A researcher (Boris Karloff) investigating a notorious serial killer who was hanged 20 years earlier seemingly becomes possessed by the long dead strangler.

I love that this film was given the star treatment by Criterion. It's definitely not one of the better-known Karloff films, which is a bit of a shame, because it's at least as good as anything he did for AIP. Maybe horror fans need to pay more attention to Criterion.

The simplicity of the transformation is great. Apparently the originally script called for more of a "possession" angle, and then it developed into more of a physical thing -- sort of Jack the Ripper meets Jekyll and Hyde. And Karloff nails it. By simply taking out his dentures, he successfully plays two very different people.

This is a unique film from Boris Karloff. I certainly can't say I've seen another film quite like it.

Karloff plays a writer who is investigating the execution of "The Haymarket Strangler" twenty years earlier. Despite people insisting that the man executed was the killer, something within Karloff makes him investigate further. Eventually, when he obtains the knife used in the murders, it unlocks a dark secret within himself and the movie takes a very unusual turn.

The film is pretty exciting and unusual but there is a negative as well. Despite a generally good performance by Karloff (he was amazingly physical considering his age and arthritis),when he became "mad", his face contorted in the most comical manner. Instead of making him look menacing, he just looked like he was mentally challenged. It just didn't work.

Overall, compared to many of the later Karloff films, this one is pretty good--with decent production values and script. While not a great film, it's a very good time passer and one that his fans should certainly see.

Not one of Boris Karloff's best films or performances, but very interesting, sort of a take on Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde with a miscarriage of justice element, and pretty good as a film. Even with the big problems it has, it is still one of Karloff's better later films, Grip of the Strangler's problems never reach rock-bottom quality like the Mexican films he starred in did. The script is on the simplistic side, there are some pacing problems with the film taking a little too long to get going and then feeling rushed towards the end, and the ending could have been better rounded off. It looks reasonable though, the settings are effective, the photography is crisp and the make-up for Karloff is used very well, when in his more murderous madman guise it is quite grotesque-looking. The music is also haunting and effectively used. There are some creepy moments and the atmosphere is unsettling and well-evoked. The story on the most part is interesting and entertaining, the first half is very promising especially. The performances are solid, best in support are Vera Day and Anthony Dawson. But only one performance comes off as really "great" and that is (predictably perhaps) Boris Karloff, as ever showing a gift for changing personalities expressively and sometimes subtly. All in all, Grip of the Strangler is a pretty good film, often decent and solid without reaching greatness excepting Karloff's performance, the best thing about the film by some considerable distance. 7/10 Bethany Cox