Friday, August 24, 2018

House of Mystery (1934)

House of Mystery is at times terribly corny and dated but at others hilarious. It is a horror-murder mystery involving ancient curses and killer apes.

Many years before a drunken archaeologist Mr Prendergast (Clay Clement) accidentally kills a monkey in a Hindu temple in India and is cursed by the fakir. Twenty years later his investors are after their share in the loot from his expedition but he tells them a tale of woe and death as the curse has followed him and is slowly killing him.

He challenges his investors including Ed Lowry and George Hayes to spend a week in the house. As they do so the killings begin...

To be honest the film is completely ridiculous and full of dated oriental stereotypes and the occult: seances, incense and mysterious drums. It also has a man in a rather unconvincing ape suit and the mysterious Chanda (Joyzelle Joyner). It is all terrific fun.