The Body Snatcher (film)

Infobox_Film
name = The Body Snatcher


image_size = 225px
caption = theatrical poster
writer = Robert Louis Stevenson "(story)"
Philip MacDonald
Val Lewton
starring = Boris Karloff
Béla Lugosi
Henry Daniell
Edith Atwater
director = Robert Wise
producer = Val Lewton
music = Roy Webb
cinematography = Robert De Grasse
editing = J.R. Whittredge
distributor = RKO Radio Pictures
released = 25 May fy|1945
runtime = 73 minutes
country = FilmUS
language = English
budget =
gross =
imdb_id = 0037549 |

"The Body Snatcher" (fy|1945), is a horror film directed by Robert Wise based on the short story "The Body Snatcher" by Robert Louis Stevenson. The film's producer Val Lewton helped adapt the story for the screen, writing under the pen name of "Carlos Keith". The film was marketed with the tagline "The screen's last word in shock sensation!".

Plot

The setting is Edinburgh in 1831 (one year before the Anatomy Act was passed).

The plot is about a surgeon who hires a cabman to dig up graves to provide him with fresh corpses for dissection. But the body provider turns to murder to get new corpses for the doctor.

The frequent mentions of Burke, Hare, and Dr. Knox, all refer to the West Port murders in 1828.

Cast

* Boris Karloff as Cabman John Gray
* Béla Lugosi as Joseph
* Henry Daniell as Dr. Wolfe "Toddy" MacFarlane
* Edith Atwater as Meg Camden
* Russell Wade as Donald Fettes
* Rita Corday as Mrs. Marsh
* Sharyn Moffett as Georgina Marsh
* Donna Lee - Street singer

DVD release

The film was released for the first time on DVD in 2005, along with "I Walked with a Zombie", as part of the "Val Lewton Horror Collection".

ee also

* Boris Karloff filmography
* Béla Lugosi filmography

External links

*imdb title|id=0037549|title=The Body Snatcher
*tcmdb title|id=748|title=The Body Snatcher
*amg movie|id=1:6513|title=The Body Snatcher
*rotten-tomatoes|body_snatcher|The Body Snacther
* [http://film.virtual-history.com/film.php?filmid=1036 The Body Snatcher] Bibliography