Search - The Ape on DVD

Content Advisory: Violence, Questionable for Children Movie Release: 1940 DVD Release: 06/04/2002 Format: DVD - Black and White SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 1 mins Studio: Alpha Video Total Copies: 5 Genres: Horror, Creature Film See Also: The Ape

This painfully-bad Monogram feature wastes the talents of two of horrordom's finest -- star Boris Karloff and co-writer Curt Siodmak (who would write the horror classic The Wolf Man for Universal the same year). The goofy plot involves the efforts of one Dr. Adrian (Karloff) to procure human spinal fluid for his polio-vaccine research by donning the pelt of a slain circus ape and slaughtering innocent people. The fact that he's snapping spines in the interest of medicine doesn't really help to clear the moral waters (he never does find a cure, anyway). Filmed during a particularly grueling year for Karloff, this marks the end of his lengthy stir with Monogram (after a tedious string of Mr. Wong potboilers). Without Karloff to kick around, the studio concentrated their humiliating efforts on Bela Lugosi, who appeared in a virtual remake, The Ape Man, three years later. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

Boris Karloff - Dr. Bernard Adrian
Maris Wrixon - Frances Clifford
Gertrude W. Hoffman - Mrs. Clifford
Henry Hall - Sheriff Jeff Holliday
Gene O'Donnell - Danny Foster

William Nigh directs Boris Karloff in the horror film The Ape. The film comes to DVD with a standard full-frame transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1. The English soundtrack is fine, but is limited by the age of the material. This is a bare bones release that will appeal to people primarily because of its inexpensive list price. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide