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Customer Reviews of The Mad Ghoul

"I'm sending this evil back into the darkness!"
Fast-moving B thrillers from Universal's fright factory was typical of the mid-1940s. This time, the machinery grinds out a quasi-zombie story. Dr. Alfred Morris (George Zucco) is wide-eyed with insanity as he experiments with an ancient poisonous gas. He diabolically expands his experiments on monkeys to include humans. After Morris' hapless research assistant Ted (David Bruce) suffers exposure to the gas, he becomes a parch-skinned member of the walking dead. Dr. Morris knows of a temporary antidote to this dreadful development, but it requires a fresh human heart to concoct. At Morris' direction, the fiend that walks as a man goes around defiling fresh graves and cutting out human hearts. Newspaper headlines scream, "Ghoul!" In the midst of this mayhem, Robert Armstrong (of "King Kong" fame) provides comic relief as a snappy-talking reporter named "Scoop" McClure. He poses as a fresh corpse to lure the monster, but his imposture soon turns deadly. As if the plot isn't busy enough, Dr. Morris yearns for the beautiful Isabel (Evelyn Ankers). To Morris' chagrin, she is attracted instead to Eric (Turhan Bey). Things get dicey when Dr. Morris sends his personal grim ghoul out to kill Eric. The brief 65 minute running time is a virtue that helps the story move along. There isn't time for padding. The movie doesn't pretend to be more than it is. Entertaining classic horror fluff for collectors, filmed in glorious B & W. Good second feature stuff. ;-)

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Moody, Atmospheric Little Horror Tale
Having only seen this little chiller for the first time recently I was pleasantly surprised by its creepy atmosphere and rather original main idea. With performers like the gifted George Zucco, Turhan Bey and the always excellent Evelyn Ankers the production in my book has alot going for it from the start. Universal Studios in the 1940's had a definite way with these horror tales and they have a polished look about them despite their relatively small budgets.

"The Mad Ghoul", despite its sensational title is an enjoyable little horror tale that casts horror veteran George Zucco as Dr. Alfred Morris a briliant scientist who rediscovers an ancient Egyptian Gas which has many strange qualities to it. He graduates from experiments into the gas's powers on animals to using humans in his experiments when he takes on a young college student (David Bruce), as his assistant over the summer. He deliberately exposes Ted (Bruce) to the effects of the gas which transforms him into a parchment-like walking Zombie who obeys everything word uttered by Dr. Morris. In his research into the effects of the gas Dr. Morris discovers an antidote to its effects which can only be obtained by using a fresh human heart from a recent burial in the mixture. Soon at Dr. Morris's bidding Ted is robbing any freshly dug graves to provide the cure. The mad doctor also develops an attraction to Ted's fiance Isabel (Evelyn Ankers), and sets his man made "Ghoul" after the man who Evelyn plans to leave Ted for, Eric Iverson (Turhan Bey in an unfortunately small role). All is resolved in a rapid conclusion that sees Ted dead and Dr. Morris himself exposed to the lethal gas which results in a frantic chase to the graveyard by the doctor to retrieve a fresh heart from a recent burial but to no avail.

Considered a minor Universal effort I enjoy this production for its great atmosphere and its fast moving storyline which only runs 70 minutes or so. George Zucco, a horror great through most of the 1930's and 40's has a field day in a larger part than he usually has and he brings just the right sinister quality to the evil doctor who in the end is consumed by his own discoveries. Evelyn Ankers, long known as the "Scream Queen of Universal" is nicely restrained here as the herione of the piece and the always underrated Turhan Bey does the best he can with his small role of Isabel's real love, Eric Iverson. The makeup for David Bruce's ghoul scenes is very effective and gives the picture of a gaunt, mummy like dried skinned creature that gives his scenes an arresting eerie feel. The graveyard sets filmed at night are top class and among the best from the Universal series of horror films from around this time.

While "The Mad Ghoul", would never be at the top of anyone's horror movie list it does deal with an intriguing topic, the idea of zombie like walking dead being controlled to do others bidding. Despite its small budget the film has a handsome appearance about it and the whole concept of stealing human hearts from freshly dug graves is a theme not for the faint hearted. There maybe scarier films around out there but if like me you enjoy the type of films Universal Studios specialised in for almost two decades then you will find "The Mad Ghoul", a very enjoyable horror viewing experience.

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"AM I DEAD OR ALIVE? MAN OR BEAST?!"
Mad doctor of B horror flicks George Zucco stars as insane mad scientist Dr. Morriz turning one of his young college students into an obedient zombie. While at night these two fiends dig up graves to cut the hearts out of the dead. While these two mad men are digging up graves Scoop McClure is on the case of this mad ghoul. But while on this deadly case of life and death, right in the middle of this film the the two of them cut his throat. A suspenseful film leading up to a climax worth watching. George Zucco and David Bruce star. With a supporting cast of Evelyn Ankers, Turhan Bey and Robert Armstrong.