Name: Karloff, the Gentle Monster
Genre: Documentary, Short, Biography
Released: 2006-09-26
Duration: 38 min
Rating: 7
Cast: Gregory W. Mank, Richard Gordon, Steve Haberman

Karloff: The Gentle Monster (2006) 

*** 1/2 (out of 4) 

Gregory W. Mank, Kim Newman, Joe Dante and Richard Gordon are just some of the familiar faces on display in this very good documentary taking a look at Boris Karloff. The majority of the 38 minute running time is devoted to his Frankenstein monster performances with FRANKENSTEIN, BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN and SON OF FRANKENSTEIN. His rivalry with Bela Lugosi is discussed as well as his success on Broadway, TARGETS and THE BODY SNATCHER. If you're not overly familiar with Karloff then this is a very good documentary that will introduce you to some of his best movies. Fans of the legendary actor probably won't learn anything new here but the interviews are still a lot of fun. It's also worth noting that the majority of the time is devoted to his horror movies so it would be nice for a longer documentary that covered all aspects of his career.

The biography, or "biopic", is a genre that portrays the life story of a real person, often a notable individual or historical figure. They aim to provide a depiction of the subject's personal history, achievements, challenges, and impact on society.

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The documentary is a form of non-fiction storytelling that aims to present factual information, insights, and perspectives on real-world subjects, events, issues, or people. Documentaries can cover a wide range of topics, including history, science, culture, social issues, nature, biographies, and more.

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The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

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Film historians, and producer Richard Gordon, talk about the horror movie career of cult star Boris Karloff.

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Karloff, the Gentle Monster

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