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Horror Cult Classic

Ancient doctors prey on the living in a girls' reformatory to escape a petrifying fate.

THE MAN WHO TURNED TO STONE

Their youth keeps him alive. Their deaths keep the secret buried.

1957 · 1h 11m · NR · Horror / Science Fiction · IMDB TMDB

A social worker investigating unusual deaths at a girls’ detention home uncovers a hidden laboratory where centuries-old scientists steal the inmates’ life force to keep themselves alive.

Quick Answer

What is The Man Who Turned to Stone about?

The Man Who Turned to Stone is a 1957 American horror and science fiction film directed by László Kardos about social workers who uncover a group of immortal doctors draining young women's vitality at a detention home.

Programmer's Pick

Petrification anxiety, mad science, and a dash of girls-in-peril reform school drama—this is B-horror with a mineralized heart. The film's blend of immortality-obsessed doctors and institutional menace delivers a uniquely chilling drive-in experience.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

At the La Salle Detention Home for Girls, a disturbing trend of unexplained deaths grabs the attention of Dr. Jess Rogers and Carol Adams, both social workers determined to protect the vulnerable inmates. As healthy young women start dying under suspicious circumstances, Rogers and Adams begin to suspect something more sinister than suicide or illness. Their investigation leads them to Dr. Murdock, the enigmatic manager, and a hidden laboratory deep within the facility. Here, a clandestine group of doctors conducts unethical experiments, having found a way a century ago to prolong their own lives by extracting the life force from others. The institutional setting and slow-building dread position the film firmly within midcentury B-horror and science fiction.

Details & Specs

Director
László Kardos
Writer
Bernard Gordon
Release
1957
Runtime
1h 11m
Country
United States of America
Language
English

Why This Matters

This film was released as part of a double bill with Zombies of Mora Tau, reflecting the era's practice of pairing genre films for theatrical exhibition, and features a screenplay by Bernard Gordon, who wrote under the pen name Raymond T. Marcus.
— SassyFlix Curator

Why Cult

Immortal Mad Scientists

A cabal of doctors has been extending their lives for a century by draining the vitality from others—alchemy meets exploitation.

Girls' Reformatory Setting

The action unfolds in a detention home for girls, blending the uneasy atmosphere of institutional horror with social commentary.

Petrification Threat

The doctors' punishment for missing their transfusions? Slowly turning to stone, a body-horror twist that's as literal as it is unsettling.

Low-Budget Drive-In

A classic example of 1950s psychotronic cinema—quick, cheap, and not afraid to get weird with its science.

Scene Gallery

Threat File

Trigger

Doctors' need for life force

Threat

Immortal doctors draining vitality

Effect

Victims die; doctors avoid petrification

Countermeasure

Social workers expose and stop the doctors

Setting

Girls' detention home

Questions from the Vault

When was The Man Who Turned to Stone released? +

The Man Who Turned to Stone was released in 1957.

Who directed The Man Who Turned to Stone? +

The film was directed by László Kardos.

How long is The Man Who Turned to Stone? +

The Man Who Turned to Stone has a runtime of 71 minutes.

What genre is The Man Who Turned to Stone? +

The Man Who Turned to Stone is a horror and science fiction film.

Where can I watch The Man Who Turned to Stone? +

You can watch The Man Who Turned to Stone on SassyFlix.

Trailers & Clips

The Man Who Turned to Stone trailer
Official Trailer
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