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List of horror films of the 1940s

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A list of horror films released in the 1940s. After the success of Son of Frankenstein (1939), Universal horror caught a second wind and horror films continued to be produced at a feverish pace into the mid-1940s.[1] The early 1940s saw the debut of Lon Chaney Jr. and "The Wolf Man", both of which became fixtures in the Universal landscape. Meanwhile, Count Dracula and Frankenstein's monster appeared in numerous sequels, often together in what was colloquially called "monster rally" films.[2]

Hoping to present a viable alternative to the Universal juggernaut, RKO decided to embark on a series of its own horror films, starting with Cat People in 1942. Led by producer Val Lewton and director Jacques Tourneur, this critically acclaimed series focused less on visible horrors and more on the psychological aspects of fear.[3]

List

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Horror films released in the 1940s
Title Director Cast Country Notes
1940
The Ape William Nigh Boris Karloff, Maris Wrixon United States [4]
Before I Hang Nick Grinde Boris Karloff, Evelyn Keyes, Bruce Bennett United States [5]
Black Friday Arthur Lubin Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Stanley Ridges United States [6]
The Devil Bat Jean Yarbrough Bela Lugosi, Suzanne Kaaren, Dave O'Brien United States [7]
The Door with Seven Locks Norman Lee Leslie Banks, Lilli Palmer, Romilly Lunge United Kingdom [8]
Dr. Cyclops Ernest B. Schoedsack Albert Dekker, Thomas Coley, Janice Logan United States [9]
The Ghost Breakers George Marshall Bob Hope, Paulette Goddard, Willie Best, Richard Carlson United States [10]
The Invisible Man Returns Joe May Cedric Hardwicke, Vincent Price, Nan Grey United States [11]
Island of Doomed Men Charles Barton Peter Lorre, Rochelle Hudson, Robert Wilcox United States [12]
The Man with Nine Lives Nick Grinde Boris Karloff, Roger Pryor, Jo Ann Sayer, Stanley Brown United States [13]
The Mummy's Hand William Christy Cabanne Dick Foran, Peggy Moran, Wallace Ford United States [14]
Son of Ingagi Richard Kahn Zack Williams, Laura Bowman, Spencer Williams United States [15]
You'll Find Out David Butler Kay Kyser, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi United States [16]
1941
The Black Cat Albert Rogell Basil Rathbone, Hugh Herbert, Broderick Crawford, Bela Lugosi, Gale Sondergaard United States [17]
The Devil Commands Edward Dmytryk Boris Karloff, Richard Fiske, Amanda Duff United States [18]
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Victor Fleming Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman, Lana Turner United States [19]
The Face Behind the Mask Robert Florey Peter Lorre, Evelyn Keyes, Don Beddoe United States [20]
Horror Island George Waggner Dick Foran, Leo Carrillo, Peggy Moran United States [21]
Invisible Ghost Joseph H. Lewis Bela Lugosi, Polly Ann Young, John McGuire United States [22]
King of the Zombies Jean Yarbrough Joan Woodbury, Dick Purcell, Mantan Moreland United States [23]
Man Made Monster George Waggner Lionel Atwill, Lon Chaney Jr., Anne Nagel United States [24]
The Monster and the Girl Stuart Heisler Ellen Drew, Robert Paige, Paul Lukas United States [25]
Spooks Run Wild Phil Rosen Bela Lugosi, Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Bobby Jordan United States [26]
The Wolf Man George Waggner Lon Chaney Jr., Warren William, Claude Rains, Ralph Bellamy, Evelyn Ankers United States [27]
1942
The Boogie Man Will Get You Lew Landers Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre, Jeff Donnell United States [28]
Cat People Jacques Tourneur Simone Simon, Kent Smith, Tom Conway, Jane Randolph United States [29]
The Corpse Vanishes Wallace W. Fox Bela Lugosi, Luana Walters, Tristram Coffin United States [30]
Dr. Renault's Secret Harry Lachman J. Carrol Naish, John Shepperd, Lynne Roberts, George Zucco United States [31]
The Ghost of Frankenstein Erle C. Kenton Lon Chaney Jr., Cedric Hardwicke, Ralph Bellamy, Lionel Atwill, Bela Lugosi United States [32]
A Light in the Window Manuel Romero Narciso Ibáñez Menta, Irma Córdoba and Juan Carlos Thorry Argentina [33]
The Mad Doctor of Market Street Joseph H. Lewis Una Merkel, Lionel Atwill, Nat Pendleton United States [34]
The Mad Monster Sam Newfield Johnny Downs, George Zucco, Anne Nagel United States [35]
The Mummy's Tomb Harold Young Lon Chaney Jr., Dick Foran, Elyse Knox, Turhan Bey United States [36]
Night Monster Ford I. Beebe Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill, Irene Hervey, Ralph Morgan United States [37]
The Undying Monster John Brahm James Ellison, Heather Angel, John Howard, Bramwell Fletcher United States [38]
1943
The Ape Man William Beaudine Bela Lugosi, Wallace Ford, Louise Currie, Minerva Urecal United States [39]
Captive Wild Woman Edward Dmytryk Evelyn Ankers, Acquanetta, John Carradine United States [40]
Carnival of Sinners Maurice Tourneur Antoine Balpêtré, Pierre Fresnay, André Bacque France [41]
Dead Men Walk Sam Newfield George Zucco, Mary Carlisle, Ned Young, Dwight Frye United States [42]
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man Roy William Neill Lon Chaney Jr., Ilona Massey, Patric Knowles, Lionel Atwill, Bela Lugosi United States [43]
I Walked with a Zombie Jacques Tourneur Tom Conway, Frances Dee, James Ellison, Edith Barrett United States [44]
The Leopard Man Jacques Tourneur Dennis O'Keefe, Margo, Jean Brooks United States [45]
The Mad Ghoul James Hogan David Bruce, Evelyn Ankers, George Zucco, Robert Armstrong United States [46]
The Mysterious Doctor Ben Stoloff John Loder, Eleanor Parker, Lester Matthews United States [47]
The Return of the Vampire Lew Landers Bela Lugosi, Frieda Inescort, Nina Foch, Roland Varno United States [48][49]
Revenge of the Zombies Steve Sekely John Carradine, Robert Lowery, Gale Storm, Veda Ann Borg United States [50]
The Seventh Victim Mark Robson Kim Hunter, Tom Conway, Isabel Jewell United States [51]
Son of Dracula Robert Siodmak Lon Chaney Jr., Robert Paige, Louise Allbritton, Evelyn Ankers United States [52]
1944
The Climax George Waggner Boris Karloff, Susanna Foster, Turhan Bey United States [53]
Crazy Knights William Beaudine Billy Gilbert, Maxie Rosenbloom, Shemp Howard United States [54]
Cry of the Werewolf Henry Levin Nina Foch, Stephen Crane, Osa Massen United States [55]
The Ghost Catchers Edward F. Cline Ole Olsen, Chic Johnson, Gloria Jean United States [56]
House of Frankenstein Erle C. Kenton Boris Karloff, J. Carrol Naish, Lon Chaney Jr., John Carradine United States [57]
The Invisible Man's Revenge Ford Beebe Jon Hall, Leon Errol, John Carradine United States [58]
Jungle Woman Reginald Le Borg Acquanetta, Evelyn Ankers, J. Carrol Naish, Samuel S. Hinds United States [59]
The Lady and the Monster George Sherman Vera Ralston, Richard Arlen, Mary Nash, Sidney Blackmer United States [60]
The Man in Half Moon Street Ralph Murphy Nils Asther, Helen Walker United States [61]
The Monster Maker Sam Newfield J. Carrol Naish, Ralph Morgan, Tala Birell United States [62]
The Mummy's Curse Leslie Goodwins Lon Chaney Jr., Peter Coe, Virginia Christine United States [63]
The Mummy's Ghost Reginald Le Borg Lon Chaney Jr., John Carradine, Ramsay Ames, Robert Lowery United States [64]
Return of the Ape Man Phil Rosen Bela Lugosi, John Carradine, George Zucco United States [65]
The Tower of the Seven Hunchbacks Edgar Neville Antonio Casal, Isabel de Pomés Spain [66]
The Soul of a Monster Will Jason Rose Hobart, George Macready, Jim Bannon, Jeanne Bates, Erik Rolf United States [67]
The Uninvited Lewis Allen Ray Milland, Gail Russell, Ruth Hussey United States [68]
Voodoo Man William Beaudine Bela Lugosi, John Carradine, George Zucco United States [69]
Weird Woman Reginald Le Borg Lon Chaney Jr., Anne Gwynne, Evelyn Ankers United States [70]
1945
La Fiancée des ténèbres Serge de Poligny Pierre Richard-Willm, Jany Holt France [71]
Dead of Night Alberto Cavalcanti, Charles Crichton, Basil Dearden, Robert Hamer Mervyn Johns, Michael Redgrave, Sally Ann Howes, Mary Merrall United Kingdom [72]
Fog Island Terry O. Morse George Zucco, Lionel Atwill, Jerome Cowan United States [73]
Hangover Square John Brahm Laird Cregar, Linda Darnell, George Sanders United States [74]
House of Dracula Erle C. Kenton Lon Chaney Jr., John Carradine, Martha O'Driscoll, Lionel Atwill United States [75]
Isle of the Dead Mark Robson Boris Karloff, Ellen Drew, Marc Cramer, Katherine Emery United States [76]
The Jungle Captive Harold Young Otto Kruger, Amelita Ward, Phil Brown United States [77]
The Picture of Dorian Gray Albert Lewin George Sanders, Hurd Hatfield, Donna Reed United States Supernatural horror film[78]
The Vampire's Ghost Lesley Selander John Abbott, Charles Gordon, Peggy Stewart United States [79]
Zombies on Broadway Gordon Douglas Alan Carney, Bela Lugosi, Wally Brown United States [80]
1946
The Beast with Five Fingers Robert Florey Robert Alda, Andrea King, Peter Lorre United States [81]
The Cat Creeps Erle C. Kenton Fred Brady, Lois Collier, Paul Kelly United States [82]
The Catman of Paris Lesley Selander Carl Esmond, Lenore Aubert, Adele Mara United States [83]
The Devil Bat's Daughter Frank Wisbar Rosemary La Planche, John James, Michael Hale United States [84]
The Face of Marble William Beaudine John Carradine, Claudia Drake, Robert Shayne United States [85]
The Flying Serpent Sherman Scott George Zucco, Ralph Lewis, Hope Kramer United States [86]
House of Horrors Jean Yarbrough Robert Lowery, Martin Kosleck, Rondo Hatton United States [87]
The Mask of Diijon Lew Landers Erich Von Stroheim, Jeanne Bates, William Wright United States [88]
She-Wolf of London Jean Yarbrough Don Porter, June Lockhart, Sara Haden United States [89]
The Spider Woman Strikes Back Arthur Lubin Brenda Joyce, Gale Sondergaard, Kirby Grant United States [90]
Strangler of the Swamp Frank Wisbar Rosemary La Planche, Robert Barrat, Blake Edwards United States [91]
Valley of the Zombies Philip Ford Robert Livingston, Adrian Booth, Ian Keith United States [92]
1948
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein Charles Barton Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Lon Chaney Jr. United States [93]
The Amazing Mr. X Bernard Vorhaus Turhan Bey, Lynn Bari, Cathy O'Donnell United States [94]
The Creeper Jean Yarbrough Eduardo Ciannelli, Onslow Stevens, June Vincent United States [95]
1949
Mahal Kamal Amrohi Ashok Kumar, Madhubala India Romantic horror[96]
New Version of the Ghost of Yotsuya Keisuke Kinoshita Kinuyo Tanaka, Ken Uehara, Hisako Yamane Japan [97]

See also

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References

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Citations

[edit]
  1. ^ Worland 2007, p. 69.
  2. ^ Hardy 1995, p. 74.
  3. ^ Worland 2007, p. 73.
  4. ^ Binion, Cavett. "The Ape". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  5. ^ Erickson, Hal. "Before I Hang". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  6. ^ Erickson, Hal. "Black Friday". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  7. ^ Binion, Cavett. "The Devil Bat". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  8. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Door with Seven Locks". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  9. ^ Binion, Cavett. "Dr. Cyclops". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  10. ^ Hardy 1995, p. 75.
  11. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Invisible Man Returns". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  12. ^ Erickson, Hal. "Island of Doomed Men". Allmovie. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  13. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Man with Nine Lives". Allmovie. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  14. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Mummy's Hand". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  15. ^ Brennan, Sandra. "Son of Ingagi". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  16. ^ Erickson, Hal. "You'll Find Out". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  17. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Black Cat". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  18. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Devil Commands". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  19. ^ Butler, Craig. "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – Review". Allmovie. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
  20. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Face Behind the Mask". Allmovie. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  21. ^ Brennan, Sandra. "Horror Island". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  22. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Invisible Ghost". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  23. ^ Brennan, Sandra. "King of the Zombies". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  24. ^ Erickson, Hal. "Man Made Monster". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  25. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Monster and the Girl". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  26. ^ Wollstein, Hans J. "Spooks Run Wild". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  27. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Wolf Man". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  28. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Boogie Man Will Get You". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  29. ^ Erickson, Hal. "Cat People". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  30. ^ Wollstein, Hans J. "The Corpse Vanishes". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  31. ^ Brennan, Sandra. "Dr. Renault's Secret". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  32. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Ghost of Frankenstein". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  33. ^ Rist, Peter H. Historical Dictionary of South American Cinema. Rowman & Littlefield, 2014, pp. 324
  34. ^ Brennan, Sandra. "The Mad Doctor of Market Street". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  35. ^ Wollstein, Hans J. "The Mad Monster". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  36. ^ Wollstein, Hans J. "The Mummy's Tomb". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  37. ^ Huey, Steve. "Night Monster". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  38. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Undying Monster". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  39. ^ Binion, Cavett. "The Ape Man". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  40. ^ Wollstein, Hans J. "Captive Wild Woman". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  41. ^ Erickson, Hal. "La Main du Diable". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  42. ^ Binion, Cavett. "Dead Men Walk". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  43. ^ Erickson, Hal. "Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  44. ^ Erickson, Hal. "I Walked with a Zombie". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  45. ^ "The Leopard Man (1943) - Jacques Tourneur | Synopsis, Movie Info, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie".
  46. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Mad Ghoul". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  47. ^ Hardy 1995, p. 83.
  48. ^ Prince 2004, p. 77.
  49. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Return of the Vampire". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  50. ^ Erickson, Hal. "Revenge of the Zombies". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  51. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Seventh Victim". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  52. ^ Erickson, Hal. "Son of Dracula". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  53. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Climax". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  54. ^ Hardy 1995, p. 84.
  55. ^ Wollstein, Hans J. "Cry of the Werewolf". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  56. ^ Hardy 1995, p. 85.
  57. ^ Erickson, Hal. "House of Frankenstein". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  58. ^ "The Invisible Man's Revenge (1944)". American Film Institute. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  59. ^ Binion, Cavett. "Jungle Woman". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  60. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Lady and the Monster". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  61. ^ Hardy 1995, pp. 85–6.
  62. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Monster Maker". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  63. ^ Binion, Cavett. "The Mummy's Curse". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  64. ^ Wollstein, Hans J. "The Mummy's Ghost". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  65. ^ Brennan, Sandra. "Return of the Ape Man". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  66. ^ Hardy 1995, pp. 86–7.
  67. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Soul of a Monster". Allmovie. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  68. ^ Hardy 1995, p. 87.
  69. ^ Erickson, Hal. "Voodoo Man". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  70. ^ Wollstein, Hans J. "Weird Woman". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  71. ^ Blaise, Judd. "La Fiancee Des Tenebres". Allmovie. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  72. ^ Blaise, Judd. "Dead of Night". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  73. ^ Binion, Cavett. "Fog Island". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  74. ^ Erickson, Hal. "Hangover Square". Allmovie. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  75. ^ Erickson, Hal. "House of Dracula". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  76. ^ Wollstein, Hans J. "Isle of the Dead". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  77. ^ Binion, Cavett. "Jungle Captive". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  78. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Picture of Dorian Gray". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  79. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Vampire's Ghost". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  80. ^ Hallenbeck 2009, pp. 46–47.
  81. ^ Blaise, Judd. "The Beast with Five Fingers". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  82. ^ Hardy 1995, p. 91.
  83. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Catman of Paris". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  84. ^ Brennan, Sandra. "The Devil Bat's Daughter". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  85. ^ Brennan, Sandra. "The Face of Marble". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  86. ^ Binion, Cavett. "The Flying Serpent". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  87. ^ Binion, Cavett. "House of Horrors". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  88. ^ Hobart, Tana. "The Mask of Diijon". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  89. ^ Erlewine, Iotis. "She-Wolf of London". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  90. ^ Hardy 1995, p. 93.
  91. ^ Hardy 1995, p. 94.
  92. ^ Erickson, Hal. "Valley of the Zombies". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  93. ^ Erickson, Hal. "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  94. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Amazing Mr. X". Allmovie. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  95. ^ Erickson, Hal. "The Creeper". Allmovie. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  96. ^ Michael Blyth Updated: 22 May 2015 (May 22, 2015). "10 great romantic horror films". BFI. Retrieved March 30, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  97. ^ Hardy 1995, p. 95.

Bibliography

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