Phantom Ship is a classic horror film from 1935 that stars Bela Lugosi and Shirley Grey. The film takes place in the English countryside where a research vessel, the S.S. Saltair, has gone missing. The last known location of the ship was off the coast of the Ocracoke Island. The movie follows the story of Tom Merritt (Dorothy Revier), a newspaper reporter who is sent to investigate the disappearance of the ship. Along with her cameraman, Jack (Arthur Margetson), and a scientist, Prof. Karl Schlich (Bela Lugosi), who was on board the missing ship, they set out on a rescue mission. They soon discover that the S.S. Saltair has become a ghost ship, manned by a crew of undead sailors.
The crew of the S.S. Saltair are a horrific sight to behold. They are all missing an eye and have thick, white scars on their faces. The sailors are led by Captain Stone (Wilfred Walter), who has been dead for 20 years. Stone was known for his brutal treatment of his crew, and it seems that the crew is still following his commands even in death.
As Tom and her team explore the ship, they begin to uncover the truth about what happened to the crew of the S.S. Saltair. They discover that the ship was carrying a dangerous cargo of explosives and that during a storm, the ship was struck by lightning, causing the explosives to detonate. The entire crew was killed, and their bodies were preserved by the cold waters.
However, when the ship drifted into the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, the undead sailors were revived, and they continued to sail the ship, looking for new victims to add to their ranks.
The movie is full of suspenseful scenes as Tom and her team try to escape the ship and return to shore. Bela Lugosi gives a chilling performance as Prof. Karl Schlich, who has his own agenda for wanting to investigate the ghost ship.
The film is well-directed by Denison Clift using a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack, which adds to the eeriness of the ghost ship. The special effects of the film were also top-notch for its time, using lighting and shadows to create a creepy and foreboding atmosphere.
Overall, Phantom Ship is an entertaining and suspenseful horror film, showcasing the talents of Bela Lugosi and the innovative filmmaking of the 1930s. Even though the film is almost 90 years old, it still holds up well and is well worth a watch for horror fans.
Phantom Ship is a 1936 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 1 minute.
