Dreadfully Boring

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

A gripping tale featuring a brilliant performance by Boris Karloff in a duel role as twin brothers Anton and Gregor de Berghman. Gregor is a brutal baron living in the shadow of an aged prophesy that the handicapped younger brother Anton will eventually murder him in their castle's "Black Room". When the kinder twin returns after a long absence, Gregor is jealous of the high regard Anton is given. The older twin is suspected of evil doing concerning the disappearance of young women of the village. Gregor decides to relinquish his power to Anton; only to murder him in the concealed "Black Room" and take his identity. It appears the prophesy is broken. When the villagers later get wind of the impersonation, there will be an unruly uprising and the discovery of the de Berghman castle's hidden "Black Room" and the prophesy will come to a true and chilling demise. Karloff is more than outstanding. Also starring are: Marian Marsh, Thurston Hall, Katherine DeMille, and Robert Allen.

THE BLACK ROOM is a Gothic tale of horror that should appeal to any fan of Boris Karloff, since he plays twin brothers with the proper amount of relish and some subtle nuances.It seems he and his twin brother are doomed to kill each other in the black room of a castle, in accordance with a legend that has been built up over the years. The prophecy is indeed fulfilled since one of the brothers is a cruel tyrant who only invites his brother to the castle in order to dispose of him. A subplot involving a lovely woman (Marian Marsh) and her suitor (Robert Allen) keeps the plot moving forward quickly for the film's 75 minute running time.The sets and costumes are of Grade A quality, as good as any of the Universal sets that were a part of their horror series, and the B&W photography is excellent. Karloff gives one of his best performances in a dual role, helped enormously by the very effective special effects to create the dual image.

If you're going to have a plot involving an evil twin, who could do it better than Boris?The evil Baron Gregor, who has a habit of luring women from the local village and then "disposing" of them, has a public relations problem. Everyone hates him, and he seems to spend most of his day fending off assassins. So why not invite his nice twin, Anton, to come for a visit, let the villagers meet the "good guy," and then take his place? Clever old Gregor, and of course he wants the hand (and other bits) of the lovely Thea as part of the deal.There are plenty of horror-movie clichés, such as Balkan military uniforms, sealed rooms, terrified peasants, scary hounds, and of course the storming of the castle. But there are some really wonderful touches here and there: like the shot when Thea's father sees Gregor/Anton in the mirror, or the look on Thea's face when they announce her lover's sentence.And at the center is the great Boris, doing wonderful characterizations as the two brothers. Along with "The Body Snatcher," I would rate this film at the top of Karloff's performances.

The Black Room was released during a golden period of horror; and as such has been largely forgotten with the Frankenstein and Dracula films remaining enduringly popular. I suppose the problem is that it doesn't really fit into any genre; there's not quite enough horror for it to be considered a horror film, and while it has a period setting; it's not exactly a historical drama either. However, that for me is what makes it interesting; there wasn't another film like this one made around the same time, making The Black Room somewhat unique. As a side note, I also believe this to be an influence for the classic Giallo The Red Queen Kills Seven Times. The story focuses on the birth of twin brothers. This is bad news for the family concerned - wealthy barons - as legend has it that the younger brother will kill the older inside 'the black room' as happened many years earlier. They decide to have the black room sealed up and the brothers grow up. The older is left in charge of people in his consistency, and cuts an unpopular figure. He then calls his brother back to their home, apparently to help him run his affairs.The most memorable thing about the film is undoubtedly the dual role for Boris Karloff. He plays the role of the brothers very well and since both are so different, he is really able to show what a great performer he was. This really is Boris Karloff's film; and one of his characters is featured in almost every scene. Of course, this film was made before the age of computer effects; so naturally it was rather more difficult then to have both characters on screen together. Director Roy William Neill handles this very well, however; it's always obvious how it's done, but through sleight of hand; the director manages to give the appearance that they're both on screen at the same time. It has to be said that the first half of the film is a bit slow; but it soon picks up and the second half is really very interesting. The atmosphere is really good too; the director creates a thick Gothic feel for the film that really benefits it; the few scenes taking place in a graveyard are a particular highlight, as is the title location; 'the black room'. Overall, this is a very good little film and well worth the effort of tracking down.