Murders in the Zoo premieres in 1933. The pre-code horror film about a man who tortures and kills his wife’s lovers is notably dark and gruesome for its time. Lionel Atwill and the film get very mixed reviews and the film is deemed a flop at the time, but has since come to be regarded as a pioneering film featuring a classic performance by Atwill.
This Day in Halloween: Provocative pre-code horror film "Murders in the Zoo" -- starring Lionel Atwill -- premieres in 1933. / Illustration by Andrew Truong