(1943)
Dir - Mark Robson
Overall: GOOD
The Ghost Ship was a noticeable change in direction for RKO's horror-themed films, not only because it is not a horror film really as opposed to a slow-boil thriller set at sea, but because it is the first of the studio's projects to be solidly structured and less devoid of any plot holes. Mark Robson was back directing, hot off of editing Orson Welles' Journey Into Fear. Ghost Ship is stylized appropriately with the usual use of shadows and mounting suspense, all the while exploring psychological madness. Russell Wade and the hilarious named Richard Dix, (get it?), work quite well squaring off against each other and their rivalry escalates with an excellent final showdown played only to calypso music in the background, with the also hilariously named Skeleton Knaggs stepping in to help. As an infamous side-not, a lawsuit was filed against Val Lewton over the script by playwrights Samuel R. Golding and Norbert Faulkner and Ghost Ship actually went out of circulation for a number of decades before finding its way into the public domain in the 1990s.
(1944)
Dir - Robert Wise/Gunther von Fritsch
Overall: WOOF
Serving as both Gunther von Fritsch and Robert Wise's directorial debuts, (von Fritsch fell behind schedule and was replaced by Wise), The Curse of the Cat People is an absolute mess of a movie and one of the most disappointing sequels imaginable. The use of three of the same characters from the first film seem insultingly forced and unnecessary as the story is so remarkably different that there is absolutely no point in linking it to Cat People in any way shape or form. The temptation of brand recognition was as much of a thing in the 1940s as it is today apparently and sadly enough, studio heads thought it a logical move to pathetically make Val Lewton's proposed-titled Amy and Her Friend what it ultimately became. It is difficult to say if removing all of the Cat People tie-ins would have helped since none of the story elements gel here as two movies seem to be happening at once. Any would-be horror ingredients are so non-existent that it becomes even more baffling why the movie was made in such a manner. There is an attempt here to use the old Lewton method of alluding to psychological tension, but the dynamics between child and parents, (Kent Smith just coming off as both a moron and an asshole), are too aggravating to work and with flaws apparent nearly everywhere plot wise, it is simply ruined.
(1945)
Dir - Mark Robson
Overall: MEH
Plenty atmospheric and bone-chilling in a few seldom sections during the last ten minutes, Isle of the Dead is too much of a bore to surpass its unfortunately typical, RKO-worthy flaws. For a movie that is basically based off of little more than a famous painting, Val Lewton, credited screenwriter Ardel Wray, and Mark Robson again make the most out of it. It is an interesting be it very familiar premise to have superstition go head to head with practical science as a island full of people get picked off by the plague. Too little actually happens though along the way and by the time the movie finally gets rather tense, a couple of dumb moves are made such as a totally lazy reason to have a woman get helplessly left behind where of course she finds herself in mortal, predictable danger a mere scene or two later. Boris Karloff is on board though in a well written role that sees his stubborn, atheist Greek General slowly succumb to cabin fever and paranoia. Again though, the movie is far too slow and uneventful to make his character or anyone else's as interesting as they perhaps could have been.
(1946)
Dir - Mark Robson
Overall: GOOD
The final entry in RKO's series of horror films produced by Val Lewton, Bedlam was inspired by William Hogarth's A Rake's Progress paintings, so much so that the artist actually received a writing credit on it which may be the only time in cinema history that such a thing transpired. Aside from the superb The Body Snatcher, Bedlam is the strongest of Lewton's projects for the studio. Boris Karloff as always can still do no wrong and this is one of his numerous stellar performances. As the mostly dubious and spiteful master of the Bethlehem Royal Hospital, Karloff oozes both villainous charm and even empathy in small doses. Due to a well-maintained script this time that, (rare for RKO), is devoid of mistakes, Karloff's undoing is both satisfying and plausible as is the arc of Anna Lee's Nell Bowen who grows more and more compassionate while trying to logically hide such a trait. The movie's only horror qualities are in that it takes place mostly in an insane asylum, (and a rather one-time infamous, real life one at that), and though the cliche mental patient treatments and mannerisms we have seen oodles of times before are indeed there, performances and script alike keep everything in check.
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