Kreating Karloff (DVD)

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Kreating Karloff DVDReviewed by Uncle Creepy

Starring Conor Timmis, Liesl Ehardt, Norman Bryn

Directed by Vatche Arabian

Distributed by Smash Vision, Inc.


Okay, let me get this out of the way. Anyone who knows me knows that the Frankenstein monster is one of the most near and dear things to my heart. Everything in our home is Frankenstein. We have busts, rings, nicknacks, posters, dolls, you name it. Boris Karloff, hands down, was the best actor who ever played the monster, and Jack Pierce’s make-up to this very day remains iconic. The love and passion I have for this character cannot fully be grasped. When news of Kreating Karloff first broke, I waited with bated breath. Now that I’ve seen it, I kind of wish I were still waiting.

Actor and Karloff aficionado Conor Timmis embarked on this project in hopes that the bigwigs at Universal would see it and decide to make a bio-pic of the legendary horror actor with Timmis himself playing Karloff. To whet their appetites and warm them up to the idea, Conor studied two of Boris’ best roles, the Frankenstein monster and the Mummy, and decided to recreate them on film. In Kreating Karloff he reenacts a few of the scenes from those wonderful bits of cinema history as best as he can. There’s just one problem … he’s not Boris Karloff.

Kreating Karloff DVDThough Conor for the most part nails some of Karloff’s mannerisms and movements, at no time did it feel like I was watching anything more than a young guy aping Boris. Even the make-up — while close — seemed all wrong. At no point was the illusion that we were seeing Karloff ever created, and truth be told everything — including said reenactments — felt nothing short of hollow and self serving. Don’t get me wrong, Conor’s passion, enthusiasm, and love is to be applauded and shared in, but Kreating Karloff feels more like a tribute on a film student’s reel than it does anything of substance.

In terms of special features I was pretty shocked. The only things pertaining to Kreating Karloff to be found here are a music video and about ten minutes of bloopers and outtakes. The rest of the supplemental material consists of other short films starring Conor or made by director Vatche Arabian, thus reinforcing the film student’s reel analogy above.

I’m really not sure who the target audience for Kreating Karloff is other than Timmis and company. As a Karloff fan I was left bored to tears by the whole experience. Though rife with affection this whole affair is next to nil in the entertainment department, and that’s what we’re really watching it for, isn’t it?

Special Features

  • Bloopers and outtakes
  • Music video
  • Booth short film
  • Re-Animator 1942 short film
  • Pickman’s Model short film
  • Creating a Villain featurette
  • Pickman’s Model featurette
  • Karloff Kreated souvenir booklet

    Film:
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    2 out of 5

    Special Features:
    “>“>“>

    2 1/2 out of 5

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