Man-Made Monster
Man-Made Monster

Movie spotlight

Man-Made Monster

1941
Movie
60 min
English

Mad scientist turns a man into an electrically-controlled monster to do his bidding.

Insights

IMDb6.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes71%
Director: Rowland V. LeeGenres: Horror, Sci-Fi

Plot Summary

A mad scientist, Dr. Lawrence, invents a way to harness electricity to reanimate the dead. He plans to use this discovery for nefarious purposes, but his assistant, Dr. John Ulmer, tries to stop him. After a laboratory accident, Ulmer's consciousness is transferred into a mechanical body controlled by Lawrence. This reanimated being, now a rampaging monster, becomes a threat to the surrounding town.

Critical Reception

Man-Made Monster was a modest success for Universal Pictures, leveraging the popularity of its star, Lon Chaney Jr., who was then gaining fame as the Wolf Man. While not considered a classic in the same vein as Universal's earlier monster films, it was appreciated for its innovative use of electrical effects and Chaney Jr.'s menacing performance. It holds a place as a notable entry in the sci-fi horror genre of the 1940s.

What Reviewers Say

  • Lon Chaney Jr. delivers a compelling performance as the electrically-charged monster.

  • The film effectively utilizes scientific mumbo-jumbo and electrical special effects for its era.

  • While not a masterpiece, it provides solid B-movie entertainment with a classic monster movie feel.

Google audience: Audiences generally found the film to be a decent and entertaining monster movie, with Lon Chaney Jr.'s performance being a highlight. Some viewers appreciated the science fiction elements and special effects for their time.

Fun Fact

Lon Chaney Jr. was reportedly paid $200 a week to star in this film, a significant sum for the era, reflecting his growing status as a horror star.

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1 reviews
John Chard

John Chard

Dynamo Dan: The Electric Man. Man Made Monster is directed by George Waggner and stars Lionel Atwill, Lon Chaney Jr & Anne Nagel. It's adapted from an original story titled "The Electric Man" which is co-written by H.J. Essex, Sid Schwar...

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