''Voodoo Man'' is a 1944 American

horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit physical or psychological fear in its viewers. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with Transgressive art, transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements of the genre include Mo ...

directed by

William Beaudine William Washington Beaudine (January 15, 1892 – March 18, 1970) was an American film director. He was one of Hollywood's most prolific directors, turning out a remarkable 179 feature-length films in a wide variety of genres. He is best know ...

, and starring

Bela Lugosi Blaskó Béla Ferenc Dezső (; October 20, 1882 – August 16, 1956), better known by the stage name Bela Lugosi ( ; ), was a Hungarian–American actor. He was best remembered for portraying Count Dracula in the horror film classic Dracula (19 ...

John Carradine John Carradine ( ; born Richmond Reed Carradine; February 5, 1906 – November 27, 1988) was an American actor, considered one of the greatest character actors in American cinema. He was a member of Cecil B. DeMille's stock company and later J ...

and

George Zucco George Zucco (11 January 1886 – 27 May 1960) was a British character actor who appeared in plays and 96 films, mostly American-made, during a career spanning over two decades, from the 1920s to 1951. In his films, he often played a suave vill ...

Plot

Nicholas runs an isolated gas station in the countryside. One night, he gives a young woman driver directions to Twin Falls, but after she leaves, he notifies someone via a special telephone. Two men, Toby and Grego, block the road with a

traffic barricade A traffic barricade is a type of barricade used to control the flow of traffic or block access to an area, generally for safety purposes. Traditionally made of wood, or wood and steel, many now have structural members made wholly of plastic or comp ...

and uncover a previously hidden road. They capture her; she is the third woman motorist reported missing on Laurel Road that month. Hollywood screenwriter Ralph Benton turns down his boss's suggestion that these disappearances would make a good horror script, as he is getting married soon. By chance, he stops at Nicholas's gas station, but drives off before the attendant can pump any fuel. He runs out of gas. Meanwhile, another woman driver, Stella Saunders, stops at the station and receives the same directions. This time, however, Ralph hitches a ride with her. It turns out she is to be the maid of honor at the wedding of her cousin Betty to "some sap from Hollywood": himself. Dr. Richard Marlowe watches by television as the car is mysteriously disabled. When Ralph leaves to seek help at a house visible in the distance, Marlowe orders his men to kidnap Stella. Marlowe introduces Stella to his wife Evelyn ... who has been dead for 22 years, though she is mysteriously preserved. He tells Stella that he wants something from her to help his wife, "your will to live, your mind". Nobody answers when Ralph knocks on the door of Marlowe's house, and he returns to find Stella and the car gone. When he eventually sees Betty, he learns that Stella is missing and goes to the sheriff. Marlowe, Nicholas and the others prepare a voodoo ceremony. Stella, Evelyn and four women zombies are brought into the room. Marlowe tries to transfer Stella's mind and soul into Evelyn's body to bring her back to life. It works, but only briefly. Marlowe remains determined to find a woman with "perfect affinity". After a visit from the sheriff, Marlowe decides to try again with Stella, but Toby left her cell door open, and she escapes, though in a trance-like state. The sheriff and his deputy find her on the road and take her to the Benton apartment. Toby finds out where she is, and Marlowe goes there to offer his medical expertise. He says she just needs some rest. Nicholas summons Stella using voodoo. Ralph and Betty go to see Marlowe. He shows them a portrait of his dead wife. When he telephones the sheriff, Evelyn wanders into the entrance of the room and is seen by Ralph and Betty but not Marlowe, before an older woman takes her away. After Ralph and Betty leave, Marlowe wonders if Betty might have "perfect affinity" to his wife. He has Nicholas summon Betty while Ralph is phoning the sheriff. Ralph sets out in pursuit and arrives in the middle of the ceremony, but is promptly knocked out by Grego. The sheriff and his deputy arrive just as Evelyn returns briefly to life. The sheriff shoots Marlowe, who tells his wife "Soon, we will be together," before dying. Stella and Betty come out of their trances. Ralph turns in a script titled "The Voodoo Man" to his boss, who asks who should star in it. Ralph suggests ... Bela Lugosi.

Cast

Production

This film, along with ''

Return of the Ape Man ''Return of the Ape Man'' is a 1944 American film distributed by Monogram Pictures. It was directed by Philip Rosen with top-billed star Bela Lugosi and supporting actors John Carradine, George Zucco (see note in the Production section), Frank Mo ...

'', shot in seven days beginning on October 16, 1943, were Lugosi's final Monogram features. Both films also featured

, Michael Ames and Mary Currier. Originally titled ''Tiger Man'' by author Andrew Colvin, it was later changed as ''Voodoo Man'' and Colvin received no screen credit.

Home media

The film was released by Olive Films on DVD and BluRay.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Voodoo Man 1944 horror films 1944 films 1940s American films 1940s English-language films American black-and-white films American mad scientist films American supernatural horror films American zombie films English-language horror films Films about Voodoo Films directed by William Beaudine Films produced by Sam Katzman Monogram Pictures films