March of Crime, The (1936)
** 1/2 (out of 4)
100% exploitation is this two-reel short that was either produced or directed by the one and only Dwain Esper (MANIAC). The documentary starts off warning parents to look for certain signs that might mean your child is a murderer or rapist in training. We then take a look at some real killers, cannibals, rapists and various other freaks of nature. The final portion of the film tells the story of John Dillinger. There's no question that this isn't a good movie but at the same time it remains interesting just as an alternate form of entertainment from the "golden age" of Hollywood. These films were certainly shown in low-rent theaters, just the type that would play stuff like MANIAC and REEFER MADNESS but that's what makes this so entertaining. People who would want to watch something like this were obviously not bothered by horror movies like THE BLACK CAT or THE RAVEN but instead wanted something real. This film shows a few graphic photos of dead people and shows one many who swallowed acid and turned into a mummy-like creature after his death. We even get autopsy photos of Dillinger. There's certainly nothing ground breaking here but it's an interesting piece of alternative cinema. I think fans of Espern's nut case film MANIAC will probably be the ones most entertained by this.
** 1/2 (out of 4)
100% exploitation is this two-reel short that was either produced or directed by the one and only Dwain Esper (MANIAC). The documentary starts off warning parents to look for certain signs that might mean your child is a murderer or rapist in training. We then take a look at some real killers, cannibals, rapists and various other freaks of nature. The final portion of the film tells the story of John Dillinger. There's no question that this isn't a good movie but at the same time it remains interesting just as an alternate form of entertainment from the "golden age" of Hollywood. These films were certainly shown in low-rent theaters, just the type that would play stuff like MANIAC and REEFER MADNESS but that's what makes this so entertaining. People who would want to watch something like this were obviously not bothered by horror movies like THE BLACK CAT or THE RAVEN but instead wanted something real. This film shows a few graphic photos of dead people and shows one many who swallowed acid and turned into a mummy-like creature after his death. We even get autopsy photos of Dillinger. There's certainly nothing ground breaking here but it's an interesting piece of alternative cinema. I think fans of Espern's nut case film MANIAC will probably be the ones most entertained by this.