The Devil Bat (1940)

Admirable film.

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Director: JEAN YARBOROUGH (sic in credit titles). Screenplay: John Thomas Neville. Story: George Bricker. Photography: Arthur Martinelli. Release prints processed in sepia. Film editor: Holbrook N. Todd. Art director: Paul Palmentola. Music director: David Chudnow. Production manager: Melville De Lay. Sound engineer: Farrell Redd. RCA Sound System. Associate producer: Guy V. Thayer jr. Producers: Jack Gallagher, Sigmund Neufeld.Copyright 17 December 1940 by Producers Releasing Corp. U.S. release: 13 December 1941 (sic). Opened in New York, but not reviewed by The New York Times. Australian release through Hoyts: 17 May 1945 (sic). 7 reels. 6,260 feet. 69 minutes.Alternative title: Killer Bats.SYNOPSIS: Crazy scientist nurtures a giant bat in his secret laboratory.NOTES: Directorial debut (for features) of former prop man, Jean Yarbrough.COMMENT: The new DVD version in which the original sepia tones are accurately reproduced is infinitely more watchable than the old black-and-white prints that surface from time to time on late-night television. True, the inert dummy that does duty for the comatose giant bat is as tacky as ever, but the sets are reasonably impressive, whilst the players, led by over-zealous Bela Lugosi, personable hero Dave O'Brien, lovely Suzanne Kaaren and the talented Yolande Dolan (here masquerading as Yolande Mallott), do their level best to keep the silly plot pacing along, despite Yarbrough's somewhat static direction.

In The Devil Bat, Bela Lugosi plays a kindly old doctor who's conducting some nasty experiments, raising huge bats and turning them into killers with a scent.Turns out old Doc Lugosi was done out of millions by a pair of partners who made their fortune with the profits from his experiments. But he's going to get them because he's developed a special aftershave which if you put it on might not help you with the ladies, but those bats will tear you to pieces because the stuff drives them wild. Of course there's also a perfume developed for the women.Reporter Dave O'Brien who was also busy doing B westerns for PRC took time off to be the hero in this cheesy epic. He cracks the case and wins the girl who now is the only heir to the company. That worked out nice for O'Brien.Poor Bela, he had a knack for picking these things. This one's a couple of steps from Ed Wood.

Out of the "poverty row" productions that star Bela Lugosi made during this period, the diverting "The Devil Bat" is considered to be one of his most notorious - and it's a certainly fun one, although that has a lot to do with Bela himself, who gives his all as usual. The premise makes for agreeably goofy entertainment; direction (by Jean Yarbrough), script (by John T. Neville), and acting are all basically adequate.Bela plays Dr. Carruthers, the beloved and supposedly benevolent doctor in the employ of a cosmetics company in a small town. He's actually quite disgruntled because he hasn't been sufficiently rewarded for his special formula (although this is largely his own fault because of a choice he made). Now he breeds bats in his private laboratory, grows them to a large size, and trains them to savagely attack any person unlucky enough to dab on his super duper "experimental" shaving lotion. A reporter, Johnny Layton (Dave O'Brien), attempts to solve the mystery."The Devil Bat" is much more amusing than scary, but it's so damn amusing that it's a hoot to watch. Bela looks to be enjoying himself in the lead. The ladies present are attractive: Suzanne Kaaren as Mary Heath, and Yolande Donlan as French accented maid Maxine. O'Brien is likable as the reporter who's not as pushy or obnoxious as some reporter characters from this time period. Donald Kerr adds silly comedy relief as his goof ball photographer / sidekick "One-Shot" McGuire. Adding to the appeal is the way the movie cuts from obviously phony prop bats in wide shots to close ups of real bats. And it's nice to see some of the trappings from the horror films of the time, such as the obligatory laboratory equipment and the secret passageways.This is the kind of thing that gets high marks for entertainment value, if not quality.Seven out of 10.

I don't have any pretensions of diluting my good senses to call 'The Devil Bat' a good movie because it really isn't. It is a really stupid and poorly conceived thriller which shows the general bottom of the barrel production values and directing in every shot. It stars the great Bela Lugosi in a great performance and I very much say that without any reservations or irony intended. Bela Lugosi is absolutely terrific here because he takes this ridiculous material with all the sincerity in the world. It takes a special kind of actor that is willing to treat crap like Shakespeare and unfortunately for Bela he was forced to do this a great many times. 'The Devil Bat' is a bad movie but it is a brilliant bad movie propped up by Lugosi and a plot so stupid that it actually kind of transcends it's stupidity and is enjoyable through the scope of Lugosi's performance. I was never bored watching 'The Devil Bat' and I often quite enjoyed it's campiness and that is the best compliment you can give a film like this. Of course what separates this from forgotten poverty row thrillers is Bela Lugosi, the tragic horror super star who experienced brilliant highs and agonizing lows in his career. 'The Devil Bat' is not as bad as some of the other pictures he made. I recommend this over the Ed Wood pictures though because it is a good performance and a much more watchable film that flows much smoother. I imagine people going into 'Plan 9', 'Bride of the Monster', or 'Glen or Glenda' wanted something more like 'The Devil Bat' which indulges in the fact that it stars Bela Lugosi. Lugosi is 'exploited'(take it in what connotation you want) for all he is worth. Essentially Lugosi is doing a horror film commercial for after shave and it is very fun to see him deliver on this goofy premise. Lugosi has a perfect mix between the sinister intentions of the character and a goof ball salesman. It is a hoot seeing him hawk his product with the oblivious customers because they are usually horrible actors and because Lugosi out acts them. I had a great time with his performance and I think anyone drawn to the film because they are Lugosi fans will too.There isn't really anything else to talk about here. The script is dumb, the production values are laughable, and the acting aside from Lugosi is unwatchable(I wish there was a version of the film with the non-Lugosi scenes edited out). I recommend the film to anyone who is a Lugosi fans and has that occasional wish to enjoy something they know is terrible.