Preceded by short:Artie Shaw and His Orchestra in Symphony of Swing (U.S., 1939). With Artie Shaw, Tony Pastor, Helen Forrest, Buddy Rich on drums. Preserved from original negative. (10 mins, B&W, 35mm, Courtesy LC, permission Warner Bros.)The Body Snatcher is a philosophical horror film that boldly lifts the shroud of Victorian decency to examine the lurid contradictions of Enlightenment scientific inquiry. Based on a Robert Louis Stevenson story inspired in turn by the real-life exploits of nineteenth-century corpsemongers Burke and Hare, it features Boris Karloff as a perfidious Edinburgh cabman who supplements his income by providing fresh cadavers to the proprietor of a medical school. When their scheme is threatened by a bumbling assistant (the near-comatose Bela Lugosi), doctor and grave robber become locked in a struggle that culminates in a chilling finale. As with all Val Lewton's films, The Body Snatcher evinces a well-crafted screenplay, atmospheric sets, and menacing chiaroscuro lighting. The result is a thoroughly enjoyable if mannered entertainment with a terrific performance from Karloff.-Albert KilchestyPreserved from original negative.