RELEASE DATE: 1940
RATED: Approved In USA
REVIEWED BY: The DarkSider
Our tale of makeup gone bad (no not Tammy Fay Baker) begins with a written (uh oh) narrative about how there has been evil experiments going on in the city of Heathville. Matter of fact, right away we join the maddened Dr. Carruthers hard at work on one of those said experiments.
Carruthers is played by a post prime, pre-Ed Wood Bela Lugosi. The role is a standard evil scientist job that Lugosi pulls off with a very disappointing effort. Still, I have to admit I loved hearing him saying stuff like "I am vrworking on eh new shaving lotion".
Carruthers heads through one secret door...and another...and another to get himself a bat. He takes the bat through the secret door...and another...and one more back to his lab. So obviously this bat is a thing of secrets and mythology, but one has to wonder if one secret door was enough.
Moving on from this nonsense to some new nonsense, Carruthers slaps on a pair of goggles and hangs the bat in a room full of electrical thingga-maggigars. He throws a switch and a bunch of zapping, none of which happen remotely near the bat, starts to take place.
At first Carruthers seems sad but he immediately turns his frown upside down with the bat expands to it's new monstrous size. He brings a sample of a new shaving lotion he is working on to the bat and it starts to freak out. Perhaps the best part of the Carruthers/Devil Bat interactions is the fact they splice stock footage of a real bat's face here and there to mix with the horridly fake looking Devil Bat. This is interrupted with a phone call from cosmetic barons Morton and Heath. They invite Carruthers up to their house for a get together.
Carruthers is mad and Morton and Heath. Why, well aside from being a general poopy head, he once sold a formula to Morton and Heath for poppycock and is rather miffed about it. He agrees to come to the party but finds himself wrapped up in inner monologue first. Meanwhile the party group wonders whats taking him so long and one of the Heath boys, Roy, goes up to check on the doctor. Carruthers gives him a sample of his new shaving lotion. Mu hahahaha.
After much evil pondering, Carruthers sends out the Devil Bat by opening the secret room's window. This scene was rather confusing to me. You see, there is essentially only one Devil Bat in the secret room. Well maybe two or three "normal" bats to be fair. Still, around 5 of 6 bats fly out when the window is opened. Perhaps it is very noticeable because the movie literally repeats the scene several times throughout the film.
Oh well, the Devil Bat successfully tracks down Roy and nips him in the neck. The Heath's daughter Mary arrives on the scene first and everyone agree to contact the doctor. I have to stop here and examine the Dr. Carruthers character. I had to wonder exactly was his field of study was in the film. On one hand he is creating fabulous scents but on the other he is pronouncing Roy dead. I guess he is a jack of all medical and cosmetic trades.
Anyhow, seeing we don't have any unnecessary comic relief in the film, cue reporter Johnny Layton and his sidekick/photographer "One Shot" Mcguire. These two are assigned to investigate the Roy Heath murder. They start with the chief of police who secures the B-movie law enforcement rule that not more than 2 police officers shall be on duty at any given time.
Layton and McGuire visit Mary to get the lowdown on the situation. Dr. Carruthers stops by too and claims the bite marks on Roy's neck are from wild animals. Layton starts working on his Pulitzer Prize in reporting while McGuire screws off with the Heath�s French maid.
Meanwhile the second of the Heath sons, Tommy, heads up the hill to see the doctor for whatever reason. Once again Dr. Carruthers offers up his shaving lotion, which leads to predictable results. However this time Layton whips out his pistol and fires a few rounds at the Devil Bat. Why exactly a small town reporter was packing heat is beyond me but I guess it gives new meaning to the term "in depth reporting". With a reporter witness to the day�s events, the press goes crazy with the headlines;
Thomas Heath Falls Victim To Monster!
Who Will Be The Devil Bat�s Next Victim!
Devil Bat Rumored To Be The DarkSider�s Twin Brother!
Well McGuire starts on a quest to capture the Devil Bat on film. In a bit of comedy that just won't die peacefully, he sets up a fake bat for the photo. I have to admit the "fake" bat looked more convincing that the "real" bat. Anyhow, eventually a radio personality debunks McGuire's photo and the boys find themselves fired from the newspaper.
Reporter Kills Bat As It Seeks Victim!
Scientists Marvel At Huge Devil Bat!
The DarkSider To Release A Devil Bat Tribute Album!
Anyhow, Layton wins the "put two and two together" award by assuming the lotion has something to do with the Devil Bat. Meanwhile, Carruthers cooks himself up a new Devil Bat and sets up the big guy, Don Morton, as it's next target. Morton, who apparently never heard of not adding gasoline to fire, pretty much boasts to Carruthers how rich he is from his idea. He doesn't last long however and the headlines can tell you what happened;
Second Monster Bat Slays Heathville Man!
Village Terrorized As New Bat Appears!
The DarkSider And New Devil Bat Seen Drinking At Heathville Bar!
Layton traces the lotion back to Carruthers and puts forth the climax of the film. The doctor sets up Mary to be the next victim by tampering with one of her beauty products. Mary eludes the Devil Bat and Layton sets a plan in motion. He sets up Carruthers by convincing him to go outside at night. He splashes the doctor with the lotion and the Devil Bat turns on it's master. Mary almost gets taken out but Layton shoots down the second bat bringing the film to a thankful close
If anything, Devil Bat stands as a testament to the type of post prime roles Lugosi found himself starring in during the 40s and 50s. Big fans of the actor are going to look past the shoddy script of a film like Devil Bat to enjoy the lousy type of gigs he was taking in those later days. It is after all part of the legacy (both good and bad) the legendary actor left behind.
1.) Going Batty - The Devil Bat takes out its victims with a bite to the neck thanks to strong cologne. From the bat's reaction to the scent I imagine it was much worse smelling than those gold medallion-wearing guys you see in bars from time to time.
