I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

"Dr. Renault's Secret" is a remake of "The Wizard" a lost film from 1927 that was in turn based on "Balaoo" a 1912 short story by Gaston Leroux. In "The Wizard" the plot involved a mad doctor (Gustav Von Seyffertitz) using an ape like creature to seek revenge on those he considers responsible for his son's execution. It was more of a comedy horror, with a couple of dumb detectives - a genre that was very much in vogue in the late 20s. "Dr. Renault's Secret" doesn't play it for laughs - in fact it tries to bring a lot of sensitivity to the distasteful subject matter.Dr. Larry Forbes (John Sheppard) arrives in France (the locale of the original Leroux story) to meet his fiancée Madelon Renault (Lynne Roberts), the niece of Dr. Renault (George Zucco) another scientist. He is greeted by Noel (J. Carroll Naish), a zombie like creature who has a strange affection for Madelon. He also meets Rogell (Mike Mazurki), Renault's gardener, who by intimidation keeps the villagers in fear. Next morning one of the guests at the inn is found murdered - he had accidentally fallen asleep in Forbe's room. Suspicion falls on Rogell and he does nothing to show he is innocent. Weird things begin to happen when Forbes arrives at Dr. Renault's. Noel almost has a car accident when he "senses" a dog on the road - the same dog who savagely attacks him before the evening is over.If you watch the original trailer (that is on the DVD I have) it gives almost everything away. Dr. Renault's secret is - he has captured an ape in Java and through experimentation and plastic surgery has tried to make him more human like. J. Carroll Naish engages your sympathy from the start, not only with his plaintive voice which is like a slow motion Peter Lorre but he also carries himself in a hunched fashion with a simian walk. George Zucco is the repellent Dr. Renault, who keeps Noel in a fearful, subservient state with the help of a huge whip. It is interesting that Rogell is part of an experiment as well - a failed experiment because Rogell, coming from a family of criminals, his bad character is ingrained in him and will never change. A spate of murders happen in the village and from the start it is not hard to figure out who it is - with shots of a concerned Noel looking at his hands!!!George Zucco was a British stage actor who earned the nickname at Universal "One Take Zucco". He appeared in so many monster flicks in the 40s ("The Mad Ghoul", "Voodoo Man", "Fog Island") usually for smaller independents that if you look up Mad Doctor or Mad Scientist in the dictionary you will probably find his picture.P.S. The print I viewed was so clear that I could even see strings used as a pulley when Rogell was thrown in the water.Highly Recommended.

George Zucco is a scientist and to fans of the horror genre, it's not at all surprising that he's a mad scientist since he's played this in so many low-budget films. His assistant is the rather dim and violent J. Carrol Naish. It's obvious SOMETHING is wrong here, but at first it is a bit vague. Unfortunately, though, the film telegraphs its "dark secrets" and the plot seems awfully familiar, so when things do heat up, it never really gets very exciting. I'm not a genius, but I pretty much figured out the plot after watching the film for 10 minutes.So why, then, did I watch this very bland film? Well, I like the genre and assume those who like these cheesy old horror films would also probably stick it out until the end--especially since this film is less than an hour long. However, if this isn't your style of film, there's nothing about this one that will convince you to watch another.By the way, my wife says I'm too picky, but this was a sloppy film in several places. In one scene, a man is strangled to death but as his corpse is being thrown out a window, the "dead man" visibly moves his arms to give his attacker and easier time tossing him! A short time later, a man is killed in a barber shop where there is a shade drawn over the glass door. But, when the police break the glass to enter, the shade is up, not down!

Yes, this is a poor man's ISLAND OF LOST SOULS -- it can only afford ONE lost soul. But J. Carrol Naish is so amazing as the Ape-Man and he has such a marvelous supporting cast (including the always-solid George Zucco and Mike Mazurki) that it's absolutely watchable and compelling. Plus director Harry Lachman takes such care in creating each shot -- beautiful shots, every single one -- that it looks far more expensive than it must have been. They play the Man-Beast as more sympathetic and Pitiful than Frightening, which is a very good choice. So this doesn't have Big Scares but it has emotion and tenderness and care and wonderful attention to detail. I liked it quite a bit.

Solid acting, and good directing along with exquisite set design make this horror film well worth watching. The film follows the familiar, mad doctor, evil misunderstood assistant in a castle theme we all know and love. Without any special effects, it's up to the cast to carry this run-of-the-mill story line. The acting is generally first rate considering the film's low budget and B movie status. The sets and scenery are wonderful. The opening scene at the village inn - perfect for the story. The castle and laboratory are first rate with that classical horror movie look done to perfection. One caveat: the abrupt ending seems out of place. It did not wrap up the story. almost as if they ran out of film and, "That's it." Well worth a look if you enjoy retro horror films. This one won't disappoint.