"Bowery at Midnight" conjures up for me an expectation of the East Side Kids, but the closest we come to that is the brief appearance of Leo Gorcey's dad Bernard as a shopkeeper. That's OK though, because I got a kick out of this tale featuring Bela Lugosi in a dual role - college psychology Professor Brenner by day, and neighborhood soup kitchen proprietor Karl Wagner by night. Lugosi's character uses the mission as a hunting ground for criminals on the run from the law, who he lures into his web to commit jewel robberies. Only trouble is, his escapades leave the body of a dead accomplice at each heist. With good help hard to find, this will surely come back to haunt him.
Back at the mission, Wagner utilizes a doctor who disposes of the bodies, however Doc (Lew Kelly) has one up on his boss; he's found a way to bring the victims back to life. That would make it kind of unnecessary to bury them, but the graves in the basement are clearly shown more than once, and at least one time with identifying names on the markers.
Bela Lugosi looks like he's having fun in this film, his early appearance is marked by an ear to ear smile, and is kind of disarming if you're used to most of his roles. He also displays the ability to turn his personality on a dime, showing a warm and caring side as he feeds homeless men at the mission, and coldly ordering their execution if they dare cross him. The Olympic body throw off the top of a building was a nice touch.
You can tell not much thought was put into these Poverty Row programmers. Consider the scene when the cops are closing in on Wagner's mission; as henchman Frankie Mills (Tom Neal) makes his way out of a side door in an alley, one of the cops shoots him as he comes out the door, with no warning and no questions asked. I mean, maybe the guy would have given himself up.
Hey, why was there a map of Australia in Wagner's private office?
Mention should be made of Wagner's assistant Judy, portrayed by Wanda McKay. She's really persistent to find out what's in the mission's inner sanctum, and entices old Doc to bring her down there. As loyal as she was, Wagner would have had her rubbed out too if not for Doc's intervention. As the cops close in, Doc lures Wagner through a trap door in the floor and into the waiting arms of a zombie horde - yikes!
"Bowery at Midnight" is a blast, with so many goofy plot points making it even more fun to watch. But with all the murder and mayhem, what would you think to be the creepiest scene? I'll put my money on the movie's finale, with Judy making wedding plans with her zombie boyfriend Richard Dennison (John Archer). After all, his was one of the clearly marked graves in Doc's basement cemetery!
Back at the mission, Wagner utilizes a doctor who disposes of the bodies, however Doc (Lew Kelly) has one up on his boss; he's found a way to bring the victims back to life. That would make it kind of unnecessary to bury them, but the graves in the basement are clearly shown more than once, and at least one time with identifying names on the markers.
Bela Lugosi looks like he's having fun in this film, his early appearance is marked by an ear to ear smile, and is kind of disarming if you're used to most of his roles. He also displays the ability to turn his personality on a dime, showing a warm and caring side as he feeds homeless men at the mission, and coldly ordering their execution if they dare cross him. The Olympic body throw off the top of a building was a nice touch.
You can tell not much thought was put into these Poverty Row programmers. Consider the scene when the cops are closing in on Wagner's mission; as henchman Frankie Mills (Tom Neal) makes his way out of a side door in an alley, one of the cops shoots him as he comes out the door, with no warning and no questions asked. I mean, maybe the guy would have given himself up.
Hey, why was there a map of Australia in Wagner's private office?
Mention should be made of Wagner's assistant Judy, portrayed by Wanda McKay. She's really persistent to find out what's in the mission's inner sanctum, and entices old Doc to bring her down there. As loyal as she was, Wagner would have had her rubbed out too if not for Doc's intervention. As the cops close in, Doc lures Wagner through a trap door in the floor and into the waiting arms of a zombie horde - yikes!
"Bowery at Midnight" is a blast, with so many goofy plot points making it even more fun to watch. But with all the murder and mayhem, what would you think to be the creepiest scene? I'll put my money on the movie's finale, with Judy making wedding plans with her zombie boyfriend Richard Dennison (John Archer). After all, his was one of the clearly marked graves in Doc's basement cemetery!