The Ghoul
by T. Hayes Hunter
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Anthony Bushell, Boris Karloff, Cedric Hardwicke, Dorothy Hyson, Ernest ThesigerDirector: T. Hayes Hunter
Brand: TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled)
Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 80 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-08-26
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Movie Reviews of The Ghoul
Movie Review: England's "First" Horror Film
Summary: 3 Stars
Thought to be lost for many years, 1933's THE GHOUL is widely considered England's first genuine horror film of the sound era--and so eager were executives to insure its success they brought Boris Karloff, fresh from his success in FRANKENSTEIN, from Hollywood to play the title role.
The film was based on a popular novel and play of the era. Professor Morlant (Karloff) is an Egyptologist on his death bed. He has, however, a jewel stolen from an Egyptian tomb: The Eternal Light, which is said to cause the Egyptian gods to smile upon those buried with it with the gift of eternal life. But Morlant is not the only one who knows of the jewel, and shortly after his death and burial a host of criminals and innocents descend upon his estate, the former determined to obtain the jewel, the latter determined to find out what is going on with the estate. Needless to say, candles flicker, shadows move, doors creak, and Morlant rises from the dead in search of the missing jewel.
In one sense, THE GHOUL is an astonishing film, for it has a remarkable atmosphere due largely to the work of cinematographer Gunther Krampf, whose earlier work included the famous German PANDORA'S BOX, as well as uncredited work on the legendary NOSFERATU. The music score by Louis Levy and Leighton Lucas (the latter uncredited) is also more effective than that found in most films of the period. But while the direction and performances are at worst at least plausible, the overall film simply doesn't hang together in any consistent way.
The result is a beautifully made vision wrapped around a slow-moving, awkward, and often hard to follow story that finds the characters running around in search of a jewel that looks very much like an ornate shoe buckle. The performers are entertaining--Karloff is always worth a look, and the supporting cast includes Cedric Hardwick, Ralph Richardson, and the memorably eccentric Ernest Thesinger--but even so THE GHOUL is very thin stuff, not a patch on the earlier horror films from Germany or the horror films being created by Universal Studios in America at the same time.
The DVD presents the film in near-pristine condition, making it easy to appreciate the art design and cinematography, but there are no bonus materials of any kind. In the end, this is really a film for hardcore fans of 1930s horror, who will be interested to see how England approached the genre.
GFT, Amazon Reviewer
Summary of The Ghoul
In an eerie, fog-shrouded London, an ancient curse has been unleashed and a reign of terror is about to begin! Horror movie legend Boris Karloff is unforgettable in this "blood-curdling" (Motion Picture Herald) thriller that brings to life the classic tale of the mummy!On his deathbed, famed Egyptologist Professor Morlant (Karloff) instructs his assistant to bury him with an ancient jewel he believes will grant him eternal life. But soon after he's entombed, the sacred treasure is ripped from his hand by a mysterious grave robber. Now, filled with fury, Morlant rises from his crypt as a grotesquely decaying mummy determined to avenge the theft and destroy everything in his path!Art House & International DVD Video
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