The Devil's Messenger

"The Devil's Messenger" is an obscure and low-budgeted horror omnibus that recycles three short stories from an even more obscure 50s TV-series named "13, Demon Street". The series was rapidly produced to cash in on the tremendous success of Rod Serling's "The Twilight Zone", but already got canceled after one season. In an ultimate attempt to gain profit out of the investment, the three best (?) stories were bundled into an anthology movie.

Undoubtedly the best thing about this curious little film is the presence of Lon Chaney Jr., as the Devil himself, in the wraparound story. He sends a recent suicide victim - aptly named Satanya - back to the earthly surface to collect new souls for Hell. You guessed it; - the people whom Satanya are sent after are also the protagonists of the individual segments. Fallen horror icon Chaney ("The Wolf Man") was appearing in all sorts of inferior Z-grade movies and TV-series at the time. In this role, he at least visibly enjoys himself.

The first story is more than adequate, while numbers two and three are utterly weak and forgettable. The influence of "The Twilight Zone" is clearly noticeable in all three segments, but only the "The Photograph" comes somewhat close to copying the uncanny atmosphere and surreal mystery of Serling's landmark series. In this story, an arrogant photographer, who committed rape and murder whilst on an assignment in snowy Maine, sees his nameless victim inexplicably appear in the photos that he makes and slowly loses his mind. The other two are hardly even worth summarizing.

This cheapo horror omnibus features Lon Chaney Jr. as the devil. He sends a young female suicide victim back to Earth on a series of interventions involving men destined for purgatory. The film is split up into three short stories within this framework.

The first story about an amoral photographer and a ghost has a reasonable premise but it isn't executed very well. The idea of the ghostly woman in the photograph advancing ever nearer is a little reminiscent of the central idea in Ring. And it's a good idea but there isn't enough time for the story to develop and the ending feels rushed.

Story two about the discovery of a prehistoric woman found in-cased in a block of ice is a complete washout. The lead character has an obsession with the ice lady that is never explained. He kills his colleague, the ice melts and the lady vanishes. It all seems a bit pointless.

The third story about the man who encounters the fortune-teller is probably the best, as it has more time to develop. However, despite an intriguing set up, the pay-off is distinctly uninteresting.

The Devil's Messenger is not terribly good but, as it contains three stories within a 75 minute film, it does at least move along at a brisk pace.

"Three macabre tales of terror are featured in this frightful thriller hosted by the incomparable 'Mr. D' (Lon Chaney Jr.). A psychotic photographer is faced with a beauty that haunts his pictures and dreams in one tale. A scientist becomes obsessed with a frozen 'Ice Princess' that leads to an unfortunate ending in another tale. Finally, a man fears his own death after a visit with a fortuneteller in the last of these horrifying stories," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.

Although possessing three individual stories, "The Devil's Messenger" does have a unifying plot strand, featuring the character portrayed by Karen Kadler ("Satanya"). She has committed suicide, and is sent back to Earth, by Lon Chaney Jr. (as Satan), on various missions. Other than that, the stories don't have much to do with each other. Unfortunately, Mr. Chaney is an uninteresting devil. The first story, featuring John Crawford (as Donald Powell) is the best, with good photography and "A Most Unusual Camera" (Twilight Zone) worthy plot.

*** The Devil's Messenger (1961) Herbert L. Strock ~ Karen Kadler, John Crawford, Lon Chaney Jr.

First of all, the use of a hell-like place is sort of fun. The problem is, it is handled so poorly and so dully by Lon Chaney, Jr. that is becomes pointless. More of a problem than that are a trio of pretty dull stories. They are highly predictable with weak endings. A decent writer could have been given these three premises and made them very scary. As it is, we start with the photographer who must be psychotic. He murders a young woman who doesn't want her picture taken. Then images keep reappearing. The second, and weakest, is about a deranged anthropologist who kills his rival so he can hook up with a woman, frozen in a chunk of ice. It doesn't get much more asinine than this. The most intriguing is about a man who is told by a fortune teller he will be killed by midnight "and by her." The setup is good. Things work their way out. But the ending is a real disappointment and fizzles. These are TV like and apparently were, originally. Chaney must have really fallen on hard times. He looks old and tired. But he does have a document for mankind at the end. They should have sent it back.

I once asked John Carradine on the set of one of his last pictures if he or Chaney felt like they wasted their talents on flicks like this and in saltier language he Said "Screw it,I like to play the ponies and it beats watching TV." Aptly put. Early in 1960 Curt SIodmak( The WOlf Man ) and Herbert Strock ( I Was A Teeenage Frankenstein ) went to Sweden and filmed in English with Swedish Subtitles about a dozen half hour playlets for a TV series called 13 Demon Street.It was pretty awful from what I've seen and didn't get picked up for U.S. syndication. Each week Chaney would would spin a weird tale from his old curiosity shop and three of these are included here and made into a ersatz feature with a cheezy wrap around with Chaney as a very happy Satan.If you are a Chaney completist you have to have it and it's certainly not as bad as some low budget flicks of the early sixties but Little SHop Of Horrors it's not. Because Of Chaney's status The Devil's Messenger received top billing on a drive-in double bill with the far superior Carnival Of Souls.