Bela Lugosi and a very angry ape in Rue Morgue

Is this worth your time?

If you're the kind of person who enjoys early 1930s gothic horror and doesn't mind a bit of clunky dialogue, absolutely. It's short, it's weird, and Bela Lugosi is doing that thing he does where he stares intensely at people until they get uncomfortable. If you need your horror to be modern, fast-paced, or have realistic CGI, you’re probably going to hate it. This isn't The Revolt, and it certainly isn't trying to be deep.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932) through its definitive frames.

The whole thing feels like it was filmed in a basement filled with dry ice. The sets in Paris are all shadows and sharp angles, which is great because it hides the fact that everything is held together by glue and hope. Lugosi plays Dr. Mirakle, a mad scientist who clearly needs a hobby that doesn't involve gorillas.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932) through its definitive frames.

The Ape Situation

Let's talk about the gorilla. Charles Gemora is doing his absolute best inside that suit, but there are moments where you can clearly see it's just a guy trying to look menacing while his head is overheating. One specific shot of the ape looking out a window is so awkwardly framed that I actually laughed out loud. It feels less like a monster movie and more like a fever dream.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932) through its definitive frames.

The pacing is all over the place, honestly. One minute we're watching street performers, and the next, there's a full-blown kidnapping plot moving at light speed. It reminds me of the chaotic energy you'd find in something like The Way of Lost Souls, where the story just sort of tumbles forward whether it's ready or not.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932) through its definitive frames.

• Lugosi’s eyebrows deserve their own credit in the film.
• The laboratory equipment looks like it was scavenged from a 1920s kitchen.
• The way the women scream in this movie is almost an art form.
• I’m still not sure why the gorilla wears a hat in some scenes, but I respect the choice.

There’s a weird, jarring transition where the film cuts from a tense argument to a street scene that feels like it belongs in a completely different movie. It’s the kind of imperfection that makes these old films feel alive. It’s not polished, but it’s got teeth. 🦍

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932) through its definitive frames.

It's not a movie you watch for the plot, obviously. You watch it to see how many times Lugosi can say 'blood' in a way that sounds like a threat. It’s delightfully pulpy. Don’t overthink it.