A film based off the work of HP Lovecraft and starring Boris Karloff showed promise already, even before watching. Die, Monster, Die! doesn't quite live up to that, but despite having a lot of problems it is still a fun and decent film. Apart from Boris Karloff and to a lesser extent the lovely Suzan Farmer, the acting is clunky with Nick Adams in particular looking as if he's sleepwalking through everything. The special effects and make-up are cheap and look more silly than scary, while the script can get muddled, the pacing is a little pedestrian at times and the ending is rushed and somewhat hard to swallow. Aside from the special effects, Die, Monster, Die! is still a good-looking film, the Gothic sets are both atmospheric and handsome and it's very beautifully photographed. The lighting adds to the mood, and the costumes likewise. The music score is appropriately haunting without bogging things down, and the atmosphere and resolutely creepy and chilling. Daniel Haller's generally solid direction is to thank for that, and the story is fun and atmospheric, if let down by the last half-hour or so where things get too silly. Karloff is wonderful, one of those actors who was nearly always able to redeem a film regardless of their quality(he's the best thing about those god-awful Mexican films that he made at the end of his career), even when he's in a wheel-chair he still shows a great deal of energy and charisma. Farmer is lovely and not too bland. Overall, flawed but fun and creepy, and even if he's been and done better Karloff does not disappoint. 6/10 Bethany Cox
Review of Die, Monster, Die!
