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Terror is a Man 1959
Terror Is a Man is a 1959 film directed by Gerardo de León and Eddie Romero. The film is a loose adaptation of H.G. Wells’ classic novel “The Island of Dr. Moreau.” Set on a remote island in the Philippines, a shipwrecked survivor William Fitzgerald (Richard Derr) finds himself washed ashore, marooned on an island where the population on the island has been driven away by irrational fears surrounding the reclusive Dr. Charles Girard an enigmatic scientist played by Francis Lederer.
Now, the sole inhabitants of the island are Fitzerald, Dr. Girard, his alluring wife (Greta Thyssen), his dubious assistant, his servant, and her young son. But there is someone else lurking. Dr. Girard has been experimenting with transforming a panther into a violent human being.
As Fitzgerald gets settled he begins to suspect that Girard is conducting these gruesome experiments, to turn animals into human-like creatures through surgical procedures and genetic manipulation. These humanoid hybrids are the result of his obsession with pushing the boundaries of science and evolution.
Torture Garden 1967
The carnival sideshow is the perfect tableaux for a portmanteau film, both offer the opportunity to explore a variety of oddities, strange narratives, and macabre fables. In the case of Amicus Productions’ Torture Garden (1967), director Freddie Francis and screenplay by writer Robert Bloch (Psycho) curate a sideshow that offers just such astonishments. Torture Garden also features a wonderful ensemble of mostly British actors – Jack Palance, Peter Cushing, Niall MacGinnis, John Standing, Beverly Adams, Michael Bryant, Barbara Ewing, Nicole Shelby, Catherine Finn, Bernard Kay, Ursula Howells, Michael Ripper, and Maurice Denham.
Dr. Diablo, portrayed with gleeful malevolence by Burgess Meredith, assumes the role of an eccentric ringmaster of a mystifyingly peculiar and kitschy carnival sideshow – a role Meredith gushes with relish as the master of ceremonies for this devilish pageantry. With an unapologetic zeal, he adorns himself with oversized gloves, a dastardly cartoonish moustache and goatee, and a generous smear of theatrical eyeliner. Amid his sideshow, the majority of attractions revolve around cliché-ridden waxworks showcasing a macabre array of torture devices and modes of death and execution.
After the main spectacle, hewing to the old tradition of carnival mystique, Dr. Diablo presents a captivating offer to only five of his patrons.
For a trifling sum of £5, he entices them with the chance to see something ‘truly terrifying.’ As their curiosity deepens they follow toward the back of the ceremonial tent, where Dr. Diablo sheds his dramatic facade, setting their admittance on fire as it vanishes into thin air and so begins the clandestine twist to his captivating carnival act.
Once inside Diablo reveals an uncannily lifelike statue of Atropos, the Goddess of Destiny brought to life by British actress actress Clytie Jessop. Atropos holds the sharp golden shears. Atropos is most frequently represented with scales, a sundial, or a cutting instrument, described by John Milton in Lycidas as the “abhorred shears” with which she “slits the thin spun life.”
Dr. Diablo mesmerizes these five captive listeners with the moral about the Goddess who has the power to reveal the true nature of evil within each person- their inner-secret horrors and the grim fate that awaits them. At first, they are all skeptical yet, one by one they are beguiled as they gaze into the gleaming shears beckoned by the statue of Atropos, delivered to prophetic visions of what lies ahead—a glimpse into the hidden abyss of their own malevolence, and the bleak fates awaiting should they neglect to change course.
In the narrative of Enoch’s story, Colin Williams (portrayed by Michael Bryant) cunningly engineers the downfall of his affluent Uncle Roger (Maurice Denham) with the aim of securing access to his curious fortune. Yet, his elation turns to dread when he unearths that this fortune comes with a stipulation of servitude to a mystical feline deity, conceivably a witch’s trusted familiar. Now, he stands face-to-face with horrors far more formidable than the specter of destitution.
Within the narrative of “Terror Over Hollywood,” Carla Hayes (Beverly Adams), an up-and-coming starlet, resorts to sabotaging her roommate Millie’s (Nicole Shelby) rendezvous with Hollywood producer Mike Charles (David Bauer) in a bid to ensure her own romantic liaison with him. This maneuver propels her into the exclusive inner sanctum of Hollywood’s elite, known as the Top Ten, where like others, Carla is fascinated by actors like Bruce Benton (Robert Hutton) who never seem to age. However, Carla’s journey swiftly unravels the shocking truth.
In “Mr. Steinway,” Dorothy Endicott (Barbara Ewing) is involved with a concert pianist Leon Winston (John Standing), but makes the tragic mistake of trying to drive a wedge between his love affair with his ‘grand’ piano.
In this truly macabre tale, “The Man Who Collected Poe” Jack Palance plays Ronald Wyatt, an obsessive collector of Edgar Allan Poe memorabilia who hunts down Lancelot Canning (Peter Cushing) who is the foremost collector of Poe ephemera. But Wyatt will stop at nothing to get his hands on Canning’s most prized possession and ultimately brings him to a shocking revelation.
When the fifth and final player in this fateful excursion Gordon Roberts (Michael Ripper), faces the imminent unveiling by Dame Fortune, it takes an unexpected turn and defies Dr. Diablo’s initial expectations, is there an unforeseen twist of fate that changes the course of things
When I saw it during its theatrical release in 1967, the gimmick was to hand out seeds to each moviegoer, so you could grow your own torture garden! Now that’s worth going to the movies for…
Terror at the Red Wolf Inn 1972
They’d love to have you for dinner!
The American Horror- Terror at Red Wolf Inn, aka Terror House suggests an adult fairytale. Released in 1972 and directed by Bud Townsend (Nightmare in Wax 1969 starring Cameron Mitchell and Anne Helm), It winks at us with its homey touches yet this darkly humorous film is a delirious and claustrophobic horror story that creates a sense of unease. Especially the use of the song “(There’ll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover” is a popular World War II song composed in 1941 by Walter Kent to lyrics by Nat Burton. It is used as a satirical motif in the film, eventually coming full circle when Regina sings it to Baby John.
The film features Linda Gillen, John Neilson, Mary Jackson, and Arthur Space. A college student unexpectedly wins a vacation to a secluded countryside retreat managed by an elderly couple. Unbeknownst to her, the hosts have a gruesome secret – they serve meals made from human flesh. While the movie incorporates significant horror elements, into the horror genre, marked by its “tongue-in-cheek” humor. Interesting tidbit- David Soul, Bruno Kirby, and Richard Dreyfuss all auditioned for the role of Baby John.
Regina (Linda Gillen) is a solitary college student who gets a strange letter telling her that she has unexpectedly won a free vacation to a quaint seaside bed and breakfast called the Red Wolf Inn. What’s even stranger is she has a private plane waiting at the airport to take her to her destination. When she arrives at the remote island, she is met by a curious guy who tells her his name is Baby John Smith. (John Neilson). He takes Regina on a joy ride speeding through town outrunning the police Jonathan the Deputy on his tail. Instead of being frightened by Baby John, she is thrilled by the excitement and this pleases him a lot.
They get to the Red Wolf Inn she is greeted by Baby John’s grandparents Henry and Grandma Evelyn Smith (Arthur Space and Mary Jackson), the nice old couple who own the little resort home. There are two other guests staying there – Pamela (Janet Wood) and Edwina (Margaret Avery). When Regina asks to use the phone to call her mom and let her know where she is, she finds it’s out of order. First red flag at the Red Wolf Inn. As if invited to a glorious meal set out like a feast that includes finger-licking good barbecue. the seemingly kind old grandma and grandpa enjoy pampering their guests with good food, encouraging them to eat more.
Regina: It’s really good. What is it?
Evelyn: Filet, dear. Filet.
Henry: A butcher’s work is never done.
Fattening them up we’d expect. After that delicious meal, Regina goes in search of something to calm her stomach and stumbles on Baby John in the kitchen coming out of a large walk-in fridge, he seems like a butcher holding his large carving knife. Seeing Baby John startles her and she screams waking everyone up. Regina admits to Edwina that she and Baby John are drawn to each other and that she finds him attractive. We they awaken in the morning they are told by Henry and Evelyn that their other guest Pamela has moved on, yet Regina has found the girl’s beautiful black dress that she loved, hanging in the closet of the carriage house behind the Smith’s mansion. A sweet romance begins to blossom between Regina and Baby John. But he exhibits the oddest behavior, while on the beach where they share a kiss, Baby John reels in a small shark and proceeds to bash its head in against the rocks screaming Shark! In a panic. Afterwards, he exclaims to Regina that he’s in love with her then he runs away.
Baby John -[reeling a small shark in on his fishing line] SHARK! SHARK! SHARRRRK
[picks it up by the tail and repeatedly bashes it against a rock]
Baby John: SHARRRK! SHARRRRK! SHARRRRRK! SHARRRK! SHARRRRK!
[calms down and turns to Regina]
Baby John {says to Regina then runs off}: I think I love you.
That night, a party is thrown to celebrate Edwina’s upcoming departure. Following a lavish dinner, as everyone retires to bed, the Smiths enter Edwina’s room, incapacitating her with a cloth soaked in chloroform. They then deliver her to a chilling fate – inside a meat locker the sounds within confirm their gruesome motives.
The next day, Regina becomes alarmed when Evelyn informs her that Edwina has left without saying goodbye. Regina attempts to contact her mother but is abruptly disconnected by Evelyn. A police car arrives at the mansion, and Regina rushes outside for help, only to discover that the officer is another Smith family member, portrayed by producer Michael MacReady.
Regina now realizes that she is captive yet does not realize the extent to which this insane family is actually cannibals. The Smiths leave Baby John in charge of guarding Regina to make sure she doesn’t escape, while they go into town. This is an opportunity to go explore that creepy off-limits fridge. But horrified she finds Edwina and Pamela’s heads, and that’s where they store their ‘meat’, the same human meat she has been consuming for days. She tries to make a desperate run for it, but Baby John follows after her. The two have fallen in love. But It is too late, Evelyn and Henry get home and grab her before she can escape. Now it’s inevitable that Regina will become their next meal, but Baby John like a true child, is depending on his grandparents (who aren’t really kin) to welcome Regina into the family.
Theater of Blood 1973
Theater of Blood is a 1973 British horror-drollery starring Vincent Price who of course is perfect in the role of Edward Lionheart, a tour-de-force for Price in a stylish, irresistible horror angle. It was the tenth film Vincent Price made in Britain since 1964, and director Douglas Hickox’s first horror film, having mastered his dark comedy Entertaining Mr. Sloane in 1970. He considered this to be his personal favorite of all of his films, followed closely by Dr. Phibes in 1971 directed by Robert Fuest who was originally asked to helm this film. ”I think that was the best feeling of achievement and satisfaction that I ever had from a film.” Early on Vincent Price”s greatest desire was to be a proficient Shakespearean actor on stage in England.
Frustrated by how his film career had ultimately pigeonholed him into horror film roles, he relished the chance to quote Shakespearean prose in this film and jumped at the chance when approached. He was also very pleased to be cast opposite so many well-known Briitish character actors, several of which had the experience of previously being in the RSC.
It was also considered by Dame Diana Rigg who plays Price’s daughter Edwina, to be her best film. Theater of Blood includes an ensemble of the best British actors cast with the most marvelous personas, including Jack Hawkin, in what would be his last role, as Solomon Psaltery, Ian Hendry as Peregrine Devlin, Harry Andrews as Trevor Dickman, Coral Browne as Chloe Moon, Robert Coote as Oliver Larding, Michael Hordern as George Maxwell, Arthur Lowe as Harris Sprout, Robert Morley as Meredith Merridew, Dennis Price as Hector Snipe, Milo O’Shea as Inspector Boot, Eric Sykes as Sgt. Dogge, Madeline Smith as Rosemary, Joan Hickson as Mrs. Sprout, and Diana Dors as Maisie Psaltery.
Robert Morley starred five years later in Who is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? 1978 a film with a very similar topic in which he also played a gourmet. Oddly enough, Robert Morley played a gourmet in the Alfred Hitchcock Presents TV episode “Specialty of the House” (1959) where he was not only the lover of food who frequented an exclusive restaurant but he was also the main course for a secret society of cannibals.
Lionheart has been consistently panned by the critics for his performances, but this was the bitter end. His ego is shattered when this group of critics consistently berates his performances publically, ultimately leading to his apparent suicide. This despair and humiliation set the stage for his descent into madness and vengeance.
However, Lionheart manages to survive, and aided by Diana Rigg and a band of seamy homeless folk, initiates a theatrical and grisly quest to exact his vengeance against the critics who heartlessly maligned him.
Peregrine Devlin (Ian Hendry): You begin to resent an actor if you always have to give him bad notices. Ian Hendry and Dame Diana Rigg appeared together on The Avengers in 1961.
However, Lionheart survives and, with the help of a group of homeless people, begins a gruesome and elaborately staged campaign of revenge against the critics who wronged him. Each murder is styled after a death from a Shakespearean play, with Lionheart delivering lines from the Bard’s works before committing the murders. Lionheart’s transformation from a broken artist to a vengeful and diabolical figure is central to the flamboyant story of vengeance. He fakes his own death and embarks on a twisted mission to exact revenge on the critics who drove him to the brink
As Lionheart’s hit list grows, Inspector Boot (Milo O’Shea) takes on the case, and he becomes determined to catch the dramatic executioner.
In Theater of Blood, Vincent Price delivers one of his most over-the-top and unforgettable performances as Edward Lionheart. Lionheart is a character who embodies the quintessential Vincent Price role—a charismatic and tormented figure with a flair for the dramatic.
The cast included a remarkable array of actors including future wife Coral Browne, who initially had turned down the film twice. “No, no I can’t be doing that, one of those scary pictures with Vincent Price – don’t be ridiculous.” However, after Robert Morley called her up and said, “We haven’t been together since The Man Who Came to DInner (on stage in 1941). I’ll do Theater of Blood if you’ll be in the Theater of Blood.” Vincent Price and Coral Browne insist that they met in a graveyard, when the critics gather to bury the first of the victims executed by Lionheart. “As the gravedigger, Price was kitted up in muddy Wellies, sleeves rolled up, a battered hat on his head, face smeared with grime. The elegant Miss Browne eyed him askance: “And I though, ‘Oh, this man, oh, this dirty-looking old creature,’ and took absolutely no notice a’tol.” But coexecutive producer and longtime friend Sam Jaffe remembers that the two artists were quickly ‘very friendly.” (source: The Complet Films of Vincent Price by Lucy Chase Williams.
This campy horror flick is a thing of grandeur, and Vincent Price’s portrayal of Lionheart is characterized by his theatricality and grandiose delivery. Price fully embraces the character’s melodramatic flair and relishes the opportunity to recite Shakespearean lines while dispatching his victims. Lionheart’s appearance is also noteworthy, as Price undergoes a transformation to embody the character’s flamboyance. He wears extravagant costumes, dons theatrical makeup, and adopts various disguises, all of which contribute to the character’s larger-than-life presence. Dame Diana Rigg as Edwina Lionheart also cloaks herself in theatrical affectations in order to sidekick Lionheart’s plot.
Once Peregrine Devlin suspects that someone is killing the theatre critics of London, he confronts Edwina who denies the implication it’s her thespian father and assures him that the great actor died of a broken heart.
Vincent Price’s performance as Edward Lionheart in Theater of Blood remains one of the highlights of his illustrious career. His ability to balance the character’s tragic backstory with his increasingly unhinged and malevolent actions creates a character that is both unforgettable and emblematic of Price’s status as a legendary figure in the world of horror cinema.
In “Theater of Blood” (1973), each of the murders is meticulously staged to resemble a death from a different Shakespearean play. These theatrical killings add a unique and darkly comedic element to the film. Here are some of the scenarios of death in the movie:
- Julius Caesar: Lionheart murders one of the critics by recreating the famous death of Julius Caesar from Shakespeare’s play. The victim is stabbed to death by a group of people wearing Roman attire.
- Cymbeline: Another critic meets his demise in a bathtub filled with wine, mirroring the death of the queen in Shakespeare’s “Cymbeline.”
- Titus Andronicus: A critic is fed a pie made from his own pet dogs, reminiscent of the gruesome events in Shakespeare’s “Titus Andronicus.”
- Henry VI, Part 1: A critic is drowned in a barrel of wine, inspired by a death in “Henry VI, Part 1.”
- The Merchant of Venice: One critic faces a punishment similar to Shylock in “The Merchant of Venice” by having his pound of flesh extracted.
- Othello: Another critic is smothered to death, echoing the tragic fate of Desdemona in “Othello.”
- Romeo and Juliet: In a twist on the famous balcony scene from “Romeo and Juliet,” one critic is killed by a group of hooligans.
- Hamlet: A critic meets his end in a fencing match, referencing the duel in “Hamlet.”
Tidbits:
This film was shot entirely on location in and around London. No scenes from it were shot in a studio.
Price fell in love with and married Coral Browne following the film’s production, which lasted from July 10 to August 17, 1972. This film was released after Price’s March 18, 1973 appearance as the subject of “This is Your Life”, his last public appearance with his second wife Mary, who knew nothing yet about his affair with Coral, set up by Dame Diana Rigg who noticed the chemistry between the two.The name of Dame Diana Rigg’s character in the film was derived from that of Edwina Booth, daughter of Edwin Booth (1833-1893), considered by many to be the greatest Shakespearean actor of his day, and the brother of John Wilkes Booth, the most infamous actor of his day. When this film was adapted for the London stage in 2005, Dame Diana Rigg’s role was filled by her real-life daughter Rachael Stirling.
Edward Kendal Sheridan Lionheart’s Vincent Price’s theater hideout was the Putney Hippodrome, built in 1906. It had been boarded up for 14 years when it was chosen as a location for this film. The filmmakers rented it for $127.00 a week and set parts of it on fire for the film’s ending. The building was demolished in 1975 and housing was erected on the site.
Due to Jack Hawkins’ speech loss from laryngeal cancer (he could only speak through an artificial voice box), his voice in the role of theatre critic Solomon Psaltery in the film was dubbed by Charles Gray.
Vincent Price said this was one of the best scripts he had ever read and jumped at the chance to make the film. He was excited by the Shakespearean theme to the film and loved the black comedy in it. He was also pleased that the film was going to get a mainstream theatrical release in the UK and Europe (via United Artists) rather than the drive-thru theaters and B movie theaters that many of his US made horror films had been having in the US for several years.
Renēe Asherson and Eric Sykes appeared in The Others 2001
“Some of the do-ins are funnily horrible as director Douglas Hickox uses his DeLuxe color cinematography to emphasize Robert Morley’s outrageously blonde hairdo as well as all the blood flowing… If you know the Shakespeare plots, you’ll get some fun trying to guess how scripter Anthony Greville-Belle has adapted them for each murder.” – Deirdre Mack, Films in Review, Volume XXIV, Number 6, June-July 1973.
“Few horror films are written with English majors in mind, but… Theatre of Blood surely can make such a claim… Director Douglas Hickox skillfully handels the material, allowing his camera to bear witness as Price steals the show, gliding between delightfully over the top camp and sheer irony… But what is most interiguing about Theatre of Blood is the extent to which it can be said to have influenced some of the best modern offerings.” Gina McIntyre, Wicked, Volume 3, Number 1, Spring 2001.
To the Devil a Daughter 1976
To the Devil a Daughter is a 1976 British-German horror film directed by Peter Sykes and Don Sharp. The film is loosely based on the novel of the same name by Dennis Wheatley with a screenplay by Christopher Wicking and John Peacock. The film stars Richard Widmark, Christopher Lee, Honor Blackman, Denholm Elliot, and Nastassja Kinski as Catherine Beddows.
The story follows an American expatriate and occult novelist named John Verney, portrayed by Richard Widmark. Verney is asked by his friend, Henry Beddows, played by Denholm Elliott, to help rescue Beddows’ daughter, Catherine (Nastassja Kinski), from the clutches of a sinister and demonic cult led by the charismatic and enigmatic Father Michael Raynor, portrayed by Christopher Lee.
As Verney delves deeper into the investigation, he discovers that Catherine is being prepared to serve as the vessel for a demonic entity. The cult believes that this entity will grant them immense power and immortality. Verney must race against time to save Catherine and thwart the cult’s diabolical plans.
Christopher Lee’s performance as the charismatic and sinister cult leader is a standout, and the film’s themes of satanic cults and demonic possession were in line with the occult and horror trends of the 1970s.
Tentacles 1977
Tentacles 1977 is directed by Ovidio G. Assonitis (produced and directed Beyond the Door 1974 with Juliet Mills)
Set in a coastal town in California, (although this was an entirely Italian production, it was shot in California) people have vanished mysteriously in the water their remains were discovered stripped down to the bone.
Then it turns up as a series of mysterious and deadly accidents that occur in the waters off the coast. When boats and swimmers go missing, a determined Dr. Ned Turner (John Huston) who is married to Tillie (Shelley Winters) starts digging for answers. He begins to suspect that the deaths are related to a giant, octopus-like creature, a monstrous threat lurking in the ocean depths. As the death toll rises and panic grips the community, Ned joins forces with marine biologist Will Gleason (Bo Hopkins) to track down this aquatic menace and they embark on a perilous mission to stop the giant creature before it claims more victims.
Dr. Turner begins to suspect this beast has been created by the company building a tunnel beneath the bay which has most likely contaminated the water causing this mutation to occur. While all this is unfolding Turner’s nephew Tommy is taking part in a sailing regatta which puts the kids at risk of becoming appetizers for the colossal killer octopus.
The cast also included: Henry Fonda as Mr., Whitehead, Claude Akins as Robards, Cesare Danova, Delia Boccardo, and Sherry Buchanan. While truly a schlocky B movie entry into nature vs. humans in the 1970s horror subgenre like many horror films of that decade, Tentacles features prominent Hollywood actors.
The production spent nearly $1 million on a life-sized replica of a giant octopus, which promptly sank when it was put in the water.
Trailer narrated by Percy Rodrigues. The movie was sold as an alternate take on Jaws, and bringing in Rodriguez, most famous for narrating all Jaws trailers, was part of this campaign
Terror Train 1980
Terror Train is a 1980s slasher film starring Scream Queen Jamie Lee Curtis. The film is set in the dark and eerie atmosphere of a New Year’s Eve costume party on a moving train.
A group of college students decided to celebrate the holiday by hosting a costume party aboard a chartered train. Little do they know that their festive evening will take a gruesome turn. A masked killer begins stalking and murdering the partygoers one by one, using various disguises and costumes to conceal their identity.
As the body count rises and paranoia spreads among the passengers, Jamie Lee Curtis’s character, Alana, becomes a central figure in the fight for survival. Alana must use her wits and courage to uncover the identity of the killer and put an end to the bloodshed before it’s too late.
In this 1980s slasher film, the killer’s motivation for seeking revenge on the victims is revealed as a result of a traumatic event that occurred several years prior to the events of the film.
The killer, who eventually takes on various disguises throughout the movie, seeks revenge on a group of college students because of a horrifying prank they played on him during a previous New Year’s Eve party. During that earlier celebration, a cruel and dangerous prank orchestrated by the students goes horribly wrong, resulting in severe emotional and physical trauma to the individual who would later become the vengeful 80s stalker. He holds the group responsible for the pain and suffering he endured due to their thoughtless prank.
Terror Train is a notable entry in the 1980s slasher genre, and possesses several stylistic and campy elements that were characteristic of many films in this era:
One of the film’s distinctive elements is the use of costumes and disguises. Since the story is set during a New Year’s Eve costume party on a train, characters frequently change outfits, leading to an air of mystery and confusion about the killer’s identity. This creates a sense of unpredictability and tension, adding to the film’s campy atmosphere.
There are also a number of creative kills and staged murder scenes. The killer employs various props and methods associated with their disguises and costumes to carry out his revenge. These deaths often involve a combination of surprise, gore, and dark humor. Terror Train also stars Ben Johnson, Hart Bochner, magician David Copperfield, Sandee Currie, and Timothy Webber.
