Search - Torture Ship on DVD

A Psychotronic Classic

Edward Garea | Branchville, New Jersey United States | 09/22/2004

(2 out of 5 stars)

"To those who are not film buffs, this is just another B-thriller. But for those who are film buffs, this is a psychotronic masterpiece, being as it is the first picture produced by the long gone, but not forgotten, B-movie studio, PRC. (This was actually done under the direct predecessor of PRC, Producers Picture Corporation, but a financial shuffle later that year caused the change of name to Producer's releasing Corporation.)

The plot, such as it is, concerns a Doctor Herbert Stander (Irving Pichel), who believes that the criminal tendency can be cured via medicine. Being as he is indicted for these beliefs (and experiments), he buys a boat and invites every loathsome crook (With names like Harvey the Carver and Poison Mary Slavish, in case you don't already know they are evil.) to join him on an ocean voyage, where the long arm of the law will never touch them. The good doctor's nephew, Bob (Lyle Talbot, already on his way to B-moviedom. Ed Wood pictures were only a few years away.), a good and upright young man, is the captain.

Well, the doc is free to operate, but the results aren't there. Suddenly it occurs to him that it's easier to turn a good man evil than vice versa. So who does he choose for his next victim? Why Bob, of course! Meanwhile, the baddies are plotting to take over the boat. Can Bob recover and stop this nefarious plan? What do you think?

Yeah, "Torture Ship" has a trite and true plot, but it is directed by Victor Halperin (of "White Zombie" fame, has good interaction between characters, and, although a little too talky at times, runs only 59 minutes. For the psychotronic film buff, this is a must.
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