Curse of the Faceless Man

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Curse of the Faceless Man (1958)

Curse of the Faceless Man is a low-budget American horror-science fiction film about an ancient Roman gladiator who is brought back to life in modern times.

Plot
- While digging near Pompeii, workers uncover a gladiator’s fossilized body. On the way to a museum, the body comes to life and then seems dead again after crashing a truck. The revived gladiator, Quintillus Aurelius, is later found alive near the wreck.
- Dr. Paul Mallon is asked to study the body. Etruscan writings on a bronze brooch found with the body tell of a curse placed by Quintillus.
- Tina Enright, Paul’s fiancée, has dreams and paintings connected to Quintillus, who she believes loves her in a past life. Quintillus is able to move in the modern world and is nearly indestructible.
- Quintillus is drawn to Tina and to the idea of his ancient love. As the scientists and police try to stop him, he pursues Tina to the Cove of the Blind Fisherman, a place associated with the Pompeii eruption.
- Quintillus dissolves in seawater, and Tina is rescued, though she cannot fully remember what happened.

Cast
- Richard Anderson as Dr. Paul Mallon
- Elaine Edwards as Tina Enright
- Adele Mara as Maria Fiorillo
- Luis Van Rooten as Dr. Carlo Fiorello
- Gar Moore as Dr. Enrico Ricci
- Felix Maurice Locher as Dr. Emanuel
- Jan Arvan as Inspector Rinaldi
- Bob Bryant as Quintillus Aurelius

Production
- Made by Vogue Pictures on a tight budget of about $100,000, with filming completed in seven days.
- Directed by Edward L. Cahn; produced by Robert E. Kent; Edward Small served as an uncredited executive producer.
- Make-up for the Faceless Man by Layne Britton; Quintillus played by Bob Bryant; monster suit designed by Charles Gemora.
- Working title: The Man Without a Face. Vic Perrin provided the (uncredited) narration.
- Filming locations included the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles (standing in for the Museo di Napoli) and the beach at Portuguese Bend (standing in for the Cove of the Blind Fisherman).
- The story echoes themes from The Mummy (1932), including a love-driven monster awakened in modern times.

Release
- United Artists released Curse of the Faceless Man in the U.S. on August 14, 1958, as the second feature in a double bill with It! The Terror from Beyond Space.
- The film opened in the U.K. in November 1958 with an X certificate. It also showed in Brazil, Spain, and Mexico.

Reception
- Critics have had mixed views. Some praise the film’s poignant idea of a tragic, love-seeking monster and the moody visuals, while others dismiss the story as preposterous or the direction as pedestrian.
- Notable comments include observations that the make-up and lighting add to Quintillus’s otherworldly feel, though the script and pacing can drag in places.
- Allmovie gave a positive note on the film’s tension and visuals for a low-budget movie.

Legacy
- Parts of Curse of the Faceless Man were later included in It Came from Hollywood (1982), a comedy-docudrama about classic horror and science fiction stars.
- The film has been referenced in later media and discussed in film histories as an example of 1950s sci-fi horror and early reincarnation-themed plots.

Home media
- The film was released on DVD by MGM’s Limited Edition Collection on June 28, 2011.
- Kino Lorber released a Blu-ray edition on February 16, 2016.

In short, Curse of the Faceless Man is a compact 1958 thriller about a resurrected ancient gladiator who seeks his modern love, blending low-budget science fiction with Gothic horror elements.