The Jungle Captive

Moviecut—The Jungle Captive

Mercifully, this signifies the end of the "Ape Woman" movies by "Universal" studios. This is truly a poor movie, technically and from a narrative point of view. The already low budget has been reduced further - if such a thing is possible!

Paula the Ape Woman returns yet again(!) now played by Vicky Lane, who is unbelievably restored to life by another crazed scientist(Otto Kruger) who entraps both of his assistants Ann and Don(Amelita Ward and Don Brown) in his diabolical scheme, further helped by his hulking servant Moloch(Rondo Hatten) whose murderous inclinations bring on a police investigation leading right to them, and the hoped for end of this evil... Needless sequel is rock-bottom fare, indifferently directed by Harold Young. Acquanetta did not return and is missed, though given how poorly used a blank Vicky Lane is, it may be just as well. Poor Rondo Hatten is shamefully wasted here in generic role that he sleep walks through, and film is utterly pointless, contrived and absurd(how many mad scientists are in that area anyway?) lumbering on to its limp anti-climax,(though this was at least the end!)

For fans of Rondo Hatton, this's the one. He has more lines in THE JUNGLE CAPTIVE than in all the other films I've seen him in, combined. He handles what dialogue he's given well enough, and the fact that he falls for the heroine and eventually sacrifices himself to save her makes for an overall very satisfying performance. The writer(s?), however, could've done a bit better by Hatton by leaving out the put-downs leveled at him by his boss: "No offense, but, with a face like that..." or "You're better suited to be the suitor of the Ape Woman than the heroine..."- that kind of s---. Hatton would've made an interesting Hero, if you ask me. (The makeup for the title Captive is outstanding, by the way.)

Paula Dupree, (Vicky Lane), known as the Ape-Woman , has already been killed twice with overdose of tranquilizers. In the middle of the night, a huge, strikingly ugly man named Moloch the Brute (Rondo Hatton) is sent to collect the Ape-Woman's body for the local university; after a failed kidnapping, Paula's body is taken to a secluded mansion, where a mad scientist Dr. Stendahl (Otto Kruger), is working on a major research project of restoring life to dead bodies by blood transfusions and direct electric stimulation of the heart. This film is directed by Harold Young and you immediately know you are watching low budget horror. Not the greatest, but very comfortable to watch due to so many familiar faces. Rounding out the cast: Amelita Ward, Phil Brown, Jerome Cowan, Jack Overman and Ernie Adams.

"The Jungle Captive" is the third woman starring the Ape-woman, which is tough to imagine since the Ape-woman was killed at the end of the previous film, "Jungle Woman"! While this seems impossible, it turns out a mad scientist (Otto Kruger...andis there any other type in these films?!) has had his henchman, Moloch (Rondo Hatton) steal the corpse. What's he planning on doing with the corpse? Reviving it, of course...and if it means using another woman's blood and even brain, so be it...all in the name of science! Can the police find her in time before it's too late? Like all the horror movies of this time period, this isn't exactly a candidate for The Criterion Collection! But, despite being low-brow and silly, it IS entertaining. The film also has a few pluses...Kruger is excellent as the nutty scientist and it's nice to see cops who are NOT idiots (which is the usual cliche in thes movies). Worth seeing if you like the genre.