The Ghoul

'The Ghoul' tells the story of an Egyptologist (Boris Karloff), who, on his death bed, announces that he wishes to buried with a particular jewel, believing that in so doing the god Anubis will grant him eternal life. He warns however that if anyone were take this jewel from his body then he will return from the dead for revenge.

Inevitably there are those who seek to have the jewel for themselves, and Karloff does indeed rise from his tomb...

The opening twenty minutes of 'The Ghoul' are tremendously atmospheric. The sight of Karloff on his death bed is a truly grisly sight, thanks to some excellent make-up and the actor's fragile, deliberate movements, and the house that these scenes take place in are drenched in shadows. Louis Levy's score (and excerpts from Wagner's 'Ring') add to the sense of menace, and all in all the film promises an unsettling and macabre experience for the viewer.

Surprisingly however the film doesn't maintain this gravitas, and instead introduces several characters whose light-hearted banter, while quaint and often amusing, undermine the atmosphere that had been so expertly produced in the opening scenes. This, combined with an increasingly talky plot progression and the absence of Karloff from the screen for a good 25 mins of the film's running time, and 'The Ghoul' suddenly begins to feel like an altogether different movie, and an inferior one at that.

Fortunately however things pick up towards the film's climax when Karloff finally rises from the dead. His performance is as compelling as ever, his creature having a lumbering, lunging gait, and a sinister demeanour. The reveal of the monster at the entrance of the tomb is particularly effective, a scene in which again Levy's score works wonders.

And when Karloff proceeds to wreak his revenge, the quick-fire banter of the protagonists - whilst still seemingly at odds with the films' horrific elements - actually keeps things flowing, the colour of their dialogue preventing the last half hour from becoming a predictable and mechanical stalk-and-strangle.

Overall, despite flagging in the middle somewhat, 'The Ghoul' is a very worthwhile viewing, and a must-see for Karloff fans, as whilst his performance doesn't scale the heights seen in 'Frankenstein' or 'The Mummy', it is still an effective and memorable one.