The Man Who Changed His Mind [The Man Who Lived Again] *** (1936, Boris Karloff, Anna Lee, John Loder, Frank Cellier, Lyn Harding) – Classic Movie Review 10,833

Director Robert Stevenson’s 1936 black and white British science fiction horror film The Man Who Changed his Mind stars Boris Karloff and Anna Lee, is produced by Gainsborough Pictures and is also known as The Man Who Lived Again, and The Brainsnatcher, as well as Dr Maniac.

In this once enjoyably creepy but now equally enjoyably creaky and campy British chiller, Karloff commands the screen as he essays another of the long line of mad scientists he was so good at.

This time, as once-respectable scientist Dr Laurience, he researches the origins of the mind and soul in an isolated manor house, with the help of promising surgeon Clare Wyatt (Anna Lee), making discoveries in brain transference, and graduates from transplanting monkey brains to humans, replacing the mind of philanthropist Lord Haslewood (Frank Cellier) with the personality of his crippled confederate Clayton (Donald Calthrop).

The Man Who Changed his Mind is lustily done, and still quite a lot of fun, mainly thanks to the alluring Karloff’s enduring appeal.

Also in the cast are John Loder, Frank Cellier, Lyn Harding, Donald Calthrop, Cecil Parker, Clive Morton, Bryan Powley and D J Williams.

Anna Lee, who plays Dr Clare Wyatt, was then the wife of the director Robert Stevenson. They were married from 1934 to 1944.

The screenplay is by John L Balderston, L du Garde Peach and Sidney Gilliat.

The Man Who Changed His Mind [The Man Who Lived Again] is directed by Robert Stevenson, runs 66 minutes, is made by Gainsborough Pictures, is released by Gaumont British Distributors, is written by John L Balderston, L du Garde Peach and Sidney Gilliat, is shot in black and white by Jack E Cox, is produced by Michael Balcon, is scored by Hubert Bath and Louis Levy (musical director / composer: additional music) and designed by Alex Vetchinsky.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 10,833

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