the one who made the movie for me was Henry Daniell, the brilliant character actor who plays Dr. MacFarlane, a man torn between conscience and the need to expand the knowledge of the human body available to medical science. Karloff plays the coachman who does MacFarlane's dirty work of graverobbing, a humble footman who relishes the power of the secret he holds over the doctor. MacFarlane sees the graverobbing and Karloff both as necessary evils to be dispensed with at the earliest opportunity, but his old friend the coachman has other plans...

Based on a story by Robert Louis Stevenson, this venerable classic barely qualifies as a horror film, but is excellent in all departments. Surprisingly, it took a long time to be released and received mostly mediocre reviews when finally released! However, it is probably the best film produced by Val Lewton, and Robert Wise proves he was already a fine director at almost the beginning of his career. The atmosphere of early 19th century Edinburgh is fully convincing. Boris Karloff is superb as Gray, cabman by day and body snatcher (occasionally corpse- maker) by night. He rarely had a role better suited to him. Watch for a young Robert Clarke as a medical student.

Karloff commands as the title role in this sinister look at medical schools in the 1800s. In case anyone doesn't know, this kind of thing (stealing bodies for dissection in schools) really did go on back then, which makes Karloff's character even creepier. In particular the scenes between Karloff's character Grey and the little girl are particularly haunting, as you see his "tender" side on the surface while at the same time knowing what lurks beneath. It's based on a Robert Louis Stevenson story. I believe this was the last movie pairing of Karloff and Bela Lugosi (I could be wrong). The sad thing is that Lugosi's career was already going down, and his role is minimal. This movie has one of the best endings of any horror movie I have ever seen.

Another sterling effort from the Val Lewton unit, based on the short story by Robert Louis Stevenson which was inspired by the murderous Burke and Hare. The studio (RKO) brought in big names Karloff and Lugosi to boost the box office of the series, but Henry Daniell has the leading role. Karloff, not wasted for once, shows what he can do as a reptilian cab-driver in 1831 Edinburgh providing cadavers (some of his own manufacture) to the head of a prominent medical school...........The increased budget is apparent in the carefully evoked period sets and the moody low-key photography is excellent. Daniell is good but it's Karloff who steals the show; he treats children and horses kindly while on the other hand, he also snatches girls off the dark city streets! These villians, who are in cahoots, are, after all, providing an invaluable service to medical science - are they not?..........A quiet genre film that prefers to tell a strong dramatic story, THE BODY SNATCHER saves its big shock for the finale - and it's a doozey!

Director Robert Wise using two giants of the horror genre Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi created a worthy tale of terror based on a Robert Louis Stevenson short story, "The Body Snatcher". This macabre flick takes place in 1831 Edinburgh when the study of anatomy and medicine existed in a primitive stage.

Eminent doctor and professor of a school of anatomy Dr. Macfarlane played by a prim, authoritative Henry Daniell must resort to grave robbing to provide cadavers for dissection. Long time acquaintance cabman John Gray played by a sneering Karloff has long been the supplier of these unearthed corpses. Due to their complicity in this gruesome business Karloff has a hold over the prestigious doctor.

Laws have been passed which attempt to cut down on the frequent desecration of gravesites. Dr. Macfarlane's prize student and assistant Mr. Fettes played by a naive Russel Wade has been given the job of dealing with Karloff. When Macfarlane decides to undertake a delicate operation on the spine of a crippled young girl, he needs fresh cadavers on which to practice. Fettes becomes aware that Karloff, unable to dig up graves. has resorted to killing to provide fresh bodies. He's told by Macfarlane to look the other way.

Lugosi playing the doctor's assistant Joseph, a bit part for him, schemes to blackmail Karloff when learning of his murderous ways. Needless to say, this 1945 film concludes in dire fashion for the bad guys.

Karloff commands as the title role in this sinister look at medical schools in the 1800s. In case anyone doesn't know, this kind of thing (stealing bodies for dissection in schools) really did go on back then, which makes Karloff's character even creepier. In particular the scenes between Karloff's character Grey and the little girl are particularly haunting, as you see his "tender" side on the surface while at the same time knowing what lurks beneath. It's based on a Robert Louis Stevenson story. I believe this was the last movie pairing of Karloff and Bela Lugosi (I could be wrong). The sad thing is that Lugosi's career was already going down, and his role is minimal. This movie has one of the best endings of any horror movie I have ever seen.

This, along with I Walked with a Zombie, is the best of the Lewton thrillers. A highly literate horror film it contains what is probably Karloff's finest performance. His performance is matched by that of Henry Daniell who plays a basically decent physician, tormented by Karloff's evil grave robber. Bela Lugosi has a minor supporting role as a none-too-bright would-be blackmailer who is "disposed" of by Karloff. This is a B horror film with grade A acting (by Karloff and Daniell), a grade A script and grade A attention to detail (set design, photography, etc.) Highly recommended. 3 1/2 stars.

The Body Snatcher is a wonderful suspense and psychological thriller featuring the horror legends Karloff and Legosi for the seventh and last time together. Henry Daniell as Dr. MacFarlane runs a medical school in his home and uses the recently dead for his experiments and lessons. He acquires the dead from a cabman, John Gray, beautifully played by Karloff, in an ethically repulsive but morally justified business relationship.
The Body Snatcher is excellently directed (by a young Robert Wise) and shot in a simple, dingy, claustrophobic, shadow filled Ediburgh of 1831, and though it features many accents, several American at that, the acting is very taut. The story, by Robert Louise Stevenson plugs along twisting Dr. MacFarlane and Gray more and more to the edges of madness and murder.
This is highly recommended for a smart story, wonderful performances, especially by Boris Karloff and Henry Daniell, sharp images with strong shadows and bleak moods and a terrific ending that is positively Poe-esque.

p.s. Bela Legosi has a featured part as Dr. MacFarlane's servant, shifting about quietly and eavesdropping on the dirty goings-on. He and Karloff have a scene together that, but for it's short length is wonderfully creepy.

Thanks to the Six O'clock Movie on channel 7 (San Francisco) when I was a kid I saw movie after movie after movie that I wish today were available in perpetua simply because THEY DON'T MAKE 'EM LIKE THIS ANYMORE!!! I will take this movie in its perfectly ominous black & white (no slashing bloodspatter, etc, either) over ANY horror film produced in the last 40 years which I happen to've seen. When the str-- no, I won't tell you. "The Body Snatcher" is a horror film that gives you credit for your intelligence.