The Lady and the Monster 1944 DVD Erich Von Stroheim, Vera Ralston, Rich Arlen

Description: Item Description IT'S HORROR! NO, IT'S SCIENCE FICTION! NO, IT'S FILM NOIR! ACTUALLY IT IS ALL THREE - AND GREAT, CAMPY FUN! Somewhere in the Arizona desert is a gloomy looking mansion where doctors Erich Von Stroheim and Richard Arlen are doing experiments on animals to see if their brains continue to work after they have been pronounced dead. A monkey dying of lymphoma is experimented on, and the brain continues to thrive for an hour after the poor creature has passed on. Of course, this inspires the bellowing Von Stroheim to take the step further: to try it on a human! He has his hands full, being domineering to his nurse (Vera Ralston) who is in love with Von Stroheim's assistant (Richard Arlen) whom Von Stroheim considers unworthy of her. A convenient plane crash gives Von Stroheim an excuse to interrupt Arlen and Ralston's date, sending them to the site of the crash to retrieve the dead body of a passenger (named Donovan, an alleged financial wizard) for an autopsy. Realizing that while Donovan is dead, his brain is still functioning makes Von Stroheim decide to remove the brain for further experimentation in hopefully using this for the good of society to keep the great deeds and words of great men going. But was Donovan really the great man they believe? A visit from his widow opens up that can of worms, and Arlen is soon used as a vessel to bring Donovan's spirit back to life, not necessarily a good thing! This was one of Vera Ralston's first starring roles in what would become an infamous career that ultimately contributed to the the ousting of studio head Herbert J. Yates and the eventual downfall of Republic Pictures. Ralston at the time was dating Yates (they would later marry) and he insisted she be given starring roles. Unfortunately, she spoke very little English at this point and spoke all of her lines phonetically, without having any idea of what she was actually saying. Director George Sherman found working with Ralston so taxing that after this film was completed he quit Republic - where he had spent many years - because he knew he was going to be asked to direct another one of her pictures. The film itself, however, has much going for it. Excellent photography, lighting, and the genuinely ghoulish atmosphere provides enough of an edge to keep you hooked, and for that reason, I rate it higher than its better known 1950's remake. Von Stroheim keeps in character throughout, manages to emote over dramatically without somehow becoming too campy or over-the-top, and Arlen gives it a true touch of class. Even with the complete non-acting of Ralston, the film stays devoted to its theme of how mankind should not interfere in extending life beyond its expiration date, and how when they do, it turns out to be a complete disaster for everybody involved. REGION 0 - WILL PLAY WORLDWIDE INTERACTIVE MENUS / SCENE SELECTION 1944 / BLACK & WHITE / 4:3 Ratio / ENGLISH / 86 MIN DVD ART WITH INSERT AS SHOWN. A GREAT COLLECTOR'S ITEM - AND A GREAT GIFT FOR ANY FAN OF CLASSIC FILMS! PLEASE NOTE: THIS PRODUCTION HAS NEVER BEEN AVAILABLE ON DVD AND IS NOT AVAILABLE IN STORES. This is not an "official" release or copy thereof. All media came from public domain sources. This is a good-quality copy with interactive menus and packaging designed by myself. This DVD is boxed exactly as pictured above, and is brand new and factory shrink-wrapped. All screenshots are taken directly from the DVD. All files used in the production of this DVD are not in violation of copyright laws or Ebay guidelines. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DVD is professionally assembled & shipped to you! Any defective disks happily replaced! Please allow 3 business days for shipment to be sent out. Orders within the United States will usually arrive within one week of purchase but I have seen it take up to 10-15 days during Christmas time. International orders can sometimes take up to 14 to 21 business days. If you are unhappy for any reason, please contact me before posting negative feedback! I have a 100% satisfaction policy and will gladly iron out problems. I love these neglected films and have spent years tracking down quality copies! I aim to give these films the loving attention they deserve, with quality packaging and interactive menus. I'm always on the hunt for rare & neglected gems so check back often! I'm happy to answer any and all questions you may have! Just drop me a line!

Price: 12 USD

Location: Sparks, NV

End Time: 2024-08-05T22:43:13.000Z

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