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6.4/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.4/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Menace remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
You should definitely watch Menace if you like those old movies where everyone is trapped in a big house and looks suspicious every time the lights flicker. It is perfect for a rainy Tuesday night when you want something that moves fast and doesn't ask for too much brain power.
People who hate old-fashioned acting or black-and-white 'stagey' sets will probably find it annoying. But for the rest of us, it is a fun little ride.
The whole thing starts with a bridge collapsing in Africa. It looks like a miniature model—because it clearly is—but the way the scene is cut makes it feel urgent and scary anyway.
Three people survive this bridge mess. They think they are safe back in civilization, but the brother of a guy who died is coming for them. He is a total psycho and he is very dedicated to his hobby of being spooky.
I really liked the atmosphere in the big house. It feels heavy and damp, even through the old film grain.
There is this one shot where a shadow creeps across a doorway. It is so simple, but it made me sit up a bit straighter. Most modern horror movies try way too hard with CGI, but here it is just a guy and a light bulb.
Gertrude Michael plays Helen, and she does this thing with her eyes where she looks like she is constantly smelling something bad. It works for the character because she is supposed to be terrified the whole time.
Then you have a very young Ray Milland. It is weird seeing him before he became a huge star, but he has that same smooth voice even back then.
The movie is barely over an hour long. It moves like a freight train. There is no filler here, which is something I wish more directors today would learn from.
I noticed a small detail where one of the characters pours a drink and his hand is visibly shaking. I don't know if the actor was actually nervous or if it was a choice, but it made the scene feel real.
The butler, played by Halliwell Hobbes, is exactly what you want in a movie like this. He is stiff, slightly creepy, and seems to know more than he is letting on. He keeps popping up in corners like a ghost.
One scene goes on a bit too long where they are all sitting around a table talking about their feelings. You can tell the movie is trying to build tension, but I just wanted the killer to show up again.
The killer’s identity isn’t that hard to guess if you have seen more than three of these types of films. Still, the reveal has a bit of a bite to it.
It reminds me a little of the pacing in The Rescue, though the setting is obviously totally different. There is just that 1930s style of getting straight to the point.
There is a moment with a knife that actually made me jump. It is a very fast edit. The sound of the knife hitting the wood is loud and sharp.
I did find some of the dialogue a bit clunky. Like when they explain the backstorry of the bridge accident, it feels like they are reading a newspaper out loud.
But then something happens, like a window smashing, and you forget about the bad writing. The visual stuff is much better than the script.
The house itself feels like a character. It has all these weird angles and dark corners where you just know someone is hiding. The cinematography uses shadows in a way that feels almost like an art film, but without being boring.
I liked how they didn't over-explain the killer's motivation. He is just mad and wants revenge. That is enough for me.
There is a scene with a dog that felt a bit unnecessary. The dog just barks at nothing for a minute and then disappears from the plot. Maybe they just had a dog on set that day and wanted to use it.
It is much better than something like The Taxi Dancer if you are looking for actual thrills. Menace actually tries to be a thriller instead of just a drama.
The ending is a bit abrupt. It just kind of... finishes. But honestly, I'd rather have that than a movie that hangs around for twenty minutes too long.
Overall, it is a great example of a 'B-movie' that punches above its weight. It doesn't have a huge budget, but it has plenty of mood.
If you enjoy seeing people in tuxedos getting trapped in a house with a maniac, you can't go wrong here. It is a solid 70 minutes of entertainment.
I would watch it again just for the atmosphere. It is a shame they don't make short, punchy mysteries like this anymore. Everything now has to be three hours long and part of a trilogy.
Go find a copy of this if you can. It is a little gem from a time when movies knew how to be spooky without being gross.
IMDb —
1919
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