“It must succeed this time Nicholas, it must.”
Nicholas (George Zucco) has a gas station out in the boonies. Whenever a single woman stops for directions he sends them to a spot where they are kidnapped. He is helping Dr. Richard Marlowe (Bela Lugosi). Marlowe uses the women in a voodoo ceremony. He hypnotizes them. He is trying to capture their essence to transfer it to his zombie wife. Toby (John Carradine) and Grego (Pat McKee) are his minions.
Ralph Dawson (Tod Andrews) is on his way to his wedding to Betty Benton (Wanda McKay) when he runs out of gas. He is given a ride by Stella Saunders (Louise Currie). Stella happens to be Betty’s cousin and the maid-of-honor. Stella had previously stopped at Nicholas’s gas station for directions and was sent on a detour instead. When the car breaks down Ralph goes to a near-by house looking for help. He gets none. When he gets back Stella is gone. Thinking she left him in the lurch as a joke he walks on. When he finally gets to the inn where he is to get married he finds that Stella never made it there. Concerned he and Betty go to the sheriff.
Zombified Stella walks away from Marlowe’s place when Toby leaves her door open by mistake. The sheriff finds her and brings her to Ralph and Betty. Dr. Marlow shows up to look at Stella and see if he can help her. After he leaves he uses his mind techniques to call Stella back to him. Ralph and Betty go to Dr. Marlowe’s house to talk to him about Stella’s condition. When Marlowe sees Betty he thinks that she may be the perfect subject to bring his wife back from the dead.
“Voodoo Man” was released in 1944 and was directed by William Beaudine. The movie was produced by Sam Katzman and distributed by Monogram Pictures. It’s a low budget “B” poverty row movie and it is only about 62 minutes long. Lugosi did nine pictures for Monogram, all during a four year period. “Voodoo Man” was shot in seven days beginning October 16 1943. It was the last of Bela Lugosi's nine Monogram features, but released four months prior to the eighth, “Return of the Ape Man“(1944).
Even though it stars Bela Lugosi, George Zucco and John Carradine it’s really kinda silly. But it’s quick. Probably a little too quick. It could have done with a little fleshing out in parts. John Carradine does a great job at being icky. A wanna-be rapist except for the fact that his master would beat him; he’s still willing to take a chance or two. George Zucco is the most bizarre gas station attendant and the dopiest voodoo conjurer. Especially when he and Lugosi wear those matching sorcerer’s apprentice outfits. To top it all off is his feather headdress. All the rage for an impromptu voodoo ceremony.
Not an especially good movie, but not horrible. The same as with many of the Monogram movies. It’s entertaining but not overly so. It good if you’re a fan of any of the three big guys in it.