Product Details

• Actors: Enrique Rambal, Abel Salazar, Martha Roth, Ofelia Guilmáin, Ana Laura Baledon
• Directors: Rafael Baledón
• Writers: Alfredo Salazar, Raúl Zenteno
• Producers: Abel Salazar
• Format: Black & White, Color, DVD, Original recording remastered, NTSC
• Language: Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: Unrated
• Studio: Casanegra Ent
• DVD Release Date: April 24, 2007
• Run Time: 78 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000NA1W90
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #69,697 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "The Man and the Monster" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Casa Negra's latest Mexican horror re-release, The Man and The Monster, is a direct hybrid of Phantom of the Opera, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and The Wolf Man. Professor Samuel Magno (Enrique Rambal), cursed by his decision to exchange his soul for being the world's best pianist, plans to heal himself by passing the torch to Laura, his student prodigy. Laura happens to be a doppelganger of Magno's former competitor, Alejandra, who he killed and has stored in his closet. Alejandra's rotting face looks uncannily like Barbara Steele's in Black Sunday, leaving one to wonder if this film inspired Bava's puncture-wound look. The crux of the tragedy occurs when Magno's curse takes effect, whereby he can play piano gorgeously but not without turning into a hideous, hairy, wolf-like monster. The Man and the Monster is all about the transformation scenes, time-lapsing hair, fangs, and facial crags that are as humorous as they are scary. Made the year after El Vampiro, director Rafael Baledón's film could possibly share castle sets. It relies on the same narrative trope in which an outsider, Ricardo Souto (Abel Salazar, who also played the similar character in El Vampiro), intervenes to solve the mystery and rescue the woman. However, there is always room for more cinema investigating Faustian bargains. --Trinie Dalton

Product Description

AKA: El Hombre y el Monstruo.
Gothic horror, special effects and an inventive re-thinking of the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde story converge in The Man and The Monster, one of the most chilling and exciting classics in the annals of Mexico's supernatural thrillers. Enrique Rambal portrays Samuel, a pianist so ambitious that he sells his soul to Satan in exchange for musical greatness. Every time Samuel plays the composition that wins him fame, fortune and adulation, he turns into a hideous beast with a lust for murder.

Special Features:

* Original Uncut Version
* Completely Re-Mastered Picture & Sound from Newly Restored Vault Elements
* Bilingual Menus in English & Spanish
* Exclusive Classic Mexican Horror Movie Poster Slideshow
* Original U.S. Theatrical Release Radio Spot
* Cast Biographies
* Poster and Stills Gallery

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CasaNegra really takes the cake with Mexican classics..., March 1, 2007

By	R. Koleszar "crudemoviedude" (Bloomington, IN USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The Man and the Monster is actually a really good classic horror film. Visually and stylistically it borrows from the elements of other Mexican horror classics such as The Vampire and Curse of the Crying Woman. Most of these classic Mexican horror films were shot on the same sets however with each film the sets are manipulated and added to, subtracted from to make it look quite different and provide unique levels of atmosphere in each movie. The scenes shot in the Hacienda courtyard where Rambal's monstrous character lives are beautifully composed and deliciously lit. Director Baledon does a great job directing this film. People who have seen this film agree the monster is not terribly "monstrous" and is more funny to look at then scary but for me it does not detract from what a good film it really is. The film as a whole is quite an accomplishment with excellent acting and wonderful direction and photography. The film is pristine and probably even looks better then when people first saw it back in the 50s. The restoration on the DVD is absolutely perfect and on par with previous CasaNegra releases. A key feature of the DVD is a really fantastic Mexican Horror Poster slideshow set to music from the film which I also thought was really great.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Nice find for 50's monster/horror fans...., May 21, 2007

By	Tuco (Phoenix, Az USA) - See all my reviews

For the most part, The Man and the Monster, released in the Mexico as "El hombre y el monstruo" is your average 1959 horror flick. It was filmed in the spanish language and then dubbed into english with careful attention paid to matching the dialouge with the actors lips. Unlike most other dubbed efforts, this one is very easy to watch without being distracted by the dubbing.

The film tells the sinister story of a pianist who sells his soul to the devil to become the greatest pianist in the world, with one catch - when he plays, he turns into what appears to be some type of monster/werewolf creature. The makeup effects for the monster are well done and much in alignment with what every other studio was doing at this time.

But what makes this flick really worthwhile is the above average cinematography, atmospheric lighting and the great score. A real nice achievement for the Mexico studio who put this together. makes one wonder what other south of the border classics are out there. It is truly a great looking film with solid acting with an air of creepy fright that is well sustained throughout the entire feature.

While not an all-time classic, Man and the Monster is very much suitable entertainment with much repeat watchability for those who enjoy the 50's sci-fi/horror genre and also for those who enjoy great black and white cinematography punctuated with film noir style lighting.

Check it out...