This serial is really fun. I love the emoting of Bela Lugosi. He wants to rule the universe and, doggone it, nothing is going to stop him. There are many pitfalls along the way. One is the usual incompetent sidekick who can't follow orders worth a darn. Another is his inability to keep a low profile. He is always putting himself out there where someone is able to spoil his efforts. There are spies and government agents. His valuable meteor is stolen a couple of times but he quickly gets it back. There is one touching scene where he causes the death of his wife, but he quickly blames the government for her death. As with all serials, there are a series of cliffhanging endings to scenes and he always seems to come out unscathed. I have to admit I was actually pulling for him. The government agents are too boring to come out on top. You can't tell the spies from the government agents without a program. There is also this cool robot who suffers from the same infirmity of slow movement that seems to affect mummies in that other genre. It was interesting to see that it was Lugosi's character that caused the Hindenberg to burst into flame. He throws a little explosive dart at it from a plane. Who would have thought. Anyway, it's a lot of fun, it makes little sense, and at the end we feel a little cheated.
32 Reviews
I Will Rule the World, Ha, Ha, Ha!
bsmith555226 February 2005
"The Phantom Creeps" was Bela Lugosi's last serial. It was produced by Universal where he achieved some of his greatest successes. As such and with the resources of the studio, I expected a better product. Instead what we get is a routine "mad scientist" serial filled with stock footage and obvious gaffs. As an example when Lugosi is supposed to be bombing the Federal Building, what we clearly see is a burning dirigible.
Anyway, the story has mad scientist Dr. Zorka (Lugosi) in possession of a piece of a meteorite which contains powers which enable him to create an 8 foot all powerful robot, an invisibility belt with which he can become invisible and move about unseen, the ability to induce suspended animation in his enemies by loosing tacky looking mechanical spiders upon them and God knows what else. Assisting him is his treacherous assistant Monk (Jack C. Smith) who is held under Zorka's control.
Opposing him are G-Men Bob West (Robert Kent) and Jim Daly (Regis Toomey), reporter Jean Drew (Dorothy Arnold) and Zorka's former partner Dr. Mallory (Edwin Stanley) who try to get hold of Zorka's box containing the meteorite fragment.
Also in the hunt are "spies" Jarvis (Edward Van Sloan) and Rankin (Anthony Averill). Zorka had originally intended on selling his invention to the highest bidder but when his wife is killed he goes mad and decides to take over the world himself.
Needless to say the "box" changes hands among the three adversaries over the course of the serial's 12 chapters until things are all tied up in Chapter 12.
Lugosi is way over the top as Zorka and with firmer direction might have saved this serial. Edward Van Sloan had appeared as Van Helsing with Lugosi in 1931's "Dracula". Oh how the mighty have fallen.
Also appearing in small roles are Eddie Acuff, Roy Barcroft, Lane Chandler, Edmund Cobb, Charles King, Forrest Taylor, stinting Tom Steele and Dave Sharpe and as a road foreman in Chapter 11 Lee J. Cobb.
Anyway, the story has mad scientist Dr. Zorka (Lugosi) in possession of a piece of a meteorite which contains powers which enable him to create an 8 foot all powerful robot, an invisibility belt with which he can become invisible and move about unseen, the ability to induce suspended animation in his enemies by loosing tacky looking mechanical spiders upon them and God knows what else. Assisting him is his treacherous assistant Monk (Jack C. Smith) who is held under Zorka's control.
Opposing him are G-Men Bob West (Robert Kent) and Jim Daly (Regis Toomey), reporter Jean Drew (Dorothy Arnold) and Zorka's former partner Dr. Mallory (Edwin Stanley) who try to get hold of Zorka's box containing the meteorite fragment.
Also in the hunt are "spies" Jarvis (Edward Van Sloan) and Rankin (Anthony Averill). Zorka had originally intended on selling his invention to the highest bidder but when his wife is killed he goes mad and decides to take over the world himself.
Needless to say the "box" changes hands among the three adversaries over the course of the serial's 12 chapters until things are all tied up in Chapter 12.
Lugosi is way over the top as Zorka and with firmer direction might have saved this serial. Edward Van Sloan had appeared as Van Helsing with Lugosi in 1931's "Dracula". Oh how the mighty have fallen.
Also appearing in small roles are Eddie Acuff, Roy Barcroft, Lane Chandler, Edmund Cobb, Charles King, Forrest Taylor, stinting Tom Steele and Dave Sharpe and as a road foreman in Chapter 11 Lee J. Cobb.
A Saturday Afternoon Serial
whpratt15 September 2006
Enjoyed this Classic Bela Lugosi film which was probably shown to audiences every Saturday in the afternoon and evenings along with two (2)other feature "B" movies, cartoons and a newsreel all for the cost of .35 cents in 1939 and probably less money than that amount. This film was a head of its time, with a great Sci-Fi story and robot to go along with the entire horror. There is plenty of action, airplane crashes, jumping out of planes and bombs going off and one crazy looking robot. Dorothy Arnold appeared in this film as a reporter for a newspaper who was always popping up at the wrong time. Dorothy was very attractive and with a sexy figure who was once married to Joe DiMaggio, the famous baseball player who later married Marilyn Monroe. Bela Lugosi gave an outstanding performance and was making films like three or four in one month. Enjoy a great Horror/Sci-Fi Oldie.
As a modest collector....
crow-3412 May 1999
Another original serial with a different theme and another best because of Bela Lugosi who made it work. Plots in serials tended to be stale later on. This was an exceptionally good plot and well written for the cliffhanger serial age. Invisibility and one of the robot theme scripts added to the thrills. I always thought it emulated Joe Louis.
Lugosi is fun to watch in this, but it's a bit unfocused
lemon_magic25 February 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Although "Phantom" uses the classic plot of "mad scientist tries to take over the world", you have to consider that this particular cliché was about 70 years fresher back then, and so audiences of the time might have gotten a bit more charge out of it than modern audiences. I tried to keep this in mind while slogging my way through and tried to watch this with a 'naive' mindset, which helped quite a bit.
The problem is that normally when the scientist tries to take over the world, he has one gimmick, which keeps the screenplay focused and unified as to the nature of the forces the Good Guys have to contend with. "PC" makes the mistake of giving Bela too many toys to play with, none of them especially convincing. Seriously, if you paraphrase the prolix introductory text to the 2nd episode, it essentially says that "Dr. Zarkoff perfects invisibility and the ability to induce suspended animation and decides to take over the world.". Um, that's a pretty unlikely (and unsynergistic) combination to conquer civilization with, even if you've got a giant, slow moving robot to back you up (as your third invention). They'd have done better to focus on the invisibility schtick and using it as a plot device to help the government agents race to prevent industrial sabotage. Instead we've got mock spiders making people go into a coma, we've got translucent blurs hitting people in the head with sticks, we've got robots moving fireplaces around...it just doesn't add up to anything with forward momentum. A dozen episodes of this kind of stuff (with the usual "hide the bacon" tomfoolery back and forth between Bela and the G-Men) is a lot to wade through to get to the end, and I really didn't feel the payoff was worth it.
Still, Bela is fun to watch in this as he declaims his greatness and rants at his henchman and vows vengeance against those who thwart him and in general carries on like the nut-case he plays so well. If someone else were playing the role, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't rate it even this highly. If you are a Lugosi fan, you should catch this, or at least skim through the high-lights.
Of the three serials I've seen I'd rate this lower than "Undersea Kingdom" (which tried to be exotic and had large crowd scenes full of costumed men on horses and a tyrant with a Jiffy-Pop popcorn hat) and better than "Radar Men From The Moon" (which only had its flying effects to recommend it and featured good guys who were dumber than hammers).
The problem is that normally when the scientist tries to take over the world, he has one gimmick, which keeps the screenplay focused and unified as to the nature of the forces the Good Guys have to contend with. "PC" makes the mistake of giving Bela too many toys to play with, none of them especially convincing. Seriously, if you paraphrase the prolix introductory text to the 2nd episode, it essentially says that "Dr. Zarkoff perfects invisibility and the ability to induce suspended animation and decides to take over the world.". Um, that's a pretty unlikely (and unsynergistic) combination to conquer civilization with, even if you've got a giant, slow moving robot to back you up (as your third invention). They'd have done better to focus on the invisibility schtick and using it as a plot device to help the government agents race to prevent industrial sabotage. Instead we've got mock spiders making people go into a coma, we've got translucent blurs hitting people in the head with sticks, we've got robots moving fireplaces around...it just doesn't add up to anything with forward momentum. A dozen episodes of this kind of stuff (with the usual "hide the bacon" tomfoolery back and forth between Bela and the G-Men) is a lot to wade through to get to the end, and I really didn't feel the payoff was worth it.
Still, Bela is fun to watch in this as he declaims his greatness and rants at his henchman and vows vengeance against those who thwart him and in general carries on like the nut-case he plays so well. If someone else were playing the role, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't rate it even this highly. If you are a Lugosi fan, you should catch this, or at least skim through the high-lights.
Of the three serials I've seen I'd rate this lower than "Undersea Kingdom" (which tried to be exotic and had large crowd scenes full of costumed men on horses and a tyrant with a Jiffy-Pop popcorn hat) and better than "Radar Men From The Moon" (which only had its flying effects to recommend it and featured good guys who were dumber than hammers).
How fortunate! This will simplify everything!
Jared G.5 September 1999
As serials go, this really isn't bad. The plot, though goofy, at least makes sense and isn't repetitive (unlike the mind-bogglingly boring "Commando Cody" serial). By this time, poor Lugosi was already typecast, and he hams it on up screen but you never tire of his antics. The rest of the cast unfortunately is off the typical serial "bad-acting" crowd.
Are there any good prints out there of this? The version I saw was terrible and half the time it was too dark to make sense of what was going on.
Are there any good prints out there of this? The version I saw was terrible and half the time it was too dark to make sense of what was going on.
Fun For Lugosi Fans
sebulba-925 January 2004
To me, this 12 part serial seemed a touch cliche, but it was still quite enjoyable. If you are not a fan of the classic horror genre or of Bela Lugosi, you may wish to pass on this one, but if you like corny old Bela films, you are in for a REAL treat.
One point of interest to me was that I can't help but think George Lucas had watched this serial in particular when he was preparing for Star Wars. The title of the series is "The Phantom Creeps" with the first Episode being titled "The Menacing Power" (Phantom Menace anyone?) Additionally, the scrolling text of Star Wars seems to owe a lot to this serial right down to the usage of capitalization. You'll have to wait for Chapter 2 to get your first glimpse of how it's used- Chapter 1 has no foreward.
This is the first serial I've seen, though, so it's possible that the scrolling text is common with most serials.
One point of interest to me was that I can't help but think George Lucas had watched this serial in particular when he was preparing for Star Wars. The title of the series is "The Phantom Creeps" with the first Episode being titled "The Menacing Power" (Phantom Menace anyone?) Additionally, the scrolling text of Star Wars seems to owe a lot to this serial right down to the usage of capitalization. You'll have to wait for Chapter 2 to get your first glimpse of how it's used- Chapter 1 has no foreward.
This is the first serial I've seen, though, so it's possible that the scrolling text is common with most serials.
Disjoint.
planktonrules8 November 2009
There are two versions of THE PHANTOM CREEPS. There is the movie serial that lasts 265 minutes and a severely truncated version that lasts only 78 minutes and was released as a full-length movie. This review is for the 78 minute version and in no way is indicative of the overall quality of the longer film.
Bela Lugosi is a mad scientist and unlike many crazed scientists, he is a man of many talents. Not only has he developed a cool giant killer robot but he's got his hand in many other experiments--the most exciting of which is his invisibility formula. When his wife and a friend learn of his work AND hear that he's willing to sell his work to anyone who is willing to pay, they threaten to go to the authorities. Doing this was a good idea--TELLING this insane and amoral scientist before you do it isn't! And, after disposing of them, Lugosi decides to use his new 'toys' to threaten mankind and all the usual junk you'd expect from such a film.
Because the full-length film was so savagely chopped to pieces, the film was very hard to follow and was very disjoint. It looked at times like a serial (which usually have tons of holes to begin with) but was practically impossible to care about. My advice is skip this one and look for the serial IF you have 4-1/2 hours to spare!!
Bela Lugosi is a mad scientist and unlike many crazed scientists, he is a man of many talents. Not only has he developed a cool giant killer robot but he's got his hand in many other experiments--the most exciting of which is his invisibility formula. When his wife and a friend learn of his work AND hear that he's willing to sell his work to anyone who is willing to pay, they threaten to go to the authorities. Doing this was a good idea--TELLING this insane and amoral scientist before you do it isn't! And, after disposing of them, Lugosi decides to use his new 'toys' to threaten mankind and all the usual junk you'd expect from such a film.
Because the full-length film was so savagely chopped to pieces, the film was very hard to follow and was very disjoint. It looked at times like a serial (which usually have tons of holes to begin with) but was practically impossible to care about. My advice is skip this one and look for the serial IF you have 4-1/2 hours to spare!!
The Plot Creaks....
mark.waltz28 January 2013
Warning: Spoilers
If it wasn't for Bela Lugosi, this would be a total bomb. And even with Lugosi, it is worth of a special Oscar....Oscar Mayer, that is! His overly hammy performance will be the one thing that will keep you awake in this ridiculous serial, also available in a streamlined feature version. Lugosi played variations of this role several times, including the original "Chandu the Magician" (1932) and finally in 1955's "Bride of the Monster", an evil man determined to control the world with special powers beyond human abilities. Those powers here come from a meteor he stole (an outtake from "The Invisible Ray", in which Lugosi's eyes underneath that mask are clearly Boris Karloff's!) to a spider-like creation that causes mysterious discs to put people in suspended animation, and finally a hideous robot that resembles certain current politicians. Made as World War II was ransacking Europe, this was a warning of people like Hitler and Mussolini desperate for dominating the world and a warning about spies (here not of any particular country) that have the intelligence of early movie gangsters. You are sparred with the streamlined version of having to return from week after week as they did in 1939 or having to re-live the last five minutes of the previous chapter. All the fat cut from the turkey of the serial to what remains as grissle.
Campy fun if you don't take it seriously
dbborroughs26 June 2008
Classic bad over the top mess that is pure camp and a joy to watch. Bela Lugosi plays a mad scientist who discovers a new element and uses it to make one of the most ridiculous looking robots ever to grace the screen, an invisibility belt and some explosives. It's the typical everyone thinks I'm mad (even though I really am) so I'll hide away and get my revenge on those who slighted me and at the same time I'll try to take over the world. It's a blast. Oh yea its awful, but at this point its good awful. No doubt they were playing to the kids who watched the serials only to have it change into something else. Its classic nonsense. If nothing else it's a film to watch with friends and pick apart (Mystery Science Theater 3000 did several of the chapters). The best way to know what your reaction to the film is going to be is look for a picture of the great hulking robot, if you are a mused by it then by all means watch this. If you're repulsed by it then you may want to reconsider this as a viewing option. Recommended for those who want a silly good time.
(Try not to see the feature version of the serial. While not horrible its really not that good and it lost a great deal of the charm of the serial in the removing large chunks of plot)
(Try not to see the feature version of the serial. While not horrible its really not that good and it lost a great deal of the charm of the serial in the removing large chunks of plot)
These people get in A lot of car crashes
jcaraway315 November 2009
Warning: Spoilers
And a lot of plane crashes too, for that matter. I watched this entire four hour serial (not in one sitting, as I have a bit more of a life than that)and I must say, despite it's epic film length, it really wasn't all that good. Lugosi was fun, but quite frankly, I was getting sick of the same old chapter endings where our heroes look like they're going to die, but survive in the next chapter. I guess audiences in the 1930's either never got tired of this, or were too stupid to catch on that the character NEVER DIES. Maybe both. Maybe they knew they would never die, and just wanted to see how they would escape. By the sixth chapter or so, it seems like the filmmakers ran out of ideas and just did the same scenes over and over again, until about the last chapter, when Lugosi starts blowing things up. This review is lamer than the movie. I need to stop writing these so early.
One of Lugosi's finest films
Norm-3023 June 1999
As an avid serial fan, I have to say that this is one of my favorite serials of all time! Why? Many serials tend to be predictable, but this one contains a lot of interesting concepts -- giant robots, invisibility belts, "z-ray guns", "neometers", mechanical "death spiders" and other futuristic gadgets.
Plus, I'm a Bela Lugosi fan, and it is generally considered that he was at his peak in this film. He shows genuine sorrow when his Wife dies in the beginning of the film, and a madness to destroy those he blames for his death.
Many people on the East Coast saw this film on Officer Joe Bolton's TV show (circa 1960) and have never forgotten it.
Must see!
Plus, I'm a Bela Lugosi fan, and it is generally considered that he was at his peak in this film. He shows genuine sorrow when his Wife dies in the beginning of the film, and a madness to destroy those he blames for his death.
Many people on the East Coast saw this film on Officer Joe Bolton's TV show (circa 1960) and have never forgotten it.
Must see!
Don't miss chapters nine and twelve!
JohnHowardReid8 March 2018
Warning: Spoilers
The 78-minute cutdown that Universal made from the serial is available on DVD in the 50 Movie Tales of Terror pack. Although the movie runs okay for continuity, most of the best action episodes are understandably missing. Instead, the comparatively dull opening chapters are well represented. Perhaps the best way to describe the feature is to re-list the players in an order of importance gauged from their revised screen time. Lugosi, of course, is the prime player, but easily next in line is Jack C. Smith. In fact, I don't recall any scenes in the feature-other than those with Dora Clemant-that Lugosi plays without Smith. Miss Clemant is therefore next in line. Fourth of course is Edward Wolff who animates the wonderful giant robot with its enormous head, twisted mouth and crooked teeth-a truly frightening creation that was well selected as the prime focus for the cutdown (and the only valid reason for watching the feature rather than the serial). This line-up pushes the now nominal hero of the chapter-play, Robert Kent, right into the background in a distant sixth place, because Edwin Stanley now enjoys more screen time than Mr Kent. In fact, it's a toss-up actually between Mr Kent and Miss Arnold where both have so little footage they just manage to nose out Edward Van Sloan.
I will now review the serial: My favorite chapter is nine. No time to get stopped by cliched and/or ridiculous dialogue in this one, as it's action-packed all the way from the opening recapitulation of the spectacular stock fire footage (which seems to me more extensive here than in the actual chapter eight climax) to the breathtaking cliffhanger with the plane circling and bombing the villain's schooner and the back-up launch crashing and disintegrating into a channel pylon. Oddly, none of this suspenseful footage is reprised at the beginning of ten. Absolutely none at all. Not so much as a foot. Or even a second. Which makes the opening of episode ten surely a unique serial item. It opens with our launch heroes already in the water. So chapter nine is the number not to miss!
My second favorite is twelve. Yes, twelve. The final chapter. Usually these finales are economically produced, with the villains quickly rounded up with a minimum of fuss and expense. But there are some exceptions. And this thrillingly action-packed, ultra suspenseful finale is certainly one of the most noteworthy. Explosive library footage abounds. And here is big clap for the three film editors who have paced the film so expertly with lots of cross-cutting and expensive laboratory wipes.
I will now review the serial: My favorite chapter is nine. No time to get stopped by cliched and/or ridiculous dialogue in this one, as it's action-packed all the way from the opening recapitulation of the spectacular stock fire footage (which seems to me more extensive here than in the actual chapter eight climax) to the breathtaking cliffhanger with the plane circling and bombing the villain's schooner and the back-up launch crashing and disintegrating into a channel pylon. Oddly, none of this suspenseful footage is reprised at the beginning of ten. Absolutely none at all. Not so much as a foot. Or even a second. Which makes the opening of episode ten surely a unique serial item. It opens with our launch heroes already in the water. So chapter nine is the number not to miss!
My second favorite is twelve. Yes, twelve. The final chapter. Usually these finales are economically produced, with the villains quickly rounded up with a minimum of fuss and expense. But there are some exceptions. And this thrillingly action-packed, ultra suspenseful finale is certainly one of the most noteworthy. Explosive library footage abounds. And here is big clap for the three film editors who have paced the film so expertly with lots of cross-cutting and expensive laboratory wipes.
Bela!
BandSAboutMovies6 February 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This Universal movie serial - told in twelve parts - shares some similarities with the earlier serial The Vanishing Shadow, including the inventions of an invisibility belt and a remote-control robot.
That makes sense - at the time, Universal was all about recycling. This movie contains stock footage from The Invisible Ray and The Vanishing Shadow, as well as music from the Flash Gordon serials and Frankenstein movies, plus car chase footage that had been used in several other serials and newsreel footage taken from the Hindenburg disaster.
Eight years after his star turn in Dracula, Bela Lugosi's career was in decline at this point. He had been typecast as a horror star and was not seen as talented as his co-star - and possible rival - Boris Karloff.
This career downturn had many factors behind it. Universal changed management in 1936 and due to a British ban on horror films, they dropped the once popular films from their production schedule. Lugosi found himself consigned to Universal's non-horror B-film unit - such as the team that made serials like this. And while the actor was busy with stage work, he had to borrow money from the Actors Fund to pay the hospital bills for the birth of his son Bela George Lugosi in 1938.
However, that year brought Bela back. California theater owner Emil Umann revived Dracula and Frankenstein as a special double feature, a bill so successful that it played to sellout crowds and Lugosi himself came to host the movies. The actor would say, "I was dead, and he brought me back to life." Universal took notice of the tremendous business and launched its own national re-release, as well as hiring Lugosi to star in new films.
The Phantom Creeps - yes, we'll get back to this movie in a minute - was the last of the five serials that the actor would make, shot right after he returned from making Dead Eyes of London. It was released a week before his comeback vehicle, Son of Frankenstein.
Sadly, by 1948, the parts dwindled again and severe sciatica from Lugosi's military service was treated with opiates, causing a downward spiral that the actor would never really emerge from. He appeared in movies like Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla and Ed Wood's Bride of the Monster. After making that movie, he checked himself into rehab, one of the first celebrities to publically do so. According to Kitty Kelley's His Way: The Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra, "Old Blue Eyes" helped with expenses, despite never meeting Lugosi before and visited him at the hospital.
The actor died of a heart attack in 1956, having just married his fifth wife. And yes, he was buried in his Dracula cape.
In this film, he plays Dr. Zorka, a man who loves to make weapons and refuses to sell them to anyone or any country. This upsets all manner of people, like Dr. Fred Mallory, his former partner, and government man Captain Bob West.
Dorothy Arnold, who plays love interest Jean Drew, was the first wife of baseball star Joe DiMaggio. Look for Edward Van Sloan, who always played the doctor battling the supernatural in Universal films. He's Van Helsing in Dracula, Dr. Muller in The Mummy and Dr. Waldman in Frankenstein. In fact, that movie begins by him warning the audience that they can leave now if they're too frightened. And Ed Wolff, the seven foot, four inch actor who played the robot, was also in Invaders from Mars and The Return of the Fly.
Speaking of the robot, you may have seen him in Rob Zombie's work. The song "Meet the Creeper" is based on the movie and the robot often appears in the singer's music videos and stage shows.
That makes sense - at the time, Universal was all about recycling. This movie contains stock footage from The Invisible Ray and The Vanishing Shadow, as well as music from the Flash Gordon serials and Frankenstein movies, plus car chase footage that had been used in several other serials and newsreel footage taken from the Hindenburg disaster.
Eight years after his star turn in Dracula, Bela Lugosi's career was in decline at this point. He had been typecast as a horror star and was not seen as talented as his co-star - and possible rival - Boris Karloff.
This career downturn had many factors behind it. Universal changed management in 1936 and due to a British ban on horror films, they dropped the once popular films from their production schedule. Lugosi found himself consigned to Universal's non-horror B-film unit - such as the team that made serials like this. And while the actor was busy with stage work, he had to borrow money from the Actors Fund to pay the hospital bills for the birth of his son Bela George Lugosi in 1938.
However, that year brought Bela back. California theater owner Emil Umann revived Dracula and Frankenstein as a special double feature, a bill so successful that it played to sellout crowds and Lugosi himself came to host the movies. The actor would say, "I was dead, and he brought me back to life." Universal took notice of the tremendous business and launched its own national re-release, as well as hiring Lugosi to star in new films.
The Phantom Creeps - yes, we'll get back to this movie in a minute - was the last of the five serials that the actor would make, shot right after he returned from making Dead Eyes of London. It was released a week before his comeback vehicle, Son of Frankenstein.
Sadly, by 1948, the parts dwindled again and severe sciatica from Lugosi's military service was treated with opiates, causing a downward spiral that the actor would never really emerge from. He appeared in movies like Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla and Ed Wood's Bride of the Monster. After making that movie, he checked himself into rehab, one of the first celebrities to publically do so. According to Kitty Kelley's His Way: The Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra, "Old Blue Eyes" helped with expenses, despite never meeting Lugosi before and visited him at the hospital.
The actor died of a heart attack in 1956, having just married his fifth wife. And yes, he was buried in his Dracula cape.
In this film, he plays Dr. Zorka, a man who loves to make weapons and refuses to sell them to anyone or any country. This upsets all manner of people, like Dr. Fred Mallory, his former partner, and government man Captain Bob West.
Dorothy Arnold, who plays love interest Jean Drew, was the first wife of baseball star Joe DiMaggio. Look for Edward Van Sloan, who always played the doctor battling the supernatural in Universal films. He's Van Helsing in Dracula, Dr. Muller in The Mummy and Dr. Waldman in Frankenstein. In fact, that movie begins by him warning the audience that they can leave now if they're too frightened. And Ed Wolff, the seven foot, four inch actor who played the robot, was also in Invaders from Mars and The Return of the Fly.
Speaking of the robot, you may have seen him in Rob Zombie's work. The song "Meet the Creeper" is based on the movie and the robot often appears in the singer's music videos and stage shows.
Avoid the edited version
junk-monkey14 March 2007
Warning: Spoilers
The edited feature film version (which I bought as part of a 50 movie box set entitled Nightmare Worlds) has the original 265 minute running time edited down to a mere 78 minutes and is, by any standards, unwatchable.
Characters appear and disappear, do things for inexplicable motives, keep arriving at the same place without ever having left it and generally rush about in a mess of continuity errors - for instance, Lugosi's character is driven around for a great chunk of the middle of the movie in a car we saw crash and burn in the first reel! Over 12 weeks I don't suppose the target audience of kids would have noticed things like that but jam it all together into a couple of minutes and it starts looking messy and careless.
The serial looks like it may have been a fun piece of Science Fictiony melodrama but the movie version? Forget it. To be avoided.
Characters appear and disappear, do things for inexplicable motives, keep arriving at the same place without ever having left it and generally rush about in a mess of continuity errors - for instance, Lugosi's character is driven around for a great chunk of the middle of the movie in a car we saw crash and burn in the first reel! Over 12 weeks I don't suppose the target audience of kids would have noticed things like that but jam it all together into a couple of minutes and it starts looking messy and careless.
The serial looks like it may have been a fun piece of Science Fictiony melodrama but the movie version? Forget it. To be avoided.
I'll Show You What Happens To Those Who Betray Me!
strong-122-47888516 November 2014
If you ask me - It was clearly the unintentionally hilarious, 8-foot-tall, sour-faced robot who, literally, stole the show whenever he/it made an appearance on screen.
I thought that this gleaming, metallic robot-man was a total scream of low-budget, 1930's, Sci-Fi schlock.
And, if this galvanized dude had been given more screen-time (rather than so much given over to that gloating wind-bag, Bela Lugosi), then I think that The Phantom Creeps would've surely been about 10x better, in the long run.
Complete with nosey news-reporters, aggressive G-Men, and bungling lab assistants, The Phantom Creeps starred Bela Lugosi as Prof. Zorka (a crazed but brilliant inventor of several impressive devices) who is gleefully planning to take over the world before anyone gets wise to what's up. (Hey! Isn't that just how Hitler got himself into power?)
With its bargain-basement visual effects and absolutely cornball acting, The Phantom Creeps was generally an enjoyable enough movie-experience. But, hey, that, of course, depends on one's frame of mind when watching this sort of vintage, haywire nonsense (courtesy of Universal Studios).
I thought that this gleaming, metallic robot-man was a total scream of low-budget, 1930's, Sci-Fi schlock.
And, if this galvanized dude had been given more screen-time (rather than so much given over to that gloating wind-bag, Bela Lugosi), then I think that The Phantom Creeps would've surely been about 10x better, in the long run.
Complete with nosey news-reporters, aggressive G-Men, and bungling lab assistants, The Phantom Creeps starred Bela Lugosi as Prof. Zorka (a crazed but brilliant inventor of several impressive devices) who is gleefully planning to take over the world before anyone gets wise to what's up. (Hey! Isn't that just how Hitler got himself into power?)
With its bargain-basement visual effects and absolutely cornball acting, The Phantom Creeps was generally an enjoyable enough movie-experience. But, hey, that, of course, depends on one's frame of mind when watching this sort of vintage, haywire nonsense (courtesy of Universal Studios).
Wild, goofy sci-fi action serial!
mstomaso20 March 2007
This is a serial, like the classic Radar Men on the Moon, and Buck Rogers. Unlike it's compressed TV movie version (1949), this more protracted version of Phantom Creeps wanders all over the map at a frenetic pace.
The Phantom Creeps is everything an old classic B sci-fi serial is supposed to be. It features Bela Lugosi (as Dr. Zorka), a mad megalomaniac genius with a utility belt and a sack of gadgets that would make Batman and James Bond blush, against a team of CIA-types, a reporter, and local law enforcement. Lugosi hams up a storm and really seems to enjoy himself in this immensely silly role. His somewhat untrustworthy and dull side-kick, played by Jack Smith is a great foil to his overbearing stage presence, and he makes a truly great sadist! The film is replete with clever and creative (for its time) special effects (plane crashes, all sorts of random electrical currents, cloaking technology) and a lot of technobabble reminiscent of some of the less palatable Star Trek series. For an added bonus, the creators threw in a plot, and a cast of well developed, if stereotyped, characters.
Ultimately, it's mindless, kinda trashy entertainment, but it's also a damn good time.
The Phantom Creeps is everything an old classic B sci-fi serial is supposed to be. It features Bela Lugosi (as Dr. Zorka), a mad megalomaniac genius with a utility belt and a sack of gadgets that would make Batman and James Bond blush, against a team of CIA-types, a reporter, and local law enforcement. Lugosi hams up a storm and really seems to enjoy himself in this immensely silly role. His somewhat untrustworthy and dull side-kick, played by Jack Smith is a great foil to his overbearing stage presence, and he makes a truly great sadist! The film is replete with clever and creative (for its time) special effects (plane crashes, all sorts of random electrical currents, cloaking technology) and a lot of technobabble reminiscent of some of the less palatable Star Trek series. For an added bonus, the creators threw in a plot, and a cast of well developed, if stereotyped, characters.
Ultimately, it's mindless, kinda trashy entertainment, but it's also a damn good time.
world domination
kairingler3 March 2014
What a great sci-fi/horror movie this was,, Bela Lugosi gives a wonderful performance as a scientist type who wants to take over the world. he has a secret room in his house where he does all the work with his assistant, and he has a secret underground cave like area as well.. lot's going on in this movie,, plane crashes , bombs going off, faked death, and Lugosi actually has quite the funny line in the movie,, that left me rolling,, but you will have to watch to see that one, but it happens right after they give a ride to a hitchhiker while on the run. There is a robot in the movie as well,, I think that this movie was way ahead of it's time if you ask me,,, very enjoyable to watch,, I wouldn't even consider this a "b" movie at all. Sure it's not Dracula or Frankenstein,, but then again it doesn't need to be.
Not Lugosi's best, but still good
musoshi2 August 2006
As far as horror movies go id have to say this is a b-horror film... though its not really scary in the least. Maybe it's just my liking for Bela Lugosi, but I liked this movie.
And if you like his robot soldier in this movie you can see him again and again in the rob zombie music video "Dragula" dancing strangely in the back ground.
The acting in this movie isn't anything special, neither are the effects, but if you go into a 1939 low budget movie looking for either of those things then you should step back and take a look at why you even bother.
And if you like his robot soldier in this movie you can see him again and again in the rob zombie music video "Dragula" dancing strangely in the back ground.
The acting in this movie isn't anything special, neither are the effects, but if you go into a 1939 low budget movie looking for either of those things then you should step back and take a look at why you even bother.
enough to destroy the world
dweeber215 January 2004
In the 30's and the 40's,universal(like republic pictures)produced many serials(action films viewed in chapters)dealing with superheroes,outer space,mad scientists and war, In this 12 chapter serial released by universal in 1939, bela lugosi(famous for playing vampires,mad doctors and monsters)plays doctor zorka,a mad doctor who has discovered an atomic meteorite,he harnesses its power,he then decides to sell it to spies,when a reporter(dorothy arnold) and a government agent(robert kent)set out to stop doctor zorka from destroying the world with the meteorite,they must battle spies,doctor zorka's explosive mechanical spiders and a giant robot through 12 chapters to save the world!an impressive serial,an incredible performance from lugosi and the supporting cast,and plenty of special effects,also seen in this serial is edward van sloan(who plays jarvis the spy chief) who starred along with bela lugosi in universals dracula(1931)!
it's worth watching
it's worth watching
The Phantom Creeps
Scarecrow-8828 March 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Fans of Bela Lugosi will be certain to enjoy THE PHANTOM CREEPS, a feature film version comprised of 12 episodes of the serial regarding a determined mad scientist often staying one step ahead of those out to stop his diabolical schemes to sell a deadly radioactive meteorite, while also using it's properties to create a vast array of gadgets and weapons.
Lugosi is Dr. Alex Zorka, who, along with his dim-witted nincompoop assistant, Monk(Jack C Smith), has created wonderful inventions which could benefit the American government, but he is not willing to hand over his research and experiments to others, as former scientist/colleague, Dr. Fred Mallory(Edwin Stanley)insists. Mallory is Zorka's nemesis, a scientist who wishes to see good use from the discoveries..but Zorka doesn't want others' hands on his hard work, and he has built a giant metallic robot, ray gun which renders victims unconscious, a homing device which attracts a mechanical spider that, upon explosion, can leave the victim paralyzed or dead, and invisibility(..a little belt contains a button which causes him to vanish and reappear). Capt. Bob West(Robert Kent)and newspaper reporter, Jean Drew(Dorothy Arnold)are on Zorka's trail, as a manhunt is underway knowing that the diabolical scientist perhaps plans to sell his meteorite to foreign enemies or, worse even, use it's power to destroy the world.
I'm pretty sure many will watch THE PHANTOM CREEPS, point at the screen, and laugh uncontrollably at the primitive effects used throughout because the filmmakers were attempting to wow the theater-goers with lots of cool methods derived from Zorka's evil and brilliant mind..this was 1939, so many of the effects are positively dated, but I certainly was impressed with how they make Lugosi disappear(..a haze is created to often display a silhouette shortly after turning invisible). The ray gun blasts and giant robot(..which is too tall, a head too large, with long arms flailing around all over the place)are not as impressive, but I'm pretty sure the kids attending the theaters at that time in 1939 were blown away. While Lugosi lets it all hang out, without much restraint, as Zorka(..gleefully proclaiming to his assistant about how he'll defeat those that oppose him)the heroes of the film are all rather bland and less interesting. Lots of stock war footage, featuring explosions, are used to swell effect at the end, as Zorka drops bombs on ships and buildings below from a plane he commandeered with Monk. For most of this film, expertly edited from the serial into a stunningly cohesive format, has Zorka cleverly evading his foes time and time again, before finally succumbing to his own destruction and madness. Dora Clement portrays Ann Zorka, the mad doctor's beloved wife, who dies in a plane crash when one of his dangerous schemes goes awry..this motivates Zorka even more to vanquish his enemies, those he blames for her death. Fans of Browning's Dracula will get a kick out of seeing Edward Van Sloan as a corrupt spy desiring the meteorite, sending his goons to fetch it before fleeing the country in a hidden submarine. The gags involving Zorka, while invisible, are obviously produced through the use of strings moving objects (..quite apparently in some cases). Animated lightning bolts and beams are used when Zorka fires his ray gun. Again, you must have an appreciation for what filmmakers were trying to do for the young audiences attending matinées at this time..most will find this hokey and unintentionally hilarious. One does wonder why Zorka would allow such an untrustworthy birdbrain as Monk to remain an assistant after he tries to betray him multiple times..this unfortunate mistake costs Zorka dearly at the end when Monk wishes to bail on him as a company of planes draw near.
Lugosi is Dr. Alex Zorka, who, along with his dim-witted nincompoop assistant, Monk(Jack C Smith), has created wonderful inventions which could benefit the American government, but he is not willing to hand over his research and experiments to others, as former scientist/colleague, Dr. Fred Mallory(Edwin Stanley)insists. Mallory is Zorka's nemesis, a scientist who wishes to see good use from the discoveries..but Zorka doesn't want others' hands on his hard work, and he has built a giant metallic robot, ray gun which renders victims unconscious, a homing device which attracts a mechanical spider that, upon explosion, can leave the victim paralyzed or dead, and invisibility(..a little belt contains a button which causes him to vanish and reappear). Capt. Bob West(Robert Kent)and newspaper reporter, Jean Drew(Dorothy Arnold)are on Zorka's trail, as a manhunt is underway knowing that the diabolical scientist perhaps plans to sell his meteorite to foreign enemies or, worse even, use it's power to destroy the world.
I'm pretty sure many will watch THE PHANTOM CREEPS, point at the screen, and laugh uncontrollably at the primitive effects used throughout because the filmmakers were attempting to wow the theater-goers with lots of cool methods derived from Zorka's evil and brilliant mind..this was 1939, so many of the effects are positively dated, but I certainly was impressed with how they make Lugosi disappear(..a haze is created to often display a silhouette shortly after turning invisible). The ray gun blasts and giant robot(..which is too tall, a head too large, with long arms flailing around all over the place)are not as impressive, but I'm pretty sure the kids attending the theaters at that time in 1939 were blown away. While Lugosi lets it all hang out, without much restraint, as Zorka(..gleefully proclaiming to his assistant about how he'll defeat those that oppose him)the heroes of the film are all rather bland and less interesting. Lots of stock war footage, featuring explosions, are used to swell effect at the end, as Zorka drops bombs on ships and buildings below from a plane he commandeered with Monk. For most of this film, expertly edited from the serial into a stunningly cohesive format, has Zorka cleverly evading his foes time and time again, before finally succumbing to his own destruction and madness. Dora Clement portrays Ann Zorka, the mad doctor's beloved wife, who dies in a plane crash when one of his dangerous schemes goes awry..this motivates Zorka even more to vanquish his enemies, those he blames for her death. Fans of Browning's Dracula will get a kick out of seeing Edward Van Sloan as a corrupt spy desiring the meteorite, sending his goons to fetch it before fleeing the country in a hidden submarine. The gags involving Zorka, while invisible, are obviously produced through the use of strings moving objects (..quite apparently in some cases). Animated lightning bolts and beams are used when Zorka fires his ray gun. Again, you must have an appreciation for what filmmakers were trying to do for the young audiences attending matinées at this time..most will find this hokey and unintentionally hilarious. One does wonder why Zorka would allow such an untrustworthy birdbrain as Monk to remain an assistant after he tries to betray him multiple times..this unfortunate mistake costs Zorka dearly at the end when Monk wishes to bail on him as a company of planes draw near.
Bonkers 30s serial that feels like a campy 50s flick
jhausler322 April 2022
I'm a fellow of pretty meager talents as both an amateur critic and a creative artist, but one thing I AM quite good at is spotting and appreciating the kernel of goodness in media so creaky and weird that almost everyone else writes it off. So, it's with the confidence of a crazy man about to declare the sky is green that I say that the 1939 Bela Lugosi serial/movie "The Phantom Creeps" could be AMAZING if remade for a modern audience with modern effects. I've been watching it bit by bit over the past two weeks, and it's a hoot.
Here's the thing: I could fill a book with everything that's technically wrong with "The Phantom Creeps". It's so supremely bonkers and contains so many outlandish plot elements that you have to wonder what Depression-era screenwriters were smoking back in 1939. But I'll be darned if it isn't extremely entertaining, and 90% of that is due to the presence of one of the few true "chaotic neutral" characters I have ever witnessed in entertainment.
The short version of this story, if that's possible, is that a mad scientist has discovered a mysterious meteorite that's so powerful that it could allow its owner to take over the world. The mad scientist wants it, the US government wants it, and foreign spies want it... only, now it seems the mad scientist died in a freak car accident. Or did he? (HINT: Nope.)
Like many action-serials of its time, it features a chisel-chinned, hard-punching "man of action" lawman hero, a beautiful reporter dame who keeps sticking her nose into danger, and a cadre of typical villainous spies and gangsters. But you also have Bela Lugosi's character, Dr. Zorka, the mad scientist who is ostensibly the villain of the show and the "Phantom" of its title. The weird thing is that he's a *secret* villain the entire series; everyone but his assistant believes he's dead! He's just a regular, middle-aged dude with no special powers and below-average fighting ability, and his entire success or failure hinges on everyone continuing to believe he's deceased. His put-upon assistant and goon (Monk) is an escaped convict of equally low caliber as a fighter and is liable to getting thrown in jail at any moment, making him even more vulnerable than his boss.
However, thanks to his insane arsenal of cool inventions (including exploding spiders, an invisibility belt, and the ugliest giant robot you've ever seen) Zorka is a real threat... maybe THE major threat. You're obviously supposed to consider him the villain of the series due to his desire to take over the world, but it's almost impossible not to root for him as the smartest character in the room and a fascinatingly amoral (not immoral) underdog. As long as the Phantom creeps around corners and stays in the shadows... he's got a chance. And maybe the world would be better off if it *was* run by this eccentric genius.
If remade in the modern era, I think this series would do best to amp up the campiness if it decided to keep all of the bizarre trappings of the original (in terms of Zorka's inventions), but it could also be a very loose adaptation that just kept his invisibility belt. In any case, the whole aspect of having this believed-dead mad scientist act as a chaos agent who is using his brain and cunning to screw with significantly more powerful forces of "vanilla" good and evil really works. And although he was a delight in the role, it's an idea that doesn't require an actor of Bela Lugosi's caliber to make it a winner.
Getting back to the original serial and away from hypotheticals, though, it was loads of fun, providing the viewer can appreciate camp in high doses. This serial is absolutely ridiculous, and is all the better for it. As with many serials of this era, you can either watch the full 12-episode series or a "summary" movie released later that pares the whole thing down to just 60 minutes. If you enjoy Lugosi or this kind of campy sci-fi, give the full series a watch. If you're just wanting to get the flavor of the thing, the movie will do.
Here's the thing: I could fill a book with everything that's technically wrong with "The Phantom Creeps". It's so supremely bonkers and contains so many outlandish plot elements that you have to wonder what Depression-era screenwriters were smoking back in 1939. But I'll be darned if it isn't extremely entertaining, and 90% of that is due to the presence of one of the few true "chaotic neutral" characters I have ever witnessed in entertainment.
The short version of this story, if that's possible, is that a mad scientist has discovered a mysterious meteorite that's so powerful that it could allow its owner to take over the world. The mad scientist wants it, the US government wants it, and foreign spies want it... only, now it seems the mad scientist died in a freak car accident. Or did he? (HINT: Nope.)
Like many action-serials of its time, it features a chisel-chinned, hard-punching "man of action" lawman hero, a beautiful reporter dame who keeps sticking her nose into danger, and a cadre of typical villainous spies and gangsters. But you also have Bela Lugosi's character, Dr. Zorka, the mad scientist who is ostensibly the villain of the show and the "Phantom" of its title. The weird thing is that he's a *secret* villain the entire series; everyone but his assistant believes he's dead! He's just a regular, middle-aged dude with no special powers and below-average fighting ability, and his entire success or failure hinges on everyone continuing to believe he's deceased. His put-upon assistant and goon (Monk) is an escaped convict of equally low caliber as a fighter and is liable to getting thrown in jail at any moment, making him even more vulnerable than his boss.
However, thanks to his insane arsenal of cool inventions (including exploding spiders, an invisibility belt, and the ugliest giant robot you've ever seen) Zorka is a real threat... maybe THE major threat. You're obviously supposed to consider him the villain of the series due to his desire to take over the world, but it's almost impossible not to root for him as the smartest character in the room and a fascinatingly amoral (not immoral) underdog. As long as the Phantom creeps around corners and stays in the shadows... he's got a chance. And maybe the world would be better off if it *was* run by this eccentric genius.
If remade in the modern era, I think this series would do best to amp up the campiness if it decided to keep all of the bizarre trappings of the original (in terms of Zorka's inventions), but it could also be a very loose adaptation that just kept his invisibility belt. In any case, the whole aspect of having this believed-dead mad scientist act as a chaos agent who is using his brain and cunning to screw with significantly more powerful forces of "vanilla" good and evil really works. And although he was a delight in the role, it's an idea that doesn't require an actor of Bela Lugosi's caliber to make it a winner.
Getting back to the original serial and away from hypotheticals, though, it was loads of fun, providing the viewer can appreciate camp in high doses. This serial is absolutely ridiculous, and is all the better for it. As with many serials of this era, you can either watch the full 12-episode series or a "summary" movie released later that pares the whole thing down to just 60 minutes. If you enjoy Lugosi or this kind of campy sci-fi, give the full series a watch. If you're just wanting to get the flavor of the thing, the movie will do.
Mad Doctor has a lot of tricks!
Aegelis8 April 2022
A lot of these early sci-fi films (and even modern) are centered around 1 innovation, creation, or invention that gives a bad guy an upper hand. Doctor Zorka, on the other hand, has really put a lot of time, research, and thought in to a revolutionary power source. Quite a bit of intrigue, cat-and-mouse, and ruses ensue in a surprisingly punchy movie (with of course actual punches). Plenty of action, the writing holds out reasonably well through most of the film, and the actors click into their cliché roles without too much distraction.
The wheels begin to come off of the cart near the end though, as the brilliant doctor seems to uncharacteristically lose control, overly trust, and flat-out hackneyed looses it instead of holding to original diabolical plans. Maybe that's what happens when a person goes insane, but would've made a better, more consistent watch if he were outsmarted.
The wheels begin to come off of the cart near the end though, as the brilliant doctor seems to uncharacteristically lose control, overly trust, and flat-out hackneyed looses it instead of holding to original diabolical plans. Maybe that's what happens when a person goes insane, but would've made a better, more consistent watch if he were outsmarted.
Fun Lugosi Sci-Fi
Rainey-Dawn21 October 2015
The Phantom Creeps is from a 12-part serial. I've never seen the serial I would not mind watching it after watching this fun film.
Bela Lugosi is Dr. Alex Zorka, a scientist with technology that can destroy the world. The military and a reporter are hot on the trail of Dr. Zorka! How can they stop him?
The movie is crazy mad scientist fun!! The mechanical man (robot) is a real hoot! And that creepy spider they have running around.. lol. This is one of those corny but oh-so-good type of sci-fi films that fans of the classic sci-fi films and Lugosi should love.
This is one of those afternoon popcorn flicks that will brighten up your day. It's a really fun film. Bela Lugosi is trying to take over the world!! :D
7/10
Bela Lugosi is Dr. Alex Zorka, a scientist with technology that can destroy the world. The military and a reporter are hot on the trail of Dr. Zorka! How can they stop him?
The movie is crazy mad scientist fun!! The mechanical man (robot) is a real hoot! And that creepy spider they have running around.. lol. This is one of those corny but oh-so-good type of sci-fi films that fans of the classic sci-fi films and Lugosi should love.
This is one of those afternoon popcorn flicks that will brighten up your day. It's a really fun film. Bela Lugosi is trying to take over the world!! :D
7/10
mad scientist on the lose
tardis4930 April 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Spoiler alert! I saw this serial years ago on a kid's TV show when I was 8-10 years old. It has to this day been one of my favorite serials of all time. Bela Lugosi is great as the mad Dr. Zorka. The evil-looking robot, the invisibility belt, the plot for world domination, etc. are all here in this 12 part serial. Some of the cliffhangers are nicely done, my favorite being the airplane crash that occurs in the 1st-2nd chapters. When I watched this serial again after getting a DVD-R from Amazon it brought back some wonderful old memories. I remember watching the episodes with my maternal grandmother (the person who got me started on science fiction and horror movies). So, get some popcorn, set back and enjoy a gem from the old days!!
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