The Renaissance of Classic Horror Films
1953 - 1973

INTRODUCTION

I mark the denouement of the first classic period of horror or dark fantasy cinema (rather arbitrarily I must admit) with the last gasp of the Universal franchise in 1948 with Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. In fact, the demise of Universal had little effect on the, less prolific but often more skillful, efforts of studios like RKO, Warner Brothers and Paramount. However, after 1945 and for several years the horror genre seemed to wane almost to extinction whilst the divergent trends of film noir and the science fiction film, propelled by the fears and dreams of the nuclear age, held the stage. The stark power of nuclear weapons and the uneasy quiet of the Cold War in time rekindled the old fires of the horror cinema, but the world was less innocent, harder and more grim than the world which entered World War Two. A segment of society was convinced finally of the bleakness of the future and horror films became again a mystery play providing a catharsis for the post-war age.

As in the first classic period, the renaissance of horror was led by a production studio, or in this case two studios: American International Pictures (AIP) and Hammer Films. Names like Vincent Price, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee emerged as the new masters of the genre. In the US, a young film maker gradually evolved from the creator of low-budget B-movies during the early 1950s into the preeminent American auteur of the genre during the mid-`60s. That man was Roger Corman and he invested the canon with a host of original classics in his adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe and H. P. Lovecraft stories. In the UK, for the first time a studio name became associated with the genre, as Hammer recreated the classics of Universal and then produced new classics of its own. Ofttimes overlooked in the shadow of Hammer, the other British studio famous for horror, Amicus Films, also produced a number of excellent contributions.

By the close of this second classic era, the horror film in its traditional aspects had lost its force of effect with audiences. The Gothic no longer seemed to speak to the increasingly discordant, technologically challenged and violently dissolute state of society. Just as the traditional values of society were being cast aside, so also was the traditional form of the horror film. Incipient evidence of this transition as a purely artistic development can be seen as early as 1961, but the motive force for the final change began around 1968. By 1974, the first renaissance of horror had ended.

HOUSE OF WAX
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1953
Produced by: Warner Brothers, Inc.
Directed by: Andre De Toth
Other:
Cast of Characters
Vincent Price Professor Jarrod
Phyllis Kirk Sue Allan
Paul Picerni Scott Andrews
Frank Lovejoy Lt. Tom Brennan
Carolyn Jones Cathy Gray
Charles Bronson Igor
Synopsis and Commentary

A crippled artist in wax reopens his renowned museum and seeks the perfect model to embody his Marie Antoinette. This is the remake of the original Mystery of the Wax Museum and is Vincent Price's second role in the genre that made him famous (he first appeared a decade before in The Invisible Man Returns). He had been a secondary leading man, usually playing a somewhat devious and sinister, if suave and romantic, rascal. Possibly Price's finest performance, it is certainly the first one with which I associated his name, owing to my Mom's gleeful depiction of its bloodcurdling aspects (see, I told you she was ghoulish!). House of Wax was produced as the second 3-D feature film and has a few gimmicks like things flying at the audience, which are quaint in retrospect, and (apart from the terrifying sequence where Vincent Price skulks through the foggy streets after the heroine) I think it is less frightening than the original. None of that should sound like criticism, for this is a great film. Charles Bronson (as Charles Buchinsky) plays the Professor's deaf mute minion.

THE MAD MAGICIAN
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1954
Produced by: Columbia Pictures
Directed by: John Brahm
Other:
Cast of Characters
Vincent Price Don Gallico
Mary Murphy Karen Lee
Patrick O'Neal Lt. Alan Bruce
Don Randolph Ross Ormond
Eva Gabor Claire Ormond
John Emery Rinaldi
Synopsis and Commentary

A deranged illusionist exacts revenge on the men who cheated him, using the tricks of his profession. Following on the heels of House of Wax, Columbia's The Mad Magician was a similar 3-D feature intended to reap the success of the preceding film and it set Vincent Price upon the path of destiny which made him a genre idol. The premise of this film is one which would be used many times in his career and which he carried off with grand style. Nobody ever played the mad genius, the suave but murderous intellectual sophisticate, like Price. His villains were more evil for their almost Satanic brilliance. At the same time Price invested many of his villains with a depth of goodness and complexity which made them both believable and uncomfortably familiar, for they revealed the latent evil residing in the kindest of hearts. A little sleepy at times, The Mad Magician is a fun flick, foreshadowing the later brilliant diabolism of The Abominable Dr. Phibes.

NIGHT OF THE DEMON
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1957
Produced by: Sabre Films, Ltd
Directed by: Jacques Tourneur
Other: Music by Clifton Parker,
Conducted by Muir Mathieson
Images
US Release Poster
Cast of Characters
Dana Andrews Dr. John Holden
Niall MacGinnis Julian Karswell
Peggy Cummins Joanna Harrington
Maurice Denham Professor Harrington
Liam Redmond Mark O'Brien
Athene Seyler Mrs. Karswell
Reginald Beckwith Mr. Meek
Synopsis and Commentary

A skeptical psychologist attending a scientific conference on the parapsychological phenomena in England finds himself drawn into a mysterious and sinister confrontation with a notorious practitioner of sorcery. Very loosely based on the great M. R. James's short story, Casting the Runes, Jacques Tourneur's masterpiece of the occult may be my favorite horror film of all. It is nearly flawless. Tourneur himself acknowledged the only (regrettably serious) flaw, which was showing the demon early into the film, however this was done by producer Hal E. Chester over the strenuous objections of Tourneur after principal filming had wrapped. In spite of this, Night of the Demon is still a virtuoso performance, combining genuine thrills with delicious black humor. Niall MacGinnis is magnificent and the score by Clifton Parker truly sends chills along the spine. A very obscure film, except among aficionados, it was lovingly parodied in Cast a Deadly Spell and more recently by Sam Raimi in Drag Me to Hell. More commonly known as the Curse of the Demon in the US.

THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN
OF THE HIMALAYAS
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1957
Produced by: Hammer Films (Michael Carreras
and Anthony Nelson Keys)
Directed by: Val Guest
Other:
Cast of Characters
Peter Cushing Dr. John Rollason
Forrest Tucker Tom Friend
Maureen Connell Helen Rollason
Michael Brill McNee
Robert Brown Ed Shelley
Arnold Marle High Lhama
Synopsis and Commentary

An anthropological expedition to the Roof of the World searches for the legendary Yeti led by a scientist and a sensationalist showman with very different intentions. Though the posters suggest a bloody taloned man-eating monster, the titular creatures of this film are far more intriguing and mysterious. I won't ruin the experience by divulging details of the story, but if you want genuine horror watch Snowbeast; this film has a development which, considering its situation in the heart of the Buddhist world, is appropriately subtle and enlightened.

THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1957
Produced by: Hammer Films, Ltd. (Michael Carreras)
Directed by: Terence Fisher
Other: Written by Jimmy Sangster
Images
Image 1 Film Poster
Image 2 The Face of the Creature
Cast of Characters
Peter Cushing Baron Viktor Frankenstein
Christopher Lee The Creature
Hazel Court Elizabeth
Robert Urquardt Paul Krempe
Synopsis and Commentary

An obsessive scientific genius creates a man from the parts of corpses. Not very faithful to Mary Shelley's classic novel (no version ever was), The Curse of Frankenstein became the cornerstone of Hammer Films' horror genre franchise and led to a highly successful series which focused on the activities of the mad genius Frankenstein rather than his creations. Universal prevented Hammer from using Frankenstein as the title. There is also a version which has more graphic violence and gore, but which was censored in the UK and US. This first outing is one of the very best of the Hammer films and my estimation of its virtues only rises with time (they don't make them like this anymore). Hazel Court fans should watch this one.

HORROR OF DRACULA
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1958
Produced by: Hammer Films, Ltd.
(Anthony Hinds & Anthony Nelson Keys)
Directed by: Terence Fisher
Other: Written by Jimmy Sangster
Cast of Characters
Christopher Lee Count Dracula
Peter Cushing Dr. Van Helsing
Michael Gough Arthur Holmwood
Melissa Stribling Mina Holmwood
Carol Marsh Lucy Holmwood
John Van Eyssen Jonathan Harker
Synopsis and Commentary

A Transylvanian nobleman who is a vampire is opposed by a scientist with a knowledge of the occult. Departing somewhat from Bram Stoker's story, this version is curiously (for a British film!) set in Germany like F. W. Murnau's Nosferatu. It also introduces the concept of the Cult of the Undead which became a feature of later films in the Hammer Dracula series. The final battle between Van Helsing and Dracula is outstanding and innovative (the improvised cross was Cushing's idea). Such athletic and creative confrontations became a hallmark of the series. Released as Dracula in the UK, Universal forced Hammer to rename the film Horror of Dracula for US distribution. This was the second remake of the classic Universal films by Hammer and made Lee a star.

THE RETURN OF DRACULA
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1958
Produced by: Arthur Gardner & Jules V. Levy
Directed by: Paul Landres
Other:
Cast of Characters
Francis Lederer Dracula
Norma Eberhardt Rachel Mayberry
Gage Clarke Rev. Whitfield
John Wengraf John Meyerman
Ray Stricklyn Tim Hanson
Synopsis and Commentary

The Transylvanian Count escapes communist Rumania to journey to California as a dissident artist in this Cold War allegory of subversive elements in the heartland. While I give it no goblins, this film deserves some mention for being the unquestioned best effort of the 1950s teenage horror genre. It is played absolutely straight, and if the budget is painfully low at times, the scripting is unusually intelligent (even by big budget standards). I must applaud the selection of the Dies Irae as the musical leitmotif; very classic touch. Lederer is also the only Dracula on film with an authentic Romany accent (Lugosi was Hungarian, there is a difference). Some features of this film, such as the secretive quasi-government team of vampire hunters and the contemporary setting were very innovative and it is likely that this film, obscure though it is, had an influence on such developments as The Night Stalker and even The X-Files.

THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1958
Produced by: Hammer Films, Ltd
Directed by: Terence Fisher
Other: Written by Jimmy Sangster
Cast of Characters
Peter Cushing Dr. Viktor Frankenstein (alias Stein)
Francis Matthews Dr. Hans Cleve
Michael Gwynn Karl (reincarnated)
Synopsis and Commentary

The obsessed scientist Viktor Frankenstein, having escaped the guillotine, resumes his experiments, probing the secrets of life, with terrible consequences. In the late 1950s, Hammer Films produced a series of truly stylish and remarkable horror (or as Cushing always preferred to say, "fantasy") films. This sequel to the highly successful Curse of Frankenstein ventured in the path of Universal by establishing a series, based in this case around the character of the mad genius rather than his creation. I loved the Hammer Frankenstein films as a kid and I bet that I am not the only boy in America who conducted questionable experiments in chemistry and electricity on dead things... One of the fascinating things about both this film and its antecedant is that most of the dire consequences which occur and which are blamed upon Dr. Frankenstein are caused by the interference of others, not his own malevolence, and that he seems genuinely devoted to the advancement of science. Cushing gives conviction to this character like no one else. It was his best work. Hammer veteran character actor Michael Ripper does a turn as a grave robber alongside Lionel Jefferies. The female romantic interest, Eunice Gayson, was the girlfriend of James Bond in Dr. No and From Russia with Love.

HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1959
Produced by: William Castle Productions
Directed by: William Castle
Other:
Cast of Characters
Vincent Price Frederick Loren
Carolyn Craig Nora Manning
Richard Long Lance Schroeder
Elisha Cook, Jr. Watson Pritchard
Carol Ohmart Annabelle Loren
Alan Marshall Dr. David Trent
Julie Mitchum Ruth Bridgers
Leona Anderson Mrs. Slydes
Howard Hoffman Jonas Slydes
Synopsis and Commentary

An eccentric millionaire invites a group of strangers to a party in which everyone will be paid $10,000 if they can survive the night locked in a house haunted by ghosts and a history of murderous madness. I admit it: I am a William Castle fan. Sure this film is something of a shameless ripoff of The Haunting of Hill House and is not even intended to be taken in complete seriousness, but for just that reason I love it. Price is at his sinister, charming best as the cynical master of ceremonies for this macabre party and who can't love the unending litany of doom from Elisha Cook, Jr.? Castle always had some kind of zany gimmick in his films and I think in this one it was Emergo, which meant that at a certain moment in the film a skeleton would fly across the theater audience on a wire.

THE MUMMY
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1959
Produced by: Hammer Films, Ltd. (Michael Carreras)
Directed by: Terence Fisher
Other: Written by Jimmy Sangster
Cast of Characters
Christopher Lee Kharis
Peter Cushing John Banning
Yvonne Furneaux Isobel Banning / Princess Ananka
George Pastell Mehemet Bey
Michael Ripper Poacher
Synopsis and Commentary

The resurrected mummy of a high priest entombed alive with an Egyptian princess is sent to seek vengeance against those who desacrated her resting place. Hammer launched its new horror venture with remakes of the classic films of Carl Laemmle and Universal Pictures. This was the third, starring Cushing and Lee as a new generations' Karloff and Lugosi. But the Hammer films are better than their Universal counterparts. Essentially a remake of The Mummy's Tomb (1942), from Universal's Kharis series, this film combines some elements of The Mummy's Ghost (1944), third in the series, as well as Karloff's The Mummy. Although Christopher Lee's talents are somewhat wasted (as they were in some Dracula films) by largely limiting his role to stalking about and strangling his victims, it was Hammer's version of The Mummy that took the archetype of the unstoppable, relentless mummy and made it truly scary; Lee's performance is far and away the best. Yvonne Furneaux is one of the most strikingly beautiful women actors ever to appear in a Hammer film, a beauty (and a role!) far above the bawdy, buxom barmaid for which the studio became more famous later. This is also a good film to highlight the talents of Jimmy Sangster, to whom much of the credit aught to be given for the success of the early Hammer films.

THE TINGLER
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1959
Produced by: Columbia Pictures (William Castle)
Directed by: William Castle
Other:
Cast of Characters
Vincent Price Dr. Warren Chapin
Judith Evelyn Martha Higgins
Darryl Hickman David Morris
Patricia Cutts Isabel Chapin
Synopsis and Commentary

A physician discovers in post mortem examinations that individuals who have died of fright actually had their spines crushed by a centipede-like organ or organism whose fatal paralysing grip can only be dispelled by screaming. This is a goofy premise and the movie is a laugh riot, but you just gotta love it! This is one of my favorite flicks. William Castle is a scream and The Tingler is his crowning achievement. He always used some zany gimmick with his films; in this it is "Percepto" which meant that he actually had seats in the theatres randomly wired to shock the patrons at a specific moment in the film when the titular organ is crawling around beneath the seats of people in a theatre during a horror movie! Talk about life following art. Vincent Price starts yelling, "Scream! Scream for your life!". What a hoot! The end is also very groovy. For connoissieurs of cult film, Mant with John Goodman is a hilarious spoof inspired by the career of William Castle (who also made such films as The House on Haunted Hill and 13 Ghosts).

13 GHOSTS
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1960
Produced by: William Castle Productions
Directed by: William Castle
Other:
Cast of Characters
Charles Herbert Buck Zorba
Jo Morrow Medea Zorba
Rosemary DeCamp Hilda Zorba
Martin Milner Ben Rush
Donald Woods Cyrus Zorba
Margaret Hamilton Elaine Zacharides
Synopsis and Commentary

A family inherits the delapidated estate of an eccentric estranged uncle and discovers that it is haunted by 13 unquiet ghosts ...and hides a secret fortune. 13 Ghosts is probably William Castle's best film, though The Tingler is a close runner. It must have been a blast to see this in "Illusion-O", a film process that plays off the cinematic device of spectral viewers in the film and allows the audience to see ghosts only if they wear the special glasses with red and blue filters (similar to old 3-D glasses). The premise of this tale is quite original, good enough to merit a remake in 2001. Young Charles Herbert enjoyed a career in genre films as a child, appearing in The Fly, The Monster that Challenged the World, and The Colossus of New York, among many other films. Castle seized on a brilliant device in telling the story from the boy's vantage, as this heightens our invovlement and apprehension. Some will remember the very young Martin Milner as one of the two patrol officers (opposite Kent McCord) in the long running TV series Adam-12, and Margaret Hamilton is still beloved and feared as the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz.

BLACK SUNDAY
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1960
Produced by: American International Pictures (AIP)
Directed by: Mario Bava
Other: Co-written by Mario Bava
Cast of Characters
Barbara Steele Katia Vajda / Princess Asa Vajda
John Richardson Dr. Andrej Gorobe
Andrea Checchi Dr. Tomas Kruvajan
Arturo Dominici Javutich
Ivo Garrani Prince Vajda
Antonio Pierfederici Priest
Synopsis and Commentary

A Moldavian princess, condemned for witchcraft and vampirism to have a bronze mask nailed onto her face and be burnt at the stake, utters a curse that she will arise again in the blood of her betrayer's descendants. Italian director Mario Bava's first film, Black Sunday is regarded by many as his best effort. Like the similarly titled Black Sabbath, this film finds its inspiration in authentic Balkan and Slavic tales. Filmed in black and white (I'm sure for reason of cost), this has a somber, brooding atmosphere sorely lacking in horror films of the last two decades. Originally titled La Maschera del Demonio (The Mask of the Demon), this film launched the career of the first "scream queen", Barbara Steele.

BLOOD AND ROSES
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1960
Produced by: Raymond Eger
Directed by: Roger Vadim
Other:
Cast of Characters
Annette Vadim Carmilla Karnstein
Mel Ferrer Leopoldo de Karnstein
Elsa Martinelli Georgia Monteverdi
Synopsis and Commentary

The spirit of a long dead vampiric countess inhabits the body of a beautiful young woman jealous of her cousin's fiance. Roger Vadim's interpretation of J. Sheridan LeFanu's classic tale of erotic vampirism, Carmilla, is one of two successful films based (very loosely in this instance) on the story (the other being Hammer's The Vampire Lovers). This is actually an art film, the seduction scenes (notably that in the greenhouse) being arranged and filmed for their aesthetic merits. Blood and Roses is a beautiful film, beautiful and fascinating, like the vampiress herself. It is also uncharacteristically modern for a vampire film from this period, though it has romantically gothic sensibilities. Unlike many other vampire films whose claimed homosexual subtexts are unfounded, the lesbian aspect here is intentional. Released in Europe as Et Mourir de Plaisir.

BRIDES OF DRACULA
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1960
Produced by: Hammer Films, Ltd.
Directed by: Terence Fisher
Other: Written by Jimmy Sangster, et. al.
Images
Image 1 Film Poster (Italian)
Image 2 Film Poster (Belgian)
Cast of Characters
Peter Cushing Dr. Van Helsing
David Peel Baron Meinster
Yvonne Monlaur Marianne
Freda Jackson Baron Meinster's Old Nurse
Andree Melly Gina
Henry Oscar Herr Lang
Synopsis and Commentary

A disciple of Dracula's cult of the undead threatens the young girls of a nearby village and boarding school. For some reason, Christopher Lee was unavailable to play Dracula at the time this film was made, so the plot revolves around a new vampire character, Baron Meinster, and Van Helsing. Despite this curious situation, Brides of Dracula is one of the better vampire films in Hammer's repetoire. Van Helsing's improvised treatment for a vampire bite is classic material. Freda Jackson's performance as the mad doting nurse of the spoiled aristocratic vampire brat (is that a pun? argh!) is delicious, particularly the memorable scene wherein she coaxes a new vampire to arise from her grave.

THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1960
Produced by: American International Pictures (AIP)
(Samuel Z. Arkoff and Roger Corman)
Directed by: Roger Corman
Other: Written by Richard Matheson
Music by Les Baxter
Cast of Characters
Vincent Price Roderick Usher
Mark Damon Philip Winthrop
Myrna Fahey Madeline Usher
Synopsis and Commentary

A brother and sister, last of an old and degenerated line and afflicted with a strange hypersensitivity, withdraw into their delapidated mansion, where the incipient rumblings of utter destruction are increasingly felt. The first of 1950s B-movie auteur Roger Corman's translations of the works of Edgar Allan Poe, The Fall of the House of Usher still shows the low budget of his production and has some pretty weak supporting acting, but Vincent Price elevates the effort to classic status. Price, a connoisieur, critic and patron of fine art in his own right, has a perfect feel for the aristocratic refinement and period authenticity required to pull off the role. Not nearly as good as those that followed, this film is nevertheless a critical landmark in the American horror cinema.

THE INNOCENTS
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1961
Produced by: 20th Century Fox
Directed by: Jack Clayton
Other:
Cast of Characters
Deborah Kerr Miss Giddens
Peter Wyngarde Peter Quint
Megs Jenkins Mrs. Grose
Michael Redgrave The Uncle
Martin Stephens Miles
Pamela Franklin Flora
Synopsis and Commentary

A prim young woman takes on the daunting job as governess to the adopted children of their disinterested aristocrat uncle and discovers that malevolent forces haunt their isolated home in the country. The definitive translation of Henry James classic novel, The Turn of the Screw, this film highlights the talents of Deborah Kerr as the beleaguered governess. I hunted for years for this film and finally had to buy it on VHS to see it. Its worth that much effort. Young Martin Stephens also did a marvelous turn in the classic original version of Village of the Damned.

THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1961
Produced by: American International Pictures, Inc.
(Samuel Z. Arkoff & James H. Nicholson)
Directed by: Roger Corman
Other: Written by Richard Matheson
Cast of Characters
Vincent Price Nicolas Medina
Barbara Steele Elizabeth Barnard Medina
John Kerr Francis Barnard
Luana Anders Catherine Medina
Antony Carbone Dr. Charles Leon
Synopsis and Commentary

A nobleman in 16th century Spain, the son of a sadistic Inquisitor, is haunted by the death of his wife and the worse thought that he may have buried her alive... The second of Corman's Poe series, this is my favorite. It has nothing to do with the Poe short story, other than the mechanism in the dungeon, being instead in the tradition of the Gothic tale, like The Castle of Otranto. I saw The Pit and the Pendulum as a kid and the exhumation scene horrified me as deeply as anything I've ever seen on film. Matheson's story is great and Corman makes the best of his low budget, putting most of it into the dungeon set! The matte shot of the castle on the sea coast (a standard feature of Corman flicks hereafter) provides the proper Gothic atmosphere.

BURN, WITCH, BURN
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1962
Produced by: Anglo-Amalgamated Productions, Independent Artists, Ltd.
Directed by: Sidney Hayers
Other: Written by Charles Beaumont, Richard Matheson and George Baxt
based on a novel by Fritz Leiber
Cast of Characters
Janet Blair Tansy Taylor
Peter Wyngarde Prof. Norman Taylor
Margaret Johnston Prof. Flora Carr
Anthony Nicholls Prof. Harvey Sawtelle
Colin Gordon Prof. Lindsay Carr
Judith Stott Margaret Abbott
Synopsis and Commentary

A professor of psychiatry noted for debunking superstition discovers that his wife has been conjuring protective charms to advance his career and protect him from the jealosy of the other faculty and their wives. Frequently cited as the other great witchcraft film alongside Night of the Demon, this film is, I think, much less effective than the Jacques Tourneur masterpiece, while still being one of the better explorations of witchcraft; indeed the careful observer might detect plot devices that seem to owe more to the Tourneur film than to the original source material. Burn, Witch, Burn is based on the novel Conjure Wife by fantasy master Fritz Leiber, and was adapted for the screen by genre veterans Charles Beaumont (brother of Hugh Beaumont) and Richard Matheson with a more palpable menace in the hexes cast than in the Leiber novel, which maintains a plausibly deniable manifestation throughout that draws out the struggle between scientific objectivism and the eroding doubt in coincidental circumstance as a viable explanation. There is a particularly well conceived scene near the end involving a house of cards. Originally released as Night of the Eagle in the UK.

CARNIVAL OF SOULS
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1962
Produced by: Harcourt Productions (Herk Harvey)
Directed by: Herk Harvey
Other:
Cast of Characters
Candace Hilligoss Mary Henry
Frances Feist Mrs. Talmas
Sidney Berger John Linden
Stan Levitt Dr. Samuels
Synopsis and Commentary

The sole survivor when a car crashes into a river undergoes a profound change of personality and begins to experience bizarre encounters with phantoms of the dead. A cult classic, this highly touted film is included principally for the opportunity of commenting on its shortcomings vis-a-vis many of the other films highlighted on these pages. Though certainly creepy, Carnival of Souls drags terribly and the climax is rather predictable. Were it not so famous, I would never have bothered to watch it (hosted as it turns out by Rob Zombie on the Sci-Fi Channel), but for the life of me I can't see how it became so renowned in the first place. If you want a really good zombie film, watch Jacques Tourneur's I Walked with a Zombie, or for revenants, Ghost Story is infinitely superior to this.

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1962
Produced by: Hammer Films, Ltd (Anthony Hinds)
Directed by: Terence Fisher
Other: Written by Anthony Hinds (as John Elder)
Cast of Characters
Herbert Lom The Phantom
Heather Sears Christine Charles
Michael Gough Lord Ambrose D'Arcy
Edward DeSouza Harry Hunter
Synopsis and Commentary

An aging violinist, maimed and horribly scarred by the publisher who defrauds him of his life's work, becomes a murderous fiend skulking through the warrens beneath the London Opera House and the sewers along the Thames. Essentially a remake of the 1943 version of the tale, Hammer's Phantom of the Opera was a major production by the studio's standards, though far less lavish than the Universal version. Lom's Phantom is notably more menacing than Raines' portrayal, yet it still pales in comparison to Lon Chaney's original. The Joan of Arc opera scenes created for this film are a classy touch.

TALES OF TERROR
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1962
Produced by: American International Pictures (AIP) (Roger Corman)
Directed by: Roger Corman
Other: Screenplay by Richard Matheson
Music by Les Baxter
Cast of Characters
Vincent Price Locke
Fortunato
Valdemar
Basil Rathbone Carmichael, the Mesmerist
Peter Lorre Montresor Herringbone
Debra Paget Helen Valdemar
Leona Gage Morella Locke
Joyce Jameson Annabel Herringbone
Synopsis and Commentary

Three classic tales of Edgar Allen Poe: Morella, The Black Cat, and The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar. Actually, the second vignette is a clever blending of The Black Cat with The Cask of Amontillado. The third of Roger Corman's series of Poe treatments, this features a great cast and tight scripting, dripping with black humor worthy of the master of the macabre. The climax of the final segment formed one of the keenest sensations of horror of my childhood.

THE BIRDS
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1963
Produced by: Alfred Hitchcock
Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Other:
Cast of Characters
Tippi Hedren Melanie Daniels
Rod Taylor Mitch Brenner
Suzanne Pleshette Annie Hayworth
Jessica Tandy Lydia Brenner
Synopsis and Commentary

Hundreds of seagulls, crows and sparrows gather at the small village of Bodega Bay, where they suddenly and inexplicably begin killing people in frenzied attacks. Based on Daphne du Maurier's classic short story, this film by the grand master of suspense is the only one that I would classify as a horror film. It is singular among his works, regarded by many as his finest effort. The ambiguous ending is one of the best moments on film and foreshadows the third wave of the horror genre in style. In fact, if this film weren't so early, I would mark the beginning of the modern period with its release. Highly controversial even for its day, it couldn't be made now. Cruelty to animals and to actors wouldn't be permitted (although Tippi Hedren has only praise for the man who tied frantic birds to her body, resulting in true hysteria on her part and some nasty lacerations). I've been to the Tides Restaurant seen in the film and they have stills from the movie hanging on the walls.

THE HAUNTED PALACE
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1963
Produced by: American International Pictures (AIP), Inc.
(Samuel Z. Arkoff & James H. Nicholson)
Directed by: Roger Corman
Other: Written by Charles Beaumont (adapted from H. P. Lovecraft)
Cast of Characters
Vincent Price Charles Dexter Ward / Joseph Curwen
Debra Paget Ann Ward
Lon Chaney, Jr. Simon Orne
Elisha Cook, Jr. Gideon Smith / Micah Smith
Synopsis and Commentary

Charles Dexter Ward returns to his ancestral manor and awakens the spirit of a long dead sorceror bent on summoning a monstrous being of inchoate outer darkness. Loosely based on H. P. Lovecraft's The Case of Charles Dexter Ward and The Lurker at the Threshold, this was Corman's first adaptation of the work of that master of the weird tale. The title, of course, is from the poem by Edgar Allan Poe. Vincent Price gave Corman's subjects the right air of pathos or malevolence; in this case, a bit of both. This was one of Lon Chaney, Jr.'s last roles in this genre and a dignified one, though the ravages of his earlier dissolute life and failing health are painfully apparent.

THE HAUNTING
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1963
Produced by: Argyle Enterprises-MGM (Robert Wise)
Directed by: Robert Wise
Other:
Cast of Characters
Julie Harris Eleanor Lance
Claire Bloom Theodora
Richard Johnson Dr. John Markway
Russ Tamblyn Luke Sannerson
Lois Maxwell Mrs. Markway
Synopsis and Commentary

Two psychically-sensitive women, a playboy and a parapsychologist investigate a house reputed to be haunted. Based on the novel by Shirley Jackson, The Haunting of Hill House, this film by director Robert Wise (most famous for The Sound of Music and West Side Story) is a brooding supernatural masterpiece that hearkens back to his early work under producer Val Lewton for RKO on such films as The Body Snatcher (Wise also directed one of the classics of the sci-fi genre, The Day the Earth Stood Still). Very faithful to the novel, it begins and ends with the same literary device, the famous opening paragraph, "Hill House had stood for ninety years and might stand for ninety more; silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House, and whatever walked there, walked alone." Thought by many to be the finest haunted house film of all, The Haunting paces its terror, gradually building, almost imperceptibly at times but without relent until the inevitable climax. This is a case where the experience is perhaps stronger if one hasn't already read the book, although fans of Shirley Jackson won't be disappointed.

KISS OF THE VAMPIRE
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1963
Produced by: Hammer Films (Anthony Hinds)
Directed by: Don Sharp
Other: Written by Anthony Hinds (as John Elder)
Cast of Characters
Noel Willman Dr. Ravna
Edward DeSouza Gerald Harcourt
Jennifer Daniel Marianne Harcourt
Clifford Evans Prof. Zimmer
Synopsis and Commentary

A newlywed couple travelling through Eastern Europe on their honeymoon fall victim to a Satanic cult of vampires holding a village in a grip of fear and guilty silence. One of Hammer's efforts sans the big name stars, this picture succeeds on the basis of its originality and story. The demise of the vampires is as intriguing as any on film. Alleged by some to be a remake of Universal's The Black Cat, I would rather suggest that the film shares some plot features with the earlier story (but that can be said about many gothic horror plots, can it not?). Also known as Kiss of Evil.

THE RAVEN
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1963
Produced by: American International Pictures (AIP), Inc.
(Samuel Z. Arkoff & James H. Nicholson)
Directed by: Roger Corman
Other: Written by Richard Matheson
Cast of Characters
Boris Karloff Dr. Scarabus
Vincent Price Dr. Erasmus Craven
Peter Lorre Dr. Adolphus Bedlo
Hazel Court Lenore
Jack Nicholson Rexford Bedlo
Synopsis and Commentary

Two rival sorcerors engage in a fabulous magical duel. Roger Corman was never shy about exploiting the comedic potential of the Gothic and the horrible. Though some characterize his early works as high camp, that was not deliberate in most cases. This is, and it works well. These three masters of the macabre play it straight; its actually not far removed from a serious attempt at horror, revealing one of the pitfalls of horror filmmaking: its just a step from horror to humor.

TWICE-TOLD TALES
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1963
Produced by: Admiral Pictures
Directed by: Sidney Salkow
Other:
Cast of Characters
Vincent Price Alex Medbourne
Dr. Rappaccini
Gerald Pyncheon
Sebastian Cabot Dr. Heidegger
Beverly Garland ?
Richard Denning Mr. Gascoigne ?
Joyce Taylor Beatrice Rappaccini
Brett Halsey Giovanni Guasconti
Synopsis and Commentary

An anthology of short stories by the seldom recognized 19th century American master of dark fantasy, Nathaniel Hawthorne. Most people think of Hawthorne as a figure of "serious" literature, and he is. What they fail to realize is that everything he wrote was dark fantasy, including The Scarlet Letter. This film includes Dr. Heideggar's Experiment and Rappaccini's Daughter from Hawthorne's famous collection as well as a highly condensed rendition of The House of the Seven Gables and stands alongside the better recognized AIP adaptations of Poe.

THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY'S TOMB
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1964
Produced by: Hammer Films, Ltd. (Michael Carreras)
Directed by: Michael Carreras
Other:
Cast of Characters
Terence Morgan Adam Beauchamp
Jeanne Roland Annette Dubois
Ronald Howard John Bray
Fred Clark Alexander King
Jack Gwyllim Sir Giles
George Pastell Hashmi Bey
Michael Ripper Desert Marauder
Synopsis and Commentary

An ancient curse binds the destiny of a mysterious Egyptologist to the lost tomb of a prince. Rather than rehash the Kharis story (like Universal did until it became embarassing), this second Hammer mummy film has one of the most interesting stories ever developed (and its nice to have something other than a reincarnated princess for a change). The scene between Hashmi Bey and the mummy is the most memorable in the mummy sub-genre, and the end is the inspiration for an episode of Jonny Quest. The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb was my favorite mummy movie as a kid and its still good. Unusual for the absence of all the familiar Hammer stars (excepting Michael Ripper).

THE GORGON
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1964
Produced by: Hammer Films, Ltd. (Anthony Nelson Keys)
Directed by: Terence Fisher
Other: Written by John Gilling from a story
by J. Llewellyn Devin
Cast of Characters
Peter Cushing Dr. Namaroff
Barbara Shelley Carla Hoffmann
Christopher Lee Professor Meister
Richard Pasco Paul Heitz
Michael Goodliffe Dr. Heitz
Synopsis and Commentary

A professor from the University of Leipzig investigates the mysterious death of his colleague and friend in a Balkan village near the ruins of Castle Borski, haunted by the spirit of Megaera, one of the three Gorgons. One of my favorite horror films, The Gorgon is also one of the first really original stories to be filmed by Hammer. The effect is heightened by the lonely and somber atmosphere of the scenes, a creepy musical score, and especially by the audience never getting a clear view of the face that turns men to stone until the very end of the film. Well acted, with a great finale.

DIE, MONSTER, DIE!
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1965
Produced by: American International Pictures
(James H. Nicholson and Samuel Z. Arkoff)
Directed by: Daniel Haller
Other:
Cast of Characters
Boris Karloff Nahum Witley
Freda Jackson Letitia Witley
Nick Adams Stephen Reinhart
Patrick Magee Dr. Henderson
Suzan Farmer Susan Witley
Synopsis and Commentary

Loosely based on H. P. Lovecraft's story, The Colour Out of Space, it tells of the degenerated Witley family and the late cause of mysterious happenings. Some of you are skeptical, even scoffing, but this is a better film than is generally acknowledged. It suffers from a modest budget and Nick Adams portrayal is subject to criticism, but I contend that even this is the most believable behavior of a man in his circumstances I've seen. Boris is at his brooding, mysterious best. I think that this was the first Karloff movie I ever saw as a kid, but it is still my favorite of his. Both Freda Jackson and Patrick Magee turn in excellent performances (as usual). The atmosphere is as eerie and frightening as any AIP or Hammer film I can think of. Of all the adaptations of Lovecraft's stories, this has to be one of the best, even though purists will complain about relocating Arkham to England. Also released as Monster of Terror and The House at the End of the World.

DRACULA, PRINCE OF DARKNESS
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1965
Produced by: Hammer Films, Ltd
(Anthony Nelson-Keys)
Directed by: Terence Fisher
Other: Written by Anthony Hinds
(as John Elder)
Images
Image The Count Summons
Cast of Characters
Christopher Lee Count Dracula
Andrew Keir Father Sandor
Barbara Shelley Helen Kent
Francis Matthews Charles Kent
Charles Tingwell Alan Kent
Suzan Farmer Diana Kent
Thorley Walters Ludwig
Synopsis and Commentary

A group of English travellers does not heed the warnings of the local villagers or Father Sandor and spends the night in a castle haunted by an evil past... The second appearance of Christopher Lee as the Count, this film (though he doesn't speak at all, reputedly refusing to utter the insipid lines!) established him as a dark sex symbol in the 1960s. His performance is compelling partly because of his silence, it exemplifies the supernatural force of the vampire, the aura of power and evil which he radiates, and shows Lee to be a grand actor. He has more presence than any other Dracula. This film has an intriguing nemesis for the vampire lord in Andrew Keir's avenging Abbott of Kleinborg and a truly novel demise. I think I like this one better than all the sequels and it is a clear continuation from Horror of Dracula.

KWAIDAN
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1965
Produced by: Bungei / Toho Company Ltd.
Directed by: Kobayashi Masaki
Other:
Cast of Characters
Kishi Keiko Yuki-onna
Nakadai Tatsuya Minokichi
Nakamura Katsuo Hoichi
Tamba Tetsura Samurai
Mikuni Rentaro Husband
Aratama Michiyo First Wife
Synopsis and Commentary

An anthology of Japanese ghost tales (the meaning of kwaidan), including strange and tragic love stories, a dead army that is appeased by song and a haunted tea cup. If you can get past the necessity of the subtitles, this is one of the all-time best spooky films, winner of the Special Jury Prize at Cannes. Characteristic of 1960s Japanese cinema, it is gorgeous in color and rich in atmosphere. The tale of the snow vampire was re-invented for one of the stories in the film version of Tales from the Darkside, but I prefer the original. A fascinating bit of trivia is that these tales are drawn from the writing of an American who lived in 19th century Japan and wrote under the pseudonym Koizumi Yakumo. Rentaro Mikuni plays a samurai who deserts his wife in order to attain rank, in a plot not unlike that of the Gate of Hell, albeit with a macabre twist.

THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1965
Produced by: American International Pictures, Inc.
(Samuel Z. Arkoff & James H. Nicholson)
Directed by: Roger Corman
Other: Written by Charles Beaumont
and R. Wright Campbell
Cast of Characters
Vincent Price Prince Prospero
Patrick Magee Alfredo
Nigel Green Ludovico
Hazel Court Juliana
Jane Asher Francesca
Synopsis and Commentary

In a time of plague, Machiavellian Prince Prospero and his nobles revel in his sealed castle whilst his subjects die horribly... until a spectral visitant appears. Oddly enough, this film actually follows the plot of the Edgar Allan Poe story closely, embellishing the tale without departing from it. This is one of the best in Corman's Poe series and his last. Charles Beaumont was a notable genre writer, staff contributor to Playboy, and brother to Hugh Beaumont of Leave It to Beaver fame.

THE SKULL
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1965
Produced by: Amicus Films, Ltd.
Directed by: Freddie Francis
Other:
Cast of Characters
Peter Cushing Dr. Christopher Maitland
Christopher Lee Sir Matthew Phillips
Patrick Wymark Marco
Jill Bennett Jane Maitland
Synopsis and Commentary

Based on the novel, The Skull of the Marquis de Sade, by Robert Bloch, this film reveals the supernatural powers latent in the haunted skull, when it is acquired by a collector of occult arcana. Produced by the other great house of British genre films and rival to Hammer, Amicus Films, The Skull is an original and clever effort. Christopher Lee, who seems to have been taken a little more seriously as an actor by Amicus than by Hammer, actually gets to speak! I'm a fan of Patrick Wymark and he makes a nice portrayal of the purveyor of unspeakable antiques of indisputable authenticity and dubious acquisition. Hammer and Amicus veterans Michael Gough, Nigel Green and Patrick Magee also have small parts.

THE REPTILE
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1966
Produced by: Hammer Films, Ltd
(Anthony Nelson Keys)
Directed by: John Gilling
Other: Written by Anthony Hinds (as John Elder)
Cast of Characters
Noel Willman Dr. Franklyn
Jacqueline Pearce Anna Franklyn
Michael Ripper Tom Bailey
Ray Barrett Capt. Spaulding
Jennifer Daniel Valerie Spaulding
Marne Maitland Malay
Synopsis and Commentary

A newlywed discharged Army officer inherits a house on the moors in which his brother died under circumstances which the villagers refuse to discuss. Somewhat of a B-flick by Hammer standards, The Reptile suffers from poor special effects, but excels in story, atmosphere and the quality of its performances. Jacqueline Pearce is superb, communicating the disturbed, anguished, lovely and predatory moods of her accursed character. Veteran character actor Michael Ripper gets a prominent role in this one as the only villager with the courage to confront the evil haunting the moors. This is probably Noel Willman's best Hammer performance and he is outstanding as the severe and mysterious fallen theologian.

EYE OF THE DEVIL
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1967
Produced by: Filmways Pictures (MGM)
Directed by: J. Lee Thompson
Other: Based on the novel by Philip Loraine
Cast of Characters
David Niven Philippe de Montfaucon
Deborah Kerr Catherine de Montfaucon
Donald Pleasance Pere Dominic
Sharon Tate Odile de Caray
David Hemmings Christian de Caray
Edward Mulhare Jean-Claude Ibert
Synopsis and Commentary

The scion of an ancient French family is called to his ancestral manor by a mysterious duty when the vineyards of his estate fail. It isn't often that a horror film of any repute escapes my knowledge completely, but I cannot recall ever having heard of this very fine effort before seeing it on Turner Classic Movies, which is doubly remarkable considering its stellar cast. Needless to say, both Niven and Kerr deliver performances of a caliber which rarely grace genre films and elevate this work from what might have been a very banal and forgettable mod-gothic chiller into a film that deserves recognition. Sharon Tate's performance is also worthy of mention. Her manner is enthralling and yet eerily unnerving, not bad for her first film. Having previously only seen her in husband Polanski's absurd The Fearless Vampire Killers, I had no idea of her acting talent. She is of course only famous now as a victim of the horrible "Manson family" slaying.

DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1968
Produced by: Hammer Films, Ltd.
Directed by: Freddie Francis
Other: Written by Anthony Hinds (as John Elder)
Cast of Characters
Christopher Lee Dracula
Rupert Davies Monsignor
Veronica Carlson Maria
Barry Andrews Paul
Ewan Hooper Priest
Michael Ripper Max
Synopsis and Commentary

The vampiric Count is resurrected by a weak-willed priest and travels to wreak vengeance against the Monsignor who exorcised his castle. This was the first Hammer Dracula I ever saw, around 1978. It has all the signature Hammer elements: copious amounts of blood, buxom wenches and a clever demise for the vampire. The abortive staking scene is a classic that helped give Hammer its reputation for gore! I recently purchased the video and now I know why it has been out of circulation for so long; the existing prints of this film are badly deteriorated. Dracula Has Risen From the Grave is among the better Hammer Dracula films. The sequels to this, particularly Scars of Dracula, are disappointing and not up to the standards of the earlier films in the series.

THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1968
Produced by: American Broadcasting Corp. (ABC TV) (Dan Curtis)
Directed by: Dan Curtis
Other:
Cast of Characters
Jack Palance Dr. Henry Jekyll / Edward Hyde
Denholm Elliot Devlin
Oscar Homolka Dr. Stryker
Billie Whitelaw Gwyn Thomas
Leo Genn Dr. Lanyon
Synopsis and Commentary

A gentle-spirited physician researching the chemistry of personality discovers a formula which will separate the good and evil natures within man. The first of Dan Curtis's versions of the classic horror stories, produced at the height of the Dark Shadows fame, this is also one of the best versions of Robert Louis Stevenson's tale. Unlike other versions which rely on some form of transfiguring makeup, Jack Palance uses very subtle physical alteration coupled with great acting and psychological elements to convey the character of the debauched, lascivious, wrathful and brutal Mr. Hyde. This also portrays the Hyde transformations as an addictive behavior which Jekyll inwardly enjoys despite his conscious unwillingness to be evil and the evidence that the evil side is consuming him.

FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1969
Produced by: Hammer Films
Directed by: Terence Fisher
Other:
Cast of Characters
Peter Cushing Baron von Frankenstein
Freddie Jones Professor Richter
Simon Ward Dr. Carl Holst
Veronica Carlson Anna Spengler
Thorley Walters Inspector Frisch
Synopsis and Commentary

The brilliant and obsessed Baron von Frankenstein continues his experiments in the transplantation of living human brains, coercing a young couple to assist his misdeeds, while being pursued by a police inspector from the scene of his last abominations. The fifth installment in Hammer's Frankenstein series, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed is one of the best, a hallmark in Cushing's portrayal of the scientific genius who seems at times driven only by the purest virtues to pursue knowledge for the advancement of mankind and at other times to be evil incarnate. No one ever balanced this dichotomy of character as did Cushing and while the Hammer Frankenstein bears only a passing resemblance to the creation of Mary Shelley it is, on the whole, a more successful series than the Dracula series. This film marks a departure from the less impressive preceding Frankenstein Created Woman (1967) and the very disappointing Evil of Frankenstein, an ill-conceived 1964 collaboration with Universal which attempted to re-tell the origin of the story, and a return to the themes and storyline last seen in the Revenge of Frankenstein.

BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1970
Produced by: Chilton Films / Tigon British Pictures
Directed by: Piers Haggard
Other:
Cast of Characters
Patrick Wymark The Judge
Linda Hayden Angel Blake
Barry Andrews Ralph Gower
Avice Landone Isobel Banham
Simon Williams Peter Edmonton
Tamara Ustinov Rosalind Barton
Synopsis and Commentary

An unusual skeleton is unearthed in a field by a farmer and the inhabitants of a 17th century village begin to fall under the influence of a demonic manifestation. Low-budget, off-brand movies are usually execrable, but this is a notable exception. Enjoying a cast of good actors, a novel premise and excellent writing, it succeeds admirably on most levels. Some of the elements of witchcraft depicted are historically "authentic". Also known as The Devil's Touch and Satan's Skin.

THE VAMPIRE LOVERS
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1970
Produced by: Hammer Films, Ltd.
Directed by: Roy Ward Baker
Other:
Cast of Characters
Ingrid Pitt Carmilla / Marcilla / Mircalla Karnstein
Peter Cushing General von Spielsdorf
George Cole Roger Morton
Madeline Smith Emma Morton
Kate O'Mara Mme. Perrodot, the Governess
Douglas Wilmer Baron Joachim von Hartog
Dawn Addams The Countess
Ferdy Mayne Doctor
Synopsis and Commentary

A beautiful female vampire lodges in a nobleman's schloss and begins to prey upon his young daughter. Faithful to the novella Carmilla by J. Sheridan LeFanu (regarded as the finest vampire story in the English language), this film briefly revived the Hammer Films horror franchise with new blood (ugh! sorry...) in the form of two sex-ridden sequels: Lust for a Vampire and Twins of Evil. The Vampire Lovers is one of the last films produced by Hammer which achieved the quality of its early years, and is easily the best adaptation of Carmilla as well as arguably the best of the Hammer vampire films. Ingrid Pitt, an outstanding actress, made her Hammer debut here. Sadly, the sequels did not feature her, and were pretty bad (hardly more than cheesy porno films with a vampire motif, rather than serious efforts).

COUNTESS DRACULA
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1970
Produced by: Hammer Films, Ltd.
Directed by: Peter Sasdy
Other:
Cast of Characters
Ingrid Pitt Countess Bathory
Nigel Green Captain Dobi
Sandor Eles Imre Toth
Maurice Denham Master Fabio
Lesley-Anne Down Ilona
Synopsis and Commentary

The true tale (embellished by elements of the supernatural) of the horrible practices of the Countess Erzebet Bathory, who practiced sadism and bathed in the blood of over 600 virgins to preserve her youth and beauty. The title is misleading, a marketing gimmick. Countess Bathory doesn't sound scary (unless you know the name!). She is the cause for the expression: "bloodbath". The beautiful Ingrid Pitt makes a viscious and malevolent, yet aristocratic villainess. A very young Leslie-Anne Down appears near the end as one of the girls imprisoned in the dungeon of the Countess.

THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1971
Produced by: American International Pictures (AIP), Inc.
(Samuel Z. Arkoff & James H. Nicholson)
Directed by: Robert Fuest
Other:
Cast of Characters
Vincent Price Dr. Anton Phibes
Joseph Cotten Dr. Vesalius
Virginia North Vulnavia
Peter Jeffery Inspector Trout
John Cater Inspector Waverley
Hugh Griffith Rabbi
Synopsis and Commentary

A deranged organist and theologian, believed to have perished in an auto accident, exacts a macabre vengeance, using the Ten Plagues from the Old Testament, against the surgeons who failed to save his wife. What a great flick! This is one of my all-time favorite movies. I first saw this when I was about 10 years old and I've never gotten over the fascination. Vincent Price is at his best in this campy romp, reminiscent of Sax Rohmer's Fu Manchu novels. Phibes kills his victims with the most fiendish and elaborate methods imaginable. In the UK this was Rated X, which came as a great shock when it was presented at my high school National Honor Society state convention! Trivia: the lovely Caroline Munro plays Phibes' dead wife, Victoria, in both this and the sequel. A true cult classic not to be missed. The poster tagline is of course a play on the tagline for Love Story.

BLOOD FROM THE MUMMY'S TOMB
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1971
Produced by: Hammer Films
Directed by: Seth Holt
Other:
Cast of Characters
Andrew Keir Prof. Julian Fuchs
Valerie Leon Margaret Fuchs / Queen Tera
James Villers Corbeck
George Coulouris Prof. Berrigan
Hugh Burden Geoffrey Dandridge
Mark Edwards Tod Browning
Synopsis and Commentary

The daughter of an British archeolologist becomes the object of a series of uncanny developments, some years after a secret tomb was opened in Egypt by her father and an unholy rite performed. The first film adaptation of my favorite Bram Stoker novel, The Jewel of Seven Stars, this film plays closer to the events and characters of the novel than the later version, The Awakening, although I think the latter film may convey the awful cosmic power of the evil dead Egyptian queen more effectively. Valerie Leon convincingly and ambiguously portrays a woman who may be either person or both. Blood from the Mummy's Tomb is nearly the last strong effort by Hammer. Note the Tod Browning character!

NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1971
Produced by: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Inc. (Dan Curtis)
Directed by: Dan Curtis
Other:
Cast of Characters
David Selby Quentin Collins / Charles Collins
Lara Parker Angelique Collins
Kate Jackson Tracy Collins
Grayson Hall Carlotta Drake
Thayer David Reverend Strack
John Karlen Alex Jenkins
Nancy Barrett Clair Jenkins
Synopsis and Commentary

A man returns with his new wife and friends to the house of his ancestors, where he reawakens a malevolent spirit. One of the many themes which was explored on the long running TV series, Dark Shadows, the reincarnation of Charles Collins and his relationship to the witch Angelique, this translation to the big screen is far more effective than the previous House of Dark Shadows, which attempted to condense the entire history of Barnabas Collins. In contrast to the gore and big production brassiness of the first movie, Night of Dark Shadows returns to the brooding, eerie and Gothic atmosphere that made the TV series so popular. It is one of the best and most chilling haunted house films I can think of. When I was a 6 yr old kid, my Mom wouldn't let me see this (though I begged, seeing the gruesome poster of a hanged Angelique), but one of my older cousins who regularly watched the series brought me a wax figurine of Angelique.

VAMPIRE CIRCUS
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1971
Produced by: Hammer Films
Directed by: Robert William Young
Other:
Cast of Characters
Robert Tayman Count Mitterhouse
Thorley Walters Burgomeister
Adrienne Corri Gypsy Woman
Synopsis and Commentary

Years after one of their number is destroyed, a troup of vampire performers returns to wreak vengeance against a town cordoned off by surrounding villages because of plague. One of the most unusual and original vampire movie I've ever seen, Vampire Circus is among the films produced by Hammer in a last burst of creative energy which rival their early efforts. It is also from the era in which Hammer films began to edge towards soft porn, a sign that Gothic horror was waning in interest on its own merits. I remember seeing a feature on this film as a kid in Famous Monsters of Filmland, but it wasn't until the 80s that I saw it on TV. I'd like to see it again but its pretty hard to find on DVD unless you're willing to pay collector prices.

DR. JEKYLL AND SISTER HYDE
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1972
Produced by: Hammer Films
Directed by: Roy Ward Baker
Other:
Cast of Characters
Ralph Bates Dr. Jekyll
Martine Beswick Sister Hyde
Gerald Sim Prof. Robertson
Synopsis and Commentary

A brilliant physician, obsessed with the secret of immortality and immunity to disease, creates a serum from female hormones which transforms him into a woman of malevolent character. An alternative version of the classic tale by Robert Louis Stevenson, I avoided this film for many years on the mistaken impression that it was meant for tongue in cheek humor. Notwithstanding a premise which is fraught with humorous pitfalls (and has been exploited very successfully in Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde), Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde is played with deadly seriousness, adroitly avoiding any slide into comedy. It is one of the last great efforts by Hammer; much better than the last Dracula films, for example, and awful experiments like the Horror of Frankenstein. The casting of Ralph Bates and Martine Beswick was brilliant and they make the most of the superficial resemblance of their features such that at times it really seems as if one is beholding a weird mixture of both. An interesting touch in this film is the implication that Dr. Jekyll is responsible for the Whitechapel slayings of "Red Jack".

DR. PHIBES RISES AGAIN
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1972
Produced by: American International Pictures (AIP), Inc.
(Samuel Z. Arkoff & James H. Nicholson)
Directed by: Robert Fuest
Other:
Cast of Characters
Vincent Price Dr. Anton Phibes
Robert Quarry Dr. Biederbeck
Valli Kemp Vulnavia
Peter Jeffery Inspector Trout
John Cater Inspector Waverley
Hugh Griffith Ambrose
Synopsis and Commentary

The abominable Dr. Phibes returns with a scheme to resurrect his dead wife and attain immortality. Not as good as the first film, this is still fun. It is marred in its video and laser disc releases by the dubbing over of the final music; in the original film Vincent Price sings "Over the Rainbow" as he rows his barge down the River of Life beneath the Egyptian desert. Due to some absurd copyright expiration or some such nonsense, that song had to be expurgated from all copies produced since the 1980s at least, until the recent MGM DVD release which restored the song. I saw this in 1975 on my 10th birthday on the Friday night CBS Late Night Movie (which was a wonderful theatre of the macabre) and I've heard the song. It is a marvellous final touch, and an unpardonable sin that it was ever cut. Peter Cushing makes a cameo appearance and Caroline Munro still plays a corpse. Robert Quarry, who plays Phibes' nemesis, also played Count Yorga in the early 1970s.

Bram's Stoker's
DRACULA
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1972
Produced by: Latglen, Ltd. (Dan Curtis)
Directed by: Dan Curtis
Other: Written by Richard Matheson
Cast of Characters
Jack Palance Count Dracula
Simon Ward Arthur Holmwood
Nigel Davenport Dr. Van Helsing
Penelope Horner Mina Murray
Fiona Lewis Lucy Westenra
Murray Brown Jonathan Harker
Synopsis and Commentary

A Rumanian vampire travels to England and discovers the reincarnation of his long dead love. One of several remakes of the classics of the genre by Dark Shadows creator, Dan Curtis, this film is not really Bram Stoker's version of the story, but rather Richard Matheson's. Jack Palance is the perfect embodiment of the Transylvanian count (compare with the book!) and this story is very good. Although produced on a low budget for TV and rarely seen now, this is one of my favorite versions of the story and it deserves more recognition than it receives. The acting is quite respectable and the setting appropriately Victorian; things which later versions lack (recall that the story was contemporary when published and intended to contrast the modernity of England with the Medieval superstition of Transylvania).

CAPTAIN KRONOS - VAMPIRE HUNTER
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1972
Produced by: Hammer Films, Ltd.
Directed by: Brian Clemens
Other:
Cast of Characters
Horst Jansen Capt. Kronos
Wanda Ventham Lady Durward
John Cater Prof. Grost
John Carson Dr. Marcus
Caroline Munro Carla
Shane Briant Paul Durward
Lois Daine Sara Durward
William Hobbs Hagen, Lord Durward
Ian Hendry Kerro
Synopsis and Commentary

An Austrian nobleman who has become a traveling vampire hunter is summoned by an old friend to destroy a monster that preys upon the young. This is such a cool movie! Although produced on a miserly budget it has style, superb performances and one of the most intriguing variations on the vampire theme ever filmed. This was the sultry and desirable Caroline Munro's first starring role. Woof! I highly recommend this film to any vampire buff. It is probably the best written vampire movie ever.

FRANKENSTEIN - The True Story
Rating
Film Production Credits
Release Date: 1973
Produced by: Universal Television
Directed by: Jack Smight
Other: Music by Gil Melle
Cast of Characters
Leonard Whiting Dr. Victor Frankenstein
Michael Sarazin The Creature
David McCallum Dr. Henry Clerval
James Mason Dr. Polidori
Jane Seymour Agatha / Prima
Sir John Giegud Chief Constable
Sir Ralph Richardson Lacey
Synopsis and Commentary

A young physician obsessed with finding the secret of life follows the work of Dr. Henry Clerval and creates a living man from the parts of dead bodies. This was a major TV production in 1973 and aired on two nights as a mini-series. The title is a misnomer (of course!) and the story takes great departures from Mary Shelley's novel (a familiar theme), yet it is in style the closest of any version, and the first to depict the Creature as the superior being that Mary Shelley envisioned. Leonard Whiting is the best Victor Frankenstein on film, from a literary perspective. I hate that every version since Hammer portrays Victor as the understudy of the real genius (in this case Clerval!), and this version even makes the real-life Dr. Polidori (the most unjustly defamed individual in English literature) a villainous mad scientist, but this is still my favorite from childhood and launched a short career of weird science on my own part as an 8 year old. Gil Melle wrote the musical score, which will sound very familiar to fans of Kolchak: The Night Stalker, as parts of it were recycled for the TV show.

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