A group of people get lost during a big storm in the middle of nowhere and decide to head by an old house for shelter. The people who live there are creepy people called the Femms who let them stay for the night. As the people stay, weird and crazy things begin to happen. The film is a dark horror comedy and it was made after the success of "Frankenstein" which is directed by James Whales (Who directed "Frankenstein") and stars Boris Karloff.
The acting and characters are all great. Boris Karloff as the mute alcoholic butler Morgan is very freaky and very terrifying in every scene he's in. Ernest Thesiger as Horace Femm the host of the house is both funny and unsettling and his presence is not only creepy but he looks like a mix between the phantom of the opera played by Lon Channey and Count Orlock played by Max Shreck. Eva Moore as Horace's deaf and religious sister Rebecca is very funny at points but comes out just as creepy as the whole family. There's more to the Femm's family but the others are so good and surprising that I dare not give them away. The actors who play the visitors are all suitable for their roles but for me the best character in the group is William played by Charles Laughton (Who will later direct "Night Of The Hunter") because he's always fun and enjoyable and has a very jolly attitude. Don't get me wrong, the characters and rest of the cast is great but aside from the Femms, they're really not to memorable.
The film has a really great atmosphere and really lives up to it's title. It's dark, it has great shadowing, it's very foreboding, the cinematography is creepy and makes you feel trapped in this house and the constant sound of thunder, lighting, rain and eerie wind makes it sound even more unsettling. I love that the first half is a dark comedy and the second half is where things really get dark. It's a really dark and enjoyable film, with that said it does get very slow at points.
The film is a really great haunted house film that involves a creepy family and the best way to see this film is in the dark! I wish I could talk more about it but then I'd be giving the fun of the film away.
RATING 4/5
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