JohnHowardReid This amazingly surrealistic comedy spoofs just about every horror classic you can think of, and also throws in a good few nifty, original ideas as well. It's acted with superb timing by a great cast of farceurs led by Hugh Herbert, Allen Jenkins, and John Eldredge (who manages to keep a delightfully straight face in the midst of all the fantastic, surrealistic mayhem of this inspired, delightfully ridiculous take on all the trappings of the old dark house). Also in the cast: Australian actress Marcia Ralston (as Vesta Vernoff), Margaret Irving (as Polly Crane) and the long-time British stage actress turned Hollywood character walk-on, Elspeth Dudgeon, who has the best role here of her entire Hollywood career of mostly uncredited "old woman" walk-ons. Some may feel that the leads, Hugh Herbert and Allen Jenkins, are too idiotic and far too garrulously stupid, but I thought they were just right both as good comics and as contrasts to the more level-headed players. John Eldredge of course also acts as a stabilizing influence, but wow! People like George Rosener, Brandon Tynan and Eric Stanley have a field day here. Produced by Bryan Foy with superb photography by Arthur L. Todd and really great, highly ingenious sets by Max Parker, this is a marvelous movie in more ways than one. Available on a superb Warner Archive DVD.

MartinHafer This is just a god-awful mess of a film--terrible in just about every way. I thoroughly hated this movie and wonder why it didn't merit inclusion in Harry Medved's book, "The 50 Worst Movies of All Time"--it was that bad. Other than MANIAC (1934), it might just be the worst film of the 1930s. I honestly enjoyed SEX MADNESS (1938) and REEFER MADNESS (1936) more than SH! THE OCTOPUS as they seemed like Shakespeare compared to this painfully unfunny and confusing film! Hugh Herbert and Alan Jenkins star in this B-movie and prove conclusively why they were relegated to supporting roles in films--they were amazingly annoying and unfunny here. While Herbert and Jenkins are fine in small roles, the are just awful and grating--and actually make we miss the Ritz Brothers (who, up until now, I thought were the most unfunny comedy team in history). Nothing, I mean NOTHING, they do is funny in the least. Heck, Dick Nixon and Spiro Agnew were significantly more funny than these two idiots!!As far as the plot goes, it's sort of like an old dark house film--but with even more clichés and making even less sense. I could try to describe the plot, but it just isn't worth it--since it's THAT confusing and unimportant. Throughout all the mayhem, giant fake octopus legs appear rather randomly--and in some cases (such as when Captain Hook is struggling with it), the strings are so obvious that even Ed Wood, Jr. would laugh at the ineptitude of the special effects.Unfunny, grating, loud and stupid--I hated every minute of this film and would rather gargle with scorpions that see this wretched mess again. Unless you have a severe head injury or are a masochist, you can't possibly enjoy this film. Please, don't trust the other reviews--it really IS that bad a film! Don't say I didn't warn you!!

dbborroughs Two detectives find themselves on an island looking for a murderer and instead find that they are entangled with a super criminal called the Octopus and a real live giant octopus. Much confusion occurs.Amusing but totally nonsensical "mystery" based upon a stage play of some sort (I would love to read it at some point). Clearly something was lost in translation since the story now transpires in a scant 54 minutes and makes as much sense as a Goon Show episode by Spike Milligan. Twist piles on twist and red herring follows red herring as great deal that is foreshadowed never happens or is changed to become something else.I do like the film I just wish that it didn't have all the ear marks of a comedy mystery since there is plenty of comedy but ultimately no real mystery. There is tension aplenty and there are a few sequences that create a nice sense of suspense and perhaps even terror (the late game revelation of the master criminal creeped me out) but the film falls apart in the end as being much ado about nothing. Its a shame since the cast that includes veteran stalwarts like Allan Jenkins and Hugh Herbert are up to the material or would have been had there been some material.Worth a look so long as you don't expect anything other than the craziness thats happening right in front of you.

Norm-30 This film is sort of a "nautical" version of the Ritz Bros. "the Gorilla". A criminal known as the "Octopus" is trying to get a secret device from an inventor stranded on an island (with a lighthouse), along with many suspicious characters. (One of whom is the "Octopus"!).As in the "Gorilla", the plot of this film doesn't make much sense, but sit back & enjoy the thrills & jitters of the secret panels, clutching octopus tentacles (!) and spooky atmosphere! This film is for pure enjoyment; and not to be "analyzed"!One interesting note: at the end of the film, one of the suspects turns into the "Octopus"& the effect is AMAZING! I pride myself on how they did special effects back then, but I can't figure this out, as the film does NOT "stop action" & change the person into the Octopus; it happens "live"!Get out the popcorn & enjoy this great escapist film!