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The Monster
- 123 statements
- 23 feature instances
- 6 referencing feature instances
| The Monster | type |
TVTItem | |
| The Monster | label |
The Monster | |
| The Monster | page |
TheMonster | |
| The Monster | comment |
Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_1'); })The Monster is a 1925 comedy/horror film directed by Roland West, starring Lon Chaney.Johnny Goodlittle (Johnny Arthur) is a shop clerk in a small town who aspires to be a detective, and is even taking a correspondence course to learn how. Being an aspiring detective, he is intrigued by the mysterious disappearance of a wealthy local man, John Bowman, who vanished after crashing his car. The local constable doesn't think much of the clue found at the crash scene, a card from the local insane asylum with the word "help" written on it, reminding Johnny that the asylum has been closed for years. And nobody respects Johnny, the town Butt-Monkey, so his objections are overlooked.In fact Bowman is at the asylum. His wreck was caused by a mysterious man in a cloak, who went out at night and hung a mirror over a curve in the road, causing Bowman to veer off the road and crash. Not long after, on another dark and stormy night, the man in the cloak does this again. This time the people in the wrecked car are Betty (Gertrude Olmstead), the local girl that Johnny has a crush on, and Betty's boyfriend Amos (Hallam Cooley). Betty and Amos stagger away from the wrecked car and find themselves at the asylum, which is now being occupied by sinister Dr. Ziska (Chaney). At the same time a wanderer from the asylum has revealed to Johnny that Bowman is being held there. Johnny winds up stumbling into a trap door and falling into the asylum basement. Johnny, Betty, and Amos then have to fight for their lives against the deranged Dr. Ziska, who has ominous plans for them.Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_2'); })The Monster is one of the most memorable of the many horror films Chaney made in The Roaring '20s. Based on a play by Crane Wilbur, it is one of the first examples of the Old, Dark House genre of horror (pre-dating The Old Dark House by seven years). It is also a very early example of the Sliding Scale of Comedy and Horror, balancing Johnny's bumbling misadventures with the genuinely chilling Dr. Ziska.Not to be confused with the 2016 film The Monster. | |
| The Monster | fetched |
2020-12-25T09:10:32Z | |
| The Monster | parsed |
2020-12-25T09:10:32Z | |
| The Monster | isPartOf |
DBTropes | |
| The Monster / int_20dc0291 | type |
Curtain Camouflage | |
| The Monster / int_20dc0291 | comment |
Curtain Camouflage: Johnny ducks behind a curtain when other people enter the mansion, but it's Amos and Betty. | |
| The Monster / int_20dc0291 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| The Monster / int_20dc0291 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
The Monster / int_20dc0291 | |
| The Monster / int_22cf536c | type |
Chekhov's Gun | |
| The Monster / int_22cf536c | comment |
Chekhov's Gun / Foreshadowing: When Johnny graduates from detective correspondence school he receives, along with his diploma, a gun (!), some oversized handcuffs, and some signal flares. Johnny tells the skeptical insurance investigator that the flares are for signaling for help at night. When Johnny asks the insurance investigator how to handle a dangerous suspect, the investigator says "Find a derrick somewhere and hang him up by the heels." Johnny actually loses the gun, but everything else comes into play: he signals for help with the flares, he chains Caliban's ankles together with the cuffs, and then he gets a hook and chain to hang Caliban up by the heels. | |
| The Monster / int_22cf536c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| The Monster / int_22cf536c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
The Monster / int_22cf536c | |
| The Monster / int_27c09b00 | type |
Camp Straight | |
| The Monster / int_27c09b00 | comment |
Camp Straight: Johnny has some effiminate, unmanly mannerisms, but apparently is heterosexual, as evidenced by his attraction to Betty. Actor Johnny Arthur would go on to play a lot of Transparent Closet roles in his career. | |
| The Monster / int_27c09b00 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| The Monster / int_27c09b00 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
The Monster / int_27c09b00 | |
| The Monster / int_2b98ddb5 | type |
Liquid Courage | |
| The Monster / int_2b98ddb5 | comment |
Liquid Courage: "I got the strangest sort of courage", says Johnny after he drinks some of Ziska's liquor, and in fact he is a lot braver after that. | |
| The Monster / int_2b98ddb5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| The Monster / int_2b98ddb5 | featureConfidence |
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| The Monster | hasFeature |
The Monster / int_2b98ddb5 | |
| The Monster / int_3517000d | type |
Mad Scientist | |
| The Monster / int_3517000d | comment |
Mad Scientist: Ziska, once a famous surgeon who was then a patient in Dr. Edwards's asylum before he and his fellow inmates rebelled and took it over, seeks to "learn the secret of life". | |
| The Monster / int_3517000d | featureApplicability |
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| The Monster / int_3517000d | featureConfidence |
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| The Monster | hasFeature |
The Monster / int_3517000d | |
| The Monster / int_58e008c | type |
Sharing a Body | |
| The Monster / int_58e008c | comment |
Sharing a Body: That's Ziska's Mad Scientist idea, anyway, to transplant a man's soul into a woman's body. He's defeated before he gets a chance to see if it works. | |
| The Monster / int_58e008c | featureApplicability |
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| The Monster / int_58e008c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
The Monster / int_58e008c | |
| The Monster / int_59907e4f | type |
Police Are Useless | |
| The Monster / int_59907e4f | comment |
Police Are Useless: Johnny finds a card from the asylum at the crash site, with the word "help" written on it. The constable is not interested. | |
| The Monster / int_59907e4f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| The Monster / int_59907e4f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
The Monster / int_59907e4f | |
| The Monster / int_5a62e8d0 | type |
SlidingScaleOfComedyAndHorror | |
| The Monster / int_5a62e8d0 | comment |
Sliding Scale of Comedy and Horror: A pretty good example of the "balanced" type, mixing comedy scenes with goofy Johnny along with scenes featuring the scary Dr. Ziska and his creepy minions. | |
| The Monster / int_5a62e8d0 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| The Monster / int_5a62e8d0 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
The Monster / int_5a62e8d0 | |
| The Monster / int_5ceb9939 | type |
Alcohol Hic | |
| The Monster / int_5ceb9939 | comment |
Alcohol Hic: Since this is a silent film, we actually see a title card that says "Hic!", after Johnny gets into the liquor that Amos poured into the water jug. | |
| The Monster / int_5ceb9939 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| The Monster / int_5ceb9939 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
The Monster / int_5ceb9939 | |
| The Monster / int_60fa92ac | type |
Names to Run Away from Really Fast | |
| The Monster / int_60fa92ac | comment |
Names to Run Away from Really Fast / Shout-Out to Shakespeare: Ziska has a slave named "Caliban". | |
| The Monster / int_60fa92ac | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| The Monster / int_60fa92ac | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
The Monster / int_60fa92ac | |
| The Monster / int_7286e96d | type |
Idiot Ball | |
| The Monster / int_7286e96d | comment |
Idiot Ball: Among the knick-knacks in Dr. Ziska's basement is an electric chair. Amos sits on it. | |
| The Monster / int_7286e96d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| The Monster / int_7286e96d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
The Monster / int_7286e96d | |
| The Monster / int_7c0bfb83 | type |
Obviously Evil | |
| The Monster / int_7c0bfb83 | comment |
Obviously Evil: Dr. Ziska, with his menacing leer, doesn't try very hard to hide it. | |
| The Monster / int_7c0bfb83 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| The Monster / int_7c0bfb83 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
The Monster / int_7c0bfb83 | |
| The Monster / int_a4c37cbe | type |
Mood Whiplash | |
| The Monster / int_a4c37cbe | comment |
Mood Whiplash: Used effectively as part of the Sliding Scale of Comedy and Horror. The chilling opening scene, in which Rigo lowers the mirror from an overhanging tree branch, thus causing Bowman to crash, is followed by a comic scene with the bumbling townsfolk trying to figure out what the hell happened at the wreck. | |
| The Monster / int_a4c37cbe | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| The Monster / int_a4c37cbe | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
The Monster / int_a4c37cbe | |
| The Monster / int_aca54dad | type |
Discreet Drink Disposal | |
| The Monster / int_aca54dad | comment |
Discreet Drink Disposal: Ziska serves Amos and Betty a decanter of alcohol. Amos and Betty, worried that it might be drugged, decide to pour it into a water jug and pretend they drank it. | |
| The Monster / int_aca54dad | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| The Monster / int_aca54dad | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
The Monster / int_aca54dad | |
| The Monster / int_adf58b7a | type |
Knockout Gas | |
| The Monster / int_adf58b7a | comment |
Knockout Gas: The room that Johnny, Amos, and Betty are in has a fireplace that starts emitting knockout gas. Johnny and Amos escape, but Betty is captured when the bed she's lying on turns out to be a trap that's lowered into the basement. | |
| The Monster / int_adf58b7a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| The Monster / int_adf58b7a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
The Monster / int_adf58b7a | |
| The Monster / int_b7e0c5ff | type |
Love Triangle | |
| The Monster / int_b7e0c5ff | comment |
Love Triangle: Amos, his girl Betty, and Johnny who's in love with Betty. The final scene reveals that Johnny's bravery in the asylum won Betty's heart. | |
| The Monster / int_b7e0c5ff | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| The Monster / int_b7e0c5ff | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
The Monster / int_b7e0c5ff | |
| The Monster / int_bc74ef27 | type |
Berserk Button | |
| The Monster / int_bc74ef27 | comment |
Berserk Button: The only time Dr. Ziska drops his Slasher Smile is when Amos calls him mad. Ziska does not like that, not one little bit. | |
| The Monster / int_bc74ef27 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| The Monster / int_bc74ef27 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
The Monster / int_bc74ef27 | |
| The Monster / int_bd4264a3 | type |
Slasher Smile | |
| The Monster / int_bd4264a3 | comment |
Slasher Smile: Dr. Ziska's default expression is a very scary mirthless grin. | |
| The Monster / int_bd4264a3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| The Monster / int_bd4264a3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
The Monster / int_bd4264a3 | |
| The Monster / int_d67aae8f | type |
It Was a Dark and Stormy Night | |
| The Monster / int_d67aae8f | comment |
It Was a Dark and Stormy Night: The standard thunderstorm with Dramatic Lightning lends atmosphere after Johnny, Amos, and Betty are trapped in the old house. | |
| The Monster / int_d67aae8f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| The Monster / int_d67aae8f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
The Monster / int_d67aae8f | |
| The Monster / int_e3048d1b | type |
Amateur Sleuth | |
| The Monster / int_e3048d1b | comment |
Amateur Sleuth: Johnny has taken a correspondence course on how to be a detective. | |
| The Monster / int_e3048d1b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| The Monster / int_e3048d1b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
The Monster / int_e3048d1b | |
| The Monster / int_e5120d | type |
The Igor | |
| The Monster / int_e5120d | comment |
The Igor: Rigo is a perfect example—wears a cloak, walks with a stoop, utterly loyal to Mad Scientist Dr. Ziska, helps Ziska with his homicidal schemes. | |
| The Monster / int_e5120d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| The Monster / int_e5120d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
The Monster / int_e5120d | |
| The Monster / int_ec4b148 | type |
Old, Dark House | |
| The Monster / int_ec4b148 | comment |
Old, Dark House: Maybe the earliest example of this trope. The mansion/asylum currently occupied by Dr. Ziska has hidden passageways, hidden trap doors, steel shutters that slide down in front of the windows to prevent escape, and fireplaces rigged to emit knockout gas. And of course it's got Ziska's creepy lab down in the basement. | |
| The Monster / int_ec4b148 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| The Monster / int_ec4b148 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
The Monster / int_ec4b148 | |
| The Monster / int_name | type |
ItemName | |
| The Monster / int_name | comment |
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| The Monster / int_name | featureApplicability |
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| The Monster / int_name | featureConfidence |
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| The Monster | hasFeature |
The Monster / int_name | |
| The Monster / int_name | itemName |
The Monster |
The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.
| The Monster | hasFeature |
Alcohol Hic / int_60293923 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
Amateur Sleuth / int_60293923 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
Definite Article Title / int_60293923 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
Discreet Drink Disposal / int_60293923 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
Horror Comedy / int_60293923 | |
| The Monster | hasFeature |
Old, Dark House / int_60293923 |
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Copyright of data TVTropes.org contributors under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.