The Monster Club (1981) User Reviews

Fun Horror Collection

[Prof-Hieronymos-Grost · 6/10 · 26 June 2006]

The Monster Club was the final installment in Amicus studios portmanteau series and concerns R.Chetwynd-Hayes(John Carradine)a noted Horror writer who runs into an elderly Vampire named Erasmus (Vincent Price) .Erasmus duly takes his fill of the authors blood and after recognizing him becomes all apologetic and invites him to The Monster Club where he hopes Chetwynd-Hayes might garner some new ideas for a new book.As the guest of Erasmus, Chetwynd-Hayes is regaled with three stories of the macabre.

Story 1:A young couple George and Angela are hard up for cash, so they answer an advertisement in a newspaper looking for someone to help catalogue antiques in an old manor.Angela goes and meets the owner who as it turns out is a Shadmock,kind of a Vampire/werewolf hybrid,Angerla is scared of at first but soon settles in to her job.Angela soon becomes friendly with the soft spoken and thoughtful employer but comes under increasing pressure form George to steal something from the house, and she decides to take advantage of an invitation to a masqued ball with the Shadmock's family at the manor to fulfill her objective.

Story 2:A Vampire stalks the London underground is being chased by the B-squad a team of vampire hunters lead by Pickering, (Donald Pleasance) . Pickering uses the vampires son who unknowingly leads the B-squad right to his father.

Story 3: Stuart Whitman plays Sam an American movie Director scouting the English countryside for the perfect location for his upcoming movie. He stumbles across a fog bound town full of Ghouls where he befriends a Humghoul (Human and ghoul hybrid) and struggles with her help to make his escape from his living nightmare.

Review The shadmock story I found to be quite unique, its nice to have a different monster and this one was a rather a nice chap and I felt for his pain at the end, but it was definitely a missed opportunity, the idea of a masqued monster ball I find intriguing, but Ward obviously only used this as a means perhaps to save money on Monster make-up.The second story is played for laughs which is a shame and is by far the least of the three stories.The Ghoul story I found to be the best,and full of atmosphere with a nice twist at the end.The in between segments with Price and Carradine are poor and full of very bad monster make-up and annoyingly bad music(No really bad), these two great horror legends were fine,considering the quality of script, but they deserved more. This is the kind of film I was raised on and for that reason and the people involved I really enjoyed it,sure its not the best from the esteemed Amicus studio or Baker,but for pure fun its hard to beat and I unreservedly give this a whopping 6/10 against my better judgement.

I liked it

[estabansmythe · 1 May 2004]

What can I say? I liked it. Then again, I've had a love affair with Britain's Hammer, Amicus and Tony Tensor's Tigon films since I was a kid in the Los Angeles area in the early 60s and caught Hammer's Hound of the Baskervilles (1959).

For me, it's just a kick to see John Carridine and Vincent Price together again. I'm also a Roy Ward Baker fan and enjoy most of his work.

Are the stories truly scary? No, not really. They're eerie. Strange. That's good enough for me. That works.

And the capper is getting The Pretty Things as the Monster Club's house band. I have no idea what song Phil May & Co. play, but I love it. I've got several PT CDs as well as their 2-CD anthology and it's not contained in anything I've ever found. I'd dearly love to get a copy of their MC music.

Any horror fan who writes that it was high time Hammer and Amicus rode off into the sunset ain't no horror fan, because they just don't make classy little gems like this anymore.

Very nice horror antology

[bellino-angelo2014 · 7/10 · 11 June 2018]

I admit that I am not a great fan of horror movies, but for me the ones from the 1970s and 1980s were the best of them all.

It begins with vampir Eramus (played by Vincent Price, a veteran of the genre) that invites writer Chetwynd-Hayes (played by John Carradine in one of his MANY movies) to a monster club, full of various vampires, witches and other un-natural beings. And they share three horror stories:

1) Two swindlers (played by Simon Ward and Barbara Kellerman) decide to take advantage of a recluse, with disastrous (and scary) results. Because the recluse is a shadmock

2) A little boy discovers that is the son of a vampire, and while three vampire hunters led by clergyman Donald Pleasence break at the kid's home, his father bites Pleasence and soon he gets staked by his assistants while the vampire dad faked his death. Richard Johnson and Britt Ekland are also good.

3) (My personal favourite) Sam, a film director (played by Stuart Whitman) visits some locations for his next film, and ends in an horrifing village inhabited by ghouls (corpse-eating monsters). Sam meets a girl named Luna, and she advices him to hide in the church because ghouls can't enter in sacred places; soon Luna tries to help him escape, but she gets killed by ghouls and Sam is forced to return in the village by ghoul policemen.

In the end Chetwynd-Hayes is made a member of the Monster club. And Eramus admits that humans are the worst type of monsters.

Roy Ward Baker (in his horror swansong) is great as usual, and the actors all did a fine job. Kudos to Vincent Price in his only interpretation of a vampire!

The Monster Club (1980) **1/2

[JoeKarlosi · 6/10 · 14 June 2004]

It's been many years since I last saw this anthology, and though it's usually reviled I think it's gotten better with age. I love the air of black comedy that prevails in the scenes with Vincent Price and John Carradine in the Disco (both perform very tongue in cheek and appear to be having some fun spoofing their images), and the three horror tales aren't bad, either. The stories manage to be satirical, humorous, and even a little scary. I even liked some of the rock tunes sung at the club (my favorite probably being B. A. Robertson's SUCKER FOR YOUR LOVE). I also like MONSTERS RULE O.K. by the Viewers. Okay, so I wouldn't go out and buy the album perhaps, but the songs work nicely within the bizarre context of the film. Price and Carradine actually get up on the dance floor to boogie with the ghouls, and it's good fun all around. **1/2 out of ****

"I want a strange, eerie, lonely half-deserted village"

[hwg1957-102-265704 · 5/10 · 19 October 2023]

With anthology films if you don't like one story there's always another one to come. In 'The Monster Club' there are three tales. The first one about a shadmock is the best, it being creepy (that whistle!) but also poignant. Barbara Kellerman and James Laurenson shine in this episode. The second story is a feeble comedy about a vampire in suburbia which wastes its talented cast. The third about a film director trapped in a macabre English village isn't too bad with Patrick Magee standing out as the demented leader. Framing the stories is a dialogue between John Carradine and Vincent Price and they are a hoot. Unfortunately there are terrible musical sequences in the club itself that hold the movie up annoyingly. The film is well photographed and the settings are well designed but in the end only the shadmock story was worth the telling.

As mentioned Barbara Kellerman is great. Why she never became a bigger star does baffle one.

Music-horror compilation formed by three segments with a fine cast giving nice performances

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 1 October 2020]

Another melange terror movie , being pretty good , and freely based on comic books , produced by Amicus : Max Rosenberg , Milton Subotsky . A classic terror movie formed by various segments well realized and magnificently played . Typical horror film financed by Amicus with a great British cast and formed by episodes full of creepy events , chills, thrills , gore and guts . A vampire (Vincent Price) invites his favorite horror author to a nightclub for monsters and shares three stories to inspire his next book : In first segment titled "Shadmock Story" , a con artist couple (Barbara Kellerman, Simon Ward) suffers the consequences when they try to take advantage of a suspicious recluse , who is sensitive about his monstrous pedigree . In second episode titled "Vampire Story" a rare stranger tricks a bullied kid into endangering his vampire father (Richard Johnson) and beloved mother (Britt Ekland) . In third segment titled "Humgoo Story" a film director (Stuart Whitman) looking for the perfect location to shoot a terror film stumbles upon a village populated by monsters led by a weird innkeeper (Patrick Magee). You'll meet some interesting people and hear some great songs at The Monster Club ¡ .

Great cast as Vincent Price and John Carradine star this ordinary antology picture in which a writer of horror stories nicely played by John Carradine is invited to a "monster club" by a mysterious old gentleman ironically performed by Vincent Price . Amicus last portmanteau movie that simply slaps down its thrilling and terrifying tales , butressing with dreary slabs of plot and chatter, concluding into eerie results . Formed by three segments , all of them are filled with mystery , suspense , terror , grisly killings , twisted events and horrible happenings . The British star-studded results to be pretty good with a plethora of notorious actors such as : Barbara Kellerman , Simon Ward , Geoffrey Bayldon, Donald Pleasence , Britt Ekland , Anthony Valentine , Neil McCarthy , Stuart Whitman , Lesley Dunlop , Patrick Magee , among others . There , at a discoteque in which music bands are performing songs take place the meeting between Vincent Price and John Carradine , subsequently three gruesome stories are told ; between each story some musicians play their songs . Featuring songs by Night B.A. Robertson , The Pretty Things and the Viewers . And soundtrack music by John Williams , UB 40 , and The Expressos . Each story harbours an ingeniously creepy and ghoulish conceit and at the end each tale takes place a grand guignol climax.

The motion picture was professionally directed by the British horrormeister Roy Ward Baker, though another terror specialist director, Freddie Francis, was the original choice to shot. However the movie never secured theatrical distribution in the US instead the movie was sold for regional television and in the UK , the picture attained a limited theatrical release . In ¨Monster Club¨ Roy Ward Baker emphasising the frightening , dramatic and suspenseful possibilities . Being final theatrical film of director Roy Ward Baker . Roy directed a great number of films . During World War II, he worked in the Army Kinematograph Unit under Eric Ambler, a writer and film producer, who, after the war, gave Baker his first opportunity to direct a film, The October Man (1947). He then went to Hollywood in 1952 and stayed for seven years, returning to Britain in 1958, when he directed one of his best films, A night to remember (1958) . During the 1960s and 1970s , Baker directed a number of horror films for Hammer and Amicus. He also directed in British television, especially during the latter part of his career . Deemed to be a terror expert, as proved in The monster club , Mask of death , And now the screaming starts, The legend of the 7 gold vampire s, Asylum , Dr Jekill and his sister Hyde , The scars of Dracula , The vampire lovers, The anniversary . Roy Baker also directed some Hollywood fims such as : Inferno, House in the square, A night to remember, Don't bother to knock, and Night with sleep . Rating : acceptable and passable. 6/10. Worthwhile watching.

The Monster Club

[CinemaSerf · 4/10 · 7 June 2023]

I honestly didn't know whether to laugh or cry as I struggled through 100 minutes of this camply surreal pseudo-horror exercise. Vincent Price - I don't recall him playing a vampire ever before (or since) snacks on an old gent (John Carradine) he meets on the street. By way of payment, he invites him back to the "Monster Club" where he hears three stories that baffle and bewilder in equal measure, but scare not a jot - including a man who can whistle you to death. Each story has an intermission from the house band - who regale us with songs that give double-entendre a whole new meaning and make "Rocky Horror" sound like Ivor Novello! Price features only sparingly - more of a narrator than an actor and Barbara Kellerman and Anthony Steel really ought to have known better...

Not Amicus' Best, But Still Has Something To Offer...

[IokFromTheCrypt · 7/10 · 3 July 2008]

Amicus enjoyed success in the late 60s and early 70s with their now-classic anthology series of movies. Starting with "Doctor Terror's House of Horror" the formula was simple: a group of people at a gathering tell each other stories (or recount their nightmares) as a way to pass the time.

The set-up was a success for Amicus: it allowed them to employ big names (as they weren't needed for a feature-length shoot) and if the viewer didn't like the tale, fear not, as another would be along in a few minutes...

In "The Monster Club" we follow R. Chetwynd-Hayes (an on-screen analogue of the writer Robert Chetwynd-Hayes) who after an encounter with Erasmus (Vincent Price playing... Vincent Price) is invited to learn more about the history of that we call "the monster" and so enters The Monster Club, where Erasmus explains monster genealogy and illustrates his points with three short tales...

"The Monster Club" is the last of Amicus' anthologies - and indeed productions. Never quite as visceral as Hammer's T&A technicolor excesses, Amicus always relied more on suggestion and kept a tighter reign on their bloodletting. But by 1980, things had changed and Amicus' suspenseful, ironic twists didn't sit well with an audience looking for a more effects-driven stabfest...

"The Monster Club" looks cheap. It's an unfortunate choice the producers made to not show a little more restraint with the *ahem* "creature effects" in the club. Essentially, it looks like a bad Halloween party where nobody spent more than a pound on their mask.

Added to that is the soundtrack. Presumably intended to appeal to "the kids" the decision was made to include musical performances at the club between tales. Whilst they're catchy in their own awful 1980s manner (and "The Stripper" provides a hilarious sequence I won't spoil) they do feel like padding.

On to the tales themselves. The first is a tale of dark love and the "Shadmock," one of RCH's many unusual creations. The story works well and has a quite ghastly ending. So far, so good.

Next up is a tale played for laughs (with a nice in-joke about updating a story to modern times for the movie adaptation, as it saves on the budget, something Amicus were known for.) Not bad, but let's move on.

And finally, the most memorable tale, featuring a lost village where not is all as it seems... And this is where "The Monster Club" shines. Had every story been able to reach the levels of this, "The Monster Club" could have been Amicus' crowning glory.

Unfortunately, though, the movie's pacing suffers due to the slackness of Tale 2. We all know the twist but have to spend another 10 minutes waiting for the movie to reveal it, then get on with it. Which is a shame, as it's a bit of a waste for all involved, really.

The biggest problem with "The Monster Club" though - as stated above - is it looks cheap, looking like a TV anthology show, which is ironic, as many people often mistake the final segment as being an episode of Hammer House of Horror.

But look beyond the cheap rubber masks and campy performances and you'll find a fun - but not always scary - movie here. Maybe not the best of Amicus' output, but it still has charm and a few twists, which is more than can be said for many other movies...

Dreadful in All the Wrong Ways

[Cenobite136 · 2/10 · 19 September 2023]

The Monster Club on paper seems like a unique, and interesting Anthology movie. In practice it's almost unwatchable. You get three stories in this one.(excluding the bridge story) All but one of those are terrible. Even the one that was ok was subpar at best. If i wrote out all the things wrong with this movie I'd have an esssay. Instead of that I'm just gonna make a good/bad list.

The Bad: Musical score, acting, effects, story, pacing, kills, make up, and logic.

The Good: Interesting lesson on monster breeding maybe? It also does eventually end.

Some movies are so bad they're funny, or charming. This is just bad. I just realized i forgot to talk about the climax.(ending of bridge story) It sucked.

Highly underrated final movie from Amicus!

[manchester_england2004 · 9/10 · 7 August 2009]

THE MONSTER CLUB is the final movie from the excellent British movie production company, Amicus.

Although the movie is an anthology, opinion is divided as to whether or not it forms part of the Amicus anthology canon.

I see THE MONSTER CLUB as a separate movie from the remainder of the Amicus anthologies. However, it is a highly entertaining final movie from Amicus. I'm truly puzzled as to why the movie was not successful financially.

The single greatest idea behind THE MONSTER CLUB is the combination of three elements - traditional British horror Amicus is famous for, the darkest of dark humour and a collection of fine examples of 1980s disco music.

There are only three stories in this compendium, rather than the usual four or five seen in Amicus movies. However the stories, along with the linking story, are so entertaining that this is easily overlooked.

The linking story sees Ronald Chetwynd-Hayes, a character based on a real horror story author of the same name, who is attacked in the street by a sinister character named Eramus. When he wakes up after a vampire bite, the author discovers Eramus is a vampire. Ermaus promises to repay him by inviting him to a disco known as The Monster Club, where he assures him there will be plenty of material for a new book of horror stories. Vincent Price and John Carradine are on top form in their roles as Eramus and Ronald Chetwynd-Hayes respectively.

The Monster Club is full of famous horror creations of various types including vampires, werewolves and ghouls. Disco music blends well with the setting, with almost all songs having a horror theme to them. The costumes are unbelievably cheesy but this is easily overlooked by the uplifting feeling of the disco atmosphere. As an added bonus, the movie brings something unique here - a monster genealogical chart.

The first story sees Barbara Kellerman and Simon Ward as a pair of opportunists looking to take some rich person for all he or she is worth. Eventually Kellerman's character comes into contact with an eccentric man who lives in a large Gothic house. Without revealing spoilers, I can say that he turns out to be a shadmock, a hybrid of various creatures including vampires, werewolves and ghouls. James Laurenson gives a supreme performance as the shadmock, a kindly and gentle creature, who is simply uncomfortable with being outside his house. Predictably, the tale becomes a tragic love story that is so emotionally moving I was actually in tears when the ending came.

The second story takes a different course to the first with more dark humour. Richard Johnson has a great time playing the vampire father of a young boy, Lintom. He goes out at night hunting for blood, whilst telling his son that he is "working". Britt Ekland plays Lintom's mother but she has very little to do here. Lintom finds himself being bullied at school because he is quiet and shy. He is rescued from torment by a priest, played by Donald Pleasance in another of his superb performances. I will give away no further details. But I'll say that this story was highly enjoyable due to its tongue-in-cheek approach not only to vampire clichés but to clichés of another genre as well. Look out for Anthony Valentine and Neil McCarthy having fun as a pair of vampire hunters dressed up as undertakers who carry violin cases!

The final story is easily the darkest and best of the three. Stuart Whitman is cast perfectly as an impatient movie director looking for a remote location to make an atmospheric horror movie. His impatience with his crew leads him to seek out the location himself. We get to see some of the beautiful English countryside as he drives down a country lane hoping to find a remote village at the end. What he finds in reality is a very strange foggy place with only an old crumbling inn, a church and a graveyard. There is more to this atmospheric location than meets the eye. I will spoil no more of this story as this is one you'll want to see for yourself without warnings. But I will say a few things about the characters. The innkeeper is a very sinister character, played perfectly by the always great Patrick Magee. Lesley Dunlop deserves credit for her superb performance early in her career as the innkeeper's daughter, a hybrid of a human and a ghoul.

Roy Ward Baker directs Amicus's final movie perfectly. He demonstrates a clear understanding of the various subject matters - Gothic horror, dark humour and 1980s disco entertainment, directing each element accordingly. As a result, he guarantees the three blend well enough to produce a highly entertaining piece of entertainment worthy of a final movie for such a great horror production company.

Douglas Gamley, an Amicus veteran, produces some excellent background music to the movie including an excellent score. His choice of music in the first story blends perfectly with the Gothic setting and the tragic love story theme.

As was the case with previous Amicus movies, this one makes excellent use of classical music. These blend perfectly with the settings.

Kudos to the music bands - The Viewers, Night and The Pretty Things - whose catchy tunes make this movie worth watching by virtue of their presence alone. Special kudos as well to 1980s singer, B.A. Robertson, whose song - Sucker For Your Love - performed after the first story is easily the best of his career.

Overall, THE MONSTER CLUB is a highly entertaining final movie from Amicus and a must-see for all fans of movies made by this great movie production company. I especially recommend it for fans of Vincent Price and John Carradine who have a superb time in this late stage of their careers.

Monsters Rule, OK!

[utgard14 · 7/10 · 21 March 2020]

Fun horror anthology film from producer Milton Subotsky, who produced similar pictures for Amicus in the 1960s and 70s. It's directed by Roy Ward Baker, who also directed some of those previous anthologies. There are three stories here plus a wraparound segment that connects everything. The first story is about a shadmock (don't ask). It's an ok segment with a standout sympathetic performance from James Laurenson. The second story is about a vampire hunter (Donald Pleasence) targeting the father of a bullied boy. It's a decent story with a goofy ending. The third story is the best. It's about a move director (Stuart Whitman) who finds himself trapped in a town full of ghouls while scouting for a filming location. This is the only story that feels like it could have been its own movie. The wraparound segments feature Vincent Price as a vampire who takes famed horror writer John Carradine to the titular club where monsters hang out and dance to early 80s rock bands. Super cheesy but also loads of fun.

All in all this isn't as good as many of the older horror anthology films but it's all very charming and innocent fun. Hardcore horror nuts will likely hate it for not being serious or gory enough. I think in my initial viewing years ago I was unimpressed but it's grown on me over the years. Give it a shot. The music numbers alone are worth your time.

Last gasp for the British horror anthology spoiled by jarringly bad pop interludes

[Colbridge · 4/10 · 15 June 2022]

For some inexplicable reason the filmmakers saw fit to jazz up the tried and tested formula of the horror anthology, made popular in the 60's and 70's by Amicus, with jarringly bad modern pop songs for a 1980's audience in between ghoulish tales. Vincent Price is as reliable as ever and can pull off any bad situation with his camp, over the top, charismatic repartee and just about saves this effort.

Roy Ward Baker is a Hammer veteran who had previously directed the anthology movies Asylum (1972) and Vault of Horror (1973) for Amicus and with a great cast assembled this should have worked just as well but sadly it doesn't. Amicus producer Milton Subotsky comes on board for this one but somewhere along the line the decision was made to make it feel trendier for a younger audience but fails dismally and is embarrassing and unnecessary. However the three sinister stories that form the bulk of the running time based on R. Chetwyn-Hayes novel are rather good, it's just a shame they are top and tailed by silly nonsense that diminishes the movie as a whole and takes you out of the mood and atmosphere that they create.

You can tell the film was made by an older generation of filmmakers out of touch with a modern audience because by 1981 things had moved on especially in the horror genre as audiences were getting more attuned to seeing explicit gore and realistic shocks with the likes of Halloween and Friday the 13th. The Monster Club does have a warm charm and appeal especially if you've enjoyed previous anthology movies but the horror is tame and the comedic interludes are not funny so it never really hangs together. Vincent Price and John Carradine are like fish out of water here in a nightclub setting where monsters like to rock to the sound of UB40 and B. A. Robertson.

If you can fast forward past the inane pop songs then this would be 5 maybe 6 stars because the stories are nicely told and sufficiently creepy but it gets dragged down by the feeble attempt to modernise it in the wrap around sections, something the writer hated. This was veteran director Roy Ward Baker's last movie.

Not at all scary, but so enjoyable.

[GregJayC · 29 April 2000]

From the moment I started watching, I was enthralled by every set piece, costume and plot detail.

This film, to understate, is rare indeed. A low-budget "horror" movie with a moral, loveable monsters and superb acting. Each of the three stories is well thought-out and entertaining, and the scene in which we learn of monster genealogy is wonderful.

Price is on top form, as usual. He is, with the possible exception of Peter Cushing, the best horror actor of all time. His sincere manner coupled with his traditional English accent make him the most unusual vampire you will ever see.

The first story is slow to start, but soon quickens pace. It features the best acting of the three tales, and the three lead characters have deliciously different personalities. It encompasses a moral, and is touching at times, but still manages to retain at least a little horror. The premise is not very good, but I liked it all the same.

The comedy in this film is plentiful. The second story features horrormeister Donald Pleasence in his catch-the-evil-creature role he played six times in the Halloween series. But the way his character meets his demise and the wonderful plot twist will have you rolling on the floor with laughter.

The third story is not really funny, or scary. It is the most serious of the bunch, and I suspect the filmmakers intended it to be awfully frightening. It just isn't. It show its age, and features poor acting. The set pieces are top-notch, though, and are definitely its saving grace. I can tell you now that the plot twist at the end is totally expected, and not very good.

The stories are interjected with entertaining dialogue between Price and Carradine, and new wave 1980s rock music. Some of you will recognise a youthful UB40 performing a song. There is also one about a stripper, and when you see the stripper's act, you will be suitably impressed. I won't say any more about that - watch it for yourself.

All in all, it was a good way to spend an hour and a half, and I was sad when the stories were over. Just one word of advice, though - don't be put off by the costumes of the monsters.

This is a must see for fans of the classics

[kevin_robbins · 7/10 · 2 June 2021]

The Monster Club (1981) is a movie I recently watched off Shudder after seeing it on Into the Darkness (it's also available for free on Tubi). The storyline focuses on a vampire who is a fan of an author's work. He introduces himself to the author, takes him back to a club filled with nothing but monsters and tells him a series of short stories that explains how monsters work. This movie is directed by Roy Ward Baker (Aylumn) and stars Vincent Price (Tingler), John Carradine (Stagecoach), Donald Pleasance (Halloween) and Simon Ward (The Three Musketeers). This movie is definitely a little bit cheesy in the interactions and songs between scenes, but is still fun in a nostalgic way. Vincent Price is awesome as you'd expect and there are some great sequences that will make you chuckle. Loved the end of the first story, Donald Pleasance's vampire story and ultimately how the movie ended and depicts humans. Overall, this is a must see for fans of the classics and I'd score it a 6.5/10.

Great fun, both funny & eerie I really like this.

[poolandrews · 7/10 · 20 December 2011]

The Monster Club starts late one night in London as famed horror author Ronald Chetwynd-Hayes (John Carradine) is attacked by a Vampire named Eramus (Vincent Price), afterwards Eramus invites Hayes back to a late night party at a club where he will get inspiration & material for some new books...

First up Hayes is told the 'Shadmock Story' in which a odd looking & lonely man has a very powerful whistle...

Then Hayes is told the 'Vampire Story' about a young boy named Linton (Warren Saire) & his Vampire father (Richard Johnson) who is being hunted by the 'Beenie Squad' & Chief Pickering (Donald Pleasence)...

Finally the 'Humegoo Story' sees a horror film director (Stuart Whitman) trapped in a spooky village by Ghoul's & finds himself on the menu...

This British production was directed by genre veteran Roy Ward Baker & was the final film produced by Amicus studios who at one point had specialized in these horror anthology films & made some of the best the genre has to offer including Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965), The House that Dripped Blood (1971), Tales from the Crypt (1972), Asylum (1972) & The Vault of Horror (1973). Based on stories from the book by the real Ronald Chetwynd-Hayes the script tries to be a little more light hearted than one might expect, it still has a few scares & some eerie moments but overall the tone is lighter than usual for Amicus, I assume The Monster Club was made with a younger audience in mind. I have to admit that I am a big fan of The Monster Club, call it a guilty pleasure or just that I have no discernible taste in films but I really enjoyed this from start to finish & is a real product of it's time that maybe hasn't dated that well but so what? At about 100 minutes long The Monster Club moves at a decent pace & none of three stories outstay their welcome & all three offer something different. The first Shadmock story is a little weird but has a few great moments including a twin shocking & touching twist ending that is well handled. The second Vampire story is probably my least favourite of the three stories & in my opinion is the weakest, it feels more like a Vampire sitcom with one of the worst twist endings around. However, it does a have a few funny comedic moments & the build-up of the story is also quite good but it's a shame it all falls apart at the end. The third Humegoo story is easy the best of the three as far as I am concerned, it is a genuinely eerie little story with a fantastic atmosphere that ends a little abruptly but I think suits the story very well.

One reason why I think The Monster Club has a bad reputation is because of the framing parts set inside the monster club itself, while it's great to see veterans John Carradine & Vincent Price bounce one-liners off each other the disco dancing monster look awful with joke shop mask's of the lowest quality. Then there's the truly terrible soft rock pop musical numbers by the likes of The Viewers, B.A. Robertson, Night, The Pretty Things & the then unknown UB40. There is one cool moments though when a stripper does her thing to one of the songs & ends up taking her skin off in silhouette to reveal her skeleton, very amusing & a nice touch. The Monster Club drips atmosphere with the third Humegood story in particular being very creepy, I also loved the comic book style black and white storyboard interludes that represent the flashback, very stylish & an imaginative way to not spend much money! There's not much blood or gore here, a couple of Vampires are seen with stakes in their chest, there's a melted Cat & a woman's face is also melted but otherwise there's nothing graphic here.

Apparently shot in Hertfordshire here in the UK this is well made with a nice feel to the production, it's just so odd that while the stories themselves are so atmospheric & well made the monster club parts are horrendously dated & camp. There's a great cast here, Carradine & Price are terrific ('where are your fangs' ask's Carradine to which Price replies 'their retractable when not in use'!) while Donald Pleasence, Britt Ekland, Patrick Mcgee & Stuart Whitman are also great although I did think Richard Johnson's comic accent made him sound Italian!

The Monster Club is great entertainment for an old school horror anthology fan like myself, I love the performances & atmosphere & even find the disco dancing monster funny in a camp sort of way. What else can I say? I am probably flying against popular opinion again but screw it, I thought The Monster Club was terrific, funny, eerie & creepy in equal measure. They just don't make them like this anymore.

Yes, it really is too silly even for Price fans

[Maverick1962 · 2/10 · 4 December 2022]

I recorded The Monster Club purely because of Vincent Price's star power but I do wish he had left these attempts at comedy spoofs alone as they spoil his otherwise legendary reputation. Only two stars I am afraid in spite of it's splendid supporting cast of Barbara Kellerman, James Laurenson, Donald Pleasence, Britt Ekland, Richard Johnson & Stuart Whitman. They must have wanted the money badly is all I can add. John Carradine plays a writer who is accosted one night by a not very serious vampire, Vincent Price, who after sampling Carradine's delicious blood, invites him to his Monster Club. There we meet a gaggle of so called monsters in make-up that looks like it came from the village joke shop rather than a film production company, perhaps it did. Three stories follow of which only the first one has a glimmer of entertainment. Even Vincent Price fans, dedicated as I am, would do well to skip this turkey.

Good fun

[Shevrolet · 7/10 · 28 May 2005]

Fun movie with a few cracking moments - the stripper and the musical interludes springing to mind. The songs in between the stories may not be to everyone's taste, but are undeniably hummable. The first story is probably the best, being rather solemn and tragic, and a complete contrast to the rest of the film. The second story is far more light-hearted, revolving round a vampire's family life, and the third, about a forgotten village is fairly grisly. The 'wrap' story is amusing, with the writer R Chetwynd-Hayes (a real-life horror writer, who's stories have themselves inspired horror anthologies) being accosted by a vampire who turns out to be a fan, and takes him to the Monster Club for a few drinks and tall tales, revolving around a monster's family tree, and the offspring of different types of monsters. UB40 make a cameo as one of the monster bands. Good fun if you like horror movies or if you have ever wondered what happened if a vampire and a werewolf were to have a kid. It's not massively scary, but some moments will live on in your mind for a while.

Underwhelming.

[jmbovan-47-160173 · 4/10 · 18 October 2020]

The stories are a bit too tongue in cheek for me. And the club setting did nothing for me. In fact, the musical interludes were too dated for me to enjoy. I wasn't charmed by the costarring aspect of Price and Carradine. I enjoy Hammer films much, but I'm lesrning I don't care as much for this production house.

Decent 70's/80's Horror Anthology

[lilac_point_burmese · 6/10 · 30 July 2005]

This Film was just what I expected when I purchased it for $8 (AUD). If you need to make a comparison think - the original Tales From The Crypt films, The Uncanny, Hammer House of Horror (the series)etc. Thoroughly enjoyable with a very "tongue in cheek" style especially with regard to the narration, though certainly not scary. Vincent Price, a Vampire after borrowing a little blood from a successful horror writer (John Carrdine) invites the writer to join him at the "Monster Club" - as suggested by its name, a club for monsters. He thereafter proceeds to tell the writer three tales of terror to help inspire his writing. My only major complaint is the absolutely horrible 80's bands that get to play a set in between each story - truly the scariest part of the film (and I don't mean that in a good way!!!)

One good story highlights this bland anthology. Price & Carradine are wasted

[callanvass · 5/10 · 24 October 2013]

Eramus (Vincent Price) is a vampire, who hasn't been fed in over two weeks. He comes across a horror writer R.Chetwynd-Hayes (John Carradine) and lures him in, so he can take a bite out of his neck. Eramus reassures Hayes that no ill effects will happen, and he won't become a vampire. Eramus invites Hayes to a club filled with all sorts of monsters and ghouls. Eramus shares three unique horror stories. In the end, Hayes might just be the most fascinating monster of all

I wasn't too impressed by this anthology. It starts off amusing enough, with two consummate pros like Price & Carradine, but after the first story ends, it dwindles away into boredom. How is it that Carradine goes unscathed, after a vampire bite? I get that this is tongue in cheek, but come on! That's a bit much. Price and Carradine's bantering is fun, but the roles they have aren't big enough for my liking. I also got annoyed by the punk rock music. This was filmed in the U.K, and never got released theatrically in the US. Onto the stories

Story #1 The Shadmock. Raven (James Laurenson) is a lonely Shadmock, who nobody wants to date or see. He also happens to be filthy rich. George (Simon Ward) and his girlfriend Angela (Barbra Kellerman) conjure up a plan to obtain Raven's money. The plan is to make Raven fall for Angela, so Angela gets off Scot free with the money. I liked this episode quite a bit. It was original, and refreshingly unorthodox, with some really creepy atmosphere to go along with it. Raven's crippling whistle is also terrifying. I legitimately felt for the poor sap, as he clearly was in love with Angela. The ending is especially creepy, with Angela's disfigurement. I did feel that Simon doesn't show nearly enough shock at Angela's hideous appearance at the end, and kind of ruined some of the impact. But I liked this tale overall. Aside from Simon Ward, it's extremely well acted. Poor Raven. All he wanted was for Angela to love him

3.5/5

Story #2 Vampires. This is not quite as weak as the third story, but it is rather lame. Busotsky's Father is a vampire, and he doesn't realize it. He often wonders why he won't play with him during the day, and only comes out at night. The B Squad, lead by Donald Pleasence is out to get Busotky's Father. This is mostly for laughs, and it's not that funny to be honest. Donald Pleasence is great as per usual, and Britt Ekland is a sexy M.I.L.F, but it's just a lame story. The ending is extremely silly, and had me shaking my head. It's a really poor gag.

2/5

Story #3 The Ghouls. Sam (Stuart Whitman) is a movie director, looking for the perfect place to film his movie. He comes across a decrepit village, which is completely isolated from society. The Innkeeper is rather spooky, and he meets a peculiar young woman named Luna. The village is filled with ghouls that have a thirst for the flesh. This was such a stupid and insulting story. Not only was it moronic, but very boring. It was a complete and utter snooze fest, and I had trouble paying attention. The ending is predictable and lame as well. By far the weakest of the trilogy

0/5

Final Thoughts: Aside from a good first story, and the presence of Vincent Price, and John Carradine? There isn't anything to see here, really. I suppose it's worth a look if you're a huge fan of anthologies, but you're not really missing anything. It's average stuff

5/10

I LOVE this movie!

[pkiley1 · 9/10 · 23 March 2006]

This movie is good old fashioned scary fun, like walking through a "haunted house" at Halloween. The songs are fun. My ten year old niece really likes "I'm just a sucker for your love" (sung by a vampire- get it? "wink-wink"). It's a great Saturday afternoon- popcorn- scary- movie for the whole family (those old enough for trick-or-treat type scares. A refreshing break from the slasher, gory, sicko movies that they keep churning out at an annoying rate these days.

Vincent Price is charming as a sweet, non-lethal vampire (the only time he ever played one, by the way.). Patrick Magee and Donald Pleasance, veterans of the old Amicus films, are terrific also. Rounding out the cast are Britt Ekland, Stuart Whitman, and Simon Baker. I really wish Hollywood would make more movies like this- imaginative stories with great spooky atmosphere instead of gallons of fake blood and body dismemberment.

Even humans can join!

[neil-douglas2010 · 7/10 · 7 May 2022]

Nice little anthology of tales starring Vincent Price and John Carradine as the links between the three stories. Although none of the tales are particularly scary they are all enjoyable in their own way. Of the three my favourite is probably the vampire story in the middle. The story of a young boy being bullied at school, but whose father is a vampire. Cue nasty Donald Pleasance as a vampire hunter and Britt Ekland as the boys mother. Nice ending to this one. Watch out too for a musical appearance from Scottish singer BA Robertson (who was quite popular at the time) and sixties band The Pretty Things. Enjoyable film.

"Vampire film producer?" "Well aren't they all?"

[The_Movie_Cat · 4/10 · 6 June 2010]

Although Amicus broke up in 1975, Milton Subotsky carried on producing, making works like this and 1977's "The Uncanny" Amicus anthologies in a spiritual sense.

Having said this, The Monster Club really is a horror movie at the end of an era. Most of these films look incredibly tame and dated in today's context and always struggle with the line between terror and camp. But The Monster Club is a film that genuinely attempts to be not only wilfully silly, but even post-modern, as the title quote suggests. Two of the three segments involve the movie industry, including a film within a film.

Of those segments, then the final one, with a village of zombies-by-any-other-name is quite good, even though it does feature one of the most inexplicable moments in horror, the hero of the piece hailing down a police car and then not informing them that there's a dying girl just around the corner.

What's most surprising though is how overt the comedy becomes. When I initially saw the inside of the titular Monster Club, with a hoard of completely unrealistic "monsters", I'd assumed it was some new wave club with humans wearing masks. The end of the film reveals that they are, in fact, supposed to be genuine creatures of the undead.

Each of the three segments are breached by a musical number, all of which are pretty good, but feel like they belong in a different picture. Vincent Price delivering a monologue about the evil of man to the skinny tie brigade may feel like an anachronism, but just three years later he was further cementing his status as an icon with his vocal performance on Thriller.

Placing The Monster Club in an historical context reveals much. Old-school horrors like grown men wearing plastic fangs can compel because of the innate classiness of the production, but there's no such sophistication here. I'm no major fan of the slasher genre, but when you consider that guest star Donald Pleasence had made Halloween just two years earlier then it throws into perspective how antiquated Monster Club was.

As for the likes of B.A. Roberton as the musical performers, then just two years later Annabella Lwin of Bow Wow Wow was derogatorily calling him a "hippy" and telling him his interview show was "s***". The old crashes uncomfortably into the new, and The Monster Club tries unsuccessfully to marry the two in a brief window of opportunity.

Entertaining film....... And what a great cast!

[robertwilgiles · 26 July 2006]

This film was the last horror film Milton Subotsky ever produced and Roy Ward Baker ever directed. It's a mish-mash of good and bad. Except for the songs "Welcome to the Monster Club" and "Monsters Rule Okkayy" the rest of the musical numbers are bloody awful but the opening score is fantastic.

Vincent Price and John Carradine really shine here in their respective roles especially Vincent Price as the very friendly vampire Eramus.

Spoilers MAY BE CONTAINED The first story starring Barbara Kellerman is decent and features a cameo by Geoffrey Bayldon.

The second is horrible and features Donald Pleasence, Britt Ekland and Richard Johnson.

The third is the best and features Patrick Magee as a cannabilistic landlord who is one of a village of ghouls which is stumbled upon by an American Film Director.

Overall a good British Horror film and well worth a look.