THE BLACK CAT (1934) B/W 70m dir: Edgar G. Ulmer

w/Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, David Manners, Jacqueline Wells (Julie Bishop), Lucille Lund, Egon Brecher, Henry Armetta, Albert Conti, Anna Duncan, Herman Bing

From The Movie Guide: "The first and best teaming of horror stars Karloff and Lugosi was this bizarre, haunting, and hypnotic film by director Ulmer.

"Not an adaptation of Poe but rather a strikingly effective evocation of the twisted world of his literature, the story concerns a young couple, Peter (Manners) and Joan (Wells), who meet mysterious scientist Dr. Vitus Verdegast (Lugosi) while on their honeymoon in Budapest. The trio wind up at the home of Verdegast's old 'friend' Hjalmar Poelzig (Karloff), an architect living atop a mountain in a modernistic, Art Deco mansion.

"As it turns out, Poelzig is the leader of a satanic cult who, as a commander during WWI, caused the capture of Verdegast and the deaths of thousands of their countrymen in a bloody battle. ...

"A remarkable study of evil containing some unusually brutal scenes in its frenzied climax, THE BLACK CAT is still one of the most affecting horrors the genre has ever produced. With supreme directorial skill, Ulmer infuses the film with an overwhelming sense of unease, eroticism, and dread that remains powerful to this day. The literate script [by Ulmer and Peter Ruric], magnificent set design [by Charles D. Hall], superbly fluid camera work [by John Mescall], and stunning performances by Karloff (whose character was inspired by occult hedonist Aleister Crowley) and Lugosi lend the film a timeless quality. Ulmer would go on to direct such low-budget classics as DETOUR (1945), but this is his masterpiece."