Man-Made Monster | |
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theatrical release poster
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Directed by | George Waggner |
Produced by | Jack Bernhard |
Written by |
Harry Essex Len Golos Sid Schwartz George Waggner |
Starring |
Lon Chaney, Jr. Lionel Atwill |
Music by | Hans J. Salter |
Cinematography | Elwood Bredell |
Edited by | Arthur Hilton |
Production
company |
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Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release date
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March 28, 1941 US |
Running time
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59 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Man-Made Monster (1941) is a science fiction horror film released by Universal Pictures. The film stars Lon Chaney, Jr. in his horror film debut. Man-Made Monster was re-released under various titles including Electric Man and The Mysterious Dr. R. In 1953, it was re-released by Realart Pictures under the title The Atomic Monster on a double bill with The Flying Saucer (1950).
The plot resembles The Walking Dead (1936) and 1956's Indestructible Man, also featuring Chaney although not directly inspired to Man-Made Monster.
A tragic accident occurs when a bus hits a high power line. The incident has claimed the lives of all on board, except for one Dan McCormick (Lon Chaney, Jr.), who survives because he is, surprisingly, immune to the deadly electricity. McCormick does a sideshow exhibit as Dynamo Dan, the Electric Man and is taken in by Dr. John Lawrence (Samuel S. Hinds), who wants to study him. Dr. Lawrence's colleague, mad scientist Dr. Paul Rigas (Lionel Atwill) has something else in mind, though. He wants to create an army of electrobiologically-driven zombies. He gives McCormick progressively higher doses of electricity until his mind is ruined and left dependent on the addicting electrical charges. This temporarily gives McCormick the touch of death, making him capable of killing anyone he touches by electrocution. After accidentally killing Lawrence, Rigas insures McCormick's conviction to see what will happen if he is sent to the electric chair. McCormick survives, and with a super charge in his glowing body he kills several people, including Rigas, before running out of electricity and dying.