Boris Karloff
The Man Behind the MonsterA gripping, intimate portrait of the first King of Horror and the genre he helped define.
21/22 Hop Film
To generations, Boris Karloff's "creature" in Frankenstein (1931) was the first of many iconic horror screen characters. After the film's surprise success, Karloff became the new king of horror in The Old Dark House, The Mummy, The Black Cat and many more. Off screen, Karloff was remembered for his professionalism, kindness and self-deprecating sense of humor. Terrified of becoming obsolete, he worked incessantly. When horror declined, he reinvented himself on Broadway, radio and later TV. He became a familiar presence in every American household, except his own.
This new documentary thoroughly explores the life and legacy of a cinema legend, presenting a perceptive history of the genre he personified. His films were long derided as hokum and attacked by censors, but his phenomenal popularity and pervasive influence endures, inspiring some of our greatest filmmakers into the 21st century—among them Guillermo Del Toro, Ron Perlman, Roger Corman and John Landis, all of whom and many more contribute their personal insights and anecdotes. D: Thomas Hamilton, US, 2021
Upcoming Films
Upcoming Films
There is not a single movie I’ve ever done that is not under the shadow this man casts.
Guillermo Del Toro
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