calvinnme It is puzzling to me the uneven ratings that Karloff's films get. For example, the tiresome "The Ghoul" is rated almost the same as this film, though this is a much more satisfying horror film.The films in which Karloff is the tragic figure lured into the world of the macabre by fate, such as in "The Walking Dead", are among the best that he made, and this is one of them. The first few minutes of the film take the time to show how great Karloff, as Dr. Julian Blair, had it prior to one fateful rainy night. He is head of the science department of a university, respected by his colleagues, and husband of over twenty years to a wonderful woman. However, a fatal car accident rips her from his side, and he is never the same again. His former experiments which were seeking a way to electronically read the minds of the living are now transformed into a possible means by which he may contact the dead, specifically his wife.Unlike many horror films, this one explains how some of its rather clichéd ingredients appear - the isolated old dark house into which Blair moves to push toward finding a way to communicate with his dead wife, the harsh Mrs. Danvers-like woman that almost seems like a puppet-master to Blair, and finally an "Igor" like figure that acts as the mindless muscle to the doctor - all of these are explained as part of the plot.This film has some great scenes for a production-code horror film in which one could only go so far. However, the "seance of the dead" scenes are unfairly forgotten ones in 40's horror, probably because this film was made by Columbia not Universal. Do note the presence of Kenneth MacDonald as the practical and kindly sheriff, as he often appeared as the heavy in Columbia's Three Stooges shorts, and this is a different kind of role for him.Highly recommended for fans of old horror films and of Karloff.

Scarecrow-88 This particular Karloff chiller for Columbia Pictures strays a bit from the mad scientist formula we are accustomed to in that his Dr Julian Blair is motivated in his experiments to communicate with his dead wife through electromagnetic signals produced through an apparatus using the current generated from the mind of human guinea pigs(..in this case a charlatan, played by an excellent Anne Revere and poor Ralph Penney as an impressionable, nice janitor, Karl, who agrees to participate with dire repercussions leaving him essentially a dumb brute) alive, with devastating, tragic results. Despite their best efforts, Julian's daughter, Anne(portrayed by the positively lovely Amanda Duff)and her fiancé, and his former colleague at a university, Richard Sayles(Richard Fiske), are unable to steer him away from his determined, obsessive efforts to reach, through his experiments, the beloved wife he lost thanks to a car accident caused by a serious rain storm. The process using electrical current is so dangerous it can fry those who are harnessed into the helmet and wires which provide the proper mental capacity capable for achieving what Julian so desires. Mrs. Walters(Revere), using parlor tricks as a medium swindling gullible folks seeking to talk with dead loved ones, sees an opportunity to obtain untold riches and begins to overtake Julian's life, motivating his continuing the experiments, using Karl's condition as a tool. Removing himself from the community he has always known, Julian sends Anne off, continuing his work in another location, along with Walters, who is his lab rat, the one who voluntarily supplies the "mental current" needed to supposedly summon the voice of the lost wife, while Karl, humanity gone, is essentially a guardian protector against anyone who might threaten his work.The locals become restless, afraid of Julian and his activities, and this unease heightens when citizens start vanishing. Sheriff Ed Willis(Kenneth MacDonald)attempts, futilely, to maintain peace, asking permission to visit Julian's laboratory, seeking to understand what his experiments are, sent away disregarded which only fuels dissension..particularly when the maid, Mrs Marcy(Dorothy Adams)ventures into the laboratory, at the request of Willis, to find out what Julian is doing, perishing after accidentally turning on the apparatus which operates the machine that creates a powerful current that electrocutes those who aren't fastened still.This is one of the few Columbia Pictures which resembles Universal in regards to the locals forming a mob which storms the laboratory of a mad scientist with the whole house's roof collapsing thanks in part to Julian's last ditch efforts to use his daughter to find his wife's voice. Has some very atmospheric moments and a rather fascinating premise, nearly ruined by unnecessary narration included from a saddened Duff explaining what happened to her father. Directed by Edward Dmytryk. Karloff is effectively presented both in performance and make-up department growing worse and worse psychologically and physically as the movie continues..I think, to the film's success, it was important to see Julian deteriorate as the story unfolds, witnessing ourselves how this obsession with reaching his dead wife costs a great deal.

MartinHafer In the 1930s, Boris Karloff was initially with a relatively important studio (Universal) and was enjoying a lot of success. Later, he did some dandy films for Warner Brothers, but he also made some grade-Z films for poverty row studio, Monogram. All these films were fun to watch and often a bit silly, but the Monogram ones were known for their very low production values and silly plots. After THE APE (1940), Karloff was thrilled to get out of his contract with Monogram and ready to go on to better things. It SHOULD have been that way when he made THE DEVIL COMMANDS for Columbia. Sure, like Universal in the 1930s, Columbia was not the biggest of studios but it did have decent budgets and production values and I expected this to be a much better style of film than THE APE....but unfortunately, it seemed a lot like the exact same old style of film and nothing more. Like THE APE and the rather bland Mr. Wong films for Monogram, this one was nothing special.It stars Karloff as a kindly scientist with the best of intentions that ultimately becomes a mad man--using science to create abominations. Considering how often he did this, the whole thing seems very, very derivative and stale. We've seen this all before and there is nothing that makes this film stand out from many others just like it. Also, the narration and the epilogue just seem heavy-handed and unnecessary.Is it fun and worth a look (particularly to lovers of B-horror films), yes. But it could have been so much better.

JoeKarlosi One of several "Mad Doctor" films Boris Karloff made for Columbia Pictures in the '40s and often considered one of the best of that group by many fans. It's not bad, but it's only a notch above average in my estimation. Here we have Karloff as a scientist who has discovered a device for reading people's brain waves and then becomes obsessed with the idea of trying to communicate with his recently deceased wife. He enlists the aid of a somewhat eccentric phony mystic (Anne Revere) who becomes the dominant force in the partnership and sets the course for some potentially disastrous events.This movie was directed by Edward Dmytryk, so at least it enjoys some spirited dashes of mood and dreary lighting, which is one thing that elevates it just over the line of the ordinary. It's interesting to see long-time Three Stooges foil Kenneth MacDonald as a sheriff who suspects that strange goings-on are underfoot in Boris' mysterious house, and Anne Revere's stoic and power-hungry medium is an added benefit. Still, there's something which seems to be lacking here to keep this one from rising above "B" level. Karloff is quite good as the eager but harried scientist, emitting a range of different emotions during the course of the picture. **1/2 out of ****