House of Horrors (1946), starring Martin Kosleck, Rondo Hatton, Alan Napier
Reviewed by: The Masked Reviewer
In House of Horrors, Marcel De Lange (Martin Kosleck) is an artist that can barely make a living. He decides that life isn’t worth living so he tries to kill himself, only to save a man called The Creeper (Rondo Hatton) from drowning. Seeing the man’s disfigurements, Marcel is inspired to make a bust of him. After he finds out about his new friend’s murderous habit, Marcel decides to use him kill the critics that ruined his career.
Cast of House of Horrors
- Marcel De Lange (Martin Kosleck, The Mummy’s Curse): A starving artist that believes that suffering makes great art, and only suffering can. He’s an uppity, selfish individual that refuses to listen to anyone else.
- Steven Morrow (Robert Lowery, The Mummy’s Ghost): A commercially successful painter, and is in a stable relationship with Joan. Where Marcel ignores comments on his art, Steven listened to them, and succeeded. Steve is a hardworking, likeable character.
- Joan Medford (Virginia Grey, Another Thin Man): Steven’s reporter girlfriend that is investing the murders. She is a spirited, intelligent character that you want to see survive.
- The Creeper (Rondo Hatton, The Brute Man): An escaped serial killer that Marcel saves from drowning. An ill man, who has an uncontrollable urge to kill. When isn’t being used a murder weapon, he is a very shy man, with moments of genuine sweetness.
- F. Holmes Harmon (Alan Napier, The Mole People): A cruel critic with a personal vendetta against Marcel’s artwork.
- Stella McNally (Joan Shawlee, Buck Privates Come Home): Steven’s model whose life is in danger.
A note about Marcel’s art that is called tripe by the critic. F. Holmes Harmon is out to ruin Marcel’s career. However, some of the observations he makes are correct. As Marcel’s main reason for creating his statues aren’t to make art, it’s to look artistic and act superior to everyone else.
House of Horrors is Rondo Hatton’s last movie as he died before making the planned sequels. Sadly this may be the only role he was given that let him act, because he was great in this film.
All of the actors, and actresses all give good performances. The art throughout the film is interesting, the sets look good, and the story is entertaining.
I rate this film 4/5
Editorial review of House of Horrors courtesy of Amazon.com
After a particularly devastating critique by a famous art critic, Marcel walks to the waterfront, intent on suicide. Instead, he ends up rescuing a man who is drowning and drags him to safety. The would-be victim is a large, hulking brute with hideous features yet Marcel takes pity on him and offers him refuge. The sculptor realises he has found the perfect subject for his new work. Nevermind those newspaper headlines about “The Creeper,” a serial killer on the loose whose description matches this strange homeless man. Even if his new friend is guilty of murdering prostitutes by snapping their spines, why give him up to the police? He might actually prove useful in removing any obstacles in the way of Marcel’s success.
Even if his new friend is guilty of murdering prostitutes by snapping their spines, why give him up to the police? He might actually prove useful in removing any obstacles in the way of Marcel’s success. House of Horrors (1946) is an atmospheric B-movie delight with familiar screen heavy Martin Kosleck (The Flesh Eaters, 1964) as the demented Marcel and Rondo Hatton, an actor who needed no makeup, as “The Creeper.”