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Post by wmcclain on Oct 27, 2020 13:55:28 GMT
Tales from the Crypt (1972), directed by Freddie Francis. Another horror anthology from Amicus Productions. In previous reviews -- The House That Dripped Blood (1971), Asylum (1972) -- I remarked how bloodless were these short stories. This one changes things: we do have blood and some moments of unexpected gore. In the framing stories a group of tourists get lost at the monastery and enter the catacombs, where Crypt-Keeper Ralph Richardson shows them visions of horrible crimes they have or will commit. ...And All Through the House. Man, do I like looking at Joan Collins. Having just murdered her husband she has to both dispose of the body and fend off a psycho Santa trying to get into the house. What a day! Reflection of Death. A time-loop nightmare story. After surviving a car crash why does everyone run screaming from Ian Hendry? Poetic Justice. Kindly, eccentric Peter Cushing is hounded by malicious neighbors. Wish You Were Here. Richard Greene (the TV Robin Hood of my youth) in a ghastly variation of The Monkey's Paw, which is about the terrible cost of getting three wishes. The clever bit is that our characters know the original story and try to avoid the cost. Unsuccessfully, I think everyone would agree. Blind Alleys. Patrick Magee leads a revolt of inmates at a home for the blind against the tyrannical and abusive admin. Available on Blu-ray from Shout Factory.
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Post by Prime etc. on Oct 27, 2020 14:02:43 GMT
I prefer Vault of Horror for rewatching although this was alright but the Cushing story features one of the saddest and cruelest scenarios. The Joan Collins version is superior to the one done for HBO tv even though Larry Drake was the spitting image of the comic book Santa. The movie version is more threatening (though she should have thought to frame Santa for the murder like the tv episode).
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Dana
Freshman
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Post by Dana on Oct 31, 2020 12:40:01 GMT
All through the House for sure!
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Post by James on Oct 31, 2020 12:54:15 GMT
This was surprisingly well done. I think Blind Alleys is my favourite, despite some logical issues with how the blind people build that maze and whatnot.
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Post by TheOriginalPinky on Oct 31, 2020 14:16:19 GMT
I really liked his one, and you are so right about Joan Collins! Don't you love the actors Amicus uses - Patrick Magee among them?
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Post by poelzig on Nov 4, 2020 6:15:42 GMT
Love it. Amicus is the freaking God of Horror anthology movies. Am I right or am I right?
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Post by poelzig on Nov 4, 2020 6:19:33 GMT
This was surprisingly well done. I think Blind Alleys is my favourite, despite some logical issues with how the blind people build that maze and whatnot. Not sure why you found it surprising an Amicus production is well done. Anyway Blind Alleys is excellent and the villain was very deserving of his fate.
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Post by James on Nov 4, 2020 10:22:22 GMT
This was surprisingly well done. I think Blind Alleys is my favourite, despite some logical issues with how the blind people build that maze and whatnot. Not sure why you found it surprising an Amicus production is well done. Anyway Blind Alleys is excellent and the villain was very deserving of his fate. I was surprised because I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. This is also my first time hearing the name Amicus. As I have heard of some of the other movies from them, which ones should I check out?
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Post by wmcclain on Nov 4, 2020 11:50:48 GMT
Asylum (1972), directed by Roy Ward Baker. Aka House of Crazies, from Amicus Productions. An upscale British horror/thriller anthology written by Robert Bloch from four of his stories. Macabre but not very gruesome, the segments are much like episodes of Rod Serling's Night Gallery (1969) series. Despite their sometimes lurid titles, Amicus titles were usually genteel and without explicit sex or violence. We have a rich set of familiar faces. In the framing story a new shrink arrives at a country estate mental hospital and is told the head doctor is now a patient. I immediately suspected we had walked into Poe's "The System of Dr. Tarr and Professor Feather", where we find the inmates are running the asylum. I will leave it to the viewer to decide if I was right. Each patient has a story: - Frozen Fear: Once pieces of the wife are in the freezer, shouldn't they stay there?
- The Weird Tailor: Actually the weird customer, who wants a suit of glowing fabric made after midnight. The title is no doubt a play on "Weird Tales" magazine where Bloch got his start in the HP Lovecraft years of the 1930s.
- Lucy Comes To Stay: Imaginary friends are not harmless. Bloch said this was a precursor to the novel used for Psycho (1960).
- Mannikins of Horror: Devil doll loose in the hospital! I found this one ridiculous, especially with the "Night on Bald Mountain" music, but some people have doll phobia and I wouldn't spoil their fun.
Available on Blu-ray from Severin. The director and camera operator join with a host for a relaxed commentary track. Lots of technical details.
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Post by wmcclain on Nov 4, 2020 11:51:14 GMT
The House That Dripped Blood (1971), directed by Peter Duffell. Another in the Amicus Productions long-running horror anthology series. I think Asylum (1972) released the following year was a better selection. The title is ridiculously inapt: there is not a drop of blood in the film and it was originally rated for general audiences. The producers went back to request an adult rating. All the episodes are again written by Robert Bloch. The framing story is of a skeptical police inspector investigating a disappearance at a country house. The local police advise him there is something wrong with the place, which has known other uncanny happenings: - Method For Murder: horror writer Denholm Elliott (Alfie (1966), A Room with a View (1985), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)) is distressed to find one of his creations, a mad strangler, has come to life. Is the author cracking up and become murderous himself?
- Waxworks: Peter Cushing becomes obsessed with the wax figure of a woman he once knew.
- Sweets to the Sweet: cold widower Christopher Lee seems to mistreat his little girl, even throwing her doll into the fire. In return she reads books of witchcraft beyond her years.
- The Cloak: in a comedic segment, ham actors Jon Pertwee (the third Doctor Who of the original series) and Ingrid Pitt (The Vampire Lovers (1970), The Wicker Man (1973)) are making an awful vampire film (Curse of the Bloodsuckers) when he acquires a opera cape that produces remarkable transformations.
It did better business in the US than in the UK. Available on Blu-ray from Scream Factory with two commentary tracks: appreciative, fact-filled remarks by a fan, and an interview with the director.
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Post by wmcclain on Nov 4, 2020 11:51:47 GMT
The City of the Dead (1960), directed by John Llewellyn Moxey. First reviewAka Horror Hotel. In the public domain and available online for free. My DVD was from Madacy, known for their bottom of the barrel quality since the VHS days. Set in New England but made in England with a young Christopher Lee, already sinister. Very dark throughout. A tale of witchcraft survival from colonial times, still a problem in 1960. The ending is very much like something from Hammer Films. I would have used someone else for the brother, or at least redubbed his voice. People note parallels with Psycho (1960), released the same year. The blonde protagonist does not last past the first half and her friends and family come looking for her. Hitchcock is on a higher level, although we have loads of atmosphere here on a more modest scale. The early segment before she hits the road is awfully stiff. It actually more closely resembles a Lovecraft story, something like The Shadow Over Innsmouth: obscure New England village, locals tell you to stay away from it, residents pretend nothing is going on, but it actually hides an unspeakable secret from the past... Second reviewAdditional thoughts and new thumbnails. Aka Horror Hotel ("so-called by some genius" -- Christopher Lee). This time I noticed a similarity to The Wicker Man (1973), also with Lee: the sacrificial victim is lured to the village and the locals toy with her before her shocking end. As for parallels to Psycho (1960), the director pointed out that sending a woman on a perilous quest is a standard thriller setup. Both films were released the same year and I doubt any direct influence between them. This one was actually out first. This is a definitely an "atmosphere" film; the dense fog, soundstage sets and underground passage give an ominous claustrophobic feeling. Lovely textured photography by Desmond Dickinson. Ever since watching Cabin in the Woods (2012) I've been noticing the "Harbinger" character who both directs our victims and warns them against going. He's busy in this one: four scenes outside that busy unfrequented village. Milton Subotsky and Max Rosenberg were producers. Although the name was not in use yet they considered this the first Amicus Production. The action scenes use a weird jazz score that doesn't seem quite right to me. The DVD has two commentary tracks: - A rich and wide-ranging interview with Christopher Lee made around 2001 -- he mentions playing Sauruman.
I was pleased that he confirmed my impression of a Lovecraft influence. Lee was deeply literate and read all of Lovecraft and was a Tolkien scholar. He mentions Melkor in the context of fallen angels.
He also states his profession's golden rule: never criticize another actor. If you don't like a performance say "it was interesting". - Fond, pleasant remarks by the director. I particularly like his thoughts on what works best in horror films. Both he and Lee are in the "suggest, don't show" school.
He describes how to get fog to hang in suspended layers rather than sticking close to the ground.
Both men heap praise on Desmond Dickinson's cinematography. The title is in the public domain. My thumbnails are from the VCI DVD, said to be a more complete cut than other disc versions. Blu-ray versions are available from VCI and Arrow region B. I haven't seen either but imagine they may look rather good given the dramatic cinematography and good detail on the DVD.
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Post by Gourmando the Reindeer on Nov 6, 2020 1:15:39 GMT
I need to buy that double feature.
My favorite story is Blind Alley followed by Wish You Were Here. What a horrifically unimaginable ending the latter has.
The set decoration for all the stories is interesting/fun to look at. That's true for most 1970s British horror movies.
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Post by Prime etc. on Nov 6, 2020 1:35:02 GMT
It's mean what they do to Shane to get at "Major Rogers, sir."
William Gaines knocked the Amicus films as too British but I think it's more fun to watch than the tv series which is just too self-aware.
I like the surprise in ASYLUM. I have several Amicus on DVD.
VAULT is the most frustrating to get uncut. The Midnite Movies one is cut--I have yet to find an HD uncut WS, and much more annoying is that the "ghoul walk" suggested by a famous photo does not show up in the film-even the uncut one. And the damn interviewer of Roy Baker never got around to asking him why it was not used. Some say it was only intended as a PR shot but I don't buy it.
Did they film it and the shot was ruined in the lab? It is clear the people in the shot are all stand ins, even for Curt Jurgens but I cannot believe they would take the trouble to dress them up and shoot that and not include it, especially when in the film you can see how the shots are arranged for it to be inserted--since they fade from view with their backs to camera.
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Post by phantomparticle on Nov 9, 2020 12:41:49 GMT
I'm old enough to remember the original EC Comics, which were bowdlerized after 1954 and the publication of psychiatrist Fredric Wertham's book Seduction of the Innocent. A Comics Code was instituted and graphic horror comics disappeared, to be resurrected into inoffensive mystery and science fiction stories. Owned a few EC's as a kid, mostly from haunting backdate book stores.
An EC Comics anthology was published around the mid 1960's with all the stories that found their way into the 1972 movie. They did a commendable job turning William Gaines's sadistic nightmares into film language, but I still get chills remembering my first reading of Blind Alley and picturing that razor sharp ending in my mind's eye.
I've always loved Peter Cushing and consider him the better actor when compared to his friend and co-artist, Christopher Lee. I found Christopher Lee somewhat stuffy, although the man was certainly justified to be proud of his heritage, intellect and talent.
It's been some years since I last saw Tales From the Crypt. I believe it was available on Youtube. May still be. Will have to check it out.
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Post by Prime etc. on Nov 9, 2020 17:02:42 GMT
Cushing's reaction when he is reading the hate mail is one of the saddest acting moments I have seen--although Lee did his own expressive silent acting in a scene from I Monster where he realizes he killed the cat.
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bd74
Junior Member
#WalkAway
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Post by bd74 on Nov 9, 2020 19:21:05 GMT
I love the British horror anthology films from the late 60s/early 70s. I've seen several of them. Asylum is probably the best.
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Post by novastar6 on Nov 10, 2020 18:46:43 GMT
I liked it, and it was interesting to see the Cryptkeeper as just a strange old guy, not
I love the All Through the House segment, I love how the older movies really made Christmas look and sound LIKE Christmas, movies today fail at that. I LOVED the Christmas music that was playing throughout the whole segment and such a contrast to the grizzly goings on, does anyone know who performed it? It sounds professional but was it just done for the movie?
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Post by fangirl1975 on Nov 27, 2020 18:30:38 GMT
I felt sorry for Peter Cushing's character in the Poetic Justice segment.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2020 15:28:37 GMT
One of my favourite horror anthologies, and one of Amicus' best. The sequence with Peter Cushing is the best; he is just so good in it.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2020 15:33:51 GMT
The City of the Dead (1960), directed by John Llewellyn Moxey. First reviewAka Horror Hotel. In the public domain and available online for free. My DVD was from Madacy, known for their bottom of the barrel quality since the VHS days. Set in New England but made in England with a young Christopher Lee, already sinister. Very dark throughout. A tale of witchcraft survival from colonial times, still a problem in 1960. The ending is very much like something from Hammer Films. I would have used someone else for the brother, or at least redubbed his voice. People note parallels with Psycho (1960), released the same year. The blonde protagonist does not last past the first half and her friends and family come looking for her. Hitchcock is on a higher level, although we have loads of atmosphere here on a more modest scale. The early segment before she hits the road is awfully stiff. It actually more closely resembles a Lovecraft story, something like The Shadow Over Innsmouth: obscure New England village, locals tell you to stay away from it, residents pretend nothing is going on, but it actually hides an unspeakable secret from the past... Second reviewAdditional thoughts and new thumbnails. Aka Horror Hotel ("so-called by some genius" -- Christopher Lee). This time I noticed a similarity to The Wicker Man (1973), also with Lee: the sacrificial victim is lured to the village and the locals toy with her before her shocking end. As for parallels to Psycho (1960), the director pointed out that sending a woman on a perilous quest is a standard thriller setup. Both films were released the same year and I doubt any direct influence between them. This one was actually out first. This is a definitely an "atmosphere" film; the dense fog, soundstage sets and underground passage give an ominous claustrophobic feeling. Lovely textured photography by Desmond Dickinson. Ever since watching Cabin in the Woods (2012) I've been noticing the "Harbinger" character who both directs our victims and warns them against going. He's busy in this one: four scenes outside that busy unfrequented village. Milton Subotsky and Max Rosenberg were producers. Although the name was not in use yet they considered this the first Amicus Production. The action scenes use a weird jazz score that doesn't seem quite right to me. The DVD has two commentary tracks: - A rich and wide-ranging interview with Christopher Lee made around 2001 -- he mentions playing Sauruman.
I was pleased that he confirmed my impression of a Lovecraft influence. Lee was deeply literate and read all of Lovecraft and was a Tolkien scholar. He mentions Melkor in the context of fallen angels.
He also states his profession's golden rule: never criticize another actor. If you don't like a performance say "it was interesting". - Fond, pleasant remarks by the director. I particularly like his thoughts on what works best in horror films. Both he and Lee are in the "suggest, don't show" school.
He describes how to get fog to hang in suspended layers rather than sticking close to the ground.
Both men heap praise on Desmond Dickinson's cinematography. The title is in the public domain. My thumbnails are from the VCI DVD, said to be a more complete cut than other disc versions. Blu-ray versions are available from VCI and Arrow region B. I haven't seen either but imagine they may look rather good given the dramatic cinematography and good detail on the DV
An extremely atmospheric gem. All that fog!
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