One of my all time favorites.

As Good As It Gets

A lot of fun.

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

For fans of the odd, PRC delivers again. In a sort of a preview of his Al Adamson days, Naish plays an obsessed Dr. Markoff (if you want good care, mark him off) with one thing and one thing only on his mind. Actually, what's interesting about this movie is how the low budget forces the filmmakers to boil all the plot down to it's absolute basics. Why does the not bad looking nurse go for Markoff? Well, nobody ever said human beings made sense. If your looking to get silly, as Bob Dylan once sang, you could hardly do better. Speaking of Dylan, the plot is not unlike his song, "Seven Curses." And what did happen to Steve once the movie was over? He was only trying to be a good employee, which is about the closest to a decent instinct anyone character has in this movie.

A ludicrous, but mildly effective BW 1940s low-rent shocker item, which is more often professionally directed with some stellar acting. The story takes up that mad scientist theme (although in some sequence it seems like the doctor thinks he's some sort of hypnotist --- repeating sentences "You heard nothing"), but lurking underneath the narrative is a deranged and sinister novelty with excellent performances by J Carrol Naish and Ralph Morgan. Outside the obviously risible man in a gorilla suit (which that sub-plot could have been easily discarded) the make-up FX for the disfiguring disease is well-done for its time.A scientist falls for a girl who resembles his dead wife, but she doesn't want his attention. Frustrated by that he turns her famous piano playing father into a monster by injecting him with acromegaly -- a deformity disease. Being a specialist on the disease he's the only one that knows of the cure and uses that to try blackmail him for his daughter in marriage.Everything but the kitchen sink is chucked in, but it never wastes any time and breezes by in no time. It can be talky, but the robust direction can be tight and suspenseful in its manipulative strangle hold. The characters just seem to put themselves in dangerous positions. Although get ready for a drinking game. You'll be amazed by constant use of the word Acromegaly. They must like pronouncing it, as watch how it rolls off their tongues. Acromegaly."The Monster Maker" is sure-footed entertainment.

I give it a 6--it's very enjoyable and novel but it is a less than perfect film, that's for sure! With a title like "The Monster Maker", I was expecting a Dr. Frankenstein sort of film--you know, a film about a man who wants to create monsters in the traditional sense. However, what the film actually turned out to be very, very different--and rather creative.The film begins with a crazy scientist, Dr. Markoff (J. Carroll Naish), seeing a woman at the theater and becoming transfixed on her. It seems that she's the spitting image of his dead wife! What follows is pretty creepy, as the guy comes on VERY strong to her and begins pestering her. He is determined that she must be his wife! Her father (Ralph Morgan--brother of Frank Morgan) goes to the Doctor to tell him to leave his daughter alone--at which point Markoff smacks the guy over the head. You THINK he's just killed the guy, but Markoff has other plans. It seemed that when the guy was unconscious he injected him with a serum that would cause acromegaly--the same disorder that affected the so-called 'Elephant Man'! Can this fiend be stopped? Will Morgan be completely screwed? Will the daughter escape the crazy old perv's clutches? Tune in to this interesting film to find out for yourself.The plot sure is creative and different. After reviewing nearly 9000 films, it sure is nice to see something new and creative--and this cheap PRC film actually does this well. In addition, the acrogemaly effects were, for 1944, exceptional--again, something you would not expect in a 'Poverty Row' picture and it's obvious that the studio spent far more than usual for this dandy little film. Now this is NOT to say that this is a great film or one that you'd mistake for a major production. It still has the awful guy in a gorilla suit (which, incidentally, NEVER looks realistic), some of the actors (aside from Morgan and Naish) were poor, there was needless exposition early in the film (I'll explain about this below) and there is a plot hole (why didn't Morgan just go to the police after Naish attacked him?!). Overall, despite these shortcomings, a neat little B-movie for fans of the genre. Others might be less impressed! Exposition--When characters give long speeches explaining things that were not shown in the plot--particularly things that have happened before the film began. It's a VERY sloppy plot device and shows poor writing when done sloppily--which it usually is. In other words, instead of showing what had occurred or using a flashback, the characters speak very, very unnaturally to explain something to the audience. Real human beings do NOT talk this way. It must be used very, very sparingly or not at all--otherwise the film suffers.

"A scientist has developed a serum which grotesquely distorts the victim's hands and heads. The scientist decides to use his serum on a concert pianist to extort money from him for the cure as well as take the man's daughter for a wife," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis. J. Carrol Naish (as Dr. Igor Markoff) plays "The Monster Maker" in the low budget Bela Lugosi mode...Mr. Naish's serum causes a real disorder, "acromegaly", which American Heritage defines as, "A chronic disease of adults marked by enlargement of the bones of the extremities, face, and jaw that is caused by overactivity of the pituitary gland." Ralph Morgan (as Anthony Lawrence) plays the afflicted man with some dignity. Pretty blonde Wanda McKay (as Patricia "Pat" Lawrence) is the daughter desired by mad scientist Naish; in early scenes, Ms. McKay and Naish emote hilariously...Watch for Tala Birell (as Maxine) in a surprisingly good supporting performance; she plays the somewhat Garbo-like, and long suffering, assistant to Naish. Ms. Birell definitely steals the film; and, you've got to question Dr. Markoff's sanity in casting her aside. Glenn Strange (as Steve) and a crazed gorilla (Ray Corrigan) add to the fun. The monster makeup (Maurice Seiderman) is very good.****** The Monster Maker (4/15/44) Sam Newfield ~ J. Carrol Naish, Ralph Morgan, Tala Birell, Wanda McKay