THE BLACK CAT Turns 90 Today

Released on this day--7 May--in 1934, Edgar Ulmer's THE BLACK CAT. Promoted as based on the Edgar Allan Poe story of the same name, this was actually an original tale concocted by Ulmer and pulp writer Paul Cain, with Bela Lugosi as a traumatized World War I vet going up against an occultist played by Boris Karloff--a character based on Aleister Crowley--who betrayed their unit during the war, had Lugosi locked up in a prison-camp and stole Lugosi's wife and daughter. Made pre-Code, the movie has a devilishly ghoulish tone and sense of humor that would have prevented it from being released if it had been made after the Production Code was fully in effect.

This was the first of 6 Universal productions to team-up Lugosi and Karloff, who, after DRACULA and FRANKENSTEIN, had become horror superstars. The film was a big hit at the box-office, Universal's most successful movie that year and with Ulmer, seemed to signal the arrival of a major new talent. Unfortunately, Ulmer began an affair with the wife of the nephew of Universal studio chief Carl Laemmle, which--when she left her husband for Ulmer--resulted in his being blacklisted out of the majors. He spent most of the rest of his career on Poverty Row.

THE BLACK CAT's reputation, meanwhile, has only grown. It's regarded by many as one of the real high-points of Universal horror.