This one is full of atmosphere: spooky old house, fog, croaking frogs, chirping crickets, Lugosi and Atwill's presence, a man without limbs, a killer on the loose, supernatural occult elements, a mystery to solve and more. This is one Universal Horror Classic that you do not want to miss.It's too bad that Bela Lugosi's role was not bigger but then again his part as a creepy butler made the film all that much more fun to watch. Lionel Atwill is just as scary to watch.The climax of the film is a real treat as the mystery is solved, the murderer reveled. Hard to take your eyes off the last 15-20 minutes of it.Watch this one on a (cliched) "dark and stormy night".8.5/10

There is a monstrous killer roaming the grounds of the estate of wealthy Kurt Ingston, but the most logical suspect has the perfect alibi. He is a bed ridden triple amputee who couldn't possible move about to commit the murders, or could he? The only clue is a look of horror transfixed on the faces of the victims. The residents and staff of the mansion seem to know a lot more than they are willing to tell.Only Ingstons sister Margaret is willing to tell what she knows about the mystery but Ingstons loyal housekeeper keeps her locked away claiming that she is insane. A mysterious Indian swami is a guest of Ingstons and is there to teach Ingston some mind control techniques to help him better deal with his physical disability. How much does he really know about the murders? Meanwhile the body count is rolling up.Its up to mystery writer Dick Baldwin and psychiatrist Dr Lynn Harper to discover the identity of the mysterious murderer before they become his next victims. Night Monster was released in October of 1942 and was a success for Universal Studios. Director Ford Beebe had been around since before WWI and knew how to make a solid "B" picture.He masterfully guides a solid cast to create a very engrossing story. Night Monster is suspenseful and atmospheric if not a bit disappointing in the end. It's oblivious who the killer really is. It's just a question of how he is able to carry out his deeds. The show piece of the picture, when the yogi Agor Singh demonstrates his matter projection techniques demonstrates how the murderer is able to function The failure of the screenplay to properly utilize the talents of it's two top billed stars has been discussed by other reviewers. I will just say that the miscasting of both Atwill and Lugosi keeps Night Monster from being the classic horror mystery it could have been instead of the entertaining but predictable film that it is.

Night Monster was originally released as the B movie support to The Mummy's Tomb, which is something of an injustice: it's easily the best of the two movies.The story concerns a series of murders at Ingston Towers, home of the mutilated Kurt Ingston (Ralph Morgan). Sinister blood stains keep appearing on the stairs and other locations without any apparent cause; and the household itself contains Ingston's nervous wreck of a sister (Fay Helm), a sinister - aren't they always? - Swarmi (Nils Asther), a skulking Butler (a top-billed Bela Lugosi), a lecherous Chauffeur (Leif Erickson), a domineering companion (Doris Lloyd) and three medical men summoned by Ingston to tend his wounded body, among them Lionel Atwill.The spooky location of Pollard Slew is used to good effect in several eerie outdoor sequences in which an unseen killer stalks his prey; and director Ford Beebe keeps things moving briskly, and even brings off a sequence involving the transmigration of matter as a demonstration of the Swarmi's powers. But as the killings mount up a psychiatrist (Irene Hervey) and an author friend of Ingston's (Don Porter) begin to unravel the mystery.Night Monster is straight out of the old dark house school of horrors; but yep, there is a supernatural explanation for all the goings on. And when it comes you will gasp at the sheer cheek of it! Let's just say it's a slight borrowing from Dr. X. Lugosi, unfortunately has very little to do and Atwill is one of the first to be murdered (off screen). Yet the film is entertaining and manages a few decent chills and surprises. It's not as famous as some of the other Universal Horror pictures but Night Monster is well worth hunting out.

Doctors are called to old mansion filled with oddball characters who start getting killed off in mysterious fashion.One thing for sure—the lighting bill must have been paid in pocket change. It's so dark in that mansion you may need a flashlight. But then what else can you expect from a Universal horror picture, where the brightest thing is usually a full moon. My only question is what Lugosi is doing as a butler, of all things. He's so polite and unthreatening, you may have to look twice. Plus, he even has to act scared in one scene-- it's almost like Dracula suddenly caught working at Walmart. But my favorite is Laurie the randy chauffeur who behaves like he's auditioning for a porn movie, that is, when he's not mugging it up or leering at 60-year old women. It's almost like he's wandered onto the wrong set. Then too, I like Robert Homans whose cop looks old enough for Social Security, but's still got the spunk of a teenager. On the other hand, too bad that Irene Hervey seems terminally bored by all the murderous goings-on. In fact, not even the handsome Don Porter can arouse her interest.Anyhow, the movie manages a grand staircase and a few surprises amid all the hocus-pocus, but is otherwise standard Universal horror fare-- always good for a few of laughs, a few chills, and a lot of harmless fun.