Using the exotic drug, the Black Sleep, Sir Joel Cadman (Basil Rathbone) practices brain surgery so that he can cure his wife, Angelina (Luanna Gardner). Cadman, therefore, is a sort of Dr. Frankenstein. He's set himself up as a god, but turns out to be more of a sorcerer. His "subjects" would probably sue for malpractice if such were possible in Victorian England.
Even so, neither Borg, Curry, The Sailor, nor Mungo would be able to do more than make paper chains after Cadman's done with them. Odo is Cadman's supplier, so to speak; he lures down-and-out folks to him, drugs them with the Black Sleep, then delivers the comatose bundles to Cadman.
Anyway, the long denouement takes place when Laurie and Gordon explore the dungeon where the abandoned victims are captive. Borg is a heck of a delusional victim--he thinks he's a Crusader. The Sailor has become horribly disfigured. Curry is spaced out; Nancy (Sally Yarnell) looks diseased.
At this point, we finally see Angelina. She's been in a coma for eight months. Since Odo messed up (killing a would-be subject) Laurie is next in line for surgery. The cops come looking for Odo, but they don't suspect anything. Not long after they leave, the victims somehow escape the dungeon. Setting fire (!) to Daphne, Borg leads Curry and the Sailor on a rampage. Mongo is killed, then the Cadmans are pushed down the dungeon steps to their deaths. The police return, nabbing Odo, Laurie and Gordon escape, and all's well. The end.
This has a wild ending tacked onto a pseudo-scientific and rather wooden talk-fest. The rebellion itself is redemptive, but why should Angelina die? She, along with all of the interesting characters, are off-screen far too much.
The premise doesn't really deliver its full potential. The Black Sleep itself really only functions as a anesthetic; the meat of the plot concerns the diabolical surgeries, not how the victims were captured.
This has some great scenes, but gets a bit lost between sci-fi and horror; worth watching for Carradine's performance alone.
Even so, neither Borg, Curry, The Sailor, nor Mungo would be able to do more than make paper chains after Cadman's done with them. Odo is Cadman's supplier, so to speak; he lures down-and-out folks to him, drugs them with the Black Sleep, then delivers the comatose bundles to Cadman.
Anyway, the long denouement takes place when Laurie and Gordon explore the dungeon where the abandoned victims are captive. Borg is a heck of a delusional victim--he thinks he's a Crusader. The Sailor has become horribly disfigured. Curry is spaced out; Nancy (Sally Yarnell) looks diseased.
At this point, we finally see Angelina. She's been in a coma for eight months. Since Odo messed up (killing a would-be subject) Laurie is next in line for surgery. The cops come looking for Odo, but they don't suspect anything. Not long after they leave, the victims somehow escape the dungeon. Setting fire (!) to Daphne, Borg leads Curry and the Sailor on a rampage. Mongo is killed, then the Cadmans are pushed down the dungeon steps to their deaths. The police return, nabbing Odo, Laurie and Gordon escape, and all's well. The end.
This has a wild ending tacked onto a pseudo-scientific and rather wooden talk-fest. The rebellion itself is redemptive, but why should Angelina die? She, along with all of the interesting characters, are off-screen far too much.
The premise doesn't really deliver its full potential. The Black Sleep itself really only functions as a anesthetic; the meat of the plot concerns the diabolical surgeries, not how the victims were captured.
This has some great scenes, but gets a bit lost between sci-fi and horror; worth watching for Carradine's performance alone.