It Reviews

McDowall is a Norman Bates-like character who lives with his mother's remains. When the man he assists at the museum is killed in a fire, McDowall takes charge of a mysterious statue. By reading an inscription, the unbalanced man learns the piece is really the famed Golem of Czechoslovakia. McDowall learns how to control the Golem (Sellers) telepathically and uses the creature for his own mad desires. After he kills several people and destroys London Bridge, officials decide the only way to stop the creature is with an atomic bomb. McDowall is killed, but the statue escapes by walking off into the sea. This poor rehash of Yiddish Golem legends and the noted 1920 German film DER GOLEM is too leaden to be good camp. The direction and screenplay move too slowly, though McDowall gives one of his patented psychotic performances. The movie was originally released on a double bill with director Leder's much better effort, THE FROZEN DEAD.