Torture Ship

Torture Ship is a 1939 American film directed by Victor Halperin.

Torture Ship
Directed byVictor Halperin
Screenplay by
Based on"A Thousand Deaths"
by Jack London
Starring
CinematographyJack Greenhalgh[1]
Edited byHolbrook Todd[1]
Production
company
Producers Distributing Corp.[1]
Distributed byProducers Distributing Corp.
Release date
  • 22 October 1939 (1939-10-22)
CountryUnited States[1]

Plot summary

A mad scientist performs experiments on "the criminal mind" on captured criminals on board his private ship.

Cast

Production

The film is based on the short story "A Thousand Deaths" by Jack London originally published in Black Cat Magazine in May 1899.[1] By the end of the first week of August 1939, George Sayre and Harvey Huntley completed the script for Torture Ship and the film was scheduled to start on August 14 but was held back. [2] The film was then set to be filmed by the last week of August but no cast was assembled for the film. [2] The cast was only announced in September with John Miller originally set to play Jesse thought Skelton Knaggs appears in the final film. [2]

Release

Torture Ship was distributed by Producers Distributing Corp. on 22 October 1939.[1]

Reception

From contemporary reviews, "Herb." of Variety noted the acting in the film stating "there can be no quarrel with the acting of the princpals" but that Torture Ship was a "quickie action thriller that misses fire [sic] all the way on its possibilities" and that the film "has so many unreasonable and unexplainable points that it will annoy even the most jueve-minded [sic]"[3] The Film Daily also praised the film's acting while finding Halperin's direction as "O.K." while declaring the film "has enough punch and drama to satisfy the nabe trade."[3]

References
  1. "Torture Ship". American Film Institute. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  2. Rhodes 2006, p. 238.
  3. Rhodes 2006, p. 239.

Sources
  • Rhodes, Gary D. (2006). White Zombie: Anatomy of a Horror Film. McFarland. ISBN 0786427620.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)


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