If one has read "LE HORLA" in French, this movie has little to do with it, only in name. In the book story, the character IMAGINES that a supernatural being has come from Latin America, where there are epidemics of madness. The character sinks into the mire of his insanity, but the only murder in the story are his servants, unadvertently killed while he sets his house on fire to hopefully kill the horla (=out there) he never meets or speaks to, tough. Then the character announces he'll commit suicide.
This movie is a very loose/distorted adaptation, but it isn't bad per se. Price delivers fine acting, yet the story at times is too predictable, eg Price's trance when the horla controls his will. As well, it looks like in the end they were in a hurry to end the movie, so the horla's accurate plan failed to take into account that the servants were a card in the game, having seen the greedy Odette pose for him. Too simple, i say; they could have come out with a better storyline at that. For example, a letter could have come announcing the "mysterious" death of the servants in a accident in Switzerland; or the servants could have been away while Odette was in the house. Supporting characters aren't worth of much mention. A good movie for one time, but not one i'd watch twice, unlike eg PREMATURE BURIAL.
This movie is a very loose/distorted adaptation, but it isn't bad per se. Price delivers fine acting, yet the story at times is too predictable, eg Price's trance when the horla controls his will. As well, it looks like in the end they were in a hurry to end the movie, so the horla's accurate plan failed to take into account that the servants were a card in the game, having seen the greedy Odette pose for him. Too simple, i say; they could have come out with a better storyline at that. For example, a letter could have come announcing the "mysterious" death of the servants in a accident in Switzerland; or the servants could have been away while Odette was in the house. Supporting characters aren't worth of much mention. A good movie for one time, but not one i'd watch twice, unlike eg PREMATURE BURIAL.