RKO's latest horror movie, 'The Body Snatcher', based upon a dark legacy of crimes from another time, is proving to be Val Lewton's most challenging project yet.
Seemingly determined to have his way, Lewton's boss, Jack Gross has agreed to finally give Lewton and his team an "A-List" budget. But this promise comes with a set of conditions...
It isn't long before Gross's demands are dragging Lewton's possible masterpiece into exploitation territory. With the budget as a bargaining chip, will Lewton be forced to ruin his own reputation in order to get the film made? Or will a solution present itself from the most unlikely of places?
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CONTENT WARNING BELOW
A significant part of the episode deals with the story of Burke and Hare. This was necessary to the overall story, as the film this episode deals with, 'The Body Snatcher', was based heavily upon their crimes.
It was very important to me to tell their story honestly, as there has been an unfortunate tendency in recent years to paint Burke and Hare as a pair of somewhat goofy miscreants, instead of the abominable creatures they were in reality.
As such, there are certain details that some may find upsetting or disturbing. Burke and Hare murdered many people of all ages. The details of these crimes are more than likely unsuitable for younger ears, and may also cause distress to you, the listener. If you feel that you would like to skip over this section, then it begins at 52:12 and runs through to 1:36:00.
The episode also contains a brief history of the science of anatomy, which is not particularly graphic, but it still might not be something you feel easy listening to. It begins at 29:51, and runs to the end of the Burke and Hare section at 1:36:00
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