The Monster Maker (1944)
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Dr. Igor Markoff is a widow who is out at a piano concert with his female assistant. He is enjoying himself but when he glances up at box seats nearby, his heart goes aflutter. The girl is a “Dead-ringer” for his deceased wife and better yet is the daughter of the piano player. But the good Doctor isn’t about to just let this fade away. He’s convinced he must have the daughter as his second wife and will do anything to make that happen, even poisoning her father.
Overall: The film is fairly weak on realism because frankly, I don’t buy the fact that this guy is willing to inject deadly disfiguring diseases into people for his own jealous reasons. On top of that, he’s got a few people helping him out with no reasons to stay there. And the gorilla thing is way too off the mark to be connected or believable. The disease which is mentioned in this film is "Acromegaly": a rare, slowly progressive chronic disorder that affects adults. The disorder is characterized by an excess of growth hormone. Symptoms include abnormal enlargement in bones of the arms, legs, and head. The bones in the jaws and in the front of the skull are typically the most affected. Acromegaly may also cause thickening of the soft tissues of the body, particularly the heart and accelerated growth leading to tall stature. In most cases, acromegaly is caused by the growth of a benign tumor (adenoma), affecting the pituitary gland. The disease is obvious in those who have it. Hollywood actors which have had it, include the man who played “Lurch” in the 1990’s Addams Family Movies, wrestler Andre the Giant, and Richard Kiel ("Jaws"). In this movie, the disfigurement happens practically immediately, which is not realistic. The film is “ok” but nothing worth anyone’s interest. Comparison: The Pied Piper meets Of Unknown Origin |
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