Kongo

See this film especially if you are young enough to think that no one in films had illicit sex, took drugs, or committed psychopathic murder before "Pulp Fiction". This film is a bizarre ride. Never seen anything like it. I recommend it highly!

It won't be shown during "family" hours, so stay up or set your VCR. This pre-Code tale of revenge, sex, brutality, and, ultimately, redemption was one of Walter Huston's best performances (not that he was capable of a bad one). It's like a train wreck--you don't want to watch, but you can't turn away. Virginia Bruce is excellent as the innocent convent-educated girl who becomes a pawn in Huston's diabolical revenge scheme. Drug addiction and abuse of women run rampant, along with racism and superstition. Sweaty, dirty, and disheveled characters, sex, violence, drugs, and great performances. It doesn't get any better than this. Even though you'll guess the ending early on, you'll still want to watch it, and you'll want to see more of Walter Huston's films.

This is one of the most perverse pre-code films ever made. Drug addiction, rape, incest, nudity, you name it. Every time I show it to people their jaws drop, I burned a TCM showing onto DVD but would love to see an official MGM release. There is no comparison to the original, "West of Zanzibar". As great as Chaney was, and in my opinion he was one of, if not the, greatest actors that ever lived, "Kongo" beats just about every film I've ever seen for sheer seaminess. C'mon, Virginia Bruce a forcibly drug-addicted heroine forced into prostitution by her father? "Freaks" has nothing on this one.

A beautiful, young woman is mentally and physically tortured by a rival of her father. Bizarre, to say the least. VERY very brutal even by today's standards. The film opens with a decapitation! There's also rape, whippings, drug abuse, torture, incest...basically the works. It's very surprising that MGM let this film be made let alone released! It's a really good movie but very tough. For strong stomaches only.

A white witch doctor rules his personal kingdom without mercy. He terrifies the natives and controls his small group of lost souls with an iron hand. All with one burning goal in mind. This picture has so many stomach churning, heart wrenching elements to it, they are too many to count. Walter Huston plays one of the most sadistic brutes ever portrayed on film. Yet, we find, after all, the brute has a heart. Virginia Bruce, in easily the best role of her career, plays a thoroughly debased victim. Kidnapped by Huston in a twisted plot to punish the man he thinks is her father, she proves that inherent goodness is impossible to destroy. Watching him desperately try is what makes this film so worthwhile. If you get the chance - don't miss it.

Walter Huston steps into Lon Chaney's wheelchair to play the evil crippled magician commanding a "juju" cult of natives who burn women alive. Lupe Velez is on hand [and narrowly escapes getting her tongue twisted out with a wire]. Enter blonde Virginia Bruce, a convent girl forced into prostitution in Zanzibar, but now a hopeless alcoholic. Enter Conrad Nagel, a doctor who is now a hopeless drug addict [his cure involves being covered with leeches and buried up to his neck in a swamp]. Don't worry: there's still MORE plot! Everyone sweats a lot, on leftover sets from RED DUST, but the direction is rudimentary and lacks the courage of the plot's kinkiness. Still, it's some kind of must-see since they sure don't make them like this anymore!