The House That Would Not Die – aka The House That Wouldn’t Die – is a 1970 American made-for-television horror feature film directed by John Llewellyn Moxey (I, Desire; Home for the Holidays; The City of the Dead) from a screenplay by Henry Farrell (How Awful About Allan; Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte; author of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? novel), based on the 1968 novel Ammie, Come Home by Barbara Michaels.

The Aaron Spelling produced movie stars Barbara Stanwyck, Richard Egan, Michael Anderson Jr., and Kitty Winn.

Plot:

Ruth Bennett (Barbara Stanwyck) has inherited an old house in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Amish country, which she moves into with her niece, Sara Dunning (Kitty Winn). The house was built before the Revolutionary War and is said to be haunted by the spirits of its original inhabitants.

With the help of Pat McDougal (Richard Egan), a local professor, and one of his students, Stan Whitman (Michael Anderson Jr.), they delve into the history of the house and find a scandal that involves a Revolutionary War general, who was suspected of being a traitor, and his daughter, who had disappeared after eloping with her boyfriend, a young British soldier. The spirits of the general and his daughter take possession of Pat’s and Sara’s bodies and a dark secret is revealed…

The House That Would Not Die will be released on Blu-ray and DVD by Kino Lorber – the first time on either format – on January 8, 2019. Special features:

• Audio commentary by film historian Richard Harland Smith
• Interview with director John Llewellyn Moxey

Review:

The House That Would Not Die is another tale of haunted early American colonials, but this time cloaked in the black velvet of séances, possession, hidden rooms, and constant wind. Television horror maestro, John Llewellyn Moxey (who, back in 1960, had helmed the impressive New England witchcraft shocker The City of the Dead), directs with his typically expert skill from Henry Farrell’s script.

The film, having moved the action from the novel’s location of Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown neighbourhood to Amish country, is a perfect example of the modern rural gothic, or – as outlined in Grady Hendrix’s book Paperbacks from Hell – women in nightgowns running from gloomy mansions.

While the denouement might seem a bit soft for modern viewers, it does fit nicely with the occult gothic, old-fashioned ghost story vibe, making this a solid and worthy TV production.

Ben Spurling, HORRORPEDIA

Other reviews:

“The cast is fairly decent, but the storyline is incredibly predictable and the chills just aren’t there for the most part, though nostalgic viewers who saw this one as kids seem to look at it through rose colored lenses. One senses Henry Farrell who adapted the book, may have had to tone things down a lot for the tube…” The Bloody Pit of Horror

“The script is one cliche after another, the acting is uninspired (Richard Egan probably comes off best), the use of music and sound is standard-issue, and the movie just wanders from scene to scene without building up much in the way of suspense.” Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings

“The climax which involves Egan’s possession momentarily upgrading to super bananas is short lived but convincing enough thanks to the fact that Egan is kind of scary even when not being host to a contentious ghost. Gorehounds and folks under 70 may want to run in the opposite direction of this one but if you’re up for quiet granny scares this just might be the hooch for your hot toddy.” Kindertrauma

“John Llewellyn Moxey directs with occasional effect – there are some odd moments during the seance and the investigation of the cellar that raise some atmosphere. Mostly the film has an easy predictability where all atmosphere comes at timed intervals and builds to contrived cliffhangers in time for the commercial break.” Moria

“It makes up for the lack of horror present, but there are a couple of times that it does present a slight chill down the spine […] What this movie offers is a little bit of mystery, some fine performances by a very talented cast and a lazy way to spend an afternoon.” The Telltale Mind

” …TV horror is nicely brought to life by grande dame Stanwyck and vet actor Egan; well made by genre director John Llewellyn Moxey (he helmed 1972’s excellent tele slasher Home for the Holidays among others). This one’s chock a block full of enjoyable atmosphere and with a good revelation ending. House is well worth seeking out.” The Terror Trap

Cast and characters:

• Barbara Stanwyck … Ruth Bennett
• Richard Egan … Pat McDougal
• Michael Anderson Jr. … Stan Whitman
• Kitty Winn … Sara Dunning (as Katherine Winn)
• Doreen Lang … Sylvia Wall
• Mabel Albertson … Mrs. McDougal

Technical credits:

74 minutes | 1.33: 1

Image credits: The Telltale Mind

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‘Father and son related by blood!!! Everyone’s blood!!’

Grave of the Vampire – aka Seed of Terror – is a 1972 American horror feature film directed by John Hayes (Dream No Evil; Garden of the Dead; End of the World) from a screenplay co-written with David Chase (Kolchak: The Night Stalker), based on his novel The Still Life. The movie stars William Smith, Michael Pataki, Lyn Peters and Diane Holden.

Jaime Mendoza-Nava (The Town That Dreaded Sundown; The Brotherhood of Satan; The Witchmaker; et al) composed the soundtrack score.

Scream Factory is releasing Grave of the Vampire in the USA on Blu-ray on April 16, 2019. Extras will be announced soon.

Plot:

Several years after his death by electrocution in the late 1930s, ghoulish murderer Caleb Croft (Michael Pataki) rises from his crypt and brutally assaults young Leslie Hollander (Kitty Vallacher). Leslie becomes pregnant by Croft and delivers a baby boy, whom she nurses with bottles of blood.

The child matures into the ruggedly handsome James Eastman (William Smith), who sets out on a mission to find and kill his diabolical father. Eastman enrols in a college, where his father is teaching as Professor Lockwood. Following a séance hosted by the professor for his students, James confronts his father in a showdown between good and evil…

Reviews:

“The film has a wide reaching mythology, but much of this expository potential is drained of its life’s blood leaving a few questions unanswered. As Drive In/Late Night fare goes, you can’t go wrong with a film that features both Michael Pataki and William Smith as co-stars.” Cool Ass Cinema

” … overall Grave of the Vampire experience is one of alternating boredom and disappointment… Aside from bits of blood, there are a few seconds of silhouette nudity. It all leads to an untricky trick ending.” David Elroy Goldweber, Claws & Saucers

Buy: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

“The extremely low budget shows and the film was instantly dated […] but it has a certain Californian gothic, gloomy atmosphere about it which is obvious from the beginning — Croft’s grave is opened to reveal his cobweb-filled living corpse, with a juicy spider and a couple of salamanders tossed on top for extra effect.” DVD Drive-In

“This is one of those small budget movies that benefits from a good script. The story itself is quite interesting, and it is peopled with interesting characters well played by a group of little known but capable actors.” Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings

“This is one of the great blood-sucking pictures coming in the wake of Count Yorga. It is perverse, interesting, and exciting in concept and presentation.” Richard Myers, For One Week Only

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

“Grim and unusual.” Kim Newman, Nightmare Movies

“Instead of a nothing entry in what was by then a pretty moribund subgenre, Grave of the Vampire rises above its generic origins. Rather than playing the vampire for camp amusement … it finds fresh and interesting nuances, nurturing hybrid possibilities that were perhaps only later embraced through the New Wave horror fiction of Clive Barker.” Stephen Thrower, Nightmare USA

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

” …the film isn’t a particularly gory one, but it does have some nice atmosphere and a decent storyline. This one doesn’t try to rise above its horror movie origins, it’s ambition seems only to entertain and to spook – on that level it actually does succeed, as it offers up a few eerie images and a very strong finish.” Rock! Shock! Pop!

“The soundtrack is cheesy throughout and the scenes when James attends a party thrown by Anita were worryingly reminiscent of Dracula A.D. 1972 – which is no good thing. Yet the story, the hints of lore, the subtle and yet palpable brutality and Pataki’s performance raise this film up into a flawed gem.” Taliesin Meets the Vampires

“Though it does lag in some spots, the film wins us back with a spirited wrestling match between vampire father and son and a bleak ending capped off with a teasing “The End—Or Is It?” title card. Not a bad choice for the casual fan looking for a movie to simply deliver the bloody goods. ” The Terror Trap

“Although crudely put together, this is an interesting departure from standard vampire tales, with plenty of unexpected curves in the narrative to keep the viewer off guard.” TV Guide

Cast and characters:

• William Smith … James Eastman – Zombiegeddon; Maniac Cop; Moon in Scorpio; Invasion of the Bee Girls
• Michael Pataki … Caleb Croft – The Bat People; Mansion of the Doomed; Graduation Day
• Lyn Peters … Anne Arthur – Fear No Evil
• Diane Holden … Anita Jacoby
• Lieux Dressler … Olga – Kingdom of the Spiders
• Eric Mason … Lieutenant Panzer – Kiss of the Tarantula; Scream Blacula Scream
• Jay Adler … Old Zack
• Jay Scott … Paul – Kiss of the Tarantula
• William Guhl … Sergeant Duffy
• Margaret Fairchild … Miss Fenwick
• Carmen Argenziano … Sam – Hellraiser: Inferno; Graduation Day; When a Stranger Calls
• Frank Whiteman
• Abbi Henderson … Carol Moskowitz
• Inga Neilsen
• Lindis Guinness
• Kitty Vallacher … The Unwilling Mother – Deathmaster

Production:

Filmed in eleven days on a budget of approximately $50,000.

Technical credits:

95 minutes | Eastmancolor

Trivia:

Grave of the Vampire is in the public domain.

Image credits: Critical Condition | Zombo’s Closet

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‘An occult film so terrifying it will never be shown on TV!’

Hollywood Meat Cleaver Massacre – aka Meatcleaver Massacre; Revenge of the Dead and The Evil Force is a 1976 American supernatural horror feature film directed by Evan Lee from a screenplay by Keith Burns and Ray Atherton, with additional material by Miklos Gyulai and Steve Singer.

The movie stars Larry Justin, Bob Mead, Bob Clark and Jim Habif. Christopher Lee appears alone in opening and closing scenes that are unrelated to the film itself.

Plot:

When a “Valley College” professor specialising in ancient rites and rituals is attacked and his family killed by four of his drunken students, he summons an evil spirit to hunt down the attackers and avenge his dead loved ones…

Reviews:

“Because the plot isn’t good enough, this movie does whatever it takes to fill time. There’s a nightclub scene of a stand-up comedian making fun of gays and does a Peter Falk impersonation. Then there’s a boring five-minute long b/w nightmare scene basically featuring a guy walking around by the beach.” The Bloody Pit of Horror

“The story itself is straightforward enough, but the movie engages in arty dream sequences, one gratuitous nude scene, lots of dull stretches where nothing is happening, and the occasional surprising touch of intentional and unexpected humor that may be the best thing about the film…” Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings

“The most interesting thing about MM is the completely out of place Christopher Lee scenes. Lee bookends the film with two short clips (one at the beginning and one at the end) where all he does is sit in a 70’s-looking office and spout off weird stuff about the supernatural. It is entertaining, but it has nothing to do with the film.” Happyotter

“This low budget shocker was Evan Lee’s directorial debut and subsequent swan song. Despite the overall sluggish nature of the film, he shows a certain prowess behind the camera […] There is also a surprising twist involving lots of psychedelic type imagery.” Hysteria Lives!

” …it’s downright incomprehensible—the meat of the story is easy enough to follow as it unfolds, but it eventually turns on an inane twist that leaves just about all of it in doubt. Lee’s closing narration doesn’t help because he just starts to babble on about shamans before the film abruptly hits the closing credits…” Oh, the Horror!

“This low budget splatter gets points for a few moments of minor inspiration (the nightmare sequences are interesting). But the choppy plotting undermines any real tension it tries to create.”  The Terror Trap

“Several of the revenge-murders are presented in a rather surreal and even dreamlike fashion by only-time director Evan Lee (no relation, obviously, to Chris), but beyond that this is pretty standard ’70s supernatural fare, with nothing particularly to recommend for it apart from its rather aggressively languid (there’s a contradiction for you) pacing.” Trash Film Guru

Cast and characters:

• Christopher Lee … The Host
• Larry Justin … Mason Harrue
• J. Arthur Craig … Detective Wexler
• James Habif … Professor Cantrell
• Robert Clark … Sean Allen
• Doug Senior … Dirk Kramer
• Bob Mead … Phil Jones
• Alisa Beaton … Darlene
• Pat Nagel … Sean’s Girlfriend
• Woody Wise … Doctor
• Paul Kelleher … Detective Shaye
• Undine Hampton … Mrs. Cantrell
• Lisette Kremer … Tina Cantrell (as Lisette Kramer)
• Doug Ely … Roddy Cantrell
• Maria Arnold … Patty (as Natasha)
• Carol Silverman … 2nd Girl in Massage Parlour
• Dawna Walden … 3rd Girl in Massage Parlour
• John DeRose … Massage Parlour Bouncer
• Charles Woodard … Street Preacher
• Lyle Steven … Professor in Cantrell’s Class
• Ellen Nicklous … Nurse
• Guerdon Trueblood … Boy in Mask (as Guerdon Trueblood XIV)
• Dorian Crane … 1st Drunk Okie
• Phil Meyer … 2nd Drunk Okie
• Miklos Gyulai … Campus Poet
• Guerdon Trueblood … Nuthouse Doctor
• Drew Michaels … 1st Medical Student
• Don Ling … 2nd Medical Student / Monster
• Steve Singer … Grease Monkey
• Marge Kazan … Woman In Crowd
• James R. Bagdonas … (as Jim Bagdonas)
• Carol Wood … Woman In Crowd
• Toni Teld … Man In Crowd
• Ollie West … Man In Crowd
• Ken Horne … Man In Crowd
• George Selin George Selin … Man In Crowd
• Ed Wood … Photographer

Trivia:

• The film received a UK cinema release courtesy of distributors Brent Walker as Revenge of the Dead having been cut to 77m 21s by censorship body the BBFC.
• There have been suggestions that Ed Wood Jr. (Plan 9 from Outer Space) was partly responsible for this movie and that he appears as a photographer, however we are currently unable to verify this.

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Previously only available as a limited edition release, Code Red has teamed up with Kino Lorber to release Kingdom of the Spiders (1977) on March 26th, 2019. The new release includes:

• Audio commentary with director John ‘Bud’ Cardos (Mutant;The Dark), co-producer Igo Kantor and star Tiffany Bolling
• Interview with Tiffany Bolling
• Theatrical Trailer

Details of the movie below:

‘A living, crawling, Hell on earth!’

Kingdom of the Spiders is a 1977 American science fiction horror feature film directed by John “Bud” Cardos (Mutant; The Dark) and produced by Igo Kantor, Jeffrey M. Sneller and James Bond Johnson. The screenplay was by Richard Robinson and Alan Caillou, from an original story by Jeffrey M. Sneller and Stephen Lodge. The movie stars William Shatner, Tiffany Bolling and Woody Strode.

The $1 million movie took $17 million at the US box office, making it one of the biggest independent horror hits of the 1970s.

Plot:

Dr. Robert “Rack” Hansen, a veterinarian in rural Verde Valley, Arizona, receives an urgent call from a local farmer, Walter Colby. Colby is upset because his prize calf has become sick for no apparent reason, and the animal is brought in to Hansen’s laboratory. Hansen cannot explain what made the animal so ill so quickly, but takes samples of the now deceased calf’s blood to a university lab in Flagstaff.

A few days later, Diane Ashley, an arachnologist, arrives looking for Hansen. Ashley tells Hansen that the calf was killed by a massive dose of spider venom, which Hansen greets with scepticism and disbelief, until he sees the giant mound atop the spiders’ nest on Colby’s farm…

Reviews:

” …the spiders are all real, so there’s nothing really ridiculous about the attack scenes, unlike something like Squirm or even The Birds, where bad effects/fake antagonists tend to ruin everything. Shatner really does have the goddamn things crawling all over him.” Horror Movie a Day

“With some very scenic Arizona terrain as the backdrop, the film not only boasts some terrific and clever camera work but also a number of stunts and well-orchestrated chilling situations with the live tarantulas, making the majority of what’s on screen convincing when it could have been a pure campfest…” DVD Drive-In

” …all the characters who got the most screen time and remain alive are herded into a house by the spiders and attempt to keep the flurry of furry 8 legged Theraphosidae from getting inside at them. It’s a non stop onslaught as the spiders manage to enter every nook and cranny found within the large cabin. It makes for a taut, expertly handled conclusion and the somber denouement is surely one of the great shock endings of all time.” Cool Ass Cinema

• Interview With William Shatner
• Jim Brockett: Spider Wrangler Featurette
• Audio Commentary By Director John Bud Cardos, Producer Igo Kantor, Spider Wrangler Jim Brockett And Cinematographer John Morrill; Moderated By Hostel Producer Scott Spiegel and Lee Christian
• Rare Behind-The-Scenes Footage
• Interview With Writer Stephen Lodge
• Poster Gallery
• Original Theatrical Trailer
• Widescreen Transfer

Buy DVD: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

“The effect of 5,000 spiders swarming over everything (and everybody) is chilling and will have you watching where you step for days afterwards.” John Stanley, Creature Features

” … a film weighed down by stiff emoting, clunky dialogue, and some unintentionally humorous moments, but nevertheless, remains a gritty, B-grade, up-all-night, elemental thrill. Produced on a budget one-16th that of Spielberg’s shark opera, the film drew a dazzlingly profitable $17 million at the box office.” Pop Matters

“There are no two ways about it, Kingdom of the Spiders is a great low-budget horror film, probably the best of the 1970s ‘animal’ pack (after Willard), and it bristles with delight, suspense, humor, and in the end, flat-out shock.” John Kenneth Muir, Horror Films of the 1970s

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

“It’s got a beautiful Southwest setting, an appealing hero and heroine, believable and sympathetic supporting characters, a simple but not simplistic plot, a touch of humor, and a steady balance between quiet scenes and action scenes that gradually tilts towards action. It’s also got a nice score accented by slinky piano notes as the tarantulas creep into view.” David Elroy Goldweber, Claws & Saucers

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

“Director John “Bud” Cardos betrays no particular feel for this kind of picture and there are no real moments of inventiveness or inspiration. A big problem is that the tarantulas, as ugly as they may seem to some viewers, don’t really exude much menace – they are just big, fat, slow and dumb, hardly anything to work up a sweat over. It is up to the actors to try to dredge up as much excitement and sense of peril as they can.” William Schoell, Creature Features: Nature Turned Nasty in the Movies

Buy: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Choice dialogue:

Doctor Rack Hansen [William Shatner]: “Hey, the only person who is uptight about you being a woman is you, you know.”

Diane Ashley [Tiffany Bolling]: ” …through the excessive use of insecticides, like DDT, we are inadvertently killing off the spiders’ natural source of food.”

Birch Colby: “Are you crazy, lady? This is our home! And no damned spiders are gonna run us out!”

Cast and characters:

• William Shatner … Doctor Rack Hansen (Incubus; The Devil’s Rain; Visiting Hours; et al)
• Tiffany Bolling … Diane Ashley (Open House; The Centerfold Girls)
• Woody Strode … Walter Colby (Scream aka The Outing)
• Altovise Davis … Birch Colby
• Lieux Dressler … Emma Washburn (Grave of the Vampire)
• Natasha Ryan … Linda Hansen
• Marcy Lafferty … Terry Hansen
• David McLean … Gene Smith
• Joe Ross … Vern Johnson
• Adele Malis-Morey … Betty Johnson
• Roy Engel … Mayor Connors

Offline reading:

Up Till Now by William Shatner, 2009

Production:

Kantor told Fangoria magazine in 1998 that the film used 5,000 large, hairy spiders, though a number of rubber model spiders were also used during production. The live tarantulas were procured by offering Mexican spider wranglers US$10 for each live tarantula they could find; this meant that $50,000 of the film’s $500,000 budget went towards the purchase of spiders.

The large amount of tarantulas kept on-hand led to some unusual production difficulties. Not only did each spider have to be kept warm, but because of the creatures’ cannibalistic tendencies, all 5,000 spiders had to be kept in separate containers. Additionally, tarantulas are usually shy around people, so fans and air tubes often had to be used to get the spiders to move toward their “victims”. Indeed, in a number of the scenes where the tarantulas are “attacking” people, it is obvious to the viewer that the spiders are merely moving around, usually away from their intended victims.

Contrary to popular belief, the venom of most tarantulas is not dangerous to humans, causing no more harm than a bee sting (unless the person is allergic to the venom). The worst injury most of the actors suffered was troublesome itching caused by the spiders shedding their bristles.

Due to the film’s low budget, most of the music used in the film (particularly the “startle cues”) was taken from the logs of stock music used on suspense TV series. For example, most of the music used in the film during the scenes with the spiders can also be heard in notable episodes of The Twilight Zone, including ‘To Serve Man’ and ‘The Invaders’.

The country music songs heard on the radio in the movie, as well as over the opening and closing credits, were performed by country singer Dorsey Burnette.

ABC cinema pic courtesy of Gav Crimson Blogspot

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The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion is a 1970 Italian-Spanish giallo thriller co-produced, edited and directed by Luciano Ercoli (Death Walks at Midnight; Death Walks in High Heels) from a screenplay written by Ernesto Gastaldi and Mahnahén Velasco. The movie stars Dagmar Lassander, Pier Paolo Capponi, Simón Andreu and Susan Scott.

The soundtrack score was composed by Ennio Morricone.

Plot:

Minou (Dagmar Lassander), the attractive young wife of an industrialist, is menaced by a mysterious man (Simón Andreu) at the beach. The sadistic stranger runs a sharp blade over her body and infers that her husband Pierre is a killer. Taking the advice of her close friend Dominique (Susan Scott), Minou tries to forget the entire unfortunate incident.

However, she soon begins to suspect that Pierre may have murdered Jean Dubois, a business associate to whom he owed money, especially when the stranger offers proof in the form of a tape recording. In order to protect her spouse, she submits to degrading acts. Unfortunately, the blackmailer then threatens to send photos of their activities to Pierre unless he agrees to further supplication…

Release:

The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion is released on Blu-ray on 14 January 2019 by Arrow Video. Special features:

• Brand new 2K restoration from the original camera negative by Arrow Films
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
• Original lossless mono Italian and English soundtracks
• English subtitles for the Italian soundtrack
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtrack
• New audio commentary by Kat Ellinger
• Private Pictures, a newly-edited documentary featuring archival interviews with actress Nieves Navarro and director Luciano Ercoli, and new interview material with writer Ernesto Gastaldi
• The Forbidden Soundtrack of the Big Three, a new appreciation of the music of Forbidden Photos and 70s Italian cult cinema by musician and soundtrack collector Lovely Jon
• The Forbidden Lady, a Q&A with actress Dagmar Lassander at the 2016 Festival of Fantastic Films
• Original Italian and English theatrical trailers
• Image gallery
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Twins of Evil
• Illustrated collector s booklet featuring new writing on the film by author and critic Michael Mackenzie

Review:

Forbidden Photos is a superlative risqué thriller from an era when political correctness didn’t exist. This glossy production is permeated with mystery, blackmail and fetishism; deftly augmented by a particularly lush bossa nova-infused Ennio Morricone score.

As was often the case in Euro flicks, the male leads are either unsympathetic (Capponi) or downright nasty (Andreu), precipitating Minou’s descent into a mire of sedatives, alcohol and sleaze (reminiscent of Carroll Baker’s ordeal in Paranoia). Her unusual predicament gives rise to her screaming “Peter! Peter!” every few moments but this merely a mild irritation that is outweighed by Dagmar Lassander’s thoroughly plausible performance as the beleaguered heroine. Indeed, her overtly vulnerable femininity is stereotypical of early Seventies  cinema in general. However, at least in Forbidden Photos, Minou’s perceived weakness is neatly counterbalanced by Susan’s Scott’s assertive character named (perhaps too tellingly) Dominique.

Luciano Ercoli’s film is sometimes predictable, however it is beautifully shot and its slickness is infinitely preferable to his later giallo thrillers Death Walks in High Heels and Death Walks at Midnight (both vehicles for his wife, the aforementioned Susan Scott) which lack the same finesse and are needlessly convoluted.

Adrian J Smith, HORRORPEDIA

Other reviews:

“While within only a few short years the blood and black lace were all flowing freely, 1970s Italian film productions were still grappling with censor restrictions. Despite these shackles The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion rises to the challenge and is a definite winner for all those with more than a passing interest in the giallo genre.” Digital Retribution

“Benefiting from a strong cast of Euro-cult regulars […] the acting might not blow you away but it serves its purpose here and everyone certainly looks the part. The visuals are fantastic, with every frame composed carefully and elegantly so that even during the slower moments of the film, of which there are quite a few, there’s a lot for your eyes to feast on.” DVD Talk

“The early scenes work the best.  The set-up is potentially intriguing and the scene on the beach between Lassander and the blackmailer is quite effective.  After Ercoli knocks the audience off balance with this moody set piece, things get predictable real fast and the tension quickly dissipates.” The Video Vacuum 

Main cast and characters:

• Dagmar Lassander … Minou – Monster Shark;The Black Cat; House By The Cemetery; Werewolf Woman; Reflections in Black; The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire; Hatchet for a Honeymoon
• Pier Paolo Capponi … Peter – Seven Blood-Stained Orchids; The Cat O’ Nine Tails
• Simón Andreu … The Blackmailer – Eyes of Crystal; Beyond Re-Animator;The Night of the Sorcerers; Open Season; Death Carries a Cane; Death Walks at Midnight; The Blood Spattered Bride; Death Walks on High Heels; Transplant of a Brain
• Osvaldo Genazzani … Frank, the Commissioner
• Salvador Huguet … George (as Salvador Buguet)
• Nieves Navarro … Dominique (as Susan Scott) – Death Walks at Midnight; Death Walks in High Heels;  All the Colours of the Dark

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The post The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion – Italy/Spain, 1970 appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.

‘They planted the living and harvested the dead!’

Invasion of the Blood Farmers is a 1972 American horror feature film produced and directed by Ed Adlum from a screenplay co-written with Ed Kelleher (also associate director). It was edited by Michael Findlay (Flesh trilogy; Snuff). The latter directed Shriek of the Mutilated, which was also penned by Adlum and Kelleher.

Severin unleashes Invasion of the Blood Farmers on Blu-ray on February 26th, 2019, featuring a new transfer scanned from the original negative of the $24,000 production, plus special features:

• Audio commentary by director Ed Adlum and actress Ortrum Tippel moderated by Kier-La Janisse, author of House of Psychotic Women
• “Nothin’ You’d Show Your Mom”: Eddie Adlum’s Journey through exploitation, coin-op and rock ’n’ roll
• “Harvesting the Dead”: An interview with actor Jack Neubeck
• “Painful Memories”: An interview with cameraman Frederick Elmes
• Trailer

Although it contains some gore scenes, in the film was originally rated ‘PG’ by the MPAA. The soundtrack is composed of library music and the narrator does an obvious impression of British actor James Mason.

In the 1980s, filmmaker Fred Olen Ray (Super Shark; Evil Toons; Scalps) picked up the video rights and distributed the movie via his Retromedia label.

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

The movie stars Norman Kelley, Tanna Hunter, Bruce Detrick, Jack Neubeck and Paul Craig Jennings.

Plot:

A group of druids living in Westchester County, New York, plan to resurrect their queen by draining the blood from unsuspecting civilians into her body…

Reviews:

“Although the film’s general idea has promise, its clumsy script, wooden acting, and cheap, unrealistic special effects make it the equivalent of a low-grade college film project. It is too poor in quality to be convincing, and thus lacks the frights necessary for a true horror film, while at the same time, it takes itself too seriously to succeed as camp.” DVD-B.com

“The acting is nonexistent, the gore effects are lame (although pretty explicit for PG), the soundtrack consists of over-baked stock music, and the editing (by Shriek director Michael Findlay) is so clumsy that at times you can notice actors waiting for their cue! In other words, a classic drive-in epic of the trashiest proportions.” DVD Drive-In

“Do you like your movies full of fakey English accents? Are you sick and tired of relevant dialogue? Do you want to see cutting edge continuity errors confusing night and day? Do you love incoherence, sloppiness, screaming, blood, unnecessarily melodramatic music […] I can tell you, maybe, just maybe, you will have the stomach for Invasion of the Blood Farmers.” Horror News

“It’s got ridiculous plotting, clunky pacing, awkward acting, canned music, you name it. It also has a sense of humour about itself and a sincere attempt to entertain the viewer. Odd and shafting camera angles are surprisingly effective … Despite slow stretches, a weak climax, and some missed opportunities to feature more of the farmers, it’s great for camp. The dialogue is lively, sometimes funny on purpose.” David Elroy Goldweber, Claws & Saucers

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

“Some sequences in particular, such as an extended bloodletting ritual by masked farmers in a barn, foreshadow the later (and obviously far superior) The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and while the intensity level is kept at bay by numerous unintentional chuckles (check out the shoe polish hairdos) and gaping plot inconsistencies, there’s enough going on to keep fans of Z-grade trash busy munching on their popcorn.” Mondo Digital

“This is acknowledged as one of the great classics of schlock cinema … The Farmers was lauded by exploitation experts for its amateur acting, neanderthal direction, and phony gore effects. Everyone agreed that the exaggerated, sickening sound effects that blared on the soundtrack whenever the bodily fluid was pumped out of the victims was worth its weight in fool’s gold.” Richard Meyers, For One Week Only: The World of Exploitation Films

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

“… this movie is ninety blissful minutes of complete nonsense … Full of bizarre and completely random cuts to reactions that aren’t there on the part of the cast and close ups that aren’t ever necessary, the movie looks as erratically as it plays – at least the filmmakers were consistent in their ineptitude.” Rock! Shock! Pop!

Interviewed for Regional Horror Films, 1958 – 1990, director/co-writer Ed Adlum had this to say:

“It’s interesting that that picture is kind of like a cult thing today. I certainly didn’t start out to make a cult thing. You can’t create camp. That one worked. It was so bad it’s funny. It’s like Plan 9. It’s one of those great, bad pictures. Shriek of the Mutilated is one of those bad bad pictures. It should be burned. But the Blood Farmers is a monument to ineptitude, and I love to watch it.”

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

“The action is dully directed, the plot is rambling, the dialogue seems indifferently slung together and much of the film has a vagueness as though it had been improvised. The film’s cheapness frequently shows through – Tanna Hunter gets up in her nightgown and at least three times is told that she should go to bed despite the fact that the scenes are clearly being shot during the daytime…” Moria

Choice dialogue:

“You’re just a pushover for pathologists.”

Cast and characters:

• Norman Kelley … Dr. Roy Anderson
• Tanna Hunter … Jenny Anderson
• Bruce Detrick … Don Tucker
• Paul Craig Jennings … Creton
• Jack Neubeck … Egon
• Richard Erickson … Sontag
• Cynthia Fleming … Queen Onhorrid
• Tom Edwards
• Lucy Grant … Mrs. Greenman
• Frank Iovieno … Police Chief Frank Spano
• Warren D’Oyly-Rhind … Ogmar

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The post Invasion of the Blood Farmers – USA, 1972: updated with Severin Blu-ray news and trailer appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.

‘The deep end of horror!’

Shock Waves is a 1975 American science fiction horror feature film directed by Ken Wiederhorn (Freddy’s Nightmares TV series; Dark Tower; Return of the Living Dead Part 2; Eyes of a Stranger) from a screenplay co-written by John Harrison (Murder By Phone). The Reuben Trane produced movie stars Peter Cushing, Brooke Adams, Fred Buch, Jack Davidson, Luke Halprin, D.J. Sidney, Don Stout and John Carradine.

Shot on 16mm (later blown up to 35mm) between July and August 1975, it was initially titled Death Corps. In 1977, it was picked up for US distribution by exploitation movie mavens Joseph Brenner Associates (Torso; Autopsy; Eyeball) and retitled Shock Waves.

In the UK, it was released in 1978 with a BBFC ‘A’ rating as Almost Human by David Grant (who was later imprisoned for distributing Nightmares in a Damaged Brain on VHS).

The synth score was composed by Richard Einhorn (The Prowler). In 2016, it was remastered for a vinyl release by Waxwork Records. The sea foam green LP includes liner notes by Einhorn and director Ken Wiederhorn and features cover art by Marc Schoenbach and center label art by Gary Pullin.

Plot:

During World War II, the Nazi High Command ordered its scientists to create a top secret race of indestructible zombie storm troopers – un-living, unfeeling, unstoppable monstrosities that killed with their bare hands. They were known as The Death Corps. No member of this horrific SS unit was ever captured by Allied Forces – and, somewhere off the coast of Florida they have survived…

Buy Blu-ray: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Reviews:

“The movie has some great visual cues but it also has some problematic parts. It seems like the movie was often shot night-for-day and it is difficult to see if it supposed to be night in some scenes […] The underwater footage is reminiscent of Creature from the Black Lagoon and aspects of Carnival of Souls with the zombies walking slowly and methodically into and under the water in rather creepy visuals.” JP Roscoe, Basement Rejects

“The film’s grainy look, desolate locations, ominous electronic score, and almost relentless action creates a truly unique, dreamlike experience. As such, it’s that rare horror film that – while it may not make you scream while watching it – actually sticks in the viewer’s mind long after the final credits roll.” Biohazard, The Deuce

“With strong direction (those underwater shots are stupendous!), surprisingly strong acting from everyone involved, unforgettable cinematography (those grainy zombie silhouettes will stay with me for the rest of my days) and some tingling moments of sheer terror (a Nazi zombie standing a little too still behind a closing door while a blinded victim is oblivious to its presence), Shock Waves builds itself into a sopping wet funhouse…” Anti-Film School

” …Shock Waves is not a bad film, and prefigures many of the late 1970s horrors. The commandant provides Cushing with a chance to play a menacing character, but one who is haunted by a terror from the past. His tiny, guilty glance to the swastikaed banners that decorate his retreat is exceptional. It is one of his last really satisfying horror roles.” David Miller, The Peter Cushing Companion

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

“Shock Waves offers a unique and memorable zombie mythos that makes a completely clean break both from Caribbean folklore and from the newer George Romero orthodoxy. Furthermore, though their character design of course differs drastically, the Death Corps resemble the Blind Dead in their uniformity of appearance, their implacably methodical demeanor, and their overall air of inscrutable otherworldliness.” 1000 Misspent Hours and Counting

“Shock Waves offers an undeniably creative and innovative approach to the screen presentation of the zombie, at the height of the post-Night decade in which such innovation was most lacking.” Peter Dendle, The Zombie Movie Encyclopedia

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

“Able performances and a few striking moments – especially the first appearance of the zombies, rising from the sea with scarred faces and dark glasses – don’t succeed in offsetting a rambling, repetitious script and a general air of impoverishment.” The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror

“Some of the locations, notably an old hotel, are suitably spooky and director KenWeiderhorn is able to give the fascist creatures their moments, too.” Mike Mayo, The Horror Show Guide

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

Cast and characters:

• Peter Cushing … SS Commander
• John Carradine … Captain Ben Morris
• Brooke Adams … Rose – Invasion of the Body Snatchers
• Fred Buch … Chuck
• Jack Davidson … Norman
• Luke Halpin … Keith
• D.J. Sidney … Beverly
• Don Stout … Dobbs
• Clarence Thomas … Fisherman
• Sammy Graham … Zombie
• Preston White … Zombie
• Reid Finger … Zombie
• Mike Kennedy … Zombie
• Donahue Guillory … Zombie
• Jay Maeder … Zombie

Italian poster (below) tie the film in with 70s popular interest in the ‘Bermuda Triangle‘:

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The post Shock Waves – USA, 1975 appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.

Dick Miller, the legendary actor who most famously played would-be beatnik artist Walter Paisley in Roger Corman’s A Bucket of Blood (1959), has died aged ninety years-old. Miller is survived by his wife Lainie, daughter Barbara, and granddaughter Autumn.

Born in the Bronx on December 25, 1928, Miller settled in Los Angeles in the mid-1950s, where he was noticed by producer/director Roger Corman. His association with Corman, which began with movies such as Apache Woman (1955) and It Conquered the World (1956) would lead to many more notable appearances in the prolific filmmaker’s movies such as The Undead (1957) The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) and The Terror (1963). Sometimes he was credited as Richard Miller.

Corman’s protégés furthered the connection over the rest of the cult actor’s lengthy career, with him often using the same character name, Walter Paisley, that made him famous in cameo roles. Hollywood Boulevard (1976) The Howling (1981), Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) and Chopping Mall (1986) all have Miller playing Walter Paisley.

Indeed, Miller’s final role in the upcoming comedy slasher movie Hanukkah has him playing the character one last time, this time as a rabbi! His parents, Isidor and Rita Miller, were Russian Jewish immigrants.

However, most mainstream audience will probably know Dick Miller for his roles in Joe Dante’s Gremlins (1984) and Gremlins: II: The Second Batch (1990) as the go-to-it neighbour named Murray Futterman. It is his character who first warns Billy of the potential dangers of the gremlins.

Ultimately, Murray’s home is destroyed by the mischievous monsters, with an implication that and his wife died in the monster mayhem. However, both characters were so popular they would return in the sequel, with Miller taking on an even bigger role battling the beasties. Although he’s best known as Walter Paisley, Murray Futterman runs that a close second.

Ultimately, whatever movie Dick Miller appeared in, the final product gained massively from his involvement, even if he had just a minor walk on part. He is particularly memorable in The Terminator, The ‘Burbs, Matinee and Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight.

Selected filmography:

• Hanukkah … Rabbi Walter Paisley (2018)
• Burying the Ex … Crusty Old Cop (2014)
• The Hole … Pizza Delivery Guy (2007)
• Trail of the Screaming Forehead … Eddie (2007)
• Trapped Ashes … Max (story segments “Wraparound”) (2006)
• Looney Tunes: Back in Action … Security Guard (2003)
• Route 666 … Bartender (2001)
• Small Soldiers … Joe (1998)
• Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight … Uncle Willy (1995)
• Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 Women … Officer Murphy (1994)
• Matinee … Herb Denning (1993)
• Amityville 1992: It’s About Time … Mr. Andersen (1992)
• Evil Toons … Burt (1991)
• Gremlins 2: The New Batch … Murray Futterman (1990)
• Ghost Writer … Club Manager 1989
• Freddy’s Nightmares (TV series) … Al Kramer (1989)
• The ‘Burbs … Garbageman 1988
• Angel III: The Final Chapter … Nick Pellegrini (1988)
• Innerspace … Cab Driver (1987)
• Night of the Creeps … Walt (1986)
• Chopping Mall … Walter Paisley (1986)
• Amazing Stories (TV series – ‘The Greibble’)  … Fred (1986)
• After Hours … Waiter (1985)
• Explorers … Charlie Drake (1985)
• Tales from the Darkside (TV series) … Seymour Furman (1985)
• The Terminator … Pawn Shop Clerk (1984)
• Gremlins … Murray Futterman (1984)
• V: The Final Battle (TV mini-series) … Dan Pascal (1984)
• Space Raiders … Crazy Mel (1983)
• Twilight Zone: The Movie … Walter Paisley – segment ‘It’s a Good Life’ (1983)
• White Dog … Animal Trainer (1982)
• Heartbeeps … Factory Watchman (1981)
• The Howling … Walter Paisley, Bookstore Owner (1981)
• Dr. Heckyl & Mr. Hype … Irsil / Orson (1980)
• Rock ‘n’ Roll High School … Police Chief (1979)
• Piranha … Buck Gardner (1978)
• Hollywood Boulevard … Walter Paisley (1976)
• Death Race 2000  … Chicken Gang (1975)
• The Trip … Cash (1967)
• X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes … Heckler (1963)
• The Terror … Stefan (1963)
• The Premature Burial … Mole (1961)
• The Little Shop of Horrors … Fouch (1960)
• A Bucket of Blood … Walter Paisley (1959)
• War of the Satellites … Dave Boyer (1958)
• The Undead … The Leper (1957)
• Not of This Earth … Joe Piper (1957)
• It Conquered the World … Sgt. Neil (1956)

The post Legendary actor Dick Miller has died appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.

‘The picture you see with your eyes closed.’

Bug is a 1975 American science fiction horror feature film directed by Jeannot Szwarc (Jaws 2) from a screenplay by William Castle (Homicidal, The Tingler; The House on Haunted Hill) and Thomas Page, based on his 1973 novel The Hephaestus Plague. It was the last film Castle was involved with before his death. The movie stars Bradford Dillman (Piranha), Joanna Miles, Jamie Smith Jackson and Richard Gilliland.

Plot:

An earthquake releases mutant cockroaches that can create fire by rubbing their cerci together. Eventually most of the bugs die because they cannot survive in the low air pressure on the Earth’s surface, but a scientist (Dillman) keeps one alive in a pressure chamber. He successfully breeds the cockroach with a modern bug creating a breed of intelligent, flying super-bugs…

Reviews:

“So is this cinematic gem worth a Cavalcade? Not really, unless you fast-forward past the insufferable padding with the horrible 70’s synth track music and skip straight to the cat attack and the games of bug scrabble.” Cavalcade of Schlock

“There were moments toward the beginning of this where I thought it might actually be pretty good. The earthquake was pretty good, and some of the bug scenes and attacks are fairly good and intense. There’s always a lot of tension when you’re waiting for some animal to just go nuts and attack. But eventually it just goes off the rails—while remaining enjoyable, for the most part.” Cinema de Merde

“The film takes things to a personal level, involving much of the screen time to concentrate on Dillman’s isolated experiments and the mental breakdown he endures because of it. This flaws the film a bit, as we never know how drastic the insect epidemic really is to the outside world, and the attacks are only limited to a handful. But on the other hand, these claustrophobic scenes makes things intense and unnerving.” George R. Reis, DVD Drive-In

“The last act, really the last 40 minutes or so, are unusually grueling and seem to go on forever. The payoff, such as it is, is thwarted by particularly inept special effects, matched in their crudeness only by the equally unconvincing stuntwork. Except for Dillman and Patty McCormick (as a friend of the Parmiters), the film has no name actors.” Stuart Galbraith IV, DVD Talk

“Many tend to dismiss Bug! as a schlock film – and some of the occasionally cheesy pyrotechnic effects tend to reinforce this – but there is an intelligence to the film that makes it much better than that. On the minus side, there is an irritating and distracting electronic score.” Richard Scheib, Moria

“Director Jeannot Szwarc (Jaws 2 [1978]) abandons his “realistic” approach and resorts to very fake-looking bugs, complete with obvious wires. Any goofy goodwill Bug has built up disappears in a flurry of winged stupidity. Bug is also plagued by a desire to diddle with what’s already been honed by decades of drive-in schlockmeisters. You’d think Castle would have understood this.” Bill Gibron, Pop Matters

“There are hints that this is borne of setting Hell itself free on Earth, but the religious angle is fumbled and only amounts to its imagery, so no room for theological debate here, which may not be so bad. It’s just that for all its calculated vileness, Bug is very silly and not much better than a fifties B-movie of the same type.” Graeme Clark, The Spinning Image

“Slow in spots, and Dillman’s crazed experimentation with the bugs becomes tedious, but there are some gory deaths to recommend this and it’s a perfect example of ’70s sci-fi horror making gone wild.” The Terror Trap

“Although slow in spots and Dillman’s crazed experimentation with the bugs becomes somewhat tedious, there are enough shocking deaths and moments of slow-mo beetle-bursting to recommend this film. Also, with a fun and foreboding ending where the bugs have now grown wings, it’s a perfect example of Seventies sci-fi horror pitting helpless man against out-of-control nature.”Steven Pope, Tina Aumont’s Eyes

“Dillman is a scientist who loses his wife to the insects. He becomes a recluse midway through the story, and the film goes to sleep along with him. A few scary moments, but that’s about it. Technical credits are good, actors are fair, direction is mediocre, but the public squashed Bug.” TV Guide

“Unlike Castle’s cheery, gimmicky horror movies of the 50s and 60s, this is a grim, serious piece. The FX at the conclusion are a letdown after the flawless work until that moment (the insect photography was by Ken Middleton, who also took care of this end of things with the superior ant movie Phase IV). Still, Bug remains a strong, moody insect chiller, ripe for rediscovery.” David Annandale, Upcoming Movies

“At the same time Dillman goes into seclusion, so does the film; its last half is largely static, and the film never revives much interest.” Variety

“Director Jeannot (Supergirl) Szwarc stages the bug attack scenes fairly well (like the bug-in-the-earlobe gag), but they are ultimately too few and far between for Bug to be any good.  You can at least get a kick out of seeing the familiar looking Brady Bunch set being used as Dillman’s house during the bug-out sequences.” Mitch Lovell, The Video Vacuum

Cast and characters:

• Bradford Dillman … James Parmiter – Piranha; Chosen Survivors; Moon of the Wolf; Fear No Evil
• Joanna Miles … Carrie Parmiter
• Richard Gilliland … Gerald Metbaum
• Jamie Smith-Jackson … Norma Tacker (as Jamie Smith Jackson)
• Alan Fudge … Mark Ross
• Jesse Vint … Tom Tacker
• Patty McCormack … Sylvia Ross – Silent Predators; Saturday the 14th Strikes Back; Crowhaven Farm; The Bad Seed
• Brendan Dillon … Charlie
• Frederic Downs … Henry Tacker (as Fred Downs)
• James Greene … Reverend Kern
• Jim Poyner … Kenny Tacker
• Sam Javis … Taxi Driver
• Bard Stevens … Security Guard

Technical credits:

99 minutes | 1:85:1 aspect ratio | mono

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Actress Julie Adams has died aged ninety-two. She is best known to horror fans as the love interest of the Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954). Confirmation of her demise came from Ricou Browning, the actor who played the Gill-Man in the underwater scenes for Universal’s iconic monster movie.

Adams died early on Sunday in Los Angeles, her son Mitch Danton told The Hollywood Reporter. In more than six decades in film and on television, Adams also starred with the likes of Elvis Presley, Dennis Hopper and John Wayne. Her TV roles included The Jimmy Stewart Show in the 1970s – playing Stewart’s wife – and 1960s detective series Perry Mason.

Born in Iowa in 1926, Betty May Adams moved a lot as a child before heading to Hollywood. As regards other genre appearances, she was also in Psychic Killer (1975), The Fifth Floor (1978), Black Roses (1988), the Night Gallery TV series (‘The Miracle at Camafeo’ episode, 1972), One Step Beyond TV series (1959), and three episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

But it is as the swooning Kay Lawrence in Creature from the Black Lagoon that she will most fondly be remembered by horror fans. As a publicity stunt, Universal Studios once even declared her legs “the most perfectly symmetrical in the world” and insured them for $125,000.

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‘He freed his mind and body to commit the most sensual and shocking acts imaginable!’

Psychic Killer – filmed as The Kirlian Force – is a 1975 American paranormal horror feature film directed by Ray Danton (Deathmaster; Hannah, Queen of the Vampires) from a screenplay co-written with Greydon Clark (director of (Uninvited; Without Warning; Satan’s Cheerleaders) and Mikel Angel (Demon Keeper; Grotesque; Love Butcher). It was produced by Mardi Rustam.

The movie stars Paul Burke, Jim Hutton, Julie Adams (who was married to director Ray Danton at the time), Nehemiah Persoff, Neville Brand and Aldo Ray.

Vinegar Syndrome released Psychic Killer as a Blu-ray + DVD combo on May 31, 2016.

• Scanned and restored in 2k from 35mm negative
• “The Danton Force” featurette w/ Mitchell & Steve Danton, co-star Julie Adams, and 1st Assistant Director Ronald G. Smith
• “The Psychic Killer Inside Me” featurette with Greydon Clark
• “The Aura of Horror” featurette with Mardi Rustam
• Original theatrical trailer
• Multiple TV Spots
• Reversible cover artwork
• English SDH Subtitles

Buy Blu-ray + DVD combo: Amazon.com

Plot:

Arnold Masters (Jim Hutton) is a mild-mannered man who obsesses over his mother, but finds himself implicated in a murder he didn’t commit, and is sent to an asylum.

While incarcerated, a fellow patient teaches him the techniques of Astral Projection, also known as the Kirlian Effect, which is the ability to use his mind to control objects at will.

When the real killer is found and Arnold is released, only to find that during his time in the asylum his mother has died, he vows vengeance against those responsible for setting him up and begins to use his powers to exact a bloody revenge…

Reviews:

“Director Ray Danton never really manages to take control of his bizarre material, but he paces it well and delivers an amazing amount of unpredictable oddity in a short time frame. In short, Psychic Killer will baffle anyone expecting a straight scare-fest but anyone in search of cheap thrills at their most eccentric will have a field day.” Donald Guarisco, All Movie

“An aura of past glory and missed opportunities haunt the film, suffusing the proceedings with a hint of sadness even as the murder set-pieces become more and more outlandish. Certainly, past glory must have been on the minds of all involved as they cashed this easy paycheck…” Arbogast on Film

“Danton shoots Psychic Killer (1975) rather stylishly in some scenes and somewhat sloppy in others. Either way, the film has lots of sleazy potential in both the skin and kill department. It’s not all that gory, but some of the murder scenes are inventive and pretty spectacular in execution.” Brian Bankston, Cool Ass Cinema

” …the movie turns inadvertently comic during the scary scenes, and since the rest of the movie is taking itself rather seriously, it undermines the movie’s impact. Some of the dialogue is quite bad as well, and the police figure out the culprit far too easily. Ultimately, it’s a failure, but not an uninteresting one.” Dave Sindelar, Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings

” …the film alternates between police procedural and speculative fiction, with some surprising gore sprinkled about, and topped with one of the screen’s oddest stripteases (courtesy of Love Me Deadly‘s Mary Wilcox). Yet for some reason, it doesn’t feel like a mess; it feels like an undiscovered gem of weirdo ’70s cinema.” Rod Lott, Flick Attack

” …it all ends with a surprisingly grim and sadistic finale (given away in the trailer, alas) that leaves the viewer with no one to root for. Though far from technically accomplished, Psychic Killer is at least never boring and should please any discriminating sleazy drive-in movie hound.” Nathaniel Thompson, Mondo Digital

“The cast make the most out of the material and play their parts with no shortage of enthusiasm, and even if the end result is a little hokey the picture remains entertaining, creepy, and a truly enjoyable seventies drive-in oddity.” Ian Jane, Rock! Shock! Pop!

” …there’s a hint of a tongue in the cheek, but mostly this turns into a police procedural with a supernatural gimmick […] More entertaining for its bursts of mayhem (Neville Brand killed by his own butcher’s shop) than as a satisfying whole, Psychic Killer passes the time with nasty flair.” Graeme Clark, The Spinning Image

“Some interesting death sequences highlight, including scalding showers and meat butchering equipment gone haywire. Hutton and Adams (of 1954’s Creature from the Black Lagoon) both provide good lead performances.” The Terror Trap

“Boasting a feel somewhere between an episode of Mission Impossible and the more serious minded (and therefore less entertaining) end of blaxploitation, Clark’s script takes on the then-popular fascination with Kirlian photography and auras and moves it someplace way the hell out in left field.” Third Eye Cinema

“A good, cheap, diverting horror exploiter with a reasonably developed sense of its own ridiculousness (a couple of funny, bloody murders), and a cast of old hands (Adams, Ray, Brand) who know a hilt when they see one, and boy, do they play up to it.” Time Out New York

“Psychic Killer is marred by its blatant references to Hitchcock films, especially Hutton’s Psycho-derived mother complex. Actor-turned-director Ray Danton’s presentation of this material is pretty mundane and leaves his competent cast of supporting players to inject whatever life they can into the movie.” TV Guide

“Each victim, each situation, and each method of murder is completely different from the others, and this variety keeps you amused and watching, even with the realization that the movie for the most part is just repeating itself – a murder, cut to the investigation, another murder, back to the investigation, etc.” Keith Bailey, The Unknown Movies

Cast and characters:

• Paul Burke … Police Lt. Jeff Morgan
• Jim Hutton … Arnold James Masters
• Julie Adams … Dr. Laura Scott
• Nehemiah Persoff … Dr. Gubner
• Neville Brand … Lemonowski
• Aldo Ray … Lt. Dave Anderson
• Whit Bissell … Dr. Paul Taylor
• Rod Cameron … Dr. Commanger
• Della Reese … Mrs. Gibson
• Mary Charlotte Wilcox … Nurse Burnson (as Mary Wilcox)
• Judith Brown … Anne Turner
• Joseph Della Sorte … Harvey B. Sanders
• Greydon Clark … Police Sgt. Marv Sowash
• Harry Holcombe … Judge
• Robin Raymond … Jury Foreman (as Robyn Raymond)
• Jerry James … Dr. Cummings
• Diane Deininger … Arnold’s Mother
• John Dennis … Frank
• Bill Quinn … Hospital Coroner
• Marland Proctor … Motorcycle Cop
• Walter O. Miles … Coroner (as Walter Miles)
• Stack Pierce … Emilio
• Mello Alexandria … Cop
• Sandra Rustam … Young Girl
• William Bonner … Ambulance Driver (uncredited)
• Edward Cross … Old Man (uncredited)
• Ray Danton … Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
• Sheldon Lee … Inmate (uncredited)

Technical credits:

89 minutes | 1.85:1 | Eastmancolor | mono

Image credits: Arbogast on Film | Cool Ass Cinema | Vinegar Syndrome

This post is dedicated to Julie Adams whose death we reported yesterday.

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The post Psychic Killer – USA, 1975 appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.

Holocaust 2000 – aka The Chosen and Rain of Fire – is a 1977 Italian-British supernatural horror feature film directed by Alberto De Martino (Formula for a Murder; Blood Link; The Antichrist; Horror) from a screenplay co-written with Sergio Donati and Michael Robson. The Aston Film-Embassy Productions S.p.A. movie stars Kirk Douglas, Simon Ward, Agostina Belli and Anthony Quayle.

Scream Factory is releasing the film – as The Chosen – on Blu-ray on May 14, 2019. It will feature the longer, 120 minute international version the film.

Plot:

Despite doomsday warnings from throngs of locals, wealthy industrialist Robert Caine (Kirk Douglas) makes the controversial decision to build a nuclear power plant near a sacred cave in the Middle East.

However, before Caine can reap the benefits of his latest bid for global domination, he discovers that his son, Angel (Simon Ward), is the Antichrist, who is planning to use his father’s project to trigger the end of the world…

Reviews [may contain spoilers]:

” …best moment is a nightmare sequence in which Douglas hallucinates the nuclear plant he is working on rising from the sea and transforming into a multi-headed hydra. In short, The Chosen might be a knockoff but it’s a knockoff of the best kind — one with energy, style and a few bizarre ideas of its own.” Donald Guarisco, All Movie

” …even though The Omen comes to mind, Holocaust 2000 will still end up feeling quite different. The extended nightmare scene of a naked and helpless Caine on some kind of island of salt with some fun blue screen work of something big coming out of the sea shouldn’t be missed…” Giovanni Susina, At the Mansion of Madness

” …the wildest farrago yet to have come out of the demonology genre […] the religious allegory adds little weight to the confusion of the plot.” BFI Monthly Film Bulletin

“Holocaust 2000 is definitely an interesting film, while not totally successful. A major plot twist can be seen coming a mile off, and the ending makes little sense. It’s one of those horror movie endings where the characters are sorted out, but the plot is left hanging.” Black Hole

” …there are few films more rip-roaringly insane than Holocaust 2000, a blatant attempt to cash in on The Omen, but with unintentional comedy, more blood and less horror. You know you’re onto a winner with any film that can be summed up like that…” British Horror Films

“A fine international cast struggles with a muddled screenplay.” John Stanley, Creature Features, Berkley Boulevard, 2000

“Given its obvious pedigree and its almost total lack of surprises in the story, I still found this one a decent watch; in particular, I liked the moment where he discovers how the seven-headed demon of legend manifests itself in real life.” Dave Sindelar, Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings

” …in the great tradition of Italian exploitation, De Martino jumps straight into the apocalypse without worrying about things like narrative cohesion and the end result is an enjoyably chaotic film that rarely makes sense but is never boring.” Lisa Marie Bowman, Horror Critic

” …despite the mask of religious pretensions, an exploitation film. Here is where it is at its most entertaining, with a lively series of Omen-esque deaths, the best of these being a beheading by helicopter blade. In an amazing dream sequence, the nuclear power plant, seen rising from the ocean, turns into a vision of the ten-headed Beast from the Book of Revelations.” Richard Scheib, Moria

“There’s not denial that Holocaust 2000 is exploitation, but it’s a fact that it’s a damn fine production – with what looks like a decent budget and an all-star cast. Kirk Douglas is all over the place, but in a good way. He gives everything he’s got to deliver an awesome performance.” Fred Anderson, Schmollywood Babylon

“The film moves at a good pace, with enough mystery and a few bloody deaths, most notably a beheading by a helicopter. Especially those parts of the film about Caine trying to end Sara’s pregnancy are atmospheric and convey a genuine sense of fear and paranoia.” So Sweet… So Perverse

“Alternately more subtle than The Omen…yet with sudden bursts of violence more shocking than anything in Donner’s original […] Beautifully conceived by de Martino and with a memorably stirring score by Ennio Morricone.” The Terror Trap

“Holocaust 2000 bears most of the worst traces of international co-production, notably a sense of disunity between cast and direction, some poor dubbing, and lines of dialogue that sound just like subtitles (‘Your mother used to blame you subconsciously for being the only one to survive’).” Time Out London

Choice dialogue:

“Stop talking like a ridiculous prophet of the Apocalypse!”

Cast and characters:

• Kirk Douglas … Robert Caine
• Simon Ward … Angel
• Agostina Belli … Sara Golan
• Anthony Quayle … Griffith
• Alexander Knox … Meyer
• Virginia McKenna … Eva Caine
• Spyros Fokas … Harbin (as Spiros Focas)
• Ivo Garrani … Prime Minister
• Massimo Foschi … Young Arab
• Romolo Valli … Charrier
• John Carlin … Robertson
• Peter Cellier … Sheckley
• Gerard Hely … Clarke
• Penelope Horner … Caine’s Secretary
• Caroline Langrishe … Girlfriend (as Caroline Horner)
• Jenny Twigge … Air Hostess
• Richard Cornish … First Journalist
• Denis Lawson … Second Journalist
• John Bancroft … Third Journalist
• Joanne Dainton … Nurse
• Geoffrey Keen … Gynecologist
• Allan Hendrick … Fanatical Demonstrator
• Adolfo Celi … Dr. Kerouac
• Domenico Di Costanzo … Asylum patient
• Omero Capanna … Asylum Orderly (uncredited)
• Tony Clarkin … Leader of protesters Megaphone Man (uncredited)

Filming locations:

Bigbury-on-Sea, Devon, England
Palatino Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy
Twickenham Film Studios, St Margarets, Twickenham, Middlesex, England

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The post Holocaust 2000 aka The Chosen – Italy/UK, 1977 appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.

The Beast in Heat is a horrific Italian exploitation film released in 1977.

Directed by Luigi Batzella from a ‘screenplay’ co-written by Lorenzo Artale, this was essentially a rehash of soldiers vs. resistance footage culled from Quando suona la campana aka When the Bell Rings (1970), with additional horrific and sexploitative footage designed to cash-in on Tinto Brass’ Salon Kitty and other grubbier Nazisploitation movies. Batzella, who on a good day could be called a ‘journeyman director’ is credited as Ivan Katansky on several releases of the film. It was released in the US on VHS as SS Hell Camp.

It gained notoriety when it was banned in the UK as a video nasty and is currently still unreleased on DVD in the UK. This is one of a number of so-called video nasties about fictionalised World War II Nazi POW camp atrocities.

Depending upon your viewpoint or sinematic tastes, Luigi Batzella’s The Beast in Heat is either the best or the worst entry into the ever-dubious Nazisploitation cycle of films made across Europe in the mid to late 70’s. Huge Nazi regalia abounds throughout this seedy production and no filthy stone is left unturned in a bid to shock even the most jaded of viewers.

The film’s infamous status was secured a few years later when it was banned in Britain; having briefly made an unrated home video appearance on the obscure JVI Video Films label. This uncut VHS is now still making around the £850 mark on eBay, despite the fact it is readily available on DVD.

In World War II, a European village is under the rule of occupying Nazi forces – not unattractive head scientist Dr. Ellen Kratsch (Macha Magall, who barely worked again), is subjecting troublemakers and unloved locals to horrifying experiments involving, amongst other things, electrodes, pliers, and rats. Said rats scene supposedly involves the rodents gnawing a prostrate and terrified female victim’s torso. However, the ‘rats’ are in fact blatantly-obvious and confused guinea pigs, which gives you a far better insight into the real joys of this supremely silly film.

Elsewhere, a very unreal baby is tossed into the air as target practice for restless soldiers. It isn’t shocking; it’s frankly very sick black comedy for fans of Andy Warhol and John Waters-type humour. However, the coup-de-resistance is Salvatore Baccaro, often credited as Sal Boris.

Buy DVD: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

The result of Nazi experiments to create a Neanderthal killing machine (who needs bombs?) he is unquestionably the star of the show. Squealing female victims are tossed into his cage and are duly molested enthusiastically and then ripped to pieces as he gurns into the camera longingly. These scenes are not repulsive, they are ineptly shot and hilarious – and any distaste as to the subject matter of the film is immediately diluted.

Batzella was, with all due respect, an utterly rotten director, here filching footage from his even more rotten earlier films to supply wartime footage to pad out hopeless scenes in cardboard cut-out sets. Batzella and Baccaro’s finest moment is clearly the triumphant segment when The Beast noshes on his new victim, raising his head to reveal a mouthful of lady parts and pubic hair! Befuddled viewers are allowed to savour this supposed atrocity for some time as frankly, nothing else could possibly be worth watching.

One scene in particular perhaps typifies Baccaro’s state of mind at this point in his acting career – again in the throes of delirium, he actually fogs up the camera lens – the director either believing this lends credibility or realising he’s been rumbled, this scene remains intact. Baccaro can be seen in many Italian films of the era, from Westerns to gialli (he has a blink-and-you-miss-it part in Dario Argento’s Deep Red), the aforementioned Salon Kitty and sci-fi silliness (the wonderfully trashy Caroline Munro vehicle Star Crash). He’s also showcased in Frankenstein’s Castle of Freaks (1973) as The Neanderthal Man [credited as Boris Lugosi!].

Rather like the cannibal films that followed in the wake of Cannibal Holocaust (1980) and Cannibal Ferox (1981) and the zombie films that were spawned off the back of Dawn of the Dead (1978) and Zombie Flesh Eaters (1979),The Beast in Heat is the extremely poor cousin to the American Ilsa series of films. What it lacks in actual terror and structure it pays back handsomely in sick fun and silliness.

Whilst the film is still victim to archaic British censorship laws, it can be purchased on DVD in the USA and in several other territories.

Daz Lawrence, HORRORPEDIA

Buy DVD: Amazon.com

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The post The Beast in Heat – Italy, 1977 appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.

‘A non-stop ride to Hell!!’

Horror Express – aka Pánico en el Transiberiano (“Panic on the Trans-Siberian Express”) – is a 1972 British-Spanish science fiction horror feature film directed by Eugenio Martin (A Candle for the Devil; Supernatural), produced by Bernard Gordon and written by Arnaud d’Usseau and Julian Zimet (Psychomania).

The Scotia International production stars Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Telly Savalas (Lisa and the Devil), Alberto de Mendoza and Silvia Tortosa (The Loreley’s Grasp).

In order to cash-in on the early ’80s horror movie boom, the film was re-released in the US by New Century Pictures as The Possessor.

On February 12, 2019, Horror Express is released on Blu-ray by Arrow Video. The special features are:

• Brand new 2K restoration from original film elements
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
• Original Uncompressed mono audio
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Brand new audio commentary with Stephen Jones and Kim Newman
• Introduction to the film by film journalist and Horror Express super-fan Chris Alexander
• Murder on the Trans-Siberian Express – an interview with director Eugenio Martin
• Notes from the Blacklist – Horror Express producer Bernard Gordon on working in Hollywood during the McCarthy Era
• Telly and Me – an interview with composer John Cacavas
• Original Theatrical Trailer
• Reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys
• Fully-illustrated collector’s booklet with new writing by Adam Scovell

Commenting on the new release and the previous Severin Films Blu-ray, John Llewellyn Probert of House of Mortal Cinema noted:

“Where the Arrow disc wins is in the new extras, and best of these is an outstanding commentary track from Kim Newman and Stephen Jones which is engaging, enthusiastic, and packed with interesting pieces of information and genre commentary. It’s truly excellent stuff and worth getting the new disc for.”

Plot:

In 1906, Professor Alexander Saxton (Christopher Lee), an English anthropologist, is returning to Europe by the Trans-Siberian Express from Manchuria to Moscow. With him is a crate containing the frozen remains of a primitive humanoid creature that he discovered in a cave in Manchuria. He hopes it is a missing link in human evolution. Doctor Wells (Peter Cushing), Saxton’s rival and Royal Society colleague, is also onboard but travelling separately.

A long-haired and bearded monk (Alberto de Mendoza), the spiritual advisor to a Polish Count and Countess who are also waiting to board the train, proclaims the contents of the crate to be evil. Saxton furiously dismisses this as superstition.

Saxton’s eagerness to keep his scientific find secret arouses the suspicion of Doctor Wells, who bribes a porter (Victor Israel) to investigate the crate. The porter is killed by the ape-like creature within, which then escapes the crate by picking the lock…

Reviews:

” … gets away with its unlikely story with the fast speed of the action and nicely humorous passages such as Lee and Cushing, accused of being callous monsters, protesting “But we are English!”.” Phil Hardy (editor), The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror 

“Curious horror piece with a few interesting touches along the way.” Howard Maxford, The A – Z of Horror Films, Batsford, 1996

“The creature has the ability to erase men’s minds by turning them into blank eyed zombies. It’s great fun, with Lee and Cushing playing the material for all its worth.” Jamie Russell, Book of the Dead: The Complete History of Zombie Cinema, 2014, (2^ndEdition)

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

“You’ve got a brain-jumping alien parasite, some truly revolting sfx and Cushing and Lee. Think it can’t get any better? Prepare for a badly overacting Telly Savalas and an absolutely barking mad last half hour, which involves lots more death and some serious zombie action.” British Horror Films

“It’s a tense and fast-paced B-movie that refuses to let up. It doesn’t ask to be taken seriously and doesn’t need to be. The monster appears almost immediately rather than after the traditional 60-minute wait. The druggish on-again off-again soundtrack heightens the fear, and note how the themes in the soundtrack return when whistled or performed by some of the characters. Basically it’s one wonderfully weird scene after the next.” David Elroy Goldweber, Claws & Saucers, Lulu, 2012

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

“The art direction (Ramiro Gomez Guardiana) and cinematography (Alejandro Ulloa) are exemplary, and the films moves at a tremendous lick […] There are autopsies galore, plenty of gory deaths, a very generous ration of droll humour, a late appearance from Telly Savalas, lots of reactivated zombie Cossacks and a thrilling climax which is a ‘cliffhanger’ in the most literal sense.” Jonathan Rigby, English Gothic: A Century of Horror Cinema, Reynolds & Hearn, 2004

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

” …Spanish director Eugenio Martin keeps it going at a rapid pace, so the holes in the plot and some dodgy dubbing are not too noticeable. The odd scary moment, and a lot of fun…” Andy Boot, Fragments of Fear: An Essential History of British Horror Films, Creation Books, 1996

“Horror Express is like The Thing (1951) meets Murder on the Orient Express meets The Hidden (1987). And, surprisingly, it’s a pretty good yarn too. […] Impressively, Horror Express is rather ambitious in its thinking, even beyond the details of the creature. The movie keeps throwing in inspired twists, most of them unexpected.” John Kenneth Muir, Horror Films of the 1970s, McFarland, 2002

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

” …classy fun with a slight satiric edge.” Mike Mayo,  The Horror Show, Visible Ink Press, 2013

“One of the best, most creative and best written movies of the entire EuroHorror boom of the 1960s and 1970s, Horror Express succeeds in practically every level despite its low budget. Justifiably loved and revered by fans and critics alike, if you’ve never seen it stop reading this now and go and obtain a copy.” John Llewellyn Probert, House of Mortal Cinema

“Horror Express is directed in an appro­pri­ately full-throttle style by Eugenio Martin, who main­tains a white-knuckle pace that deploys both adven­ture movie tac­tics and hor­ror atmos­phere with con­fi­dence.  Some scenes mix both, the best being a scene where the crea­ture takes on a bunch of sol­diers in a dark­ened train car.” Schlockmania!

” …a grisly and macabre slice of sci-fi horror with a pretty steep body count for the day with no less than 15 by my count. At only and hour and a half the film’s well-plotted structure keeps the momentum moving forward with thrilling twists and turns, there’s no point at which the story becomes stagnant, it’s a finely paced film.” McBastard’s Mausoleum

Buy Blu-ray: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

“Severin’s packed this with a wealth of bonus features, too […] a conversation with composer Cacavas, a new interview with Martin (who discusses the conception and production of the film and even tosses in some nice anecdotes involving Cushing and Lee), a 30 minute interview with producer Bernard Gordon on his days as a blacklisted Hollywood writer, and the film’s theatrical trailer.” Brett Gallman, Oh, the Horror!

Buy X-Cert 2: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

“Horror Express is thoroughly entertaining, with its invention on a low budget, its eccentricity (Telly Savalas as a cossack?), its witty lines (“At your age, I’m not surprised!”), fine period detail and plentiful thrill sequences. There’s even a zombie-filled finale for good measure. Distinctive music by John Cacavas.” Grame Clark, The Spinning Image

“Director ‘Gene Martin’ keeps the action moving along at a frantic pace and the music by John Cacavas (who later scored The Satanic Rites of Dracula for Hammer) is very catchy indeed, the highlight behind a melody that even the creature himself is heard whistling! The original title Panic on the Trans-Siberian Express, was a bit of a mouthful but I personally think it was a better moniker for this eerie, claustrophobic and at times downright scary little picture…” Tim Greaves, Ten Years of Terror, FAB Press, 2001

“A fun, hybrid horror/science fiction flick…directed with flair by Eugenio Martin and with a script by Arnaud D’Usseau and Julian Halevy that is so outrageous, you can’t help but be entertained. With those two classy stars on board, along with Telly Savalas camping it up… who cares?” The Terror Trap

“An inferior reworking of The Thing from Another World, which still manages to keep interest alive despite some poor special effects, a flat jokiness and stereotype characters.” Chris Petit, The Time Out Film Guide

“Lee and Cushing contribute typically enthusiastic performances here, and their roles are spiced with plenty of wit and humor — usually at their expense — while Savalas is delightfully hammy as the arrogant Cossack. Also worth noting is the haunting musical score by Cacavas, which in the finest Ennio Morricone tradition) contains a memorable whistled theme.” TV Guide

“The claustrophobic feeling of being trapped aboard a moving train with a deadly monster is used effectively. The miniature train effects are generally quite good…” Gary A. Smith, Uneasy Dreams: The Golden Age of British Horror Films, 1956 – 1976, McFarland, 2000

Choice dialogue: 

“There’s a stink of Hell on this train.”

Cast and characters:

• Christopher Lee … Professor Sir Alexander Saxton
• Peter Cushing … Dr. Wells
• Alberto de Mendoza … Father Pujardov
• Telly Savalas … Captain Kazan
• Julio Peña … Inspector Mirov
• Silvia Tortosa … Countess Irina Petrovski
• Ángel del Pozo … Yevtushenko
• Helga Liné … Natasha
• Alice Reinheart … Miss Jones
• José Jaspe … Conductor Konev
• George Rigaud … Count Marion Petrovski
• Víctor Israel … Maletero – the Baggage Man
• Faith Clift … American Passenger (credited as Faith Swift)
• Juan Olaguivel … the Creature (credited as Juan Olaguibel)
• Barta Barri … First Telegraphist

Image credits: Temple of Schlock

Poster image at the top is artwork for a proposed British poster by Tom Chantrell

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The post Horror Express – Spain | UK, 1972 appeared first on HORRORPEDIA.

The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire is a 1971 Italian-French-West German giallo thriller feature film directed by Riccardo Freda [as Willy Pareto] (Murder Obsession; The Ghost; The Horrible Dr. Hichcock; Caltiki: the Immortal Monster) from a screenplay co-written with Sandro Continenza [as Alessandro Continenza], Günter Ebert [as Gunther Ebert] and André Tranché (dialogue). The movie stars Luigi Pistilli, Dagmar Lassander and Anton Diffring.

On April 8, 2019, The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire is being released in the UK and USA on Blu-ray for the first-time by Arrow Video. The disc features:

• New 2K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
• Uncompressed mono 1.0 LPCM audio
• Original English and Italian soundtracks, titles and credits
• Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian soundtrack
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtrack
• New audio commentary by giallo connoisseurs Adrian J Smith and David Flint
• Of Chameleons and Iguanas, a newly filmed video appreciation by the cultural critic and academic Richard Dyer
• Considering Cipriani: A new appreciation of the composer Stelvio Cipriani and his score to The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire by DJ and soundtrack collector Lovely Jon
• The Cutting Game, a new interview with Iguana s assistant editor Bruno Micheli
• The Red Queen of Hearts, a career-spanning interview with the actress Dagmar Lassander
• Original Italian and international theatrical trailers
• Image gallery
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys
• Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Andreas Ehrenreich

Plot:

In Dublin, the acid-scarred, razor-slashed corpse of a young woman is discovered in the boot of the Swiss Ambassador’s limousine. The Ambassador, his immediate family and his employees, all become immediate murder suspects.

Faced with the issue of diplomatic immunity, Police Inspector Lawrence (Arthur O’Sullivan) covertly brings in John Norton (Luigi Pistilli), an ex-detective infamous for his brutal methods, to carry out an ‘unofficial’ investigation into the case.

While motorbike-riding Norton develops a relationship with Helene (Dagmar Lassander), the Ambassador’s attractive daughter, several more gruesome murders occur…

Review [may contain spoilers]:

On the evidence of this opportunistic attempt to jump on the early seventies giallo bandwagon, Riccardo Freda’s reputation as one of the gifted directors of Italian commercial cinema has to be called into question. Iguana is a thoroughly unconvincing affair which, in an attempt to pack in as many red herrings as possible, even places its central detective figure under suspicion. Elsewhere, plot threads alluding to drugs and sleazy activities go nowhere.

Admittedly, there are many similarly fatuous films in the giallo canon but Freda’s often critically elevated status leaves one wondering why Iguana is also such a grubby looking film (even when digitally restored in 2K) and why he telegraphs each revelation or violent incident with a breathtaking lack of subtlety worthy of Umberto Lenzi’s worst efforts. Unsurprisingly, Freda chose to adopt a pseudonym for this assignment.

Despite such negatives, the presence of Dagmar Lassander and Valentina Cortese provides this reptilian tale with a certain amount of agreeable feminine charm (although Dominique Boschero, so good in Ernesto Gastaldi’s Libido, is shamefully under-used in a minor role). The best, albeit brief, sequence shows Lassander’s character resplendent in a fedora hat and flapping black cloak, being chased by the razor-brandishing killer through foggy Dublin streets and onto a rising river bridge.

Aside from the refreshing appeal of the atypical Irish setting (which unfortunately prompts an array of unconvincing dubbed Irish accents), what really distinguishes this thick stew from its contemporaries is the sheer nastiness of the murders: faces are scorched with acid, blood gushes from sliced throats, Pistilli’s detective character has his skull sewn up without anaesthetic and a flashback scene showcases the walls of an interrogation room decorated with brain matter after a suspect blows his own head off. The fact that the practical make-up effects for such gory goings-on are so unconvincingly cheap doesn’t diminish the relish with which they are presented.

The over-the-top climax, which shows a seemingly unstoppable transvestite slasher – sporting a hilariously obvious skull cap – carrying out a frenzied attack on the ex-inspector’s half-naked teenage daughter, whilst simultaneously attempting to bash his elderly mother’s head repeatedly against a sink, is initially shocking yet soon becomes startlingly inept.

As is the case with sleazy Italian trash whodunits such as Giallo a Venezia and The New York Ripper, some prime moments of mayhem elevate what is generally a second-rate giallo to pinnacles of cinematic bad taste that, although seemingly unsavoury, are an undeniable pleasure. Mention must also go to Stelvio Cipriani’s score, which is suitably sublime and adds immensely to the overall ambiance.

Adrian J Smith, HORRORPEDIA

Other reviews:

“The mystery here is pretty dismal with the final reveal being more of a “huh? who?” than an “ahhh! them!” but there are one or two nice touches. The detective’s batty mother – a half-deaf, half-blind Miss Marple type – is great and has all the best lines but there’s also some decent gore and nudity to pass the time…” Blood Capsules

” …this is the sort of thing that Freda should have been able to nail completely with his extensive catalogue behind him and the importance that he held for the Italian Fantastic genres. But unfortunately he doesn’t and the movie just rolls on and at its best could be remembered for some nice shots of Dublin, cheap gore effects and a great soundtrack.” Jason Meredith, Cinezilla

“There is a great performance from Luigi Pistilli in the lead role and despite reports to the contrary he is ably dubbed with an appropriate Irish accent. Apparently Freda himself didn’t like this film, but with the larger than usual dollops of gore on display, and more than one lapse into bad taste, this is a must see for any self-respecting giallo buff.” Horrorview

Sadly, there’s little particularly thrilling on offer here […] However, Iguana with the Tongue of Fire remains an enjoyably guilty (if muddled) pleasure none-the-less.” Justin Kerswell, Hysteria Lives!

“Sure, everything in the production is rough around the edges, but for me that just adds to the charm and grittiness of the story. Because, even if it’s giallo with beautiful ladies and a complex plot, it’s also a surprisingly violent and cynical story. The gore, while not in any huge amounts, are very bloody and sadistic…” Ninja Dixon

“The Irish setting is admittedly novel, but Freda fails to properly capitalize on its scenic potential. Even a digression to Switzerland, for a little skiing and bobsledding action, feels flat and half-hearted […] Freda’s flair for creating atmosphere, so much in evidence in Double Face, is completely absent here.” Troy Howarth, So Deadly, So Perverse: 50 Years of Italian Giallo Films Volume 1: 1963 – 1973, Midnight Marquee Press, 2015

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

“The bewildering storyline features many of the typical giallo conventions, but there are way too plot holes and loose ends that will leave you running for your score card. It’s true that Freda dots the landscape with heavy doses of the red stuff (he does create a greasy enough mood), but Iguana gets mired in its own pit of oil and never becomes either unique or captivating.” The Terror Trap

“Apart from the amusing Oirish accents, there’s some entertaining dialogue and the characters are all pretty wild.  At times, it almost comes across like a sitcom with added gore – the killer has a predilection for throwing vitriol in his victims’ faces – in place of laughs.  The interplay, in other words, is much better than the narrative, which is frankly all over the place.” Matt Blake, The Wild Eye

“You will […] find yourself scratching your head and slapping your knee multiple times, probably at the same time, while grinning like an idiot because of all the weirdness on screen. Freda might have failed at delivering a tough, serious thriller, but he did manage to give us one hell of a weirdly entertaining flick.” David Grant, You Have Died of Dysentry

Choice dialogue:

John Norton: ‘Well now, me fleet-footed filly are we going to have it off in the bushes or on the bike?”

John Norton: “Will ye get me a pint o’ the black stuff?”

John Norton: “The only car you’re gonna see around here is a paddy wagon.”

Ambassador Sobiesky: “You bitch! You f*cking bitch! … Bitch! Bitch! Bitch!”

Cast and characters:

• Luigi Pistilli … Former detective John Norton – The Tormented; Tragic Ceremony; Spirits of Death; Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key; A Bay of Blood; The Case of the Scorpion’s Tail; The Sweet Body of Deborah
• Dagmar Lassander … Helene Sobiesky – Monster Shark; The House by the Cemetery; The Black Cat; Werewolf Woman; Reflections in Black; The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion; The Frightened Woman
• Anton Diffring … Ambassador Sobiesky – Doctor Who ‘Silver Nemesis’; Faceless; Sherlock Holmes and the Masks of Death; H.P. Lovecraft: Schatten aus der Zeit; The Beast Must Die; Seven Dead in the Cat’s Eye; Mark of the Devil Part II; Circus of Horrors; The Man Who Could Cheat Death; Tales of Frankenstein
• Arthur O’Sullivan … Police Inspector Lawrence
• Werner Pochath … Marc Sobiesky – RatMan; Devil Hunter; Bloodlust; The Cat o’ Nine Tails
• Dominique Boschero … The Ambassador’s mistress – The Red Stained Lawn;  All the Colors of the Dark; The Unnaturals; Libido
• Renato Romano … Mandel – Frankenstein ’80; The French Sex Murders; Seven Blood-Stained Orchids; The Fifth Cord; Dorian Gray; The Bird with the Crystal Plumage; Death Laid an Egg 
• Sergio Doria … Walter – I racconti fantastici di Edgar Allan Poe TV mini-series; Cave of the Sharks; Death Smiles on a Murderer; The Double
• Ruth Durley … Norton’s mother
• Valentina Cortese … Mrs Sobiesky – Ring of Darkness;  Dracula in the Provinces; The Possessed
• Emmet Bergin … Man in café [uncredited]
• Niall Toibin … Doctor [uncredited]

Filming locations:

Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, Ireland
Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland
Switzerland

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The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires is a 1974 supernatural horror martial arts feature film co-produced by Hammer Studios and Shaw Brothers Studio. The movie stars Peter Cushing, John Forbes-Robertson, Robin Stewart and Julie Ege.

It was belatedly released in North America in June 1979 in an edited version as The Seven Brothers Meet Dracula, and is alternatively known as The Seven Brothers and Their One Sister Meet Dracula. The North American release version trims twenty minutes of the film’s footage and soundtrack and loops several remaining scenes to fill the running time.

The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires will be released on Blu-ray from a 2K scan of the original film elementsby Scream Factory on April 9. It will include both the uncut UK version and the US edit.

Special features:

• Audio commentary with author/film historian Bruce G. Hallenbeck (new)
• Interview with actor David Chiang (new)
• Interview with Hong Kong film expert Rick Baker (new)
• Theatrical trailers
• TV spot
• Still gallery

The film is notable for having an actor other than Christopher Lee to portray Count Dracula in the Hammer Dracula series. The role of Dracula is played by John Forbes-Robertson (though the actor’s voice was dubbed by David de Keyser).

Plot:

In 1900s China, vampire hunter Professor Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) has travelled to China to lecture students about the legend of a remote Chinese village that lives under the curse of seven deadly vampires. The vampires strike every year at the time of the seventh moon, tormenting the villagers and causing terror and bloodshed in the community.

The villagers approach Van Helsing and ask him to join forces with local kung fu experts to rid the village of the tyrannical vampires and restore peace and order. He complies with their request, and along with his son Leyland (Robin Stewart) and a pretty young heiress, Vanessa (Julie Ege), he sets out to rid the village of its curse.

However, in the meantime, Count Dracula (John Forbes-Robertson) has arrived in the vicinity in the guise of a warlord to restore the power of the vampires and add to the carnage…

Both Roy Ward Baker, a British director who had helmed previous Hammer films such as Scars of Dracula; Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde; and Quatermass and the Pit, and Chang Cheh, a veteran Hong Kong action director, worked on the movie, though only Baker is credited.

During some scenes involving roving gangs of undead, several vampires can be seen hopping up and down, as vampires tend to do in Chinese vampire films.

Buy DVD from Amazon.co.uk

Reviews:

“It’s pretty much as ridiculous as it sounds, but there’s something inherently entertaining about make-up-splattered vampires, distinguished British actors, and martial artists squaring off in periodic eruptions of kung-fu fighting.” Keith Phipps, The AV Club

“Cushing, in his last Hammer Dracula film, is as commanding as ever, but he and his Western companions are pretty disposable to the plot until the end, where the professor is left alone with the Count, who is hardly needed. Nevertheless, this last Hammer vampire outing has a real energy, in spite of being a mish-mash, and is different enough to get by on sheer novelty alone.” Grame Clark, The Spinning Image

“Alternately campy and spellbinding, and punctuated by entirely enthusiastic martial arts sequences, this one makes for a very fun watch indeed. Certainly, it falls into the “what’s going on here!??” category. But that’s part of its charm, and nevertheless it’s guaranteed to hold your interest.” The Terror Trap

“One of the great disasters in horror film history, this turkey put the final nail in Hammer’s bankruptcy coffin.” Videohound’s Complete Guide to Cult Flicks and Trash Pics

Cast and characters:

• Peter Cushing … Professor Van Helsing
• John Forbes-Robertson … Count Dracula
• Robin Stewart as Leyland Van Helsing
• Julie Ege as Vanessa Buren
• Robert Hanna as British Consul
• David Chiang as Hsi Ching/Hsi Tien-en
• Shih Szu as Mai Kwei
• Chan Shen as Kah the High Priest/Count Dracula’s host
• Lau Kar-wing as Hsi Kwei (archer)
• Huang Pei-Chih as Hsi Po-Kwei (spearman)
• Wang Chiang as Hsi San (twin swordsman)
• Feng Ko-An as an assassin
• Hsu Hsia as an assassin
• David de Keyser … the voice of Dracula [uncredited]

Technical credits:

89 minutes | Panavision 2:35:1 | Eastmancolor | mono

The deleted DVD from Anchor Bay also includes both The Seven Brothers Meet Dracula version as well as the original uncut Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires version. The DVD also features a recording of Peter Cushing telling the story of the film with music and sound effects, which was released as an LP record at the time of the film’s release.

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‘Suddenly… they were the only adults left on the island.’

Who Can Kill a Child? – Spanish title: ¿Quién puede matar a un niño? – is a 1976 Spanish horror feature film written [as Luis Peñafiel] and directed by Narciso Ibáñez Serrador (The House That Screamed). It is based on a novel by Juan José Plans. The movie stars Lewis Fiander, Prunella Ransome, Antonio Iranzo and Miguel Narros.

It has also released as Island of the Damned; Island of Death, Death is Child’s Play and Trapped!

Plot:

A montage of documentary footage depicts the effect of war on children. This mondo imagery cuts to the story of an English couple, Tom (Lewis Fiander) and Evelyn (Prunella Ransome), who is taking one last vacation as a free-spirited couple before Evelyn gives birth. They arrive on Benavis on the Costa del Sol, where they encounter grim-faced, silent children who seem to be the island’s entire population.

Throughout their stay, the couple witness the children behaving strangely. They later learn the children are capable of violence and have murdered just about every adult on the island; they are now forced to consider killing the children in self-defence…

Reviews:

“The majority of the threat is implied, with a growing atmosphere of dread. Shot on location under the fierce sunlight of the Spanish islands in the Mediterranean, it looks totally realistic. The children look like local non-professional recruits, but are carefully directed to appear menacing. They don’t say much, but their eyes are full of hate and mistrust.” Black Hole

” …miles above the cinematic killer-kids efforts that followed, as well as most of the ones which preceded it. The idea of having children turning crazed and ruthlessly homicidal (the cause of the epidemic is never explained, but it’s spread by a hypnotizing glare or vindictive touch from child to child) is a disturbing one, and effectively carried out in the capable hands of Serrador.” George R. Reis, DVD Drive-In

” …it is must-see, a primo slice of 70s horror and an incredibly tense experience. Still, be warned: this movie does push boundaries and break some of mainstream cinema’s last taboos by answering the very question it poses in the title.” Final Girl

“Serrador’s very good film is marked by tremendous locations, fine performances, taut direction, tasteful violence (relatively, considering the circumstances), and a bone-chilling score. An interesting theme is the townspeople’s reluctance to protect themselves because of their innate inability to harm children, even at the expense of their own lives.” Johnny LaRue’s Crane Shot

“While I’m not convinced it reaches the heights to which it seems to aspire with the historical and sociopolitical contexts, it’s pseudo-thoughtful stuff that lands squarely between the arthouse and the grindhouse and stands as a fairly unique entry in the killer kid sub-genre.” Brett Gallman, Oh, the Horror!

“The result is something chillingly creepy and unflinchingly confrontational, as a younger generation enacts vengeance upon its adult ‘betters’ – and while the film’s strong influence can be felt on subsequent features like Children of the Corn (1984), Ils (2006) and The Children (2008), nothing quite beats catching this rarely seen, masterfully moody film.” Anton Bitel, Projected Figures

” …in Who Can Kill a Child?, it’s strongly implied that something supernatural or super-human is at work (particularly in light of how one of the adults dies) but nothing is made certain. What sets Serrador’s story apart from a widespread zombie plague or inexplicable animal frenzy is its emphasis on adult society’s hypocritical attitude on human-on-human violence.”
Titans, Terrors & Toys

Release:

Who can Kill a Child? was released on Blu-ray by Mondo Macabro on July 10, 2018.  The special features are:

• Brand new 4k transfer from film negative
• Version Española – documentary about the film
• Interview with cinematographer José Luis Alcaine
• Interview with director Narciso Ibáñez Serrador
• Kim Newman on Killer Kids
• Audio commentary by Samm Deighan and Kat Ellinger
• Alternate Island of Death title sequence
• English/Spanish audio choice
• Alternate US audio dub
• Original trailer and radio spots
• Newly created English subtitles
• Mondo Macabro previews

Cast and characters:

• Lewis Fiander … Tom – Dr. Phibes Rises Again; Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde
• Prunella Ransome … Evelyn
• Antonio Iranzo … Father of Crying Girl
• Miguel Narros … Guardacostas 1
• María Luisa Arias … (as Mª Luisa Arias)
• Marisa Porcel
• Juan Cazalilla
• Luis Ciges … Enrique Amorós – the Postman
• Antonio Canal
• Aparicio Rivero
• Fabián Conde … Camera shop clerk
• Andrés Gómez
• Maria Druille … Child (Crying daughter)
• Lourdes de la Cámara … Child (Lourdes)
• Roberto Nauta … Child

Technical credits:

Related:

The House That Screamed – Spain, 1969

More malevolent children

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‘Evil does not die… It waits to be reborn!’

The Manitou is a 1978 American supernatural horror feature film produced and directed by William Girdler (Three on a Meathook; Abby; Day of the Animals; et al) from a screenplay co-written with Jon Cedar and Thomas Pope. It is based on a 1976 book of the same name by Graham Masterton (Charnel House; Mirror; Hair Raiser). The movie stars Tony Curtis, Michael Ansara, Susan Strasberg, Stella Stevens, Jon Cedar, Ann Sothern and Burgess Meredith.

Scream Factory is releasing The Manitou on Blu-ray on April 16, 2019.

• New 4K scan of the original film elements
• New Restored Stereo Soundtrack
• New interview with author Graham Masterson
• New Producing Girdler – an interview with executive producer David Sheldon
• New Audio Commentary with film historian Troy Howarth
• Theatrical Trailer
• TV Spots
• Still Gallery
• 1080p High-Definition Widescreen 2.35:1
• DTS-HD Master Audio Mono
• English Subtitles

Plot:

Karen Tandy (Susan Strasberg) is suffering from a growing tumour on her neck, so enters a hospital in San Francisco to have a medical check. After a series of x-rays, the doctors begin to think it is a living creature: a fetus being born inside the tumour. Eerie and grisly occurrences begin; the tumorous growth perceives itself – himself – to be under attack as a result of the x-rays used to ascertain its nature, which is starting to stunt and deform its development.

The growth is actually an old Native American shaman; he is reincarnating himself through the young woman to exact his revenge on white men who invaded North America and exterminated its native peoples.

A second Native American shaman is contacted and hired to help fight the reincarnating medicine man, but the kind of spirits he can summon and control appear to be too weak to match his opponent’s abilities…

Reviews:

“The whole Burgess Meredith sequence is priceless, as it seems like he keeps forgetting what movie he’s in. And while Manitou does have its slower sections, the climax is a thing of beauty to be enjoyed forever, with crummy special effects, bad lightning, a star field, an Evil One symbolized by a cataract, and Tony Curtis struggling to maintain his dignity.” A.V. Club

“The gradual decline into nonsense is very smartly paced; the movie just sort of lulls you into its madness, so when a naked Indian midget starts shooting laser beams around and the spirit of her the heroine fights back with what appears to be meteors made out of popcorn, it doesn’t “come out of nowhere” as you might expect – in Manitou logic, it’s merely the natural progression of the plot.” Badass Digest

“The film has been accused of being camp, but I don’t think the film ever makes unintentional fun of itself. I do wonder though how Susan Strasberg used ‘the method’ to get to grips with the scenes of Manitou combat. I’d recommend The Manitou to fans of 1970’s horror and disaster movies too. Don’t expect too much blood, just one weird plot.” Black Hole

“For 3 million, Girdler and his team deliver a lot of bang for the buck creating some wildly creative set pieces most of which occur during the final 30 minutes. Obviously Star Wars (1977) was on the scriptwriters minds as one scene inside a hospital has a laser beam go haywire destroying an operating room and then there’s the incredible finale that takes place in outer space(!)…” Brian Bankston, Cool Ass Cinema

” …transcends its own ridiculous by virtue of its cinematic power. Mechanical effects by Gene Grigg and Tim Smythe and horrific make-up by Tom Burman are superb and will have your own skin crawling.” John Stanley, Creature Features

“I defy anyone to watch it and not admit that they had fun afterwards” Horror News

Buy DVD: Amazon.co.uk

“Certainly, while one praises The Manitou, one must also be aware that there is a good degree of schlocky ridiculousness that surrounds more than a few parts of the film. There is one completely ridiculous scene where a hunched-over Lurene Tuttle starts making frog-like croaks while hovering six inches above the ground, while Tony Curtis runs about smiling bemusedly as if this were no more than one of his Doris Day soap opera comedies of the 1960s. Girdler’s shocks are often down around the level of crude circus showmanship…” Richard Scheib, Moria

“Some of the highlights of the film include the genuinely creepy sequence involving the Indian Manitou busting out of Strasberg’s neck, a spectacular séance in which a demon head pops out of a wooden table, a laser on the loose surgical scene; and another sequence involving a little old lady that levitates on a hallway then plunging to her death down the stairs.” Pablo Vargas, The Spinning Image

“Any commentary on Western civilization encroaching on the Native American way of life is skimmed over briskly as Girdler takes us from one preposterous set piece to the next. In that regard, the movie is utterly fun, and thankfully, the cast, led by Tony Curtis, is game and colorful. If one were to try to read a message into the narrative, it is noteworthy that Dr. Hughes states: “We’ve created a monster”. The Terror Trap

“This bout between good and Satan includes some scares, camp and better than average credits.” Variety, December 31, 1977

Cast and characters:

• Tony Curtis … Harry Erskine – The Mummy Lives; Lobster Man from Mars; BrainWaves; Rosemary’s Baby; The Boston Strangler; Chamber of Horrors
• Michael Ansara … John Singing Rock
• Susan Strasberg … Karen Tandy – The Returning; Sweet Sixteen; Bloody Birthday; So Evil, My Sister; Scream of Fear
• Stella Stevens … Amelia Crusoe
• Jon Cedar … Dr. Jack Hughes
• Ann Sothern … Mrs. Karmann – The Killing Kind
• Burgess Meredith … Dr. Snow – Magic; The Sentinel; Burnt Offerings; Beware! The Blob; Torture Garden
• Paul Mantee … Dr. McEvoy
• Jeanette Nolan … Mrs. Winconis
• Lurene Tuttle … Mrs. Herz
• Hugh Corcoran … MacArthur
• Anne Newman Bacal … Tenth Floor Nurse (as Ann Newman-Mantee)
• Jan Heininger … Wolf, an orderly
• Michael Laren … Michael, an orderly
• Cindy Stanford … Neighbour
• Tenaya Torres … Mrs. Singing Rock (as Tenaya)
• Carole Hemingway … Neighbour
• Beverly Kushida … Sixteenth Floor Nurse
• Charles Kissinger … Anesthesiologist
• Michael Andreas … Operating Room Doctor
• Mick Dyrenforth … Operating Room Doctor
• Loren Elaine … Operating Room Nurse
• Felix Silla … Misquamacus
• Joe Gieb … Misquamacas
• Joe Dorsey … Dr. Snaith (uncredited)

Technical credits:

104 minutes | 2.35: 1 | Dolby

Image credits: Zombos’ Closet

Related:

Grizzly – USA, 1976

Day of the Animals – USA, 1976

Abby – USA, 1974

Asylum of Satan – USA, 1972

Three on a Meathook – USA, 1972

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‘Terror to delight worshippers of the macabre.’

From Beyond the Grave is a 1973 [released 1974] British anthology horror feature film directed by Kevin Connor (Motel Hell; The House Where Evil Dwells; At the Earth’s Core; et al) from a screenplay by Robin Clarke and Raymond Christodoulou, based on stories by R. Chetwynd-Hayes (also see The Monster Club).

Produced by Max J. Rosenberg and Milton Subotsky, this was the last in a series of anthology films by Amicus Productions. It was preceded by Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1964), Torture Garden (1967), The House That Dripped Blood (1970), Asylum (1972), Tales from the Crypt (1972) and The Vault of Horror (1973).

Originally filmed as The Undead, it is also known as The Creatures; Tales from Beyond the Grave and Tales from the Beyond.

Plot:

An anthology of four short horror stories revolving around antiques shop Temptations Limited and its mysterious proprietor…

Reviews:

“Effectively handled horror compendium, above average of its kind, with one of the stories (concerning a haunted mirror) borrowed from Dead of Night.” Howard Maxford, The A – Z of Horror Films, Batsford, 1996

“Despite enthusiastic playing from the star cast, only the second episode is distinctive…” Phil Hardy (editor), The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror

” …From Beyond the Grave was surprisingly fresh and enjoyable […] The Pleasence father and daughter team is an absolute delight, clearly having a lot of fun and displaying razor sharp comic timing […] The ending of the film works splendidly…” Ian Fryer, The British Horror Film, Fonthill, 2017

“What’s great about all of these stories is that they are intelligent, well-written, and scary stuff – without resorting to chucking gallons of blood about. The first and last stories may well be ripping off Dead of Night, but as far as I’m concerned, when they’re done this well, that’s no bad thing at all.” British Horror Films

“What makes From Beyond the Grave above average for an Amicus anthology is that all the stories are quite good. The Elemental is a failure, but it’s an interesting failure. The film has a uniform visual style thanks to the excellent photography of Alan Hume, and it possesses a suitable creepy electronic score from Amicus regular Douglas Gamley.” The Celluloid Highway

“Each story […] features a  greedy and prideful protagonist who is flawed but also understandable. Each has some degree of humor, as is typical in the anthology subgenre. Each is also well-filmed, beautifully realized with costumes and sets, and surprising to watch.” David Elroy Goldweber, Claws & Saucers, Lulu, 2012

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

” …a flourish of atmosphere and production value; recommended.” John Stanley, Creature Features

“The stories are implemented well and not at all gimmicky, with only “The Elemental” allowing itself to be humorous with winning results. As with most Amicus films, style, good writing and fine acting are more important than graphic violence or gratuity, and the production values are indeed handsome.” George R. Reis, DVD Drive-In

“Cushing makes a great host for the film, playing his part with sinister class, and fun performances from Pleasance, Warner and Ogilvy all help bring some charm to the film. The cinematography is classy and slick from start to finish and the film relies more on atmosphere and clever dialogue than on shocks or gore…” Ian Jane, DVD Talk

“Written with grace, and directed with a good eye by Kevin Connor on a low-budget, it is a treat after the EC movies [Tales from the Crypt and The Vault of Horror], as each story has time to develop.” Andy Boot, Fragments of Fear: An Illustrated History of British Horror Films

“The only failing is the weak linking story, which has to contrive to introduce antique objects that have no other purpose in the episode other than to wind in the second and third stories. The linking story also contains an awkward performance from the usually great Peter Cushing.” Richard Scheib, Moria

“The episodes in Grave, based on stories by R. Chetwyn-Hayes, are crude and obvious. Each punch is telegraphed, each twist is a stranglehold. They overcompensate with blood for their lack of deftness. And the blood is rotten quality: dark, transparent stuff.” Richard Eder, The New York Times, 1975

“The first and fourth segments involving the mirror and an antique door that comes with its own haunted room – aren’t quite so good. But as tales from graves and crypts go, these go quite far enough.” Roger Ebert

“Perhaps it’s the low budget, but From Beyond the Grave is a little half-hearted and shows lack of inspiration, but it was amusing enough if you were keen to see all the Amicus portmanteau chillers, and the cast were excellent value.” Graeme Clark, The Spinning Image

“The production value are excellent – this is certainly the best looking Amicus film, and the use of colour, particularly in the final story, is inspired. The second story is by far the best – well paced and with a genuinely claustrophobic atmosphere, it benefits from incredible performances by Ian Bannen Donald Pleasance )both of whom are all highly-strung nervousness) and Angela Pleasence.” David Flint, Ten Years of Terror, FAB Press, 2001

“As usual there’s one really good episode (a remarkable sub-Pinter piece on witchcraft with a stunning performance from Angela Pleasence), but the others are at best average. And the linking story, with Cushing manning an antique shop, is feeble even by Vault of Horror standards. ” David Pirie, The Time Out Film Guide

“In all, a fun film packed with meritorious character actors. Though very little is actually scary or shocking, it’s nevertheless colorful and by right of telling four tales, swiftly paced.” Weird Wild Realm

Choice dialogue:

The Proprietor (Peter Cushing): “I hope you enjoy snuffing it.”

The Proprietor (Peter Cushing): “Oh dear. The love of money is the root of all evil.”

Read more

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Piranha (1978) is being released by Scream Factory as a collectible Steelbook Blu-ray on June 11, 2019, limited to 5,000. A new 4K of the original camera negative, plus a new commentary by executive producer Roger Corman. New artwork by Nathanael Marsh (The Thing; Halloween II and III; The Fog; et al) adorns the cover.

Special features:

• Audio commentary with executive producer Roger Corman (new)
• Audio commentary with director Joe Dante and producer Jon Davison
• The Making of Piranha – Interviews with executive producer Roger Corman, director Joe Dante, and actors Dick Miller, Belinda Balaski, and more
• Behind-the-scenes footage
• Bloopers and outtakes
• Stills galleries
• Behind-the-scenes photo gallery from creature designer Phil Tippett’s archives
• Additional scenes from TV version
• Theatrical trailer
• TV spots
• Radio spots

Here’s our previous coverage of Piranha:

Piranha is a 1978 American horror feature film directed by Joe Dante (The Howling, Gremlins, Trapped Ashes; Burying the Ex) and stars Bradford Dillman (Bug), Heather Menzies, Kevin McCarthy (Invasion of the Body Snatchers), Keenan Wynn, Barbara Steele (Black Sunday; Shivers), Dick Miller and Belinda Balaski.

Produced by Roger Corman, Piranha is a low budget parody of the 1975 film Jaws, which had been a major success for Universal Studios and inspired a series of similarly themed killer critter movies such as Grizzly, Tintorera, Tentacles, and Orca. Screenwriter John Sayles (Alligator) used the proceeds to fund his own films and also wrote the tie-in novelization.

The film was followed by a sequel, Piranha II: The Spawning, in 1981, and two remakes, a cable TV remake in 1995, and a 3D remake in 2010, that spawned its own sequel in 2012.

Plot:

Two teenagers exploring at night come upon an apparently abandoned military installation. They take advantage of what appears to be a swimming pool to skinny dip. The teenagers are attacked by an unseen force and disappear under the water. A light activates in the main building and a silhouetted figure investigates the screams but is too late to help.

A determined but somewhat absent-minded insurance investigator named Maggie McKeown (Heather Menzies) is dispatched to find the missing teenagers near Lost River Lake. She hires surly backwoods drunkard Paul Grogan (Bradford Dillman) to serve as her guide. They come upon the abandoned compound, which functioned as a fish hatchery prior to being militarized. They discover bizarre specimens in jars and indications of an occupant. Maggie locates the drainage switch for the outside pool and decides to empty it to search the bottom, but the moment she activates it a haggard and frantic man attacks her, attempting to stop the draining until he is subdued by Grogan.

The two find a skeleton in the filtration trap of the empty pool and learn it was filled with salt water. The man awakens and steals their jeep, but crashes it due to his disorientation, and is taken to Grogan’s home where they spend the night. They take Grogan’s homemade raft down the river, where the man wakes up and tells them that the pool in the facility was filled with a school of piranhas and that Maggie released them into the river…

Review:

A classic, lively, fun and old-fashioned monster movie, Piranha is a delight. And the new Blu-ray edition looks fabulous and is full of extras, including a lively commentary from Joe Dante and producer Jon Davidson, some great 8mm behind-the-scenes footage (again with commentary), outtakes and a ‘making of’ that is pretty badly put together and pretty poor quality, but does feature a lot of the cast and crew discussing the movie. All in all, there’s a tempting selection of supplementary material for a film that would be an essential purchase anyway.

David Flint, HORRORPEDIA

Buy Blu-ray: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Other reviews:

‘Piranha rises above the pack because it goes about its task in an intelligent, lov­ingly crafted way. The basis of its savvy approach is a smart script by first-time screenwriter (and future indie-film icon) John Sayles that layers the storyline with quirky, well-drawn characters that charm the viewer into caring about them. Thus, when the monster-fish attacks kick in, it’s a pleasant surprise how dramatically involving it is because the audience is invested in these oddball heroes.’ Schlockmania

Buy DVD: Amazon.co.uk

“Dante’s cunning filmmaking, with plentiful gore yet judicious, mostly suggestive sense of the physical mayhem spread by the killer fish, which, apart from some unfortunate shots of them swimming in schools, are mostly glimpsed in quick flashes of wicked teeth and darting, nipping blurs, is shot and edited with the kind of zest that truly marks out talented filmmakers even in low-budget fare.” This Island Rod

“This one is cheap but funny […] The trailer doesn’t even try to pretend it’s not a rip-off, claiming “These are the man-eaters who go beyond the bite of all other jaws. Sharks kill alone, but piranha come in thousands.” This is the kind of drive-in film that simply has an x-factor and cleverness not present in most of its forgotten peers…” Jim Vorel, Paste magazine

How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime by Roger Corman with Jim Jerome, Da Capo Press

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Buy Horrors from the Deep: Amazon.co.uk

Cast and characters:

• Bradford Dillman … Paul Grogan
• Heather Menzies … Maggie McKeown
• Kevin McCarthy … Dr Robert Hoak
• Keenan Wynn … Jack
• Barbara Steele … Dr Mengers
• Dick Miller … Buck Gardner
• Belinda Balaski … Betsy
• Bruce Gordon … Colonel Waxman
• Paul Bartel … Mr Dumont
• Melody Thomas Scott … Laura Dickinson
• Barry Brown … Trooper
• Shannon Collins … Suzie Grogan
• Shawn Nelson … Whitney
• Richard Deacon … Earl Lyon
• John Sayles … Sentry

Filming locations:

Aquarena Springs, San Marcos, Texas

Related:

Piranha II: The Spawning – Netherlands, 1981

Piranha 3D – USA – 2010

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