Bride of the Monster (1955)

Director:

Edward D. Wood Jr.

Writers:

Edward D. Wood Jr. (original story and screenplay) and
Alex Gordon (original story and screenplay)

Release Date:

February 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The Screen's Master of the WEIRD in his NEWEST and MOST DARING SHOCKER!

Plot:

Dr. Varnoff captures twelve men for his experiment: to turn them into supermen using atomic energy....

Plot Keywords:

Atomic Energy | MST3K | Lieutenant | Mutant | Mad Scientist

Cast

Bela Lugosi	...	Dr. Eric Vornoff
Tor Johnson	...	Lobo
Tony McCoy	...	Lt. Dick Craig
Loretta King	...	Janet Lawton
Harvey B. Dunn	...	Capt. Tom Robbins
George Becwar	...	Prof. Vladimir Strowski
Don Nagel	...	Det. Marty Martin (as Don Nagle)
Bud Osborne	...	Lafe 'Mac' McCrea
John Warren	...	Jake Sloane
Ann Wilner	...	Tillie
Dolores Fuller	...	Margie
William 'Billy' Benedict	...	Newsboy (as William Benedict)
Ben Frommer	...	Drunk
Paul Marco	...	Officer Kelton

Also Known As:

Bride of the Atom
Monster of the Marshes (USA) (working title)
The Atomic Monster (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

69 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Spain:T | USA:Approved | Netherlands:12 (2007) (DVD) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Italy:T | UK:PG (DVD rating) (2005) | UK:X (original rating) | Finland:K-18 (2004)

Filming Locations:

Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Rolling M. Productions

Trivia:

Tony McCoy was cast in the male lead role, primarily because his father, Arizona entrepreneur Donald E. McCoy, was the owner of Packing Service Corp. (a meat packing concern), and was a major investor in the film.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Dr. Vernoff fights Lobo it is not Bella Lugosi fighting but a double. The double was shorter than Lugosi so to compensate, the double wore platform shoes that can be seen during the struggle.

Quotes:

Dr. Eric Vornoff: One is always considered MAD, if one discovers something that others cannot grasp!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "TCM Underground: Plan 9 from Outer Space/Bride of the Monster (#1.1)" (2006)

Almost Poignant

Bride of the Monster is the best of Ed Wood's films. Frankly compared with Scared to Death and the Devil Bat-- the film truly looks like a masterpiece -- and truth be told it isn't that bad. In fact, it is rather enjoyable. Okay, I am gonna admit it -- I like it! If you look past the cheesy octopus (no worse than the hysterical devil bat), the cheap sets and the lame acting (better than Scared to Death!), if you suspend a little disbelief and realize this movie was made for a song -- then actually it is pretty darned good. One reason for this is that Bela Lugosi gets ample screen time. If Ed Wood was a bit unimaginative, he at least knew what it was that made Lugosi a legend and reprises little details, from the mad scientific leering of the Devil Bat to the idiosyncratic hand gestures of White Zombie. Bela is given a chance to shine in his final starring performance and shine he does. The movie has its flaws, but Bela is not one of them. He is old and looks weak, but he carries the movie like a true champion. He makes empty dialog sound meaningful and implausible scenarios seem poignant (well almost poignant).

Lugosi's "I have no home" monolog is beautiful. He could make dialog such as "I have proven that I am alright!" sound good. Lugosi gives his all in his last performance, and it is a great performance, even if he does have to wrestle with a fake octopus.