Man Made Monster Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

Man Made Monster Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 19, 2019

After surviving a horrible accident where a bus slams into a power line, sideshow performer Dan (Lon Chaney, Jr.) is lucky to be alive, having built up an immunity to electricity due to his specialized act. Brought in for study by Dr. John (Samuel S. Hinds), Dan is soon claimed by Dr. Paul (Lionel Atwill), a mad scientist looking to experiment on Dan’s ease with electricity, creating a murderous monster along the way.

“Man-Made Monster” doesn’t have much in the way of budgetary power, but the production has scrappy appeal as director George Waggner tries to pull off a few visual tricks without the benefit of time and money. There’s the introductory bus accident, achieved with miniatures, and the eventual appearance of a glowing Dan, who burns with electricity thanks to Dr. Paul’s menacing experimentation. Again, these are crude effects, but effective for “Man-Made Monster,” which comes alive once Dan turns bright, transformed into a threat with a deadly touch. The rest of the endeavor isn’t quite as lively, dealing with conversations concerning science and journalism, but performances are enjoyable, finding Chaney, Jr. filling the lumbering, lit- up aggressor role with ease, while Atwill also plays to his strengths, communicating a more sinister sense of evil, as Dr. Paul slowly exposes his true vision for his patient’s physical alteration.

Man Made Monster Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation delivers an older scan of the sometimes strange visual experience of "Man-Made Monster." Detail struggles to come through, offering softer facial surfaces while exploring Dan's scientific decline and makeup effects. Clothing is flatter, and sets lose some dimension. Delineation isn't troublesome, preserving frame information. Source is a tad rough at times, with plenty of mild scratches, speckling, and some wobble.

Man Made Monster Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix provides a clear understanding of dialogues exchanges. It's not crisp, but intelligibility isn't threatened, delivering on conversations and more heated confrontations without distortion. Scoring cues are also active, secured with decent instrumentation. Hiss is present throughout the listening experience.

Man Made Monster Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features film historians Tom Weaver and Constantine Nasr.

• Image Gallery (1:53) collects film stills, publicity shots, poster art, and lobby cards.

• A Theatrical Trailer has not been included.

Man Made Monster Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Clocking in at 60 minutes, "Man-Made Monster" has some filler, which is surprising, but it does manage to lead somewhere, with the final act devoted to Dan's impossible existence, which leads him into legal entanglements and battles with civilians who don't quite understand the glowing creep coming their way. "Man-Made Monster" saves the best for last, wisely ending with a bang, but the overall endeavor is engaging enough, delivering some decent weird science to help amplify a killing spree.