The Monster Maker

{{Infobox film

| name = The Monster Maker

| image = The-monster-maker-movie-poster-md.jpg

| caption = Promotional release poster

| director = Sam Newfield

| producer = Sigmund Neufeld

| writer = Lawrence Williams
Pierre Gendron
Martin Mooney

| starring = J. Carrol Naish
Ralph Morgan
Tala Birell

| music = Albert Glasser

| cinematography = Sam Newfield

| editing = Robert E. Cline

| distributor = Producers Releasing Corporation

| released = {{Film date|1944|04|15}}

| runtime = 62 minutes

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget =

}}

The Monster Maker is a 1944 science-fiction horror film starring J. Carrol Naish and Ralph Morgan. Albert Glasser supplied the film score, his first, an assignment for which he was paid US$250.{{cite book

| first=Tom | last=Weaver | year=2006

| title=Science Fiction Stars and Horror Heroes: Interviews with Actors, Directors, Producers and Writers of the 1940s Through 1960s | pages=98–99 | publisher=McFarland

| isbn=0-7864-2857-0 }}

Plot

Dr. Markoff (J. Carrol Naish) has concocted a formula that spreads acromegaly, a hideous disease that extends bones and distorts facial features. Markoff has no moral dilemma in experimenting on unsuspecting human subjects. His amoral behavior assumes monstrous dimensions when famed concert pianist Lawrence (Ralph Morgan) is injected with the doctor's disease-inducing serum. In return for an antidote, Markoff intends to exact more than his pound of flesh by extorting a fortune from Lawrence and demanding the hand of the musician's pretty daughter Patricia (Wanda McKay).{{cite web

| first=Hal | last=Erickson

| title=The Monster Maker | publisher=AllMovie

| url=http://www.allmovie.com/work/monster-maker-33160

| access-date=2009-08-04 }}

Cast

J. Carrol Naish as Dr. Igor Markoff
Ralph Morgan as Anthony Lawrence
Tala Birell as Maxine
Wanda McKay as Patricia Lawrence
Terry Frost as Bob Blake
Glenn Strange as Giant / Steve
Alexander Pollard as Butler / Stack
Sam Flint as Dr. Adams
Ace the Wonder Dog as Ace

Production and reception

Lowly PRC hadn't released a horror picture in nearly 17 months, having spent most of 1943 substantially expanding their capabilities by purchasing the bankrupt Chadwick Studio (a poverty row operation that specialized in renting stages and production equipment to low-budget producers along Gower) for $305,000. While critics, what few that would review a PRC release, complained about the film's lack of action, production values were noted to be somewhat higher than earlier releases. The working title of this film was The Devil's Apprentice.The Monster Maker TCM Notes

The film holds an extremely low 3% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 4.7/10 on the Internet Movie Database.