In an attempt to clean up the soundtrack, which is rather scratchy and noisy, a digital audio remastering was done. The problem with this remastering is that between every line of dialog (where the background soundtrack noise would be audible) has now been reduced to absolute silence. The effect is jarring when you watch the movie as the dialog appears to start and stop. It is bad enough when listening via regular TV speakers but when run through an amplified system it becomes unnerving. Additionally, when there is background music in these segments between dialogue the music sounds incredibly muted. The same problem exists on Alpha Video's companion DVD "Sweeney Tood" so beware. These movies are 70+ years old and some leniency must be allowed when viewing these old prints. In this case, those who transfer these items to digital should have left well enough alone.
12 Reviews
Simply Slaughter
BaronBl00d27 May 2001
Under an hour in length, this film about two bodysnatchers named Wally Hart and Mr. Moore(obviously meant to be Burke and Hare)showcases the immense talent of British ham Tod Slaughter, one of the truly forgotten kings of horror. It is weak in plot development, and it has little action, but the film does a good job creating the atmosphere of the poor and wicked in Edinburgh during a time when bodies were needed for medical use. A lot more could have been done with the film, but taken as it is, it is entertaining just as a vehicle in which to see Tod Slaughter cackle and gesture about. It is not Slaughter's best, however, but he does have moments as an amoral ressurectionist who kills for money with no compunction or moral barrier at all. The rest of the cast is average at best, and the film suffers from a very evident low budget. This was one of Slaughter's last "big" films. It is a shame that he was never given a budget for a film that would have made him more popular with audiences today. So few people have seen his films, and this film seems to be somewhat obscure. I recommend the film based on his presence(not performance).
A cut above the rest
malcolmgsw5 October 2019
the correct running time
todmichel22 May 2002
This film is not at all "under one hour of running time", I suspect that some US video collectors saw only a cut version. The original running time - in Great-Britain - was 79 mins (7005 feet). It was released in the USA (as "Horror Maniacs") in the early Fifties, as part of a double-bill with another Tod Slaughter film ("The Curse of the Wraydons", renamed "Strangler's Morgue"), cut to 72 mins. And more recently, an American video company "offered" a totally butchered version, reduced to 53 mins!
Happily enough, the complete 79 mins version is now available from some video companies.
Happily enough, the complete 79 mins version is now available from some video companies.
Cheap, tattered disappointment, unworthy of Slaughter
Erewhon8 September 2004
Knowing that this movie is Tod Slaughter's take on the tale of Burke and Hare promises a great deal more than this tawdry, cheap little bore could possibly deliver. It's shot on cramped, ugly sets, the story moves in fits and starts, it's endlessly talky and never gives Slaughter a chance to cut loose in his grand style. The movies he made in the 1930s are all entertaining and, for the tolerant, enjoyable and watchable even today. But if you like those, you can safely skip this one. Slaughter is given few chances to emote in his gloriously florid style; instead, he's handed reams of dull lines to read, as is everyone else. He has a few moments, but not many; more are provided by Aubrey Woods as Jamie with the barrow.
A horror flick that emphasizes the "dread" in "dreadful".
mark.waltz21 October 2014
Warning: Spoilers
A movie so poorly made that it seems 20 years older than it is, "Horror Maniacs" (or "The Greed of William Hart") is a creaky antique that makes its subject matter deadly dull even if the actual history behind its connection with real life events is fascinatingly macabre. With names changed due to lawsuits from family members of the characters it portrays, a lot of the details are obviously missing, mainly because the print available is approximately 25 minutes short of the original running time. The editing out of the character's real life names is so badly dubbed that what was looped in sounds louder than the rest of the soundtrack.
The difference between this and other Tod Slaughter films is that his earlier films gave a historical feeling of what the old gaslight theaters of the late 1800's and early 1900's must have been like with the melodramatic thrillers that were popular during this era. This one isn't even an interesting account of the Burke and Hare case of the 1820's in Edinburgh. Slaughter plays his character as if he was mentally retarded and he seems relatively normal when compared to his nefarious partner played by Henry Oscar. Aubrey Woods gives an interesting performance as the very sensitive Jamie Wilson, a rather effeminate young man who shows fear at the very mention of people disappearing in the area where he lives. There is really no element of terror here which makes the insinuations of what the two grave robbers (who also kill for profit) all the less menacing.
The difference between this and other Tod Slaughter films is that his earlier films gave a historical feeling of what the old gaslight theaters of the late 1800's and early 1900's must have been like with the melodramatic thrillers that were popular during this era. This one isn't even an interesting account of the Burke and Hare case of the 1820's in Edinburgh. Slaughter plays his character as if he was mentally retarded and he seems relatively normal when compared to his nefarious partner played by Henry Oscar. Aubrey Woods gives an interesting performance as the very sensitive Jamie Wilson, a rather effeminate young man who shows fear at the very mention of people disappearing in the area where he lives. There is really no element of terror here which makes the insinuations of what the two grave robbers (who also kill for profit) all the less menacing.
All Knowledge Must Be Paid For...
richardchatten6 April 2020
Atmospherically lit but studio-bound and talky. Having made several Old Mother Riley films with Arthur Lucan, Tod Slaughter must by comparison have seemed to director Oswald Mitchell like a Method actor; and although he cackles diabolically a couple of times his performance actually seems rather subdued set beside his thirties villains and Robert Newton's Bill Sykes the same year.
Aubrey Woods as poor 'Daft Jamie' came fresh from playing Smike the previous year in Cavalcanti's 'Nicholas Nickleby'; while it would be another twenty years before Eddie Malin became a familiar face on TV as Walter Tattersall in 'Nearest and Dearest'.
Aubrey Woods as poor 'Daft Jamie' came fresh from playing Smike the previous year in Cavalcanti's 'Nicholas Nickleby'; while it would be another twenty years before Eddie Malin became a familiar face on TV as Walter Tattersall in 'Nearest and Dearest'.
Murder Never Paid So Good!!!
P3n-E-W1s33 April 2018
This dark thriller was a nice surprise. I'd not seen this before so when it appeared on telly, thanks to the Talking Pictures channel, I took the chance on it as the premise interested me. Based on the nefarious Burke and Hare this tells the story of William Hart (Slaughter) and Mr Moore (Oscar) and their dealings with Dr Cox (Bell), for whom they procure cadavers for. However, the doctor has a need for younger and fresher bodies so, greedy for money, Hart and Moore comply with the doctor's wishes... by turning murderous...
There's a lot which is good about this film. I liked the way the director, Mitchell, opted for a more realistic feel. The streets of Edinburgh are close and tight. People pretty much lived in each other's pockets in that era. Mitchell, then adds eeriness by adding fog and shadows. It's also nice to see the size of the living quarters that the common folk were subjected to. Hart runs a rooming house, in which there are just two rooms downstairs, a living room and a kitchen. The living room is sparse, containing a table and chairs and a bed, where he and his wife sleep. Upstairs is for their guests. Life is hard so it's no wonder you do what you have to just to survive. A hard life can make for hard men and both Hart and Moore have no compunctions about beating their wives into sublimation. Moore's wife is so under the fist she's only too happy to squeal on Hart's wife, so she can take what's coming to her.
This builds up a bleak overlook to the film. So enter Aubrey Woods portraying the simpleton Jamie Wilson. This character is there not only to lift the film with a comedic element but is also the crux and pivotal role of the movie. This was a good idea by the writer, Gilling, and the director. Woods excels as Jamie and has some of the best lines in the film. It's also nice because he is a breath of fresh air amongst the plethora of melodramatic actors, which can become a little too heavy at times when they deliver their lines - and this is probably the only drawback to the film. Though, for the times, the acting is good to fair.
If you like your dark thrillers then I would recommend you check this out, should you get the chance.
There's a lot which is good about this film. I liked the way the director, Mitchell, opted for a more realistic feel. The streets of Edinburgh are close and tight. People pretty much lived in each other's pockets in that era. Mitchell, then adds eeriness by adding fog and shadows. It's also nice to see the size of the living quarters that the common folk were subjected to. Hart runs a rooming house, in which there are just two rooms downstairs, a living room and a kitchen. The living room is sparse, containing a table and chairs and a bed, where he and his wife sleep. Upstairs is for their guests. Life is hard so it's no wonder you do what you have to just to survive. A hard life can make for hard men and both Hart and Moore have no compunctions about beating their wives into sublimation. Moore's wife is so under the fist she's only too happy to squeal on Hart's wife, so she can take what's coming to her.
This builds up a bleak overlook to the film. So enter Aubrey Woods portraying the simpleton Jamie Wilson. This character is there not only to lift the film with a comedic element but is also the crux and pivotal role of the movie. This was a good idea by the writer, Gilling, and the director. Woods excels as Jamie and has some of the best lines in the film. It's also nice because he is a breath of fresh air amongst the plethora of melodramatic actors, which can become a little too heavy at times when they deliver their lines - and this is probably the only drawback to the film. Though, for the times, the acting is good to fair.
If you like your dark thrillers then I would recommend you check this out, should you get the chance.
The Greed of William Hart
Prismark1030 May 2023
It is the Burke and Hare story redone in a cheaply made B movie filler.
Tod Slaughter hams it up as William Hart in 1828 Edinburgh. Together with another Irishman Moore (Henry Oscar) they murder the locals and sell the corpses to Dr Cox for his medical research. It is easy money and less back breaking than digging up corpses.
The good doctor asks few questions about the still warm bodies. Young Jamie Wilson delivers the corpses to Dr Cox but Hart has his greedy eye on him as a potential victim.
However ship's doctor Hugh Alston (Patrick Addison) is onto them. Especially as one of his friend's is missing and his lady friend was so near to get killed.
Slaughter is never short of a quip or two. Addison is wooden and always alerts the men that he suspects them.
The film is weak, too cheap looking and goes on for too long. Slaughter at least makes it entertaining.
Tod Slaughter hams it up as William Hart in 1828 Edinburgh. Together with another Irishman Moore (Henry Oscar) they murder the locals and sell the corpses to Dr Cox for his medical research. It is easy money and less back breaking than digging up corpses.
The good doctor asks few questions about the still warm bodies. Young Jamie Wilson delivers the corpses to Dr Cox but Hart has his greedy eye on him as a potential victim.
However ship's doctor Hugh Alston (Patrick Addison) is onto them. Especially as one of his friend's is missing and his lady friend was so near to get killed.
Slaughter is never short of a quip or two. Addison is wooden and always alerts the men that he suspects them.
The film is weak, too cheap looking and goes on for too long. Slaughter at least makes it entertaining.
A generous slice of ham horror
trimmerb123425 March 2018
Surprising to find this was filmed in 1948, it has that same very slow pacing of the pre-war classic horrors such as the incomparable Dracula in 1936. It is very much in the tradition of Victorian stage melodrama and there was no greater exponent and resurrectionist of the genre than Todd Slaughter, florid theatrical actor-manager and famous ham who here makes his last film outing. Surrounded by some excellent character actors - Henry Oscar and Aubrey Woods, the normally OTT Slaughter is more confined but perhaps more effective. In a way this is a film noir - for reasons perhaps of economy, exteriors are all studio bound at night but in portraying the dingy canyon like lanes of Edinburgh works very well. The production is rather stagey - but stage melodrama was Slaughter's speciality. The plot is wordy but quite involving and genuinely grim
Not exactly a must-see but for those interested in the more curious British films certainly well worth watching. Thanks yet again to Talking Pictures TV for screening it
A 6.5
Not exactly a must-see but for those interested in the more curious British films certainly well worth watching. Thanks yet again to Talking Pictures TV for screening it
A 6.5
Poor
Michael_Elliott11 March 2008
Greed of William Hart, The (1948)
* 1/2 (out of 4)
Tod Slaughter, Britain's biggest horror star, makes one of his final appearances in this film also known as Horror Maniacs. The history behind the film is actually a lot more interesting than the film itself. This was originally called The Crimes of Burke and Hare with those two names used in the film. However, the British censors objected and a relative of Hare threatened to sue so they had to dub the names, which cost so much money that the producer's couldn't afford a music score. As for the film, it's a pretty dull take on the Burke and Hare story with Slaughter very dry up until the end when he goes so over the top that you can't help but laugh. Clearly this was meant to challenge The Body Snatcher but doesn't come close.
* 1/2 (out of 4)
Tod Slaughter, Britain's biggest horror star, makes one of his final appearances in this film also known as Horror Maniacs. The history behind the film is actually a lot more interesting than the film itself. This was originally called The Crimes of Burke and Hare with those two names used in the film. However, the British censors objected and a relative of Hare threatened to sue so they had to dub the names, which cost so much money that the producer's couldn't afford a music score. As for the film, it's a pretty dull take on the Burke and Hare story with Slaughter very dry up until the end when he goes so over the top that you can't help but laugh. Clearly this was meant to challenge The Body Snatcher but doesn't come close.
"Devil's Light For Devil's Work!"...
azathothpwiggins27 December 2023
HORROR MANIACS (aka: THE GREED OF WILLIAM HART) is a very-thinly veiled version of the Burke and Hare story. None other than Tod Slaughter plays the exceedingly loathsome Hart (aka: Burke), and Henry Oscar is the equally odious Moore (aka: Hare). It's the same basic setup about murder and graverobbing for fun and profit. Hart and Moore are in the employ of the fiendish Dr. Cox / Knox (Arnold Bell), who benefits from the deadly duos nocturnal work.
This is another perfect vehicle for Mr. Slaughter, who never disapoints. His gleefully eeevil portrayals are legendary. Here, he's almost matched by his two demonic costars. Almost, since Mr. Slaughter still manages to outdo his fellow ghouls.
Another classic Tod Slaughter film...
This is another perfect vehicle for Mr. Slaughter, who never disapoints. His gleefully eeevil portrayals are legendary. Here, he's almost matched by his two demonic costars. Almost, since Mr. Slaughter still manages to outdo his fellow ghouls.
Another classic Tod Slaughter film...
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