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No consensus yet.
All Critics (18) | Top Critics (3) | Fresh (16) | Rotten (2)
Nicholas Musaraca's excellent cinematography contributes a number of fine effects, and there's a strange and witty aside on the invention of movies. Nov 14, 2007 | Full Review…
Nicholas Musaraca's excellent cinematography contributes a number of fine effects, and there's a strange and witty aside on the invention of movies.
Dave Kehr
While the film has a tendency to wander into unadulterated Hollywoodisms in spots, it is a generally straight-forward and imaginative estimate of a two-century-old sociological theme. Mar 25, 2006 | Full Review…
While the film has a tendency to wander into unadulterated Hollywoodisms in spots, it is a generally straight-forward and imaginative estimate of a two-century-old sociological theme.
Bosley Crowther
Robson's notably unpoetic direction doesn't help, either; yet few Hollywood films ever had such ambition. Jan 26, 2006 | Full Review…
Robson's notably unpoetic direction doesn't help, either; yet few Hollywood films ever had such ambition.
Tony Rayns
Was there ever a star who played sadistic men with as much relish as Boris Karloff? Oct 17, 2016 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
Was there ever a star who played sadistic men with as much relish as Boris Karloff?
Robert Sellers
Why the Brits banned this creepily effective Boris Karloff thriller for fifty years is unclear. Jan 17, 2016 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…
Why the Brits banned this creepily effective Boris Karloff thriller for fifty years is unclear.
David N. Butterworth
A weak end to a great career [for producer Val Lewton], but not, in and of itself, a bad movie. Nov 4, 2012 | Rating: 7/10 | Full Review…
A weak end to a great career [for producer Val Lewton], but not, in and of itself, a bad movie.
Tim Brayton
Lewton had something to say. Perhaps inevitably, he found less interesting ways of saying it over the course of nine films in a short four years. Oct 22, 2009 | Rating: 1.5/4 | Full Review…
Lewton had something to say. Perhaps inevitably, he found less interesting ways of saying it over the course of nine films in a short four years.
Walter Chaw
The feminist-political fable is couched in absorbing grey zones Sep 5, 2009 | Full Review…
The feminist-political fable is couched in absorbing grey zones
Fernando F. Croce
Another strong chiller from brilliant producer Val Lewton. Nov 14, 2007 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
Another strong chiller from brilliant producer Val Lewton.
As a sociological tract it's right on the money, as a psychological thriller it wanders at times too far away from the money. Oct 31, 2006 | Rating: B- | Full Review…
As a sociological tract it's right on the money, as a psychological thriller it wanders at times too far away from the money.
Dennis Schwartz
Notable only for a nuanced performance by Boris Karloff. Sep 30, 2006 | Rating: 2.5/5 | Full Review…
Notable only for a nuanced performance by Boris Karloff.
Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
A fine feature in the Val Lewton series for RKO is not so much a horror film, though it does contain one of Karloff's more deliciously sadistic performances. Feb 6, 2006 | Rating: 3/5
A fine feature in the Val Lewton series for RKO is not so much a horror film, though it does contain one of Karloff's more deliciously sadistic performances.
Bob Bloom
an interesting film, more a gothic costume drama than horror and producer val lewton's last film for rko. the story takes place in st mary bethlehem in london, a notorious madhouse. in the 18th century people were allowed to visit 'the loonies' as they were known and the hospital was a popular tourist attraction. anna lee plays an opinionated woman who objects to boris karloff's treatment of his patients and ends by being committed herself. the story was inspired by william hogarth's paintings of bedlam in the rake's progress and some of his works are used in the film. altho not nearly as lurid as it could have been it was banned in britain for many years. conditions for the mentally ill improved in the following century due to the efforts of the quakers and reaction to the madness of king george III
Super Reviewer
A very poor story executed decently. Tries to be a horror film at times and tries to be a politcal statement at times, while shoehorning in a love story. It fails at becoming any of these, but it does have some pretty decent scenes - mostly the ones with Karloff (of course).
Although it sounds like a good story, it isn't such a good movie. The only good actor is Karloff, and the movie is somewhat strange and somewhat boring.
Bedlam isn't the traditional Val Lewton flick, heavy on style and atmosphere to carry a bare bones script. Bedlam is more of a movie that showcases the past ills of society so they're never repeated. It's basically an Upton Sinclair treatment for mental institutions with Boris Karloff as the rotten warden of the asylum. The first half of Bedlam is pretty damn dull but once Anna Lee's character gets committed things pick up slightly. Don't expect much temperamental beauty once inside; just a few mildly entertaining characters. Bring a book...
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