Tom (Christopher Cazenove - "A Knights Tale") and Sarah Martin (Celia Gregory - "Agatha") are travelling to the Cornish countryside for a much deserved break from the rat race, Tom is a lawyer and he's frequently away so this break represents a delayed honeymoon as much as anything else. Randomly the car gets possessed and nearly kills them before breaking down in the middle of nowhere (the possessed car is never explained so just deal with it). Back in the 80's before mobile phones and breakdown recovery they do the best they can and walk through the woods hoping to stumble on a house where they might borrow use of a telephone. Fortunately after walking through some spooky woods they do indeed stumble on a random house. They meet Mrs Ardoy (Diana "Siren of Swindon" Dors) who welcomes them in with open arms, she lets Tom use the phone and meanwhile lets Sarah get warm next to the fire while drinking wine. Sarah discovers that Mrs Ardoy has 7 or 8 children living at the house with her, some of them her own, some foster children. Unable to get a recovery vehicle for the car Tim and Sarah agree to stay the night. Tom decides to go for a walk to get some clothes from the car, meanwhile Sarah meets some of the children. The children turn out to be spooky and scare Sarah but her fear is quashed by Tom's more panicked state of fear as he comes running back to the house claiming a beast in the woods which walks on its hind legs with yellow eyes attacked him - Mrs Ardoy explains its probably a deer or stag or something. The Martin's settle down for the night in their room with a warning from Mrs Ardoy to stay in the room. By now Tom and Sarah are getting curious about what's going on, Mrs Ardoy seems spooky, as do the kids, and on top of this they were convinced that they'd heard a wolf too - they joke with the notion that Mrs Ardoy and the family are werewolves. Sarah opens the curtain to be confronted by a werewolf watching. Tom and Sarah panic, Tom decides to climb down the drainpipe to see if he can escape or get help. Sarah meanwhile is left upstairs, the door opens up and Mrs Ardoy and the spooky children are watching as Sarah is apparently being circled by a werewolf in the room - you don't see the werewolf but it's implied. Attempting to climb back up the drainpipe to investigate the commotion that Sarah is making Tom falls and knocks himself unconscious. Upon regaining consciousness Tom finds himself in hospital, he's broken an arm but Sarah is with him. Apparently Mrs Ardoy and the house was a dream, in reality the car accident resulted in a crash and Tom has been dreaming since. Over the next few days Tom recovers and tries to get on with life with Sarah, she even gets pregnant. Sarah begins acting strange and has a taste for raw meat, Tom starts to question the reality of his dream. Before he knows it Sarah leaves Tom, he guesses that she has gone looking for Mrs Ardoy and the audience learn this to be the case. Tom goes in pursuit of Sarah who is about to give birth to an extremely healthy baby soon. Sarah is reunited with Mrs Ardoy, it transpires that she was either savaged or raped by the werewolf and she about to deliver a baby werewolf. Tom who's in pursuit can't find Mrs Ardoy's but he does meet a strange woodsman. After a brief discussion Tom soon learns the truth of what's going on, but will he be alive to do anything about it?
Directed by Tom Clegg and written by Murray Smith this Hammer TV episode was released in 1980. I really really enjoyed this dispute the obvious goofs, clangers and unexplained phenomena. Take for example the car at the start, why did it seem to be possessed? The cast were great, the obvious stand out is Doris Day who despite some dodgy make up and grey colour in her hair managed to come across as twisted but with a good heart for her 'pack' of children. The plot was a little predictable in no time at all but a 60 minute short has to cram an awful lot in to a short period of time so it's forgiven for that. When you do see the werewolf it is a little cheesy by modern standards but I wouldn't say it embarrasses itself at all - I've reviewed "Wolves" and I kinda preferred the make up on this werewolf a little more. Typical Hammer content a bucket load; gore, werewolves, suspense and the thrills. I'm watching this via the Hammer TV box-set and for me this one stands out as one of my favourite. I'm going to give this one 7 out of ten.
Directed by Tom Clegg and written by Murray Smith this Hammer TV episode was released in 1980. I really really enjoyed this dispute the obvious goofs, clangers and unexplained phenomena. Take for example the car at the start, why did it seem to be possessed? The cast were great, the obvious stand out is Doris Day who despite some dodgy make up and grey colour in her hair managed to come across as twisted but with a good heart for her 'pack' of children. The plot was a little predictable in no time at all but a 60 minute short has to cram an awful lot in to a short period of time so it's forgiven for that. When you do see the werewolf it is a little cheesy by modern standards but I wouldn't say it embarrasses itself at all - I've reviewed "Wolves" and I kinda preferred the make up on this werewolf a little more. Typical Hammer content a bucket load; gore, werewolves, suspense and the thrills. I'm watching this via the Hammer TV box-set and for me this one stands out as one of my favourite. I'm going to give this one 7 out of ten.