MAJESTIC THEATRE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 586, 18 July 1933, Page 3

MAJESTIC THEATRE

TO-NIGHT. TO-DAY AND TO-NIGHT. Anticipation thrilling the audience at the Majestic Theatre-with its weird characters and eager suspense, "The Old Dark House," Universal's strange drama of one exoiting night in a lonely Welsh manor, opened last night. Based on the singular novel by the great British author, J. B. Priestly, "The Old Dark House" tells a story of travellers on a week-end vacation wh'o are caught in a howling storm land forced to seek shelter for the night in an ancient, bleak .house where a family of inherent insanity live ruled by a hulking servant of brutal character. As the night progresses the gigantic brute, resienbing the intrusion, becomes dangerously drunk and threatens th'e entire household. Attempts to subdue him only enr'age the evil giant, after a series of terrific battles : he hastens to loose upon the group a terror which even the occupaaits of the awful house fear. From then on 'stark terror reigns and the horrified guests are placed in desperate suituations and events move swdftly to a powerful climax said to be th'e most impressive for sheer dramatic intensiity of any film shqwn here this year. Karloff, who created a sensation in "Frankens-tein," is said to be even more grotesque and frightening as the sinister servant. Lilian Bond and 'Melvyn Douglas, two of the screen's most popular romantic players, provide the love interest, while other characters are played by Charles Laughton, Ernest Thesiger, Eva Moore, Raymond Massey, Gloria Btuart, Brember Wills and John Dudgeon.