The Changeling is a 1979 [released 1980] Canadian horror film directed by Peter Medak (Hannibal TV series) from a screenplay by William Gray (Humongous; Prom Night) and actress Diana Maddox. It stars George C. Scott and Trish Van Devere (Scott’s real-life wife).

The story is partly based upon events writer Russell Hunter alleged he experienced while he was living in the Henry Treat Rogers Mansion of Denver, Colorado.

Plot:

Months after the death of his wife and child in a car accident, composer John Russell (George S. Scott) retires to an old mansion which has been unoccupied for years. But John’s hopes of peace and quiet prove unfulfilled, as he finds himself regularly disturbed by a strange and uncanny presence that haunts the house.

Teaming up with local historian Claire Norman (Trish Van Devere), John begins to research the house’s past, and soon finds secrets more terrible than he ever imagined. It is now up to John to right the injustices of the past and finally lay to rest the spirits which haunt his home…

Reviews:

“The Changeling is quite simply a terrific film. Unassuming and quiet at first, by the end, I was struck by how much of it stuck with me. Its plot is excellent, complex, and holds one’s interest throughout.  I mentioned the somewhat cheesy end, and this is true, but it doesn’t leave a bad taste in the mouth.  The film is still extremely satisfying.” Absolute Horror

“George C. Scott offers a fine dramatic performance, a fine fit for director Peter Medak’s (The Ruling Class) subtle and realistic approach to the supernatural. There is a lack of gore, but none is needed because the foreboding, heavyweight mansion, with its Gothic architecture, is scary enough.” Adam Lukeman, Fangoria’s 101 Horror Movies You’ve Never Seen

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“Medak doesn’t reinvent the wheel here, but this is good stuff, with a little more emphasis on drama and character than overt horror. That doesn’t mean it’s dull, in fact it’s quite tense and atmospheric. It takes a while to get going (despite a stunner of an opening scene), but once it does, hold on!” Ryan McDonald, The Horror Asylum

“Even the most hackneyed scenes, such as a séance in which a scribbling medium attempts to contact the unquiet spirit of the murdered boy, are staged with consummate skill and emotional conviction. Guillermo del Toro maintains that the best ghost stories all have an undertow of melancholy. That’s certainly true here.” Nigel Floyd, Time Out

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“The Changeling is a well-made, classy, classic ghost story with wonderful acting and great atmosphere. It’s smart, and filmed with a rare level of respect for the material. If you haven’t seen The Changeling, it comes highly recommended.” Rare Horror

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“It’s a stodgy sort of picture, too self-consciously “classy” by half, and engineered rather than simply directed, but it does have a few effectively spooky sequences and a likeable central performance by Scott.” Caelum Vatnsdal, They Came from Within

Buy: Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Cast and characters:

• George C. Scott as John Russell, composer + The Exorcist III + The Murders in the Rue Morgue (1986)
• Trish Van Devere as Claire Norman + The Hearse
• Melvyn Douglas as Sen. Joseph Carmichael + Ghost Story; The Tenant
• John Colicos as De Witt + Phobia (1980)
• Jean Marsh as Joanna Russell + Tales from the Darkside (TV series); Frenzy
• Barry Morse as Doctor Pemberton + Murder By Phone; Funeral Home; Asylum
• Madeleine Sherwood as Mrs. Norman + Haunted By Her Past; Deadly Nightmares; Wicked, Wicked
• Helen Burns as Leah Harmon + Tales from the Cryptkeeper 
• Frances Hyland as Mrs. Grey + Tales of the Haunted; Happy Birthday to Me
• Eric Christmas as Albert Harmon
• Roberta Maxwell as Eva Lingstrom

Filming locations:

In the US, establishing shots were filmed in Seattle, and some location shooting was done in New York City. Notable Seattle locations seen in the film include SeaTac airport, University of Washington’s Red Square, the Space Needle, the Rainier Tower, and the Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge, amongst others.

In Canada, interior scenes at the university were filmed at the University of Toronto and the Historical Society scenes at the Flatiron-shaped Hotel Europe in Vancouver. The scenes at the senator’s home were filmed at what was then Royal Roads Military College (now Royal Roads University) in Victoria, British Columbia. Interior scenes of the mansion where Scott’s character lives were a set, as were the exterior scenes; the house was a giant mock-up.

Running time and aspect ratio:

107 minutes | 1.85:1

Trivia:

The original script title was House on Chessman Park.

Wikipedia | IMDb | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Image credits: Rare Horror

Mr. Sardonicus is a 1961 American horror film produced, directed and introduced by William Castle (Homicidal; House on Haunted Hill; 13 Ghosts; et al). The screenplay was by Ray Russell (Incubus; The Horror of It All; X; The Premature Burial), based on his short story that first appeared in the January 1961 issue of Playboy magazine.

The film stars Ronald Lewis, Audrey Dalton Guy Rolfe, Oskar Homolka, Vladimir Sokoloff, Erika Peters and Lorna Hanson.

Castle claimed that, at the behest of Columbia Pictures, he shot a second ending for the film in which Sardonicus is cured and survives (although co-star Audrey Dalton claims no such ending was ever shot).

Audiences were given the opportunity to participate in the “Punishment Poll”. Each movie patron was given a glow-in-the-dark card featuring a hand with the thumb out. At the appropriate time they voted by holding up the card with either the thumb up or down as to whether Sardonicus would live or die. Legend has it no audience ever offered mercy so the alternate ending – if in fact one existed – was never screened.

The “poll” scene, as presented in the film, is hosted by Castle himself, and he is shown jovially egging the audience on to choose punishment, and “tallying” the poll results with no break in continuity as the “punishment” ending is pronounced the winner. The “punishment” ending occupies only three minutes of film after the “poll”, and was the ending of the original Ray Russell short story.

Buy with The Brotherhood of Satan: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Baron Sardonicus (Guy Rolfe) orders his bride, Maude (Audrey Dalton) to entreat renowned British doctor Sir Robert (Ronald Lewis) to travel to Moldavia to cure him of a peculiar malady.

Arriving at the Baron’s castle, Sir Robert discovers that Sardonicus wears a mask to hide his gruesome face. Meanwhile, the sinister butler Krull (Oscar Homolka) tortures the rmaid with leeches.

With bitterness, the Baron relates how his face came to be so disfigured: years back, he realized that his recently-deceased father was buried with a winning lottery ticket in his coat pocket …

Reviews:

” …it’s a gem in its own right; a preposterously insipid B-movie with the gothic grandeur to match. Taking place in an Old Europe only a comfortably stateside studio set could provide, as well as the sort of cold, isolated estate you’d expect to find in a cheapie Nosferatu remake, the film might very well be confused for an old fashioned morality tale…” Ruthless Reviews 

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“Mr. Sardonicus is a neat little gothic horror film that effectively evokes the memory of the fine Universal horror efforts made 15 to 30 years previously. The story is interesting and compactly told, and benefits from a competent cast anchored by a juicy performance by Oscar Homolka. Unfortunately the film’s atmosphere is marred by cheap theatricals by producer/director William Castle.” Barrie Maxwell, DVD Verdict

“The odd man out of William Castle horrors, Mr. Sardonicus is a somewhat lumpy gothic tale that builds slowly to one scary jolt that colors the whole film. An uneven screenplay and poor production values prevent its good performances from adding up to much, and it finally becomes less than satisfying. But save yourself for that one big scare, and it may be one you’ll never forget.” Glenn Erickson, DVD Savant

” …this Castle concoction is by far the most elegant of his films. Its slow pace and reliance on psychological horror may be offputting at first, but the film has developed a steadfast cult following over the years and remains highly effective for more patient viewers.” Nathaniel Thompson, Mondo Digital

Related: William Castle films on Horrorpedia

Buy Mr. Sardonicus + The Revenge of Frankenstein + The Brotherhood of Satan + The Return of the Vampire on DVD from Amazon.com

Buy The William Castle Film Collection: 13 Frightened Girls + 13 Ghosts + Homicidal + Strait-Jacket + The Old Dark House + Mr. Sardonicus + The Tingler + Zotz! on DVD from Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Buy Step Right Up! I’m Gonna Scare the Pants Off America
book: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Buy Mr. Sardonicus on VHS: Amazon.co.uk

Buy Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story on DVD | Instant Video from Amazon.com

Buy A3 canvas poster: Amazon.co.uk

WH

‘Poor Morgan. Grounded and alone. With no one to talk to except herself… And the phone.’

Close Calls is a 2017 American horror thriller film written, produced and directed by Richard Stringham (executive producer of 10/31). It stars Jordan Phipps, Greg Fallon, and Carmen Patterson.

Review One:

When Close Calls begins, the first image that appears on the screen is of a VHS tape. Even though it’s just a part of the logo for S & Drive Cinema, that is exactly the right image to start this film off with because Close Calls is a throwback to the horror films of the late ’70s and the early ’80s. It’s a film that pays homage to the old slasher and haunted house productions that, though they may not have had a huge budget, did have an abundance of atmosphere, shocks, and out-of-control plot twists.

Teenager Morgan MacKenzie (Jordan Phipps) has her own very good reasons for being upset with the world in general. She is still struggling to deal with the death of her mother, something that is not made any easier by the fact that her father, David (Kristof Waltermire), is now dating the bitchy Brynn (Carmen Patterson). Indeed, Morgan describes Brynn as being a “steaming pile of bitch.”

Morgan lives in a really nice house but due to her rebellious attitude and her casual drug use, her father has grounded her and refuses to trust her. Whenever David leaves the house, he takes Morgan’s phone with him so she is literally a prisoner in the house, with her only company being her rather strange grandmother (Janis Duley). Grandma spends her time upstairs, occasionally ringing a bell to let Morgan know that she needs something.

Close Calls takes place over one very eventful night in Morgan’s life. As soon as her father abandons her so that he can go on a date with Brynn, odd things start to happen. Grandma starts to act strangely and, despite writing a reminder on her inner thigh, Morgan keeps forgetting to take her pills upstairs.

As a storm brews outside, Morgan hears a voice from the past, whispering to her. Pictures in the house start to change, as once happy photographs are changed into images of grief and pain. The landline phone rings and, every time that Morgan answers, she hears a voice making threats. A friend drops by, insisting that Morgan try a new drug.

Even worse, a man named Barry (Greg Fallon) shows up at her front door. He says that he works for Morgan’s father and he just wants to come in out of the rain. Barry seems okay, until he smiles what may be the most evil smile ever. Morgan may have a shoebox of cocaine hidden in her closet but that’s not going to be as much help as you might think.

It’s going to be a long, dangerous, and twist-filled night. In the tradition of a ’70s giallo, Close Calls is full of unexpected plot developments. At first, Morgan may seem paranoid but, as the film progresses, it becomes obvious that she has good reason for that paranoia.

Close Calls definitely has an Italian horror feel to it. When the camera is stalking through the house, I was reminded of two Lamberto Bava films, A Blade in the Dark and Delirium (the house’s swimming pool even reminded me of where so much of the action in the latter movie took place.) A few of the more surreal scenes were tinted and lit in a way that reminded me of the scenes of Jessica Harper exploring the dance school in Suspiria.

For that matter, the film’s final scenes reminded me of something from Lucio Fulci’s Beyond trilogy. Much like those films, Close Call frequently feels as if it’s a filmed nightmare. The atmosphere is dream-like and frequently surreal. In the tradition of the best of Italian horror, the story is sometimes less important than the way it’s told. Director Richard Stringham deserves a lot of credit for including a drug trip sequence that actually feels authentic.

Rocky Gray’s score is also of note. It’s a throwback to the wonderfully creepy and ominous horror music of the 70s and 80s. Goblin would be proud.

For a film like this to work, you have to a sympathetic lead and Jordan Phipps gives a wonderfully empathetic performance as Morgan, making her a sympathetic character even when she’s snorting cocaine and talking about how much she hates having to take care of her grandmother. Phipps commits the role, giving an intense and believable performance.

Janis Duley also does well as grandma, constantly making you wonder whether she’s just a senile old lady or if there’s something more sinister about her quirks. Finally, Greg Fallon is appropriately sinister as Barry, keeping us off-balance as to what his true intentions are. Close Calls is definitely for horror fans who like a film that keeps you guessing. If you get a chance to see it, take that chance.

Lisa Marie Bowman, HORRORPEDIA [a version of this review first appeared on Through the Shattered Lens]

Review Two:

Morgan (Jordan Phipps) is a pretty blonde teen girl with deep-seeded troubles. Aside from her immediate foul-mouthed language directed toward her father, we quickly discover that her mother died approximately one year previously. Daddy already has a new British girlfriend (hated by Morgan, of course), and then you know… there’s that pesky little drug problem that rears its ugly head throughout the film.

Close Calls opens through an homage to 80’s horror with the credit fonts and eerie music guiding us into Morgan’s upper income mansion. Daddy is about to go out to dinner with snooty girlfriend, Brynn (Carmen Patterson), leaving angry daughter Morgan to look after the home. And the rotting “gramma” who resides in the decrepit attic.

Of course, Morgan begins her adventurous night by digging into a hidden stash of drugs, booze and pot smoking munchies. All the while traipsing about in a fuchsia bra and turquoise panties, the incredibly well-endowed teen begins to receive cryptic calls through her father’s home office.

On top of that, we are introduced to gramma (Janis Duley) who was once a probable fun-loving spirit, now resorted to vomiting blood, eating food off the floor and looking like a grimy dishrag. The first disturbing moment encountered isn’t gramma… it’s watching Morgan going up to check on her gramma in nothing but bra and undies. Guess she keeps forgetting to put on a shirt?

Moving along, Close Calls is over two hours long. Not the typical time span of an average horror film. But then again, this has all kinds of weirdness from start to finish. It’s great if you’re a fan of oddities.

When “friend of the father” Barry Cone (Greg Fallon, whom I loved in 10/31) appears in the second hour, Close Calls gets gritty and nasty. Barry appears to be a charming, handsome albeit somewhat sleazy man that rapidly becomes an ultimate nightmare for the scantily clad Morgan. And as slimy as he gets, the more absorbed you will be. Fallon portrays the sinister would-be-rapist with such evil intent that I finally put away my loathing for millennial Morgan and rooted for her escape.

Close Calls has all the twisted elements of self-paranoia. What’s real? Who is scheming to kill Morgan? And what do the perverted crank calls mean? This is a wild, heavily bizarre world that goes from drug-fueled cunnilingus, to pure home-invasion terror. But I have a sense you will thank me for recommending that you sit through the entire jaunt!

Meredith Brown, HORRORPEDIA

Other reviews:

“In Close Calls, Richard Stringham has crafted a clever, unique motion picture that goes well beyond merely being a valentine to its influences. The film offers some humour to occasionally lighten up the suspenseful proceedings, and Stringham proves himself as a talent to watch with this striking celluloid calling card.”Joseph W. Perry, Scream magazine

“Close Calls is an all out awesome Gothic/suburban horror ghost story filled with quirky and outrageous characters, unforeseen plot twists, and a deadly mystery at its center. The story moves like a shark, and I had no idea where it was headed or what would happen next, but I had a blast watching Morgan’s nightmarish journey.” Jason McFiggis, Morbidly Beautiful

“The biggest problem with Close Calls is that it’s simply too long, clocking in at over 2 hours the story becomes quite bloated and grinds to a halt midway before being ramped up with a slightly tasteless rape scenario. There is an identity crisis here as were not quite sure what the film is trying to be.” Paul Downey, Bloody Flicks

“Fans of the giallo subgenre or psychological thrillers would be keen to give this one a chance. With its impactful colors and visual style, excellent score, and superb performance from Jordan Phipps, Close Calls is one wild psychological trip.” The Movie Sleuth

“The retro feel is awesome, but it’s mixed in with new – the perfect balance of both. It made the journey throughout the film interesting as sometimes I felt like I watching an Italian 80’s horror film with an extra campy feel while other times it reminded me of Scream.” Tori Danielle, Pop Horror

“Close Calls is exactly what a pastiche of ’80’s horror should be; a film that borrows familiar motifs but twists and turns them like some F’d up clay into something original and surreal… we’ve all seen the classics, now it’s time to take their inspiration and make something fresh, and Close Calls sure as shit does just that!” Horror Fuel

Main cast and characters:

• Jordan Phipps … Morgan MacKenzie – Bigfoot’s Bride; Lakeside Massacre; Safe Place; Bury the Hatchet; 10/31
• Greg Fallon … Barry Cone – The Boo; Bury the Hatchet; 10/31
• Carmen Patterson … Brynn Collins – The Boo; It Knows; Bury the Hatchet; Unwoken (short)
• Kristof Waltermire … David MacKenzie – Lakeside Massacre
• Janis Duley … Gramma – The Perfect Host: A Southern Gothic Tale; The Phone in the Attic
• Star McCann … Diana MacKenzie – 10/31; Ladies Night (short)
• Landen Matt … Robbie Layne
• Alix Lindbergh … Alixandra – Massacre at Bluff’s Ridge; Bury the Hatchet; Mark of Death; Evil Deeds: Full Circle; Urban Legend; The Legend of Dark Wolf Manor: Web Series
• Joseph Melero … The Caller (voice)

Filming locations:

North Little Rock, Arkansas, USA

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‘He carries death… and a shovel!’

Hellmouth is a 2014 Canadian horror film produced and directed by John Geddes (director of Exit Humanity; Scarce; producer of The Hexecutioners; Septic Man; Monster Brawl) from a screenplay by Tony Burgess (The Hexecutioners; Ejecta; Pontypool). It stars Stephen McHattie, Siobhan Murphy, and Ari Millen.

Gravekeeper Charlie Baker (Stephen McHattie) is assigned to tend to a mysterious cemetery. Charlie’s routine journey to his new place of employment turns out to be a dark and fantastic voyage through a Gothic landscape, filled with demonic forces, and a life-altering encounter with a beautiful woman he must try to rescue from the bowels of Hell…

Hellmouth is currently available to to watch free online via tubi

Reviews:

“The film came across, to this viewer, as an exercise in the use of greenscreen, with story elements an addendum. At its core, the film is missing a reason to be. It is also missing compelling conflicts and an internal message. And, this viewer wonders if the film was developed from one of Burgess’ nightmares. If yes, his nightmare required more thoughtful analysis and interpretation.” Michael Allen, 28 Days Later Analysis

” …Hellmouth features McHattie starring in the hero’s role and seeing an upper-middle aged man in such a role in this day and age is rare. McHattie is fantastic here and the film really highlights both his range and depth of talent. Hellmouth may not be as powerful as Pontypool, but it still is a stunning feat in visuals and proof that if done with an artistic touch, CG can be effective in horror.” Mark Miller, Ain’t It Cool News

” …the largest gifts that Geddes bestows upon the audience here are the mind-blowing visuals – throwing fans back to the 1950’s with a look and feel that runs head-long into a Frank Miller Sin City freight train […] Demons, smoke-enveloped ghouls, and the ferryman on the river Styx are nightmarish in appearance, although you do have to allow some CGI to have its way with you.” Matt Boiselle, Dread Central

” …the entire film is a heightened reality both literate and goofy. Lines like “If you step back, you cannot see yourself. I stepped too far back,” play well in this head-space. I was rooting for Charlie to get himself to a good place, but I could certainly do with less CGI ‘establishing shots’ and over-baked computer modelling that occasionally flirts with taking over.” Kurt Halfyard, Screen Anarchy

Main cast:

• Stephen McHattie … Charlie Baker / The Barda
• Siobhan Murphy … Fay
• Ari Millen … Harry
• Tony Burgess … Tips
• Mark Gibson … Sheriff Ryan
• Boyd Banks … Fred Whinny
• Bruce McDonald … Paul Kemp
• Julian Richings … Freddy T Neville
• Adam Seybold … Mr. Praut
• Kate Fenton … Mrs. Praut

IMDb | Image credits: Alex on Film

The Perfect Host: A Southern Gothic Tale is a 2018 horror film directed by Derrick Sims (Come Morning) from a screenplay co-written with Alaina McClellan Sims. The Fabled Motion Pictures production stars Suilma Rodriguez, Janis Duley, and Chase Ryan Jeffery.

While sorting her dead grandmother’s affairs, a young woman boards in an eerie, southern mansion and soon discovers the matriarch may desire more than just her company…

Main cast and characters:

• Suilma Rodriguez … Julie
• Janis Duley … Frances Allen
• Chase Ryan Jeffery … Jonathan Turner
• Andersyn Van Kuren …Ellie
• Thomas Herod Jr. … Harold
• Siobhan Doherty … Kristy
• Greg Fallon … Father Marion
• LindsayAnn Neel … Ronnie
• Richard Ledbetter … Charlie Ray

Production:

Principal filming began on 28 March 2016.

Filming locations:

Arkansas, USA

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The House of Violent Desire is a 2018 British horror film written and directed by Charlie Steeds (The Barge People; Winterskin; Cannibal Farm). TheDark Temple Motion Pictures production stars Kate Davies-Speak, Peter Cosgrove, Joe Street, and Barrington De La Roche.

The film is described as “A Gothic horror set in the 1940s, a psychosexual thriller disguised as a traditional ghost story.”

In a remote hilltop mansion, a mysterious stranger emerges from a thunderstorm in the night, seeking refuge with the Whipley family; four young adults ruled by their strict religious mother, and their troubled father, who has vanished the previous evening.

But perhaps the ‘stranger’ is more connected to this family and to the dark unknown history of the house than they could ever suspect, and as the visitor begins to cultivate sexual tensions and paranoia within the house, the devilishly erotic history of the Whipley family threatens to lure them deep into its lustful, violent madness once again.

Awoken by screams in the night, young Evelyn Whipley (Yasmin Ryan) is found drenched in blood and mysteriously bound to the bed…

Cast and characters:

• Kate Davies-Speak … Agatha Whipley [as Kate Marie Davies]
• Peter Cosgrove … to be confirmed
• Joe Street … Damien DeHaan
• Barrington De La Roche … Sylas Scorpius – Cannibal Farm
• Rowena Bentley … Lady Whipley
• Carl Andersson… The Visitor
• Yasmin Ryan … Evelyn Whipley
• Daniel McKee … Adriel Whipley
• Esme Sears … Cordetta Crimson Rose

Running time:

117 minutes

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Mary Shelley is a 2017 American/British/Luxembourg romantic drama film that references the science fiction and horror genres, directed by Haifaa al-Mansour from a screenplay by Emma Jensen. The film stars Elle Fanning, Maisie Williams, Douglas Booth, Bel Powley, and Ben Hardy.

Explores writer Mary Shelley’s first love and romantic relationship with poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, which inspired Mary to write Frankenstein…

Reviews:

… it’s a double shame that such a rich story should be given such surface-level treatment, and its heroine reduced to a two-dimensional shade mouthing vacuous pseudo-feminist platitudes.” Christopher Machell, CineVue

“It’s somewhat amusing – especially Tom Sturridge, who turns Lord Byron into poetry’s version of Jack Sparrow – but immediately forgettable.” Mark Medley, Globe and Mail

“Mary Shelley is a diverting enough biopic that features decent performances through an often vivid lens, but given the unusual facts of the author’s life, a far more offbeat and far less rigid film could have been made here.” Benjamin Lee, The Guardian

” …by its second act, presumably once Al-Mansour realized that no Mary Shelley biopic would be remotely complete with actually showing off the creation of Frankenstein, the film turns towards unwieldy and bizarre, all dramatic rainstorms and overwrought nightmares and on-the-nose scripting.” Kate Erbland, IndieWire

“The film is gratifyingly on point with its gender politics and styled to perfection, with Caroline Koener’s costumes offering a carousel of visual pleasures. But unlike Shelley’s famous monster, the disparate parts Al-Mansour has assembled here do not move as one.” Sophie Monks Kaufman, Little White Lies

“Impressively shot and suffused with a righteous feminist fire, the film is undercut by a confused and clunky script and a fundamental lack of thematic focus, turning an extraordinary story into didactic and disjointed melodrama.” Andrew Barker, Variety

Cast and characters:

• Elle Fanning as Mary Shelley
• Douglas Booth as Percy Bysshe Shelley
• Bel Powley as Claire Clairmont
• Ben Hardy as John William Polidori
• Tom Sturridge as Lord Byron
• Maisie Williams as Isabel Baxter
• Stephen Dillane as William Godwin
• Joanne Froggatt as Mary Jane Clairmont

Filming:

Principal photography began on February 20, 2016 in Dublin, Ireland. On March 7, the production moved to Luxembourg.

Release:

The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 9, 2017. The film will have its North American premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 28, 2018.

Mary Shelley is scheduled to be released in the United States on May 25, 2018, and in the United Kingdom on July 6, 2018.

Trivia:

Originally titled A Storm in the Stars

Wikipedia | IMDb

Related: Gothic (1986)

‘Witness its awakening’

The Evil is a 1977 [released 1978] American supernatural horror feature film directed by Gus Trikonis (The Darker Side of Terror) from a screenplay co-written with Donald G. Thompson [as Galen Thompson].

The Ed Carlin produced movie stars Richard Crenna, Joanna Pettet, Andrew Prine and features a bizarre cameo appearance by Victor Buono as the Devil; although his scenes were apparently re-edited for some releases.

The Evil will be released on Blu-ray by Scream Factory on September 18, 2018 in a new, high-definition transfer from apparently the only surviving archival print. Extras from the previous DVD release will be included.

Psychiatrist C.J. Arnold (Richard Crenna) purchases an abandoned mansion, which was built over hot sulphur pits, in order to set up a drug rehab facility. He recruits a group of volunteers to help clean-up and renovate the large house.

Almost immediately, C.J.’s wife, Dr. Caroline Arnold (Joanna Pettet) begins sensing a strange and usual presence that starts to manifest as a ghostly apparition. Soon thereafter, more strange and eerie things start to happen which start to agitate the volunteers, along with the resident dog.

Richard Crenna

Later on, C.J. discovers a trap door in the basement, which he opens up and unknowingly unleashes a menacing spirit. Suddenly, all of the doors and windows become locked, trapping everyone inside the creepy mansion.

The unwilling occupants soon discover that the trap door in the basement is actually a gateway into Hell itself. Slowly, the evil force within the house starts to kill off the trapped occupants one by one through a series of bizarre deaths…

Reviews:

“It’s light on the jump scares and gore, but it brings the creepy atmosphere big time. Of course, like most of the haunted house films it takes from, it also has an ending you wish wasn’t there.” Tony Ryan, CHUD.com

“The direction and the score are competent but much feels formulaic, even heavy-handed as loud music telegraphs the tension […] The very last minutes would better suit a TV special than a feature-length horror film but the appearance of Satan alone – always very rare – makes The Evil worth seeking out.” David Elroy Goldweber, Claws & Saucers, Lulu.com, 2012

Buy: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com | Amazon.ca

“A rather traditional haunted house thriller with a slim plot line that milks the sub-genre for all its worth, The Evil is actually an entertaining, well-paced film, even if it’s not all that scary or logical for that matter. Shot almost entirely on location in a single mansion, the creaky secluded setting, along with tight direction and a fine cast make this one worthwhile…” George R. Reis, DVD Drive-In

“Despite its relative obscurity, The Evil is at least the equal of many of its peers, both in terms of structure and presentation. This isn’t some cheap knock-off, this is a genuine, 100%, good old fashioned horror movie; just like the one’s you’d stay up late to watch on TV as a kid.” Paul Pritchard, DVD Verdict

Andrew Prine

” …here character development only exists in little snippets that have so little bearing on the ultimate story that they feel like they’re there only to pad out the running time. And when the horrors start, they’re trotted out so mechanically that it almost becomes laughably predictable. As a result, the movie never really comes to life; it feels more like an exercise in formula…” Dave Sindelar, Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings

“It’s all pretty expertly done, and director Gus Trikonis knows how to make a haunted-house movie. Victor Buono is sublime as the Devil himself…” James J. Mulay (editor), The Horror Film, CineBooks, 1989

“Though it appears to be in the Exorcist–Omen school, this one is really more like The Shining […] With a solid cast of character actors, the result is better than you might expect and the film does have some moments that are frightening and surprising.” Mike Mayo, The Horror Show Guide, Visible Ink, 2013

Buy The Horror Show Guide: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca

“The Evil was filmed in a real castle in Montezuma, New Mexico and, per usual, the utilizing of an actual space with authentic history pays off. Frankly the location alone is more than enough to recommend this movie. The Evil  is more frivolous fun than under the skin unsettling, but it’s not completely brain dead either. Unlike many a haunted house flick it comes off as generally interested in the supernatural.” Kindertrauma

” …The Evil really belongs to corpulent character actor Victor Buono […] who turned his brief cameo as the Devil into the most amusing slice of monstrous villainy since Vic Diaz in Beast of the Yellow Night.” Christopher T Koetting, Mindwarp! The Fantastic True Story of Roger Corman’s New World Pictures, Hemlock Books, 2009

Buy Mindwarp! Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

“Richard Crenna is set up, just like the rationalist heroes of Curse of the Demon (1957) and Night of the Eagle (1961), as sceptics who throughout the course of the film have the arc where they are forced to face the actuality of matters supernatural – although this is far too crude a film to make anything interesting out of such.” Richard Scheib, Moria

“Trikonis’s direction is skillful enough, as he knows how to capture the ominous surroundings and chilling events through unsettling camera angles and by often bathing the film in dark shadows. If you’re going to have an effective haunted house movie, the house itself has to be adequately spooky, and this one is. Really, “adequate” is the best way to describe this one…” Brett Gallman, Oh, the Horror!

Joanna Pettet

“Taking a cue from The Exorcist into the bargain, this actually trapped its characters inside the house in question once the blundering C.J. managed to unleash the demons of Hell, or as much of that as the budget would allow, which evidently stretched to a wind machine judging by how many of the more intense sequences were shot in what appeared to be a Force 9 gale.” Graeme Clarke, The Spinning Image

“Though the direction and the cinematography were fairly solid, much of the acting left a little to be desired with Crenna and the female lead played by Joanna Pettet, and Crenna’s wife in the film, better than the rest. The movie produced more thrills than it did horror, as the pace during the latter two-thirds moved the film along quickly.” The Telltale Mind

Cassie Yates

“A strong opening and some atmospheric elements put this one on the right track […] Crenna tries, but can’t seem to overcome the inherent weaknesses of the script. Solid production values and a haphazard earnestness runs throughout, however, and make it generally a watchable one-time journey if nothing else.” The Terror Trap

” …despite working with a low budget, director Gus Trikonis manages to whip up a good number of chills. He is helped greatly by managing to shoot in an actual old and creepy-looking mansion, and its dilapidated exteriors and interiors add a great deal of atmosphere. Trikonis adds to the eerie feeling with skilful use of sound – a rainstorm, creepy music – while also knowing when to shut up and use a background of silence equally effectively.” The Unknown Movies

“While the set-up is nothing but standard and some of the mayhem gets a bit over-the-top at times this is a fairly entertaining time with some okay shocks (such as the one involving a dumbwaiter) and acceptable spookings despite a finale that’s too silly…” The Video Graveyard

Victor Buono as The Devil

“Surrealism doesn’t fuse well with exploitation and Victor Buono has a lame role as evil incarnate.” Los Angeles Times

“Crenna and Pettet confront the devil himself, played with sinister angelicism by Victor Buono. A silly idea? Maybe, but Trikonis and Buono make it click.” Variety, 1978

“An extremely fast-paced, tightly constructed film in the tradition of, but far superior to, The Legend of Hell House (1973), the film milks the haunted house sub-genre for all it’s worth.” Phil Hardy (editor), The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror

Buy DVD with Twice Dead: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

• Trailers for Kingdom of the Spiders, Death Race 2000, The Terror Within, and Not Of This Earth
• A commentary track for The Evil with the director, Gus Trikonis; the screenwriter Donald Thompson; and the director of photography, Mario Di Leo
• A commentary track for Twice Dead with co-writer and director Bert Dragin and lead actor Tom Bresnahan
• The Girl Next Door…with Jill Whitlow featurette

Choice dialogue:

The Devil: “You really are an endless source of amusement.”

Read more

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Jonathan – aka Vampire stern nicht – is a 1969 West German horror feature film directed by Hans W. Geißendörfer. The Iduna Film production stars Jürgen Jung, Hans-Dieter Jendreyko and Paul Albert Krumm. The impressive cinematography is provided by Robby Muller who later worked extensively with Wim Wenders.

Linking the rise of fascism to vampirism, the film takes place in the 19th century where vampires who are immune to sunlight have taken over the world. Human rebels band together for a battle of life and the control of the civilization…

Jonathan has only recently received a legitimate DVD release on the German Kinowelt label, unfortunately without English subtitles. Its slow arty approach may not be to all tastes but to many it represents a “lost classic” being heavily featured in many 1970’s reference books.

Reviews:

“The performances are for the most part merely functional with Jung not a particularly compelling protagonist; he’s not a bad actor, he’s just not given much to do than lead the audience through vignettes. As the Count, Krumm has his moments but he is less effective when speaking at length. Only Jendreyko’s performance could be described as lively…” Eric Cotenas, lovelockandload.net

“Essentially an art film, Jonathan is guilty of a few serious longueurs, together with some wilfully obtuse details. The vampires are attended by lilac-clad little girls whose synchronised movements are unintentionally comic, and scenes featuring a wheezing woodland hermit who decorates his shack with inverted crosses are trial to watch. Jonathan Rigby, Euro Gothic

Buy: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com | Amazon.ca

“The best part of this film is the look of it. This is one of those movies that amazes you with every shot. No matter what is going on, silly or serious, it all looks great. It sucks you in simply because you want to see the images that pass before your eyes. This film has tracking shots and haunting images that will stay with me forever”  D.B. Borroughs

“It just had a bunch of people in bad vampire makeup mumbling some political propaganda. My audience took it seriously — at first.” Wayne Malin

Image credits: Temple of Schlock

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‘Where desire becomes nightmare’

The House of Violent Desire is a 2018 British horror film written and directed by Charlie Steeds (The Barge People; Winterskin; Cannibal Farm). The Dark Temple Motion Pictures production stars Kate Davies-Speak, Peter Cosgrove, Joe Street, and Barrington De La Roche.

The film is described as “A Gothic horror set in the 1940s, a psychosexual thriller disguised as a traditional ghost story.”

In a remote hilltop mansion, a mysterious stranger emerges from a thunderstorm in the night, seeking refuge with the Whipley family; four young adults ruled by their strict religious mother, and their troubled father, who has vanished the previous evening.

But perhaps the ‘stranger’ is more connected to this family and to the dark unknown history of the house than they could ever suspect, and as the visitor begins to cultivate sexual tensions and paranoia within the house, the devilishly erotic history of the Whipley family threatens to lure them deep into its lustful, violent madness once again.

Awoken by screams in the night, young Evelyn Whipley (Yasmin Ryan) is found drenched in blood and mysteriously bound to the bed…

Review:

The House of Violent Desire begins with a rather silly pseudo-satanic opening, unimpressive by most standards, and diminished even further by the tinny, electronically enhanced canticle provided by Sam Benjafield. Charlie Steeds, who is the auteur here, directs adequately but his script isn’t entertaining enough, and as producer, he just doesn’t know when to quit.

On the plus side, as writer, Steeds is obviously drawing on older, tested sources, constructing a seemingly versed English Gothic, similar in tone to, but hardly meeting, James Whale’s The Old Dark House (1932). Thus, Steeds’ script succeeds with its rabble of eccentric, Dickensian characters and derivative plot
elements: a foreboding sense of mystery, an itch-inducing grounds keeper (Barrington De La Roche), a caustic Lady of the House (Rowena Bentley), ineffectual upper-class children (Kate Davies-Speak, Yasmin Ryan, and Daniel McKee), something or someone hiding in the attic, a dark figure skulking
through shadows accompanied by clicking sounds, and a mysterious stranger arriving during a nighttime thunderstorm.

Unfortunately, this also makes the film seem strangely displaced and antiquated, producing an ectopic synesthesia with a prying satirical undertone and a slightly off-kilter, creepy-uncle wink. From that uncomfortable high point, the movie slowly devolves into a carnal melodrama built on Freud’s best projected fantasies, with large dollops of perverse sex-play, bestial histrionics, and hints of the forbidden fruit.

At nearly two hours long, The House of Violent Desire is occasionally interesting, rarely intriguing, frequently tedious and, despite the weather-vane plot, mostly annoying. Perhaps why the film was made in the first place can best be summed up by the groundskeeper who, between ominous thunderclaps, says at one
point: “A most mysterious occurrence, mam. I haven’t a clue.”

Ben Spurling, HORRORPEDIA

Cast and characters:

• Kate Davies-Speak [as Kate Marie Davies] … Agatha Whipley
• Peter Cosgrove … to be confirmed
• Joe Street … Damien DeHaan
• Barrington De La Roche … Sylas Scorpius – Cannibal Farm; Blood Moon
• Rowena Bentley … Lady Whipley
• Carl Andersson… The Visitor
• Yasmin Ryan … Evelyn Whipley
• Daniel McKee … Adriel Whipley
• Esme Sears … Cordetta Crimson Rose

Running time:

117 minutes

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‘Never trust a corpse’

I Sell the Dead is a 2008 American comedy horror feature film about grave-robbing written, edited and directed by Irish-born Glenn McQuaid (V/H/S). The Glass Eye Pix movie stars Dominic Monaghan, Ron Perlman, Larry Fessenden and Angus Scrimm.

Plot:

18th century justice has finally caught up with grave robbers Arthur Blake and Willie Grimes. With the spectre of the guillotine looming over him, young Blake confides in visiting clergyman Father Duffy, recounting fifteen years of adventure in the resurrection trade.

Blake’s tale leads from humble beginnings as a young boy stealing trinkets from corpses, to a partnership with seasoned ghoul Willie Grimes as they hunt creatures unwilling to accept their place in the ground…

Reviews:

“I Sell the Dead is not only one of the few horror comedies to really work, but also a fittingly tongue in cheek Hammer tribute. McQuaid shows himself to be a genuine genre talent, and it is rewarding indeed to see a director really put effort into recreating, rather than simply referencing some of the classics of old.” James Mudge, Beyond Hollywood.com

“The gothic horror film has become somewhat of a lost art, so it’s nice to see someone trying to resurrect it (so to speak). And while McQuaid pays homage to the classic movies with his shrouded moors and grave-robbers, the movie simply falls short.” Mike Long, DVD Sleuth

Buy Blu-ray: Amazon.co.uk

“If I have one criticism of the film it’s that I wished the two, when tussling with the undead, had a few more action scenes, but I assume that budget limitations killed the chances of this happening. This tale of buddy body-snatching is warm and witty and deserves high praise…” Darren Amner, Eye for Film

“As it stands, this delightful bit of gallows humor has its high points. It also suffers from occasional stumbles. Still, in a genre that sees more misfires than masterworks, I Sell the Dead is an excellent minor example of the latter. While it could have possibly been better, fans know it could be a whole helluva lot worse.” Bill Gibron, Pop Matters

“As far as the horror elements of the story are concerned they are centered around some of the stronger comedic moments of the film and do provide the bigger laughs. And there were some great laugh loud moments […] But I Sell the Dead is not without strong horror scenes and a good amount of blood letting.” Andrew Mack, Screen Anarchy

Instant Video | DVD | Blu-ray from Amazon.com

“You’ve basically got it all here. There’s genuine scares and genuine laughs. The makeup work on the monsters is quite impressive and frightening, and there’s even some bits of zombie gore to enjoy. The script is smart and clever, and filled with intentional anachronisms that only serve to make the film more unique than it already is.” B-Sol, The Vault of Horror

“First-time director Glenn McQuaid is especially enthusiastic about the duo’s rivals (a Burton-esque family of rogues dubbed “The House of Murphy”), but the editing rushes through the best bits and trips up Arthur and Willie’s partnership. Supporting hobbit turned Lost axiom Monaghan is too reserved anyway, and even Fessenden holds back from hork-in-yer-top-hat unsavoriness.” Nicolas Rapold, The Village Voice

Cast and characters:

• Dominic Monaghan … Arthur Blake
• Larry Fessenden … Willy Grimes – Wendigo; Beneath; et al
• Angus Scrimm … Dr. Quint – Phantasm franchise
• Ron Perlman … Father Duffy – Season of the Witch; Pacific Rim; Hellboy and Hellboy 2; Cronos
• Brenda Cooney … Fanny Briers
• John Speredakos … Cornelius Murphy
• Daniel Manche … Young Arthur
• Eileen Colgan … Maisey O’Connell
• James Godwin … Old Man
• Joel Marsh Garland … Ronnie
• Aidan Redmond … Jack Flood
• Alisdair Stewart … Bulger
• Heather Bullock … Valentine Kelly
• Chris Shaw … Executioner
• Martin Pfefferkorn … Howling Man

Technical details:

85 minutes | 2.35:1

Filming locations:

Staten Island and East Village, New York

Related:

The Unsubtle Art of Body Snatching – article

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‘He’s watching. He’s waiting.’

The Nursery Man is a 2019 British supernatural horror feature film written and directed by Nottingham-based Anthony M. Winson (The Baylock Residence; Cry of the Magpie; Unholy; House of Afflictions). The Mr Stitch Films production stars Sarah Ellis (also a co-producer), Ben Clatworthy, Sarah Wynne Kordas and Stella Lock.

Cast and characters:

• Sarah Ellis … Marion Kelly
• Ben Clatworthy … Richard Kelly
• Sarah Wynne Kordas … Florence Taylor
• Stella Lock … Charlotte Turner
• June Tracy … Emma McDonald

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‘The candle of his lust burnt brightest in the shadow of the grave!’

The Horrible Dr. Hichcock – original title: L’orribile segreto del Dr. Hichcock – is a 1962 Italian Gothic horror feature film directed by Riccardo Freda [as Robert Hampton] (Murder Obsession; The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire; The Ghost) from a screenplay by Ernesto Gastaldi [as Julyan Perry]. The Panda Film production stars Robert Flemyng, Barbara Steele, Silvano Tranquilli and Harriet Medin.

Plot:

London, 1985: Dr. Hichcock’s horrible secret involves drugging his wife for bizarre funeral games. One day, he accidentally (?) administers an overdose of a new drug which slows the heart-rate and thinks he has killed her. After burying her in a crypt, he leaves London.

Twelve years later, Hichcock remarries and returns to his old home. His new wife starts to believe that she is seeing his first wife around the house. After his new wife falls victim to his old parlour games, she suspects that he is trying to kill her, but finds that the truth is much worse.

Having realised that his first wife is still alive, but looking haggard from her ordeal, Dr. Hichcock plans to kill his new wife and use her blood to restore his first wife’s beauty…

Reviews:

“There is barely a moment in the film that isn’t capable of two or three different interpretations, each one more sinister than the last. Put simply, the more you think about this film, the more deeply disturbing it becomes.” And You Call Yourself a Scientist!

“What matters here is the period atmosphere, and the entire buildup is basically one big display of special effects and sounds. A lot of the visuals should appeal to admirers of Mario Bava’s early work…” Dr. Svet Atanasov, Blu-ray.com

“Robert Flemyng is fantastic as Bernard Hitchcock! His journey into complete derangement is a beautiful thing to behold. He gets superb support from the stunning Barbara Steele. Oozing with atmosphere and no holds barred loathsomeness; this gorgeous gothic tale is a wonderfully twisted delight!” Goregirl’s Dungeon

“You can see what gave so many people room to vaunt The Terror of Dr. Hichcock‘s classic status. Ultimately though, it is only a handful of Gothic cliches. Beneath these and Riccardo Freda’s atmosphere, there is not much in the way of supporting rationale.” Richard Scheib, Moria

“Freda’s direction is excellent. This is, like many of its Italian gothic horror counterparts, a slow burn picture but that doesn’t make it any less compelling. The locations used for the shoot are perfect, allowing the camera to eloquently capture plenty of spooky stonewalled corridors and candlelit boudoirs…” Ian Jane, Rock! Shock! Pop!

“Hichcock contemplates and caresses his victims, whether narcotized or indeed dead, with lewd abandon, while Roman Vlad’s score goes into suitable hysterics. This frankness immediately marks out The Horrible Dr. Hichcock as fairly extreme for its era. It’s subject matter that few films, even today, have any interest in handling.” Budd Wilkins, Slant

“Highly atmospheric and beautifully directed by Freda, this terror gem is a must see not just for Italian horror buffs but for genre fans in general. Flemying is terrific as the mad Hichcock, while Steele delivers an equally good straight performance as his tortured wife.” The Terror Trap

Steele recalls the making of the film:

“Freda I liked very much. He had energy and intelligence. He is the one director out of all the Italians that I felt a true connection with even though he was very autocratic. I liked him enough to feel an obligation for him to win his bet and buy this particular horse he wanted very badly. Dr Hichcock was done while I was still shooting 8½ [1963] for Fellini. I did it strictly for the money. We were working eighteen hour days and believe me, you don’t relish a close-up after that kind of suicidal pacing and trauma.

Oddly enough, I actually liked those deranged working hours. It’s difficult to keep the momentum on a picture like that when you have these phenomenal pauses between takes. But Freda prevented this by maintaining absolute control at all times with no preparation. You have to feel safe with the director and Freda knew exactly how to keep me in a state of crisis long enough to get what he wanted. I wish we had done more pictures together.”

Choice dialogue:

Professor Bernard Hichcock: “We found you lying unconscious in the garden. You’ve been quite delirious.”

Cast and characters:

• Barbara Steele … Cinzia Hichcock
• Robert Flemyng … Professor Bernard Hichcock
• Silvano Tranquilli [as Montgomery Glenn] … Dr. Kurt Lowe
• Maria Teresa Vianello [as Teresa Fitzgerald] … Margaretha Hichcock
• Harriet Medin [as Harriet White] … Martha – The Maid
• Spencer Williams
• Al Christianson
• Evar Simpson
• Nat Harley
• Neil Robinson … Hospital Assistant [uncredited]
• Howard Nelson Rubien … Laboratory Specialist [uncredited]

Produced by Luigi Carpentieri and Emmano Donati.

Filming locations:

Principal photography was conducted over sixteen days in April 1962 at Villa Perucchetti, 21 Via Pietro Paolo Rubens, Rome, Lazio, Italy.

Technical credits:

88 minutes | 1.85:1

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The Red Queen Kills Seven Times is a 1972 Italian-German giallo thriller feature film directed by Emilio Miraglia [as Emilio P. Miraglia] (The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave) from a screenplay co-written with Fabio Pittorru (Nine Guests for a Crime; Calling All Police Cars; The Weekend Murders). The movie stars Barbara Bouchet, Ugo Pagliai, Marina Malfatti and Marino Masé. The Italian title is La dama rossa uccide sette volte.

The soundtrack score was composed by Bruno Nicolai (Eyeball; The Antichrist; All the Colours of the Dark; Count Dracula; et al).

Plot:

Germany: Young sisters Kitty and Eveline attack each other violently but are stopped from stabbing each other by their grandfather. They’ve been driven insane by an old painting, a depiction of ‘The Red Queen’, a figure said to curse their family, appearing every hundred years to claim seven victims.

In 1972, Kitty (Barbara Bouchet) is working as a photographer for Springe fashion house. She receives a call from her other sister, Franciska (Marina Malfatti), informing her that their grandfather has died, apparently from a heart attack induced by the appearance of a mysterious figure in a red cape. When Hans Meyer, the sleazy manager of Springe, is stabbed to death, it seems Eveline might be responsible…

Reviews:

” …what really outshines here is the murders by the red queen, the great music from Bruno Nicolai, the attractive female cast, the vintage 70’s designer fashions, and the exotic European settings. The film combines the giallo film style and Gothic horror tale with panache, and if you enjoy those two things, then TRQK7T is likely to be a treat. ” At the Mansion of Madness

” …its constant plot twists and shifts in tone are considerably better executed than in The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave. It also features a brilliantly-executed climax involving a crowd of rats and a sealed room slowly filling with water, which more than makes up for the nonsensical narrative’s failure to successfully tie up the various disparate plot strands.” The Digital Fix

“It is all rounded off with a spot of epic scenery chewing – and a climax worthy of the Perils of Pauline.  Red Queen certainly isn’t the best example of the genre – it’s unevenly paced and sometimes a little incoherent – but for those looking for some seriously demented, 70s Italian gialli fun you could do worse than check this out.” Hysteria Lives

“The Red Queen delivers everything you could want from a giallo. It boasts a winding plot that keeps you guessing, but unlike many of the entries in this genre, it holds up to scrutiny. ‘Evelyn’, clad in her blood red cape, is a classic giallo antagonist, laughing maniacally after each murder. In Bouchet, Malfatti and Sybil Danning […] you have a trio of classic European beauties…” The Movie Waffler

“The Red Queen Kills Seven Times feels like a 98-minute tour through a decade of Italian horror filmmaking. The familial, haunted-castle backstory involving the Red Queen evokes the gothic era of the early 60s, when Bava and Steele reigned as king and queen, while the bright, gaudy fashion world aesthetic recalls Bava’s transition into color filmmaking. These two contrasting styles clash throughout…” Oh, the Horror!

“Deliciously convoluted plotting reworks familiar ingredients: a creepy castle, a blonde heroine exploring cobwebbed corridors, feverish dream sequences, another lovely score from Bruno Nicolai and an undead menace named Evelyn. Allotted a bigger budget this time round, Miraglia maintains his sumptuous compositions and imaginative use of psychedelic light and shadow.” The Spinning Image

“Chock a block with red herrings galore and a surplus of characters, Miraglia’s stylish and classy giallo is definitely worth seeing. It’s a satisfying blend of gothic and modern horror. Lovely scream queen Bouchet is always a pleasure to watch and the whole enterprise is buoyed by a number of thrilling death pieces.” The Terror Trap

“Production/costume designer Lorenzo Baraldi returns to provide the same level of unique style that he brought to Evelyn and the design of the red queen’s costume ensures that we would remember this character. The contribution of cinematographer Alberto Spagnoli is also worth mentioning as he makes great use of the European architecture to his advantage.” The Video Graveyard

“The Red Queen successfully captures the haunted, murder mystery feeling of the giallo film era. High fashion in a gothic setting, sets the tone of the film as director Emilio Miraglia creates a classic crime mystery with supernatural overtones.” Without Your Head

Choice dialogue:

Elizabeth Hoffman: “All men are filthy beasts!”

Buy Blu-ray (US and UK releases): Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

• New audio commentary by Alan Jones and Kim Newman
• Exclusive new interview with Sybil Danning
• New interview with critic Stephen Thrower
• Archival introduction by production/costume designer Lorenzo Baraldi
• Dead à Porter archival interview with Lorenzo Baraldi
• Rounding Up the Usual Suspects archival interview with actor Marino Masé
• If I Met Emilio Miraglia Today archival featurette with Erika Blanc, Lorenzo Baraldi and Marino Masé
• My Favourite… Films archival interview with actress Barbara Bouchet
• Alternative opening
• Original Italian theatrical trailer
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gilles Vranckx

Cast and characters:

• Barbara Bouchet … Kitty Wildenbrück
• Ugo Pagliai … Martin Hoffmann
• Marina Malfatti … Franziska Wildenbrück
• Marino Masé … Police Inspector
• Pia Giancaro … Rosemary Müller (as Maria Pia Giancaro)
• Sybil Danning … Lulu Palm
• Nino Korda … Herbert Zieler
• Fabrizio Moresco … Peter
• Rudolf Schündler … Tobias Wildenbrück (as Rudolf Schindler)
• Maria Antonietta Guido
• Carla Mancini … Elizabeth Hoffmann
• Bruno Bertocci … Hans Meyer
• Sisto Brunetti … Policeman (uncredited)
• Dolores Calò … Dress-Fitter at Fashion House (uncredited)
• Nestore Cavaricci … Policeman (uncredited)
• Carolyn De Fonseca … Lulu Palm (voice) (uncredited)
• Alfonso Giganti … Springe’s Department Director (uncredited)
• Marc Smith … Martin Hoffmann (voice) (uncredited)

Filming locations:

Weikersheim and Würzburg, Germany
Stabilimento SAFA-Palatino, Piazza dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo 8, Rome, Italy (studio)

US release:

Released in a truncated form as The Corpse Which Didn’t Want to Die; Blood Feast and Feast of Flesh.

Trivia:

In 2006, No Shame released the film in the USA in a unique box set with Emilio Miraglia’s The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave that included a Red Queen figurine.

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‘A feature film so terrifying, you’ll die… laughing’

Elvira’s Haunted Hills is a 2001 comedy horror feature film directed by Sam Irvin (Murder at the Mansion; Oblivion 2: Backlash; Oblivion) from a screenplay by Cassandra Peterson (Elvira: Mistress of the Dark) and John Paragon. The film fondly parodies Roger Corman-directed Edgar Allan Poe films such as House of Usher (1960) and The Pit and the Pendulum (1961).

The Spirit Entertainment movie stars the former, as Elvira, with Richard O’Brien, Mary Scheer and Scott Atkinson.

Plot:

Carpathia, 1851: Elvira and her maid Zou Zou are en route to perform in the Parisian Revue `Yes I Can Can’ but inadvertently end up at the sinister Lord Vladimere Hellsubus’ medieval castle. Bearing an uncanny resemblance to Vladimere’s long-dead wife, Elvira learns of the Hellsubus curse and finds her life in danger…

Reviews:

“A sloppy slapstick throwback to long gone bottom-of-the-bill fare like The Ghost and Mr. Chicken.” The Boston Globe

“While Peterson and her ageless alter ego keep an ironic detachment from the melodramatics, there’s no irony in the end-title dedication to Price — it obviously comes straight from the heart.” L.A. Weekly

” …it’s passable entertainment (barely) – a loving homage to vintage horror. And the cast is pretty amusing, too. Is the film good? No, but it doesn’t really seem to be trying too hard. There’s even a few fourth wall gags that point out the weakness of the acting and plot.” IGN

“The period settings are handled with fidelity by director Sam Irvin, who gets in the kind of grainy exterior shots, foreboding interior creakiness and shoddy special effects which do right by the source material and give the film a sense of actually watching these old AIP-distributed Corman films proper. It’s spoof as verisimilitude, and reinforces the overall good nature of this passion project.” Mind of Frames

“Cassandra Peterson, who turned fifty when she made the film, is starting to show her age and her routine is starting ever so slightly to seem stale. Delivered amid the often clearly impoverished surroundings, it all has the feel of a former big-name comic reduced to doing dinner theatre in the boondocks.” Moria

“One groaning terrible joke after another until there is nothing but groaning. Wow. Elvira was not amusing. I felt bad after awhile. It was embarrassing. She gave me a lot of joy with her show. But this movie was bad. Real bad.” Dr. Gore’s Movie Reviews

“While not as irreverently charming as its predecessor, the film has more than enough to enjoy, particularly if the viewer has a basic knowledge of the kinds of stories that the movie parodies. The costumes, set and score – which are impressively done on such a small budget – lampoon these films immodestly…” Scream

“Haunted Hills packs an impressive number of jokes in its 90-minute running time, and while some of them are fairly cringeworthy (comedy ‘boink’ sound effects and sped-up scenes will never be funny, and the numerous long screaming scenes are intensely irritating) there are a decent number of jokes that hit the mark…” That Was a Bit Mental

“There’s a sort of cut-rate genius at work here, as before — Peterson’s whole Elvira shtick is hopelessly lame and she knows it. That’s sorta the point, really. Harmless horror, harmless titillation, and harmless laughs at punchless jokes. Some performers want to shake up the world — Peterson is happy just to deliver the goods.” Trash Film Guru

“Its charm — which is separate, of course, from Elvira’s evident charms — lies in its good-natured affection for the movies it’s lampooning. Elvira is her same old self, campy, vampy and a little bit trampy but fundamentally on the side of fair play.” TV Guide

“Sure, Peterson and O’Brien are hammy enough and some of the self conscious humour isn’t bad; but this is a bland and uninspiring effort that even fans of the title character might find hard going.” The Video Graveyard

Choice dialogue:

Elvira: “Alright, alright — I’ll throw on something skimpy and head down to the dungeon.”

Dr. Bradley: “The village people say this castle is evil.”
Elvia: “Meh, who listens to the Village People anymore?”

Elvira: “If I’m not back in an hour… wait another hour.”

Cast and characters:

• Cassandra Peterson … Elvira, Mistress of the Dark / Lady Elura Hellsubus
• Richard O’Brien … Lord Vladimere Hellsubus
• Mary Scheer … Lady Ema Hellsubus
• Scott Atkinson … Dr. Bradley Bradley
• Heather Hopper … Lady Roxanna Hellsubus
• Mary Jo Smith … Zou Zou
• Gabi Andronache … Adrian, the stable master
• Jerry Jackson … The English Gentleman
• Theodor Danetti … The Innkeeper
• Lucia Maier … The Maid
• Constantin Cotimanis … The Coachman
• Remus Cernat … Nicholai Hellsubus
• Mark Pierson … The Butler

Filming locations:

Romania

Release:

The $1.5 million production was released on DVD and VHS by Good Times Video on October 1, 2002, rated PG-13.

Related:

Cassandra Peterson

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988)

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‘Beware’

Crimson Peak is a 2015 American horror feature film directed by Guillermo del Toro (Cronos; Hellboy and sequels; Pan’s Labyrinth; Pacific Rim) from a screenplay by del Toro, Matthew Robbins and Lucinda Coxon. It was produced by Legendary Pictures and distributed by Universal Pictures.

The film stars Mia Wasikowska (Stoker), Tom Hiddleston (Only Lovers Left Alive; High-Rise; Kong: Skull Island), Charlie Hunnam, and Jessica Chastain (Dark Shadows).

Del Toro has said this film is a “ghost story and gothic romance”. He described it as “a very set-oriented, classical but at the same time modern take on the ghost story”, and said that it would allow him to play with the genre’s conventions while subverting their rules. He stated, “I think people are getting used to horror subjects done as found footage or B-value budgets. I wanted this to feel like a throwback.”

Set in Cumbria, in a crumbling mansion in a largely rural and mountainous region of northern England in the 19th century, young author Edith Cushing (Wasikowska) discovers that her charming new husband Sir Thomas Sharpe (Hiddleston) is not who he appears to be…

Crimson Peak is presented here in sumptuous special packaging, with a wealth of extra features, affording unprecedented insight in to the making of this modern Gothic romantic classic.

• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
• Original 5.1 and 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and optional English 2.0 DTS Headphone:X Audio
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Optional Descriptive Video Service® (DVS®) for the visually impaired
• Audio commentary by co-writer and director Guillermo Del Toro
• The House is Alive: Constructing Crimson Peak, a newly edited, feature-length documentary with cast and crew interviews and extensive behind the scenes footage
• Previously unseen Spanish language interview with Guillermo Del Toro
• The Gothic Corridor, The Scullery, The Red Clay Mines, The Limbo Fog Set; four featurettes exploring different aspects of Allerdale Hall
• A Primer on Gothic Romance, the director and stars talk about the key traits of Gothic romance

• The Light and Dark of Crimson Peak, the cast and crew talk about the film s use of color
• Hand Tailored Gothic, a featurette on the film s striking costumes
• A Living Thing, a look at the design, modelling and construction of the Allerdale Hall sets
• Beware of Crimson Peak, a walking tour around Allerdale Hall with Tom Hiddleston
• Crimson Phantoms, a featurette on the film s amazing ghosts
• Kim Newman on Crimson Peak and the Tradition of Gothic Romance, a newly filmed interview with author and critic
• Violence and Beauty in Guillermo Del Toro’s Gothic Fairy Tale Films, a new video essay by Kat Ellinger
• Deleted scenes
• Original trailers and TV spots
• Double-sided, fold-out poster
• Six double-sided, postcard-sized lobby card reproductions
• Limited Edition packaging newly designed by Crimson Peak concept artist Guy Davis
• Limited edition 80-page, hard-bound book featuring new writing by David Jenkins and Simon Abrams, an archival interview with Guillermo del Toro, and original conceptual design illustrations by artists Guy Davis and Oscar Chichoni

Reviews:

For audiences unafraid of a bit of ultraviolence mixed in with heightened romance, all wrapped up in a puzzlebox of exquisite design, they’re in for a treat. For those bestowed with patience to let the film unfold, and are unfazed at needing to do a bit of work to truly understand the deep references and connections that del Toro is making with the work (i.e., see Rebecca again!), they’re in for one of the most unique and rewarding films of the year.” Jason Gorber, Twitch

“Guillermo del Toro’s gothic fantasy-romance Crimson Peak is outrageously sumptuous, gruesomely violent and designed to within an inch of its life. Every shot is an intricate, curlicued marvel of detail: there are images which glow from behind like stained glass.” Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

“When the scares do arrive, however, they’re effectively unsettling. Only once or twice does the film indulge in cheesy jump effects, where the audience flinches because of a sudden LOUD noise. Instead, you can feel the director savoring the anticipation and then resolving it skillfully and grandly. The result is del Toro’s best film since Pan’s Labyrinth, one that should rightly become a staple for many Halloweens to come.” Alonso Duraide, The Wrap

” … as del Toro does too often, here he takes what could be a winning homage to a genre he loves and smothers it in sensational, empty style. Crimson Peak features a few killer scenes—my favorite involving a shovel; you’ll know it when you see it—and, in its beginnings, successfully conjures up a sense of wispy ghost-movie dread. But before too long, it sadly proves as insubstantial as any common phantasm.” Richard Lawson, Vanity Fair

” … this movie becomes as much of a single-location haunted house movie as any Blumhouse Production, albeit one with frankly less emotionally compelling undercurrents and character turns than the likes of Oculus or Insidious. Yes, the house looks great and yes the third act offers some splendid moments of operatic cinema … but the core story is weak, and our investment lies in looking past some obvious deficiencies.” Scott Mendelson, Forbes

Aflame with color and awash in symbolism, this undeniably ravishing yet ultimately disappointing haunted-house meller is all surface and no substance, sinking under the weight of its own self-importance into the sanguine muck below … Crimson Peak proves too frou-frou for genre fans, too gory for the Harlequin crowd and all-around too obvious for anyone pressed to guess what the siblings’ dark secret could possibly be…” Peter Debruge, Variety

“Featuring memorable performances, amazing production design, and a hard edge that is too often lacking in horror films these days, it nonetheless also manages to subvert some long-standing tropes about the Gothic romance genre which inspired it.” Scott Collura, IGN

“The movie’s high style and use of color harkens back to old-school Maria Bava movies and Hammer flicks, while an expert cast — including Tom Hiddleston and Jessica Chastain — play out the macabre storyline in a way that would make Edgar Allan Poe positively beam.” Sam Adams, Rolling Stone

“Its sombre sincerity and hypnotic, treasure-box beauty make Crimson Peak feel like a film out of time – but Del Toro, his cast and his crew carry it off without a single postmodern prod or smirk. The film wears its heart on its sleeve, along with its soul and most of its intestines.” Robbie Collin, The Telegraph

” … Crimson Peak feels like a 1946 film made seven decades later; the conventions are all carried over intact from an earlier time, so that only the technical aspects and gore level identify it as a product of its own era. This is not necessarily a bad thing at all, except that the conventions the film trades in seem so dusty and time-worn that they cry out for revision and/or reconsideration.” Todd McCarthy, The Hollywood Reporter

” Beyond its surface pleasures, Crimson Peak also confronts the demons of modern entertainment. The movie frightens and surprises us in familiar ways, but at the same time issues a plea for restraint.” Eric Kohn, indieWIRE

“The combination of gothic ghost story and harlequin romance doesn’t break new ground for either genre, but the intensity of Brandt Gordon’s art direction and Kate Hawley’s costume design reinforce the innate connection that period romance and horror share in how these genres so purely express their most profound ideas through ornate style.” Jake Cole, Slant

Cast and characters:

• Mia Wasikowska as Edith Cushing
• Sofia Wells as Young Edith
• Tom Hiddleston as Sir Thomas Sharpe
• Charlie Hunnam as Dr. Alan McMichael
• Jessica Chastain as Lady Lucille Sharpe
• Jim Beaver as Carter Cushing
• Emily Coutts as Eunice McMichael
• Matia Jackett as Young Eunice
• Leslie Hope as Mrs. McMichael
• Burn Gorman as Holly
• Doug Jones
• Javier Botet – Freehold; Devil’s Gate; The Boy; et al

Release and box office:

Crimson Peak was released worldwide on October 16, 2015. It took a disappointing $74,679,822 globally against a reported budget of $55 million.

The post Crimson Peak – USA, 2015 appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.

‘Robert Louis Stevenson’s masterpiece of terror!’

The Strange Door is a 1951 American gothic thriller feature film directed by Joseph Pevney (The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries: ‘Voodoo Doll’); The Munsters – 11 episodes; Bewitched – 1 episode; Man of a Thousand Faces) from a screenplay by Jerry Sackheim (The Black Castle). The Universal-International production movie stars Charles Laughton, Boris Karloff, Sally Forrest, Richard Wyler, Alan Napier and Michael Pate.

The Strange Door will be released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber in April 2019. Special features to be announced.

Plot:

The Sire de Maletroit (Charles Laughton) is an evil French nobleman so obsessed with hatred for his own brother (Paul Cavanagh) that he has imprisoned him in the castle dungeon.

The Sire tries to destroy the life of Cavanagh’s daughter Blanche de Maletroit (Sally Forrest) by forcing her to marry rogue (Richard Stapley), however his nefarious plans are upset when the mismatched couple fall in love.

Aided by Voltan (Boris Karloff), an abused servant, the lovers attempt to escape but the Sire imprisons them in a cell, whose closing walls may mean violent death for these innocent victims…

Reviews:

“Well-acted by all (including Michael Pate and Alan Napier in supporting roles), though the entire film is pretty much dominated by Laughton whenever he’s on screen. The sets and production design are both good and the cinematography’s decent…” The Bloody Pit of Horror

” …this isn’t one of Laughton’s better performances; some of his moments feel forced, while others feel just strange. Other than that, there’s not much of note here; the horror elements consist of some of the wilder Gothic elements, in particular a scene involving one of those rooms with the moving walls that come together.” Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings

” …you will often hear that Laughton started way over the top and stayed there, where if you watch it you will find this is not the case. This is not the all-out scenery chewing ham of legend, but a slyer personality who seizes his chances to go overboard only rarely here.” The Spinning Image

” …your eyes never wander or get tired as they are always focused upon the stars of the film. Aside from Laughton’s remarkable and over-the-top performance, the movie also has the incomparable Boris Karloff.  His role is short, as he merely supports everyone else, but even in such a small part he is magnetic…” The Telltale Mind

” …it never manages to build a full head of steam, thanks to poorly drawn characters (Blanche might as well be a cardboard cutout), and sloppy pacing. Laughton seems to be having fun, but this is a one man thriller party and no one else has been invited.” The Terror Trap

“The performances are just about all the flick really gives you to hang your hat on though. It doesn’t help that The Strange Door isn’t really a horror movie. It’s more of a gothic melodrama (it was based on a story by Robert Louis Stevenson); and it’s a convoluted one at that.” The Video Vacuum

Choice dialogue:

Sire Alain de Maletroit: “If I ever find you up here again, I’ll feed your liver to the swine.”

Sire Alain de Maletroit: “I’m in the mood for relaxation. Let’s visit the dungeons.”

Cast and characters:

• Charles Laughton … Sire Alain de Maletroit
• Boris Karloff … Voltan
• Sally Forrest … Blanche de Maletroit
• Richard Wyler … Denis de Beaulieu [as Richard Stapley]
• William Cottrell … Corbeau
• Alan Napier … Count Grassin
• Morgan Farley … Renville
• Paul Cavanagh … Edmond de Maletroit
• Michael Pate … Talon

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‘Two children. Two adults. One unspeakable crime.’

The Nightcomers is a 1971 British horror feature film directed by Michael Winner (The Sentinel; Scream for Help) from a screenplay by Michael Hastings (Tales of Unease TV series). The plot is set up as a ‘prequel’ to the events that occur in The Turn of the Screw, the ghost story novella written by Henry James previously adapted as the 1961 film The Innocents. The movie stars Marlon Brando, Stephanie Beacham (The Ballad of Tam Lin; Dracula A.D. 1972; House of Mortal Sin), Thora Hird, Harry Andrews and Anna Palk.

Kino Lorber Studio Classics is releasing The Nightcomers on Blu-ray and DVD in the USA on May 7, 2019 with the following special features:

• Audio commentary by director Michael Winner
• Audio commentary by film historian Kat Ellinger (new)
• Introduction by director Michael Winner
• Theatrical teaser
• Theatrical trailer

Plot:

Recently orphaned, Flora and Miles are abandoned by their new guardian (Harry Andrews) and entrusted to the care of housekeeper Mrs. Grose (Thora Hird), governess Miss Jessel (Stephanie Beacham), and Peter Quint (Marlon Brando), the former valet and now gardener.

With only these three adults for company, the children live an isolated life in the sprawling country manor estate. The children are particularly fascinated by Peter Quint due to his eclectic knowledge and engaging stories, and willingness to entertain them. With this captive audience, Quint doses out his strange philosophies on love and death.

Miss Jessel, also falls under Peter’s spell, and despite her repulsion the two embark on a sadomasochistic love affair. Flora and Miles become fascinated with this relationship, and help Quint and Jessel to escape the interference of disapproving Mrs. Grose. The children begin spying on Quint and Jessel’s violent trysts and mimic what they see, including the acts of bondage, culminating in Miles nearly pushing Flora off a building to her death…

Reviews:

” …Brando speaks in a syrupy Irish brogue that sounds like a baseball game heard from two rooms away and switches out actual acting for mugging and fussing with props. It’s to Brando’s advantage that the character doesn’t care about anyone or anything but however that tendency may suit the actor’s caprice, it doesn’t make for compelling drama […] Beacham (who was all of 23 when she made this) is pretty good in the role but looks seasick throughout.” Arbogast on Film

“The Nightcomers is pretty poor, really. Winner does a good job with the scenery (every shot looks gorgeous – all misty and wintery), but because it’s a prequel to the scary goings-on of The Turn of the Screw, it just sort of ends. Plus you get Brando doing a boring and unnecessary bit of improv to camera (as has been noted elsewhere, it’s like Winner didn’t dare tell him to shut up) which kills the whole thing stone dead.”
British Horror Films

” …its ultimate mediocrity results from a rather bland screenplay, which dabbles in sensationalism and doesn’t really become tense until the final act. Some might blame the direction of Michael Winner, who, despite his critics and a number of admitted failures, has turned out a number of entertaining films. There’s also too much dependency on the zoom lens, even though the film does have some very impressive camera shots, lighting schemes and handsome period locations…” George R. Reis, DVD Drive-In

“The Nightcomers is lax and sloppy, over-using zoom lenses and arbitrary in its camera angles. The big manor house looks like what it is, a rented property that can only be seen from a couple of angles; dull day and night exterior establishing shots are Winner’s only method for showing the passage of time […] poor Stephanie Beacham is manhandled and mauled in a way that would please dirty old men. Ashamed of his extra weight, Brando remains modestly covered.” Glenn Erickson, DVD Savant

“On its own terms, this is an interesting and disturbing film that plays much better if you can forget the pretense of its being a prequel. Frankly, there are enough deviations between this film and the original that merely changing the characters’ names and making a few tweaks in the script would have taken away the onus of this being a run up rather than its own story.” Tom Becker, DVD Verdict

” …the script wastes a lot of time retreading the same themes and covering the same ground (for example, the theme of hate and love being two sides of the same coin is constantly and annoyingly resurrected). I suspect that the story was devised to give Brando as much screen time as possible.” Dave Sindelar, Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings

“The Nightcomers is ploddingly dreary and unatmospheric in tone – technically, it is not even a horror story at all. The responsibility for this can largely be placed at the hands of Michael Winner […] Instead of Henry James’s psychological subtleties, Michael Winner substitutes a lurid fascination.” Richard Scheib, Moria

” …were the talents of Mr. Winner and Mr. Hastings somewhat less lumpy, The Nightcomers might have been a rather interesting movie, if only for the performance of Marlon Brando, which is, in a phrase James used, “a succession of flights and drops.” There are times when this still extraordinary actor, as Quint, seems to be in another film entirely…” Vincent Candy, The New York Times, February 16, 1972

Buy: Blu-ray | DVD from Amazon.co.uk

“All right, there are times when Winner indulges Brando – who would argue with him? – as we didn’t need part of the running time taken up with a rambling shaggy dog story about a horse, and it’s not exactly sparkling entertainment, but it does have a queasiness you don’t often get with old dark house mysteries that works in its favour.” Graeme Clark, The Spinning Image

Michael Winner pictured on set with Brando, presumably shooting the finale of the film.

Buy DVD: Amazon.co.uk

Buy DVD: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Cast and characters:

• Marlon Brando … Peter Quint
• Stephanie Beacham … Miss Jessel
• Thora Hird … Mrs. Grose
• Harry Andrews … Master of the House
• Verna Harvey … Flora
• Christopher Ellis … Miles
• Anna Palk … New Governess

Filming locations:

Sawston Hall, a 16th century Tudor manor house in Sawston, Cambridgeshire, England

Trivia:

Well-known restaurant and food critic Michael Winner died on January 21st 2013. He had experienced a run of ill-health since eating a bad oyster on holiday in Barbados in 2007. He later picked up the E coli virus from a steak tartare, and was hospitalised eight times in the last few months of his life. Other horror films directed by Winner were  (1984), although he remains best known for the Death Wish series of vigilante films starring Charles Bronson.

Related:

The Innocents

The Sentinel

The post The Nightcomers – UK, 1971 appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.

Tender Dracula, or Confessions of a Blood Drinker – original title: Tendre Dracula or, alternately, La Grande Trouille “The Big Funk” – is a 1974 French comedy horror feature film directed by Pierre Grunstein. The movie stars Peter Cushing, Alida Valli, Miou-Miou, Bernard Menez and Nathalie Courval.

Review:

A frantic television executive dispatches two bungling writers, Alfred (Bernard Menez, La Grande Bouffe, Dracula and Son) and Boris (Stéphane Shandor), to convince acting legend MacGregor (horror mainstay, Peter Cushing) not to throw away his peerless career playing a vampire in order to branch out into the world of slushy romance.

They head off to a remote Scottish castle where the actor resides, taking with them two budding actresses, Madeleine (Nathalie Courval) and Marie (a regularly undressed, be-wigged Miou-Miou) and soon encounter resident butler Abélard (Percival Russel) and MacGregor’s wife (Alida Valli, another horror legend, seen in the likes of Suspiria, The Antichrist and Lisa and the Devil), both of whom veer from Carry On to existential experimentation in the blink of an eye.

We finally meet a Keats-spouting MacGregor, already way beyond convincing to change his new career path but the remaining seventy minutes care little about such frippery.

Struggling to decide which genre it wants to demolish, we are regularly distracted by a stream of nudity, none of which is anything other than typical 70’s softcore but all of it somewhat jarring when considering Peter Cushing‘s name is above the title – those alarmed at his participation in the sleazy Corruption should take a cold shower.

Some singing also ensues but fortunately both Valli and Cushing steer clear, both looking occasionally like they are prepared for the film to start in earnest. As the film progresses, it becomes increasingly difficult to tell whether the actor is leading his guests along or he has grand designs on his prey.

The presence of Valli and Cushing, as well as a castle, should be foolproof enough to ‘get by’ but this oddly-pitched French production is far too satisfied with its props to go to the effort of story/script/wit/point. This, mercifully, was Pierre Grunstein’s only directorial effort, though his career as a producer (Jean de Florette, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) would suggest he wasn’t utterly blind to talent and filmmaking skill.

Made during the period during when Cushing was still in deep mourning for the loss of his wife, Helen, it is easy to see the actor throwing himself into any old project to distract him from his misery, though this is somewhat wobbly as an appeal, given it also being the period of some of his greatest roles, Tales from the Crypt, Horror Express, Madhouse and so on.

The muddled cast, with Cushing‘s voice dubbed by French acting titan Jean Rochefort in the original release, appear to be acting alongside rather than with each other; both Courval and Miou-Miuo regularly burst out into song in a strange Greek Chorus, seemingly an attempt to remind everyone where we are in the plot.

In the most preposterous scene, Cushing spanks Miou-Miou, the kind of thing you could get away with in 1974, with the chances of English-speaking audiences ever viewing the film being slim. What we do get is a glimpse of is Cushing as The Count, more redolent of the smooth Lugosi vamp than Lee’s aristocrat but still only an interesting footnote than a statement.

So confused is the aim, especially as Euro-humour rarely travels well at the best of times, that it’s hard to be too damning of the film, purely because it’s difficult to know what the point was in the first place. Towards the end, Cushing‘s character flicks through a scrapbook containing photos of some the real actor’s most famous roles. You’d think that at this point someone would have twigged that something had gone terribly astray in the very production they were working on.

Daz Lawrence, HORRORPEDIA

Other reviews:

“Though the movie has a clear center (the horror vs. romance theme), it’s sometimes nearly impossible to tell what many of the surrounding scenes have to do with this theme, and for a comedy, I found it laughless. I think Cushing is giving a good performance, but in this mess it’s hard to appreciate.” Dave Sindelar, Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings

“There’s a silly song sung by Miou-Miou, a hallucinative dream-sequence involving a girl cut in half with her lower half still walking around the grounds, a strange butler, who used to be vampire’s wife’s husband, who seems handy with an axe, a sadistic vampire wife, shoehorned scenes involving gypsies and the vampire’s gravedigger father […] A definite oddity, but much more confusing than entertaining.” The Worldwide Celluloid Massacre

Cast and characters:

• Peter Cushing … MacGregor
• Alida Valli … Héloïse / Mabel
• Bernard Menez … Alfred
• Miou-Miou … Marie (as Miou Miou)
• Nathalie Courval … Madeleine
• Stéphane Shandor … Boris (as Stephane Shandor)
• Julien Guiomar … Le producteur
• Percival Russel … Abélard, le serviteur
• Brigitte Borghese … La secrétaire du producteur (as Brigitte de Borghese)
• Valentina Cortese … (uncredited)
• Robert Edwards … MacGregor as Child (uncredited)

Some images above appear courtesy of the Peter Cushing Blog

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‘For the sake of your sanity, pray it isn’t true!’

The Legend of Hell House is a 1973 British supernatural horror feature film directed by John Hough (Twins of Evil; Incubus; American Gothic) from a screenplay by author Richard Matheson (The Devil Rides Out; I Am Legend; The Incredible Shrinking Man), based on his own novel Hell House.

The movie stars Pamela Franklin, Roddy McDowall, Clive Revill, and Gayle Hunnicutt. The role of Belasco was played by an uncredited Michael Gough.

The Legend of Hell House is one of only two productions of James H. Nicholson after his departure from American International Pictures (AIP) – a company he had run, along with Samuel Z. Arkoff, since 1954. Matheson’s screenplay drastically reduced some of the more extreme elements of the novel. In the original novel, the house was located in Maine, in the United States, and the investigative team is composed of Americans.

The moody, largely electronic soundtrack score was composed by Delia Derbyshire and Brian Hodgson of Electrophon Ltd, with  uncredited additions by Dudley Simpson.

Plot:

A group of psychic investigators steel their nerves and make ready to visit Hell House, an old haunted mansion which has already seen off one team of researchers. Entering its foreboding walls, they determine to reveal the house’s secrets – but they will have to broach the very limits of madness before they do so…

Buy: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Reviews:

“The Legend of Hill House is all the better then for its incongruity; it doesn’t quite sit with the more staid strains of Hammer nor the exploitation boom about to blossom (and if The Exorcist isn’t exploitation, it sure as hell was marketed as such). Instead, it simply stands as one of the best haunted house films of its era, unencumbered by trends passing and coming.” Scott Drebit, Daily Dead

“With great atmosphere and a cast of only four principal players, this is a fine example of well-executed horror done with the bare essentials. The cast is excellent, and although McDowall tends to be hammy at times, it’s still a worthy credit to his fantasy résumé.” George R. Reis, DVD Drive-In

“The Legend of Hell House is often thought of as a good, not great film, and that may ultimately, be because it has the courage of its convictions. Stands by its thesis, and doesn’t succumb to the audience desire to be blown away. How rare, and how wonderful.” John Kenneth Muir, Horror Films of the 1970s

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” …in spite of some atmospheric sequences, the film doesn’t overcome the script’s failure to establish the necessary conflict between science and occultism, relying instead on a mechanical succession of spectacularly staged shocks. As a result, the impact of the climactic revelations about the mad millionaire’s perversions are an anticlimax because they are inadequately prepared.” The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror

“This acclaimed British production is a terrific, albeit imperfect, haunted house film. Chief among the appeals is the threatening atmosphere, which rises and thickens within minutes of the opening. Heavy use of close-ups, with few establishing shots, creates a feel of claustrophobia … To me, only The Haunting is superior.” David Elroy Goldweber, Claws & Saucers

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“This unusually atmospheric film (in the league of The Haunting) is tense throughout under John Hough’s direction, with several twists of plot. It is not the harrowing experience of Matheson’s superb book, but it comes as close as a movie can.” John Stanley, Creature Features

“The subject of ghosts is approached in a reasonable, rational way, and it serves to both fascinate and lower our guard as viewers — things are less frightening when we think we understand them. It’s here, though, where the film and director John Hough (Twins of Evil) unleash their greatest trick yet by terrifying and educating us anew.” Rob Hunter, Film School Rejects

“Trivialising the theme, saddled with some terrible dialogue, needlessly tricked out with a lot of countdown-style dates, it flounders into innocuous routine. Pamela Franklin, however, gives a convincing as the ‘mental medium’.” David Pirie, The Time Out Film Guide

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“It’s not the originality that makes it here, as we’ve seen these tactics in countless other movies. It’s the deadly serious conviction with which the actors and director approach their task that makes these scenes believable and, therefore, suitably frightening. The careful pacing allows us the luxury of savoring each small and well-placed frightening moment, leisurely preparing us for the horrors to come.” Sofa Gothic

“The anticlimax is helped by the clever casting of Michael Gough, whose screen image from Horrors of the Black Museum to The Corpse corresponds exactly with what we are told of Belasco. The film is entertaining, sometimes conceptually daring, but its cool, scientific detective story mitigates against irrational fear.” Kim Newman, Nightmare Movies

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“This unnerving combination of old-fashioned haunted house tricks with modern scientific jargon and (comparatively mild) sex and violence makes for a memorable, atmospheric experience. The set-up will be nothing new to viewers of The Haunting, but Matheson’s story weaves in some unusual directions and certainly layers on the chills, culminating in a memorably odd finale.” Nathaniel Thompson, Mondo Digital

“Hough does a creditable job in maintaining viewer attention for the duration of the running-time, despite the script throwing in several moments of ridiculousness.” John Hamilton, X-Cert: The British Independent Horror Film: 1971 – 1983

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“Once the group’s inside the house – a marvellously well-realized place – director Hough creates a dark, threatening atmopshere. By standards of the time set by The Exorcist, the action is comparatively inoffensive, but this is top-drawer, well-acted stuff. The electronic score by Brian Hodgson and Delia Derbyshire adds a lot.” Mike Mayo, The Horror Show Guide

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“Crisply directed by John Hough, although with a propensity to overuse his camera and lenses, this is still the old haunted house horror movie with a fine gloss and excellent special effects. It’s all very eerie in the tradition and only labours when it begins to explain the psychic phenomena in layman’s terms. Until then it’s quite chilling with some very creditable tense moments.” Alan Frank, The Horror Film Handbook

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“One of the most absorbing, goose-fleshing and mind-pleasing ghost breaker yarns on film.” Judith Crist, 1977

“While director John Hough does a fine job with the things-that-go-bump-in-the-night aspects of the material, he fails to breathe any life into Richard Matheson’s woefully underdeveloped screenplay.” TV Guide

” …the film remains at heart thoroughly plodding and unimaginative. Hell House itself is almost startingly clichéd and the performances never convince, making the result stilted and entirely unpersuasive. To be fair to the filmmakers though, Matheson’s script itself was not up to his usual high standard.” David Pirie, A New Heritage of Horror

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“There are certainly chilling moments but the expected revelation is hardly the stuff of which nightmares are made.” John Elliott, Elliott’s Guide to Films on Video

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Cast and characters:

• Pamela Franklin … Florence Tanner – The Food of the Gods; Necromancy; The Innocents
• Roddy McDowall… Benjamin Franklin Fischer – Fright Night; The Ballad of Tam Lin; It!
• Clive Revill … Doctor Lionel Barrett – Z Dead End; Godzilla: The Series TV series;  Dracula: Dead and Loving It; C.H.U.D. II: Bud the Chud;  The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries TV Series; The Headless Ghost 
• Gayle Hunnicutt … Mrs Ann Barrett – Eye of the Cat
• Roland Culver … Mr (Rudolph) Deutsch
• Peter Bowles … Hanley
• Michael Gough … Emeric Belasco [uncredited]

Filming locations:

Production began on 23 October 1972. The external shots of the house were filmed at Gothic revival mansion Wykehurst Place, Bolney, West Sussex (also location for Demons of the Mind; Son of Dracula; Holocaust 2000). Mr Deutsch’s mansion in the opening sequence is Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire. The interior shot of the long room is the palace’s library.

“In The Legend of Hell House, the house is the monster. It’s a powerful film and has no big star in the cast (the star was the house). It’s the Mount Everest of British haunted house films, and they could not have chosen a better location. You really do believe it’s an evil house.” Simon Flynn, British Horror Film Locations

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