Struggling avantgarde sculptor Marcel De Lange (Martin Kosleck) is so poor, he can't even afford food for his cat. However, he is cheered by the prospect of selling a major sculpture to a wealthy collector.
When a pompous art critic (Alan Napier) sabotages the sale by trashing the piece and the artist in front of the prospective buyer, De Lange succumbs to despair. He wanders over to the waterfront with the intent of throwing himself in the river, but stops when he sees a figure trying to pull himself out of the water.
De Lange helps the water-logged man onto dry land and takes him back to his studio. The man has a face that even a mother would be hard-pressed to love, but to the sculptor, he is the perfect embodiment of a Neanderthal living in the present.
It turns out his new friend is the Creeper (Rondo Hatton), a serial killer who specializes in snapping the spines of his victims. Conveniently, the police think the Creeper is dead. De Lange now has inspiration for a sculpture that he is sure will be his masterpiece, as well as an amigo who is so grateful, he will do anything for De Lange -- including eliminating the artist's harshest critics. Soon, the creepy studio will turn into a House of Horrors.
| "Ours is a very fortunate alliance, my friend." |
PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
ARTIST'S MODEL/ASSISTANT
Name: The Creeper Date: 1946
Supervisor: Marcel De Lange
| Category | Unsatisfactory | Satisfactory | Excellent | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Work Productivity | X | As a modern Neanderthal, the Creeper is the inspiration for my greatest sculpture, and is also very handy in dealing with my critics. | ||
| Work Quality | X | The employee has the utmost patience sitting for me for hours at a time. As a handyman, he has spine-snapping down to a science -- one quick snap and he's out of there. | ||
| Communication/ Work Relationships | X | The Creeper is a man of few words, but a very good listener -- almost as good as my cat. | ||
| Initiative | X | The employee makes good use of shadows and dark alleyways, and gets the job done cleanly and quietly. | ||
| Dependability | X | The Creeper will do anything for me. He has already dispatched two of my worst critics, and I expect him to be just as efficient with that meddlesome reporter Joan Medford. |
Summary: Before the Creeper came into my life, I felt put upon. I was haunted constantly by the feeling that I was persecuted, helpless to fight back. But now I have a feeling of power... limitless power. No one shall stand in my way. Soon every critic will recognize my greatness.
This post first appeared on Films From Beyond The Time Barrier, please read the originial post: here
