The Monster (1925 film)
| The Monster | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Roland West |
| Produced by |
W. L. Heywood Roland West |
| Written by |
Crane Wilbur (play) Roland West Willard Mack Albert Kenyon |
| Starring |
Lon Chaney Johnny Arthur Gertrude Olmstead |
| Cinematography | Hal Mohr |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn Pictures Corporation |
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Release date
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Running time
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86 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language |
Silent film English intertitles |
The Monster is a 1925 silent horror comedy directed by Roland West, based on the play by Crane Wilbur, and starring Lon Chaney and Johnny Arthur, and is remembered as an antecedental Old Dark House movie, as well as a precedent to many subgenre of horror films. The film has been shown on TCM network with an alternate, uncredited musical score.
Johnny Goodlittle (Johnny Arthur), an aspiring detective, enters an abandoned sanitorium while investigating a disappearance. Here, he discovers that Ziska, a renegade mad doctor, has taken over the asylum. Now Ziska has captured Betty, Johnny's romantic interest, to use in his mad experiments.
John Bowman, a wealthy farmer, is kidnapped one night after two mysterious men lure his car off the road. When the wreckage is discovered the next day, constable Russ Mason (Charles Sellon) forms a search party with Amos Rugg (Hallam Cooley) and Johnny Goodlittle.
Amos and Johnny work at the general store in Danburg. They are in love with Betty Watson (Gertrude Olmstead), the storeowner's daughter. Attempting to woo Betty, Amos invites her on a drive in the country. Meanwhile, Johnny has followed a mysterious stranger to the country. The strange man has lured Amos' car off the road and kidnapped the couple. Johnny accidentally enters a hidden tunnel, and all three end up at Dr Edwards' Sanitarium.
Once inside, they are greeted by Dr Gustave Ziska (Lon Chaney), who introduces Rigo (George Austin), Caliban (Walter James), and Daffy Dan (Knute Erickson), his patients. Ziska explains that he took control of the asylum after it had closed. After many attempts to expunge the three hostages, they are captured and sent to a dungeon, wherein Johnny finds Dr Edwards and John Bowman kidnapped by Ziska and his cronies.
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