Spooks Run Wild Reviews

Pretty good East Side Kids effort has the boys seeking refuge in a spooky old mansion after David Gorcey has suffered a gunshot wound from the pistol of a cemetery caretaker who got fed up with their shenanigans. Unfortunately, the creepy house is owned by the mysterious Lugosi, who (answering the door in full DRACULA regalia) sends chills down the boys' respective spines. After giving Gorcey something to ease his pain, Lugosi makes the boys spend the night. Soon the gang sees Gorcey wandering through the house like a zombie, and his pals assume that Lugosi has turned him into a monster. Help arrives in the form of Short, who has been looking for the missing kids. Accompanying her is Moore, a man claiming to be out to get Lugosi and to bring him to justice. After a series of comedic mishaps in the mansion, Moore is revealed to be the real menace and Lugosi turns out to be a famous magician. The silliness works due to Lugosi's straightforward, totally deadpan performance, which becomes a springboard for the goofiness of the East Side Kids. The boys and Lugosi respected one another on the set, both being intimidated by the other's reputation (East Side Kids known for their on-set pranks and rowdiness, Lugosi for his menacing "Dracula" stare and mysterious manner). Screenwriter Foreman, who was under contract to Huntz Hall early in his (Foreman's) writing career, would later go on to co-author HIGH NOON (1952), THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI (1957), THE GUNS OF NAVARONE (1961).