HALLOWEEN UPDATE: THE MAN WITH NINE LIVES DVD REVIEW

Calling all lovers of classic horror film! You've had it awfully good this year. The Bela Lugosi Collection, The Hammer Horror Box Set and The Val Lewton Box Set have all made it onto your shelf. But it was the B-Programmers that made those studios what they were. And for sheer goofy fun I can't reccomend The man With Nine Lives highly enough. This isn't a sit around and maake fun of it type of movie this is a get on your pajamas and sit with a cereal bowl on the floor Saturday morning forget about the cartoons movie.

THE MAN WITH NINE LIVES
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Ah Boris. I won’t say much about this movie except that for lovers of Boris Bela, Dwight, Lionel and Clive the choice is obvious. For those who question why anyone is interested in many of these actors lesser works consider the following. Many of what we consider to be conventions of the horror and science fiction genres were cinematically set forth in 40’s and 50’s B movies. It was there that the mad scientist, the bubbling laboratory and a host of other devices that formed the basis for our mental picture of the genre were reinforced for the public time and time again. Take a look at your toy shelf, your DVD collection. How much of it would disappear without the influence such pictures have had? Guilty pleasures or no I collect these films proudly.

That said this is pretty standard B programmer fare best screened as the lesser part of a double feature and enjoyed for Karloff’s performance as Dr. Leon Kraval whose research has led him to a cure for cancer. The process, which involves freezing the patient, leads authorities to believe that he’s killed someone. In desperation Kraval freezes himself and the officers only to be unfrozen later by opportunists hoping to capitalize on his invention. It’s the classic tragic scientist story, the stuff of serials and Karloff brings all the energy to it you’d expect. No extras but Sony can hardly be blamed. Instead they should be praised for making The Man With Nine Lives available at all.