Strangler of the Swamp (1946)

Very Cool!!!

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

After several strange deaths, members of a swampland community come to believe that they are being stalked by the spirit of Ferryman Douglas (Charles 'Ming the Merciless' Middleton), who was wrongfully hanged for murder.Even the children aren't safe from the ghostly strangler's grip, with the latest ferryman's granddaughter, Maria (Rosemary La Planche), and her beau Christian (Blake Edwards, who would go on to greater success as a director) also targeted by the resentful spook.Regarded by many as one of the best films to come from poverty row production company PRC, Strangler of the Swamp is certainly a very atmospheric effort, director Frank Wisbar creating a palpable sense of foreboding with his creepy swamp setting, which is perpetually shrouded in swirling fog and ominous shadows.The story itself is nothing special-a fairly routine tale of revenge from beyond the grave-and the acting is perfunctory, but the atmosphere alone is enough to make Strangler of the Swamp an effective little chiller. A suitably poetic finale sees Maria offering to sacrifice herself to save the life of Christian; satisfied with this selfless gesture, the ghost disappears into the swamp for good.

Poverty Row cheapie that's much better than its modest production would suggest. There's been a series of murders by strangulation in the swamp. The superstitious locals believe it's the ghost of an innocent man they hanged seeking revenge. The hanged man's granddaughter shows up, looking to take over her grandfather's ferry business. She soon falls in love with a young man who happens to be the son of one of her grandfather's killers. Gramps won't like that!Lots of foggy atmosphere, a nice cast, and some neat special effects elevate this PRC chiller above most of the other Poverty Row films of the time. The cast includes vets Robert Barratt and Charles Middleton. Future director Blake Edwards and former Miss America Rosemary LaPlanche play the young lovers. Some genuinely creepy moments in this one. Probably the best PRC film I've seen.

It's really a pity more people haven't seen this little number from PRC - it has a tight story, good acting, amazing atmosphere, just everything so many of their features lack. The joke was, and in some cases remains, that PRC stood for Pretty Rank Crap (actually Producers Releasing Corporation). They kept Bela Lugosi from going hungry and delivered quite a list of entertainingly awful crud - I mean, they made Monogram look like MGM! Generally considered the studio where name actors went to pick up enough cash to pay off their bar tabs (which explains the presence of otherwise outstanding actors like J. Carroll Naish, John Carradine and George Zucco), by the law of averages, they were bound to hit the mark, once in a great while.And here, they do. Despite, or perhaps because of the obvious sound-stage set, the film has an atmosphere of unreality, a similar effect attained in "City of the Dead" (1960) by the same means. Both films have an almost Lovecraftian sense of foreboding. The core of the film's success can be attributed to the "Strangler" himself, character actor Charles Middleton, perhaps most known for his turns as Ming the Merciless in the "Flash Gordon" serials and his menace of Laurel & Hardy in several of their shorts and features.Please understand - "Strangler from the Swamp" is never going to give Hitchcock or the Val Lewton horror pictures a run for their money, but all in all, it is still a very satisfying film.And yes, that Blake Edwards is THAT Blake Edwards!

Strangler of the Swamp is a surprisingly nice little poverty row thriller from PRC. While many of today's horror fans would find little to frighten, it's a wonderful example of creating atmosphere on a VERY limited budget.The movie concerns the ghost of a ferryman, seeking revenge for being unjustly hanged. He's out to get those who 'done him wrong'. My biggest problem with the story is that it gets away from the spooky swamp too often in favor of a love story. Had the movie concentrated more on the Strangler and the creepy swamp and less on the love story, Strangler of the Swamp would have been much better. The direction of Frank Wisbar is tight and he gets the most out of the limited funding he was given. One final note, the movie stars Blake Edwards (of Pink Panther fame) in an early role.Not the best, but better than many of the films PRC was cranking out in the 40s.