Mad scientist Igor Markoff is at a piano recital with his long-suffering assistant when he spots a woman who is almost identical to his late wife. Finding out she's the daughter of the pianist (and engaged), he finds time out from his mad doctor lifestyle to do a bit of stalking. Turns out he's an expert in (can't remember disease, must try and look up before posting review) and has a pet gorilla, like most people in films from this era. Somehow, sending flowers three times a day to his intended beau isn't quite making the right impression, and when her dad turns up at his lab to persuade him to stop, he ends up injecting him full of the disease.The disease (whatever it is) causes the pianist hands and head to swell up (the make up looks really good), but it forces the pianist to go to Markoff in order to get the cure (which he has recently discovered). Can he mend himself, save his daughter, and sort out that meddling scientists? Or can the scientist's assistant sort it out for him? And will she survive the gorilla that's been let into her room in the middle of the night? Monster Maker heads towards being a good film but ends up falling a bit short. The set up is good, but not much happens for most of the running time except people standing around talking. I was hoping either the gorilla or the diseased pianist would go on a murderous rampage, but that didn't happen. That said, it's not a bad movie, just needed a bit of oomph. Good premise, but too little action..One thing though – Nabonga, The Ape etc…do you think it's the same gorilla suit? Wait - I've remembered the name of the disease...it's

I have amassed a number of vintage if low-grade horror efforts and, while I originally had not intended including them during the current "Halloween Challenge", I felt that, since this is the era within the genre that I am most fond of, I would be depriving myself of some inherently entertaining stuff. Following my good impression of both MYSTERY OF MARIE ROGET (1942) and THE DRUMS OF JEOPARDY (1931), I opted to check this one out which, clocking at a mere 62 minutes, I could afford to leave for a late hour.The result, again, proved very enjoyable but, thematically, it was highly derivative of Universal's THE RAVEN (1935), so close, in fact, that I am surprised that studio did not sue the Powerty Row company, PRC, who made THE MONSTER MAKER! Here, we also get an eminent doctor (J. Carroll Naish) who falls for a woman – because she is a dead ringer for his dead spouse – who does not correspond his love but, in spite of his respectable position, is not one to take no for an answer. Having made a study of the deforming disease acromegaly (which has often found its way into the genre), he goes so far as to 'infect' the heroine's musician father with it – when he turns up with an ultimatum to stop bothering his daughter – so that, in exchange for a cure (which, as it happens, he has just arrived at), the latter will have no choice but to ask the girl to set aside her romantic illusions (with the young promoter for his successful concert engagements) and accept Naish's advances (and, by extension, marriage proposal)! In this respect, and like THE RAVEN itself, this is quite a nasty little item: actually, the make-up effects (showing Ralph Morgan's degenerating condition and which obviously jeopardize his career) are rather convincing, transcending the limited resources at the film-makers' disposal; this and Naish's committed performance are easily THE MONSTER MAKER's main assets. However, adding to the fun, are the presence of Naish's loving but long-suffering female aide (since he harbors no affections for her and has no qualms about telling her), a sinister male nurse (played by genre stalwart Glenn Strange) and even that old guinea-pig standard, a caged gorilla (which, for some reason, hates the assistant's guts and, consequently, Naish conveniently dispatches it in order to eliminate her when she threatens to expose the mad doctor's nefarious activities…but the woman is saved in the nick-of-time by her courageous and devoted German Shepherd dog).The finale obviously has Naish getting his just desserts at the hands of Morgan himself, followed by the desperation expressed by the latter's offspring at the fact that the old man will have to carry the effects of the 'illness' with him…but now it is Naish's assistant who comes to the rescue as she is obviously adept enough to be able to reverse the acromegaly process(!?) all by herself – complete with a coda wherein Morgan has reprised his tour, with the assistant joining his daughter and fiancé in their balcony (she had earlier shared the adjacent one with Naish himself but, of course, he had eyes only for the heroine).

Ruthless and suavely sinister mad scientist Dr. Igor Markoff (splendidly played to the deliciously slimy hilt by J. Carroll Naish) develops an unhealthy fixation on the lovely Patricia Lawrence (a charming portrayal by the fetching Wanda McKay), who rebuffs Markoff's advances. After Patricia's accomplished famous pianist father Anthony (an excellent performance by Ralph Morgan) tells Markoff to get lost or else he will inform the authorities, Markoff injects Anthony with foul germs which cause him to come down with a rare dreadful disfiguring disease called acromegaly, which of course Markoff is one of the key reigning medical experts on. Director Sam Newfield, working from a harsh and wickedly inspired script by Pierre Gendron and Martin Mooney, relates the compellingly warped story at a steady pace and milks the sharp sense of cruelty and sadism found in the narrative to maximum skin-crawling effect (the scene which reveals poor Anthony in all his grotesquely misshapen splendor is genuinely startling). Moreover, there's a surprisingly mean-spirited sensibility at work in the truly sick and disturbing premise which gives this film an extra upsetting edge. The supremely hideous make-up on Anthony is quite convincing. As an added plus, Glenn Strange has a neat minor role as hulking orderly Steve and veteran simian thespian Ray Corrigan pops up in one of his patented wild and dangerous gorilla parts. Naish and Morgan both excel in their juicy lead roles; they receive sturdy support from Terry Frost as Patricia's gentlemanly suitor Bob Blake and Tala Birell as Markoff's reluctant nurse assistant Maxine. Robert E. Kline's crisp black and white cinematography makes nifty use of fades and dissolves. Albert Glasser supplies a suitably energetic melodramatic score. A worthwhile, if decidedly unpleasant little shocker.

"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