Grip of the Strangler (The Haunted Strangler) Reviews
shitfaced8
Super Reviewer
August 31, 2011
Boris Karloff delivers a damn fine performance in this gripping gem of British Horror. First off it should be stated that Karloff was a genius. He could provoke more fear from the audience with as little as a weird facial expression, than all of modern cinemas most expensive CGI technology. Secondly it should be stated that the less you know about this movie before watching it the better. The description here pretty much gives the whole thing away, so I'm glad I didn't read it before before watching this. Lastly it should be stated that this is simply a great mystery story, that will keep its audience guessing throughout. It did remind me of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at times, but this had enough of its own thing going on, that it easily stands on its own, despite some minor similarities to other, better known horror stories. I'm surprised that so few people have seen this one, especially since it has been given the Criterion treatment. Either way I couldn't recommend this one enough to fans of the old school of horror.
November 11, 2012
A real grave-digging horror classic. A murderous psychopath is strangling and then stabbing various damsels in distress, all the while James Rankin takes it upon himself to play inspector and discover the true identity of the killer. Is there a serial killer on the loose, or are there much darker underlying presences hidden beneath the murky surface... such as possession?!
peter h.
October 16, 2011
October 2011
REVIEW #:011
THE HAUNTED STRANGLER/ THE GRIP OF A STRANGLER [1958]: This lesser known and underrated Boris Karloff starring horror-mystery film set in the late Victorian Era is one neat little film. The movie starts off in 1860 London where a sadistic strangler is hung, and then 20 years later in 1880 a Novelist (played by Karloff) researches into the case and discovers that an innocent man has been hung. The Novelist discovers the most likely culprit for the crime spree was the doctor that did the autopsies on both the victims and upon the strangler. When this new evidence comes to light again a new strangler appears and the killings start again. With a very good performance by Karloff and with moody Black & White cinematography THE GRIP OF A STRANGLER gets a solid 70% from me.
SPOOK-A-THON!
October 2011
REVIEW #:011
THE HAUNTED STRANGLER/ THE GRIP OF A STRANGLER [1958]: This lesser known and underrated Boris Karloff starring horror-mystery film set in the late Victorian Era is one neat little film. The movie starts off in 1860 London where a sadistic strangler is hung, and then 20 years later in 1880 a Novelist (played by Karloff) researches into the case and discovers that an innocent man has been hung. The Novelist discovers the most likely culprit for the crime spree was the doctor that did the autopsies on both the victims and upon the strangler. When this new evidence comes to light again a new strangler appears and the killings start again. With a very good performance by Karloff and with moody Black & White cinematography THE GRIP OF A STRANGLER gets a solid 70% from me.
Virus
December 21, 2007
This is more of a D-movie horror film. The main problem is that isn't scary at all and its just quite dull.
