Bride of the Monster Reviews

A masterpiece of involuntary farce by twisted genius Edward D. Wood, Jr. (PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE). Lugosi is Eric Vornoff, a renegade scientist who has fled his native country to perfect a race of mutant supermen using an atomic gizmo (actually a photo enlarger strapped to a dentist's chair). Despite living in an isolated house in the middle of a swamp--with his growling assistant Lobo (Tor Johnson), whose scars change size, shape, and position with alarming regularity--he attracts the attention of the police (Tony McCoy and Harvey Dunn); an ersatz professor who is actually a spy sent to bring him home (George Becwar); and reporter Janet Lawton (Loretta King), who is investigating mysterious disappearances in the area. Craig and girlfriend Lawton take turns rescuing each other until Lobo destroys everything, leading to one of Wood's greatest finales--he actually uses cross-cutting. Lawton is the titular bride, although it is never clear who the groom is supposed to be: the evil doctor, Lobo; one of the doctor's mutant ubermenschen; or even Vornoff's pet, a giant fresh-water octopus. Nor is it explained why Vornoff has a wedding gown lying around the house. BRIDE is not quite as hysterical as PLAN 9, but it does have one of Lugosi's hammiest performances, while Wood's marvelously idiotic dialog keeps things moving along without stopping for breath--or logic. The final images of poor old decrepit Lugosi struggling in the arms of a motionless rubber octopus are incomparably bathetic.