Another Amicus Production anthology starring Christopher Lee and the late Peter Cushing. It seems like you can never go wrong with those two - or Amicus for that matter; classic performances by both men indeed. I don't consider these tales terrifying but they offer substance and quality that becomes enjoyable to the viewer. I won't go into any detail concerning each tale, but like usual, they all represent a unified theme. The conclusion is satisfying and I would love the opportunity to own this film. A fun way to spend your afternoon if you cherish the usual setup from Amicus - and, if you're not familiar, why not get acquainted?
112 Reviews
Vintage British Horror
reelreviewsandrecommendations8 December 2022
In the English countryside there stands a house, a seemingly benign, ramshackle abode nestled amid the undergrowth and enveloped in mystery. Unfortunate incidents occur to those who stay at the place, as a detective finds out while investigating the disappearance of its' latest dweller. While on the case, he hears of four separate tales of woe that befell those who rented the house, each more macabre and chilling than the last, in Peter Duffell's marvelous horror-comedy 'The House That Dripped Blood.'
An anthology film consisting of four separate stories concerning the titular homestead, 'The House That Dripped Blood' is vintage British horror. Written by Robert Bloch (and an uncredited Russ Jones), the tales within the film are each and all entertaining, full of suspense and chills. The segments vary both in tone and in quality, with the Christopher Lee led "Sweets To The Sweet" impressing and frightening the most, and Jon Pertwee's camp parody "The Cloak" being the weakest offering of the bunch. The other two, "Method For Murder" and 'Waxworks" have their moments, but don't match the sinister atmosphere and psychological terror of Lee's segment and seem unfortunately rushed to market.
In anthology films, it's not uncommon for segments to vary in length, but the first two seem far shorter than the last ones, and this imbalance produces jarring effects. "Method For Murder" and 'Waxworks" breeze by- and while the lengthy, penultimate "Sweets To The Sweet" works brilliantly- the final episode, "The Cloak," feels like it's dragging on in comparison to what came before it. Its considerably lighter tone also means that it feels somewhat inconsequential and pointless. The three preceding stories are full of dark, seedy horror that sometimes drifts into humorous territory; while "The Cloak" fully embraces the comedic and comes across as rather silly and facile.
Though still entertaining, as the whole film is overall- not to mention being technically polished. Ray Parslow's cinematography is striking, and while this isn't exactly a Dario Argento film; it's got an assured visual style that's most impressive. Credit for the film's look must also go to Tony Curtis, whose work as art director has produced distinct results. Additionally, the score from Michael Dress is atmospheric and foreboding, and Peter Tanner's editing is swift and seamless. For a relatively low-budget affair, 'The House That Dripped Blood' has a lot to offer viewers.
Including some fine performances from a large cast of talented actors. Denholm Elliott and Joanna Dunham do good work in "Method For Murder," with Elliott's portrayal of a man descending into madness being especially notable. Peter Cushing is terrific as a lonely man inexplicably drawn to a waxwork figure in "Waxworks," and is on screen for far too short a time. Christopher Lee dominates the film as an austere father in "Sweets To The Sweet," giving a performance both restrained and intense that lingers in the mind long after the credits have rolled. From "The Cloak," Ingrid Pitt does memorable work, though is underutilized and overshadowed by her screen partner; the miscast Jon Pertwee (in a role, one might add, tailored for Vincent Price, who would have been perfect).
'The House That Dripped Blood' is a highly enjoyable anthology film that will thrill and chill in equal measure. Well written by Robert Bloch and featuring stylish visuals and an emotive Michael Dress score, the film readily impresses. Though the segments vary in quality, all are entertaining and one- "Sweets To The Sweet"- is nothing short of brilliant. Boasting a cast of stars performing strongly and deft direction from Peter Duffell, 'The House That Dripped Blood' is a fantastic voyage of fun and fear that is sure to frighten, please and amuse.
An anthology film consisting of four separate stories concerning the titular homestead, 'The House That Dripped Blood' is vintage British horror. Written by Robert Bloch (and an uncredited Russ Jones), the tales within the film are each and all entertaining, full of suspense and chills. The segments vary both in tone and in quality, with the Christopher Lee led "Sweets To The Sweet" impressing and frightening the most, and Jon Pertwee's camp parody "The Cloak" being the weakest offering of the bunch. The other two, "Method For Murder" and 'Waxworks" have their moments, but don't match the sinister atmosphere and psychological terror of Lee's segment and seem unfortunately rushed to market.
In anthology films, it's not uncommon for segments to vary in length, but the first two seem far shorter than the last ones, and this imbalance produces jarring effects. "Method For Murder" and 'Waxworks" breeze by- and while the lengthy, penultimate "Sweets To The Sweet" works brilliantly- the final episode, "The Cloak," feels like it's dragging on in comparison to what came before it. Its considerably lighter tone also means that it feels somewhat inconsequential and pointless. The three preceding stories are full of dark, seedy horror that sometimes drifts into humorous territory; while "The Cloak" fully embraces the comedic and comes across as rather silly and facile.
Though still entertaining, as the whole film is overall- not to mention being technically polished. Ray Parslow's cinematography is striking, and while this isn't exactly a Dario Argento film; it's got an assured visual style that's most impressive. Credit for the film's look must also go to Tony Curtis, whose work as art director has produced distinct results. Additionally, the score from Michael Dress is atmospheric and foreboding, and Peter Tanner's editing is swift and seamless. For a relatively low-budget affair, 'The House That Dripped Blood' has a lot to offer viewers.
Including some fine performances from a large cast of talented actors. Denholm Elliott and Joanna Dunham do good work in "Method For Murder," with Elliott's portrayal of a man descending into madness being especially notable. Peter Cushing is terrific as a lonely man inexplicably drawn to a waxwork figure in "Waxworks," and is on screen for far too short a time. Christopher Lee dominates the film as an austere father in "Sweets To The Sweet," giving a performance both restrained and intense that lingers in the mind long after the credits have rolled. From "The Cloak," Ingrid Pitt does memorable work, though is underutilized and overshadowed by her screen partner; the miscast Jon Pertwee (in a role, one might add, tailored for Vincent Price, who would have been perfect).
'The House That Dripped Blood' is a highly enjoyable anthology film that will thrill and chill in equal measure. Well written by Robert Bloch and featuring stylish visuals and an emotive Michael Dress score, the film readily impresses. Though the segments vary in quality, all are entertaining and one- "Sweets To The Sweet"- is nothing short of brilliant. Boasting a cast of stars performing strongly and deft direction from Peter Duffell, 'The House That Dripped Blood' is a fantastic voyage of fun and fear that is sure to frighten, please and amuse.
The Old House
AaronCapenBanner25 November 2013
Peter Duffel directed this anthology film that stars John Bennett as a Scotland Yard Investigator looking into the disappearance of two films stars(played by "Doctor Who" star Jon Pertwee, and Ingrid Pitt) who were last seen in an old house they had let while filming a new movie. The real estate agent tells him four tales about the mysterious house: 'Method For Murder' - A writer comes to believe his character(a mad strangler) has come to life. 'Waxworks' - Peter Cushing plays a retired man who becomes fascinated with a waxwork version of Salome, much to his regret; 'Sweets For The Sweet' - A man(played by Christopher Lee) treats his young daughter harshly out of fear, bringing an ironic fate upon himself. 'The Cloak' - The film star buys a cloak that turns him into a vampire. Good set of tales here, with fine direction and music score; Last tale is best, a real treat.
Robert Bloch doing his legendary thing.
roddmatsui25 October 2004
The script of this ghoulish horror anthology is Robert Bloch at his diabolical best. I only saw this recently; I've wanted to see it for quite some time, but circumstances conspired, and I had to wait for the DVD release. But it was worth it!
This film is cartoonish throughout and constantly winks at the audience, but it also has an unwavering serious side. It's very sparing on special effects (and saves most of what little there is for the last segment), and is much more dependent on its actors. From the beginning, there is an outrageous over-the-top quality that is very reassuring--it's confident that it will deliver the horror its audience wants to see. Even the funniest segment (starring John Pertwee) manages to be rather disturbing. The box says "Rated PG - For Scary Images," and I must say, the sight of a vampiric Ingrid Pitt floating magically through the air towards one of her victims is a very scary image.
One of the things I like most about this movie is the way the humor and horror COEXIST in the film. The humor doesn't "negate" the horror or turn it into a joke. The horror doesn't "spoil" the humor or make it unfunny. Both elements are able to be taken seriously. Many horror comedies, especially modern ones, can't demonstrate such deft handling of their own elements. But this one moves in a sure-footed way, and that's all Robert Bloch. It's clear to me at least that he enjoyed his work, because such clear thinking is a sign the writer is having fun.
A surprisingly effective horror film from the early 70's that still packs a punch today. I have seen the other Amicus anthology films, and they're good, but this, for some reason, is the instant favorite.
This film is cartoonish throughout and constantly winks at the audience, but it also has an unwavering serious side. It's very sparing on special effects (and saves most of what little there is for the last segment), and is much more dependent on its actors. From the beginning, there is an outrageous over-the-top quality that is very reassuring--it's confident that it will deliver the horror its audience wants to see. Even the funniest segment (starring John Pertwee) manages to be rather disturbing. The box says "Rated PG - For Scary Images," and I must say, the sight of a vampiric Ingrid Pitt floating magically through the air towards one of her victims is a very scary image.
One of the things I like most about this movie is the way the humor and horror COEXIST in the film. The humor doesn't "negate" the horror or turn it into a joke. The horror doesn't "spoil" the humor or make it unfunny. Both elements are able to be taken seriously. Many horror comedies, especially modern ones, can't demonstrate such deft handling of their own elements. But this one moves in a sure-footed way, and that's all Robert Bloch. It's clear to me at least that he enjoyed his work, because such clear thinking is a sign the writer is having fun.
A surprisingly effective horror film from the early 70's that still packs a punch today. I have seen the other Amicus anthology films, and they're good, but this, for some reason, is the instant favorite.
A slightly better than average Amicus anthology.
BA_Harrison17 June 2015
Another anthology from horror studio Amicus, The House That Dripped Blood features four macabre tales written by Psycho author Robert Bloch, with a wraparound story in which Detective Inspector Holloway (John Bennett) investigates the mysterious disappearance of a famous horror movie-star and learns of several other cases all linked to a creepy old house.
The first case is that of Charles Hillyer (Denholm Elliott), a horror novelist who moves into the house to write his next novel, Dominick the Strangler. As Hillyer gets stuck into his work, he becomes convinced that the titular character from his latest book is stalking him. It's a solid way to kick off the film, with Elliot putting in a fine performance, and director Peter Duffell delivering plenty of suspense and chills, helped no end by Tom Adams as grinning loon Dominick, who looks convincingly deranged as he lurks in the shadows.
Tale number two, Waxworks, is my least favourite, which I find surprising since it stars Peter Cushing, one of my all-time favourite horror actors. Cushing plays retired businessman Philip Grayson, one of a pair of old love rivals who lose their heads after paying a visit to a Museum of Horror, where one of the exhibits bears an uncanny resemblance to the woman they both loved. Duffell does his best to make something of the weak material, using strong red and green lighting to add a sense of the unreal, but the result is still rather forgettable.
Another horror legend—Christopher Lee—turns up for tale number three, but like Cushing, he is unable to turn what is a rather predictable tale into anything special. If you can't guess how this one is going to end by the halfway mark, then you clearly haven't seen enough horror films. Lee plays the frightened father of a young girl with a secret; Nyree Dawn Porter is the teacher who cannot understand what he is so scared of.
For my money, the final story offers the most entertainment value, and here's why: a) the story is fun and delivers quite a few genuinely amusing moments (with a couple of neat in-jokes for horror fans), b) Ingrid Pitt's cleavage is fantastic, and c) it stars both Worzel Gummidge and The Crowman (Jon Pertwee and Geoffrey Bayldon AKA Catweazle). Pertwee is wonderful as pompous horror actor Paul Henderson, who buys a cape from Bayldon for his latest role as a vampire; the only problem is that whenever he wears the cape, he becomes a vampire for real.
Pertwee and Pitt pop up again as vampires in the last part of the wraparound tale to attack Holloway, who has payed a visit to the house against the advice of estate agent A.J. Stoker (John Bryans). Stoker closes the film by finally revealing the secret of the creepy property, but the explanation for the supernatural occurrences is something of a damp squib.
5.5 out of 10, rounded up to 6 for Pertwee and Pitt.
The first case is that of Charles Hillyer (Denholm Elliott), a horror novelist who moves into the house to write his next novel, Dominick the Strangler. As Hillyer gets stuck into his work, he becomes convinced that the titular character from his latest book is stalking him. It's a solid way to kick off the film, with Elliot putting in a fine performance, and director Peter Duffell delivering plenty of suspense and chills, helped no end by Tom Adams as grinning loon Dominick, who looks convincingly deranged as he lurks in the shadows.
Tale number two, Waxworks, is my least favourite, which I find surprising since it stars Peter Cushing, one of my all-time favourite horror actors. Cushing plays retired businessman Philip Grayson, one of a pair of old love rivals who lose their heads after paying a visit to a Museum of Horror, where one of the exhibits bears an uncanny resemblance to the woman they both loved. Duffell does his best to make something of the weak material, using strong red and green lighting to add a sense of the unreal, but the result is still rather forgettable.
Another horror legend—Christopher Lee—turns up for tale number three, but like Cushing, he is unable to turn what is a rather predictable tale into anything special. If you can't guess how this one is going to end by the halfway mark, then you clearly haven't seen enough horror films. Lee plays the frightened father of a young girl with a secret; Nyree Dawn Porter is the teacher who cannot understand what he is so scared of.
For my money, the final story offers the most entertainment value, and here's why: a) the story is fun and delivers quite a few genuinely amusing moments (with a couple of neat in-jokes for horror fans), b) Ingrid Pitt's cleavage is fantastic, and c) it stars both Worzel Gummidge and The Crowman (Jon Pertwee and Geoffrey Bayldon AKA Catweazle). Pertwee is wonderful as pompous horror actor Paul Henderson, who buys a cape from Bayldon for his latest role as a vampire; the only problem is that whenever he wears the cape, he becomes a vampire for real.
Pertwee and Pitt pop up again as vampires in the last part of the wraparound tale to attack Holloway, who has payed a visit to the house against the advice of estate agent A.J. Stoker (John Bryans). Stoker closes the film by finally revealing the secret of the creepy property, but the explanation for the supernatural occurrences is something of a damp squib.
5.5 out of 10, rounded up to 6 for Pertwee and Pitt.
Good horror anthology
preppy-327 May 2006
Four stories written by Robert Bloch about various people who live in a beautiful, old mansion and what happens to them. The first has Denholm Elliott as a novelist who sees the killer he's writing about come to life. Some spooky moments and the twist at the end was good. The second has Peter Cushing becoming obsessed with a wax figure resembling his dead wife. The third has Christopher Lee who has a child (Chloe Franks) and is scared of her. It all leads up to a pretty scary ending (although the ending in the story was MUCH worse). The last is an out and out comedy with Jon Petwee and Ingrid Pitt (both chewing the scenery) and a cape that turns people into vampires! There's also a cute line about Christopher Lee playing Dracula.
This is a good horror anthology--nothing terrifying but the first one and the ending of the third gave me a few pleasurable little chills. Also the fourth one is actually very funny and Pitt makes a VERY sexy vampire! Also the house itself looks beautiful...and very creepy. It's well-directed with some nice atmospheric touches. A very good and unusual movie score too. All in all a good little horror anthology well worth seeking out. Try to see it on DVD--the Lions Gate one looks fantastic with strong colors and great sound.
This is a good horror anthology--nothing terrifying but the first one and the ending of the third gave me a few pleasurable little chills. Also the fourth one is actually very funny and Pitt makes a VERY sexy vampire! Also the house itself looks beautiful...and very creepy. It's well-directed with some nice atmospheric touches. A very good and unusual movie score too. All in all a good little horror anthology well worth seeking out. Try to see it on DVD--the Lions Gate one looks fantastic with strong colors and great sound.
A British horror classic formed by five segments with a lot of chills , mystery and terror
ma-cortes6 June 2020
Anthology vintage film formed by five terror tales , all of them filmed with suspense , intrigue , grisly killings , twisted events and horrible happenings . Concerning a creepy and eerie country house , as a Scotland Yard Inspector investigates the bizarre cases occurring at a mysterious mansion. The first segment interpreted by Denholm Elliot , Tom Adams , Robert Lang deals with a novelist meets a strange person who seems to be the nasty criminal who stars his novels .The second one performed by Peter Cushing , Joss Ackland , deals with a Wax Museum in which two protagonists find a mysterious wax figure that remembers them their common past . The third starred by Christopher Lee , Nyree Dawn Porter about an angry father , and his little girl who has weird hobbies as necromancy , Voodoo, and witchery . And the last one starred by Ingrid Pitt , Geoffrey Balydon ,concerns a veteran horror actor who goes after a black cloak providing bloodsucking powers resulting in unexpected consequences . Vampires, Voodoo, Vixens , Victims,! Terror Wants for you in very room un The House That Dripped Blood . From the author of Psycho!
Nice episodes film written by prestigious author Robert Bloch , with thrills , chills , creepy events , twists and turns . One of the very best of the Amicus anthologies with mystery enough and fine cast with a plethora of top-notch British players. There are various notorious actors outstanding, the always great Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee , though this time they do not share shots . Furthermore , other important actors from horror genre with special mention for Ingrid Pitt who usually played for Hammer , though here for its competitor Amicus.
The film was nicely financed by Milton Subotsky , Max Rosenberg from Amicus Productions that produced a great number of horror movies . It provides a colorful and adequate cinematography by Ray Parslow shot in Sheppeton studios. As well as suspenseful and frightening musical score by Michael Dress .The film was well and professionally directed by Peter Duffel . He was a good craftsman who made several episodes from notorious series, such as : The Bill, Space Precinct , Tales of the Unexpected , Inspector Morse , The Waterfall , The Famous Five , Far Pavillions , Journey to Unknown, Man in a Suitcase , The Adventures of Black Beauty , Strange Report , The Avengers . And occassionally he directed some films as King of The Wind , Berlin 1876 , England made me , Partners in Crime and this The House That Dripped Blood . Rating 7/10 . Better than average .Well worth watching . The picture will appeal to Horror movie buffs.
Nice episodes film written by prestigious author Robert Bloch , with thrills , chills , creepy events , twists and turns . One of the very best of the Amicus anthologies with mystery enough and fine cast with a plethora of top-notch British players. There are various notorious actors outstanding, the always great Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee , though this time they do not share shots . Furthermore , other important actors from horror genre with special mention for Ingrid Pitt who usually played for Hammer , though here for its competitor Amicus.
The film was nicely financed by Milton Subotsky , Max Rosenberg from Amicus Productions that produced a great number of horror movies . It provides a colorful and adequate cinematography by Ray Parslow shot in Sheppeton studios. As well as suspenseful and frightening musical score by Michael Dress .The film was well and professionally directed by Peter Duffel . He was a good craftsman who made several episodes from notorious series, such as : The Bill, Space Precinct , Tales of the Unexpected , Inspector Morse , The Waterfall , The Famous Five , Far Pavillions , Journey to Unknown, Man in a Suitcase , The Adventures of Black Beauty , Strange Report , The Avengers . And occassionally he directed some films as King of The Wind , Berlin 1876 , England made me , Partners in Crime and this The House That Dripped Blood . Rating 7/10 . Better than average .Well worth watching . The picture will appeal to Horror movie buffs.
Decent Amicus Anthology
gavin694210 May 2015
A Scotland Yard investigator looks into four mysterious cases involving an unoccupied house: 1) A writer encounters a strangler of his own creation, 2) Two men are obsessed with a wax figure of a woman from their past, 3) A little girl displays an interest in witchcraft, and 4) A film actor discovers a cloak which gives him a vampire's powers.
Amicus made numerous anthologies in the 1970s, and this is one of them. Like others of the era, it came from the typewriter of Milwaukee writer Robert Bloch (who is best known for "Psycho"). Could we ask for a better scribe? (Well, Richard Matheson, perhaps, but not many others.) Like most anthologies, there are stronger and weaker segments. The wax museum is a bit weak, saved only by the joy of watching Peter Cushing. The strangler segment is also a bit lackluster. The vampire cloak is decent, even if the role was a bit over the top... seeing Ingrid Pitt in another vampire tale is cool. The best, though, by far, was the witchcraft story with Christopher Lee. Perfectly paced, perfectly acted, and just the right length.
One thing that really made this one fun was the in-jokes, such as saying Bela Lugosi was a better Dracula than the "new guy", when that new guy was (of course) Christopher Lee. This has the double impact of ribbing Lee, as well as making a crack about Hammer, the inferior Amicus competitor.
Amicus made numerous anthologies in the 1970s, and this is one of them. Like others of the era, it came from the typewriter of Milwaukee writer Robert Bloch (who is best known for "Psycho"). Could we ask for a better scribe? (Well, Richard Matheson, perhaps, but not many others.) Like most anthologies, there are stronger and weaker segments. The wax museum is a bit weak, saved only by the joy of watching Peter Cushing. The strangler segment is also a bit lackluster. The vampire cloak is decent, even if the role was a bit over the top... seeing Ingrid Pitt in another vampire tale is cool. The best, though, by far, was the witchcraft story with Christopher Lee. Perfectly paced, perfectly acted, and just the right length.
One thing that really made this one fun was the in-jokes, such as saying Bela Lugosi was a better Dracula than the "new guy", when that new guy was (of course) Christopher Lee. This has the double impact of ribbing Lee, as well as making a crack about Hammer, the inferior Amicus competitor.
Excellent, Delightfully Macabre Horror Anthology From Amicus
Witchfinder-General-66623 July 2008
The British production company Amicus is generally known as the specialist for horror anthologies, and this great omnibus called "The House That Dripped Blood" is doubtlessly the finest Amicus production I've seen so far (admittedly, there are quite a few that I have yet to see, though). "The House That Dripped Blood" consists of four delightfully macabre tales, all set in the same eerie mansion. These four stories are brought to you in a wonderfully Gothic atmosphere, and with one of the finest ensemble casts imaginable. Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee (Cushing and Lee are two of my favorite actors ever), as well as Denholm Elliott and the ravishing Ingrid Pitt star in this film - so which true Horror fan could possibly afford to miss it? No one, of course, and the film has much more to offer than just a great cast. "The House That Dripped Blood" revolves around an eerie rural mansion, in which strange things are happening. In four parts, the film tells the tales of four different heirs.
The first tale, "Method For Murder", tells the story of Horror novelist Charles Hyller (Denholm Elliott), who moves into the House with his wife. After moving in, the writer suddenly feels haunted by a maniac of his own creation... The first segment is a great kickoff to the film. The story is creepy and macabre throughout and the performances are entirelly very good.
In the second story, "Waxworks", retired businessman Phillip Grayson (Peter Cushing) moves into the house, and suddenly feels drawn to a mysterious Wax Museum in the nearby town... The great Peter Cushing once again delivers a sublime performance in this, and the rest of the performances are also very good. The tale is delightfully weird, and the second-best of the film, after the third.
The third tale, "Sweets To The Sweet" is by far the creepiest and most brilliant of the four. John Reed (Christopher Lee) moves in with his little daughter. The private teacher and nanny Mrs. Norton, whom Mr. Reed has employed to instruct his daughter, is appalled about her employer's strictness towards his daughter, and is eager to find out what reason the overprotective father's views on upbringing may have... This best segment maintains a very creepy atmosphere and a genuinely scary plot. Christopher Lee is, as always, superb in his role. Nyree Dawn Porter is also very good as the nanny, and my special praise goes to then 11-year-old Chloe Franks. This ingenious segment alone makes the film a must-see for every true Horror-fan.
In the fourth segment, Horror-actor Paul Henderson (Jon Pertwee) moves into the house with his sexy mistress/co-star Carla (Ingrid Pitt). This fourth story is satire, more than it is actually Horror. It is a highly amusing satire, however, and there are many allusions to other Horror films. At one point Henderson indirectly refers to Christopher Lee, who stars in the previous, third segment...
All four segments have a delightfully macabre sense of humor and a great atmosphere. As stated above, the third segment is by far the creepiest and greatest, but the other three are also atmospheric and often macabrely humorous Horror tales that every Horror lover should appreciate. An igenious atmosphere, a macabre sense of humor, genuine eerieness and a brilliant cast make this one a must-see. In Short: "The House That Dripped Blood" is an excellent Horror-omnibus that no lover of British Horror could possibly afford to miss. Highly Recommended!
The first tale, "Method For Murder", tells the story of Horror novelist Charles Hyller (Denholm Elliott), who moves into the House with his wife. After moving in, the writer suddenly feels haunted by a maniac of his own creation... The first segment is a great kickoff to the film. The story is creepy and macabre throughout and the performances are entirelly very good.
In the second story, "Waxworks", retired businessman Phillip Grayson (Peter Cushing) moves into the house, and suddenly feels drawn to a mysterious Wax Museum in the nearby town... The great Peter Cushing once again delivers a sublime performance in this, and the rest of the performances are also very good. The tale is delightfully weird, and the second-best of the film, after the third.
The third tale, "Sweets To The Sweet" is by far the creepiest and most brilliant of the four. John Reed (Christopher Lee) moves in with his little daughter. The private teacher and nanny Mrs. Norton, whom Mr. Reed has employed to instruct his daughter, is appalled about her employer's strictness towards his daughter, and is eager to find out what reason the overprotective father's views on upbringing may have... This best segment maintains a very creepy atmosphere and a genuinely scary plot. Christopher Lee is, as always, superb in his role. Nyree Dawn Porter is also very good as the nanny, and my special praise goes to then 11-year-old Chloe Franks. This ingenious segment alone makes the film a must-see for every true Horror-fan.
In the fourth segment, Horror-actor Paul Henderson (Jon Pertwee) moves into the house with his sexy mistress/co-star Carla (Ingrid Pitt). This fourth story is satire, more than it is actually Horror. It is a highly amusing satire, however, and there are many allusions to other Horror films. At one point Henderson indirectly refers to Christopher Lee, who stars in the previous, third segment...
All four segments have a delightfully macabre sense of humor and a great atmosphere. As stated above, the third segment is by far the creepiest and greatest, but the other three are also atmospheric and often macabrely humorous Horror tales that every Horror lover should appreciate. An igenious atmosphere, a macabre sense of humor, genuine eerieness and a brilliant cast make this one a must-see. In Short: "The House That Dripped Blood" is an excellent Horror-omnibus that no lover of British Horror could possibly afford to miss. Highly Recommended!
A rather good collection of tales.
Aaron137527 February 2004
This movie is another horror anthology. It is rather good, but it could have used a bit more. I compare it to "Doctor Terror's House of Horrors", though in this one the title fits. It has four stories all somewhat connected by a house. The first tale is about a writer and his wife moving in. He creates a killer for his latest novel and then he starts seeing the killer roaming around in his house. This one is sort of predictable, but it does throw a few twists in the end. The next story is a bit more unpredictable, and you really do not know where the heck it is going. This one features Peter Cushing and was probably my favorite of the bunch. This guy buys the house, but it is not the house that takes center stage, but a rather strange wax museum. The third story starts out rather good and features Christopher Lee. This one has him as a rather bizarre dad who seems awfully protective of his daughter. The problem is that once you know what is going on the story does not end soon enough. It drags a bit leading to a very predictable conclusion. Then the final tale concerns an actor buying a cloak from an odd little shop. The actor really gets what he paid for. Then there is a small story about an officer who is seen throughout trying to find out what happened to this actor and then an explanation of why these things happened. Though I was not very satisfied with the explanation as I don't think it really explained Cushing's story much at all. I think they needed a bit more back story for that one. All in all though it was an interesting set of stories.
If these walls could talk.
michaelRokeefe27 February 2004
If you enjoy the look and feel of Hammer films you'll enjoy this collection of four chilling tales from Shepperton Studios. Peter Duffell directs these stories embracing the history of a desolate country estate that has experienced its share of shock. A very fine gathering of talent featuring: Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Jon Pertwee, Ingrid Pitt, Tom Adams and John Bryans. Cushing seems to have been wasted. The best episode is of course saved for last...you can't go too wrong with a vampire offering. Credit Michael Dress for the creepy atmospheric music. Worthwhile, but could have been a lot scarier. Most of the terror is pretty much predictable and implied and quite evocative of this genre in the early 70s.
Five Creepy Horror Tales.
claudio_carvalho26 March 2018
When the Scotland Yard Detective Inspector Holloway (John Bennett) comes to a precinct to assume the investigation of the disappearance of the horror film actor Paul Henderson (Jon Pertwee), the local officer tells stories about dwellers of the old house rented by Henderson.
Segment 1 "Method for Murder" - The horror story writer Charles Hillyer (Denholm Elliott) moves to the house with his wife to write a novel. He creates a strangler serial-killer and soon he sees the man everywhere in the house. Is Charles becoming insane?
Segment 2 "Waxworks" - the retired and lonely bachelor Philip Grayson (Peter Cushing) moves to the house and visits the Wax Museum of Horror in the nearby town. He finds a wax statue of a woman identical to the one he loved, and the owner informs that she is his wife that died some time ago. When his friend and former love rival visits him, he goes to the wax museum and is not capable to leave town impressed with the woman. Philiptries to help his friend with tragic consequences.
Segment 3 "Sweets to the Sweet" - the wealthy John Reid (Christopher Lee) hires a teacher to give private education to his lonely daughter that has no friends and no toys. When candles disappear from the store, John has a heart pain during the night and discloses the secret of his wife and daughter to her skeptical teacher.
Segment 4 "The Cloak" - the arrogant Paul Henderson seeks an authentic vampire cloak to use in the film he is working and he finds a weird fantasy shop and soon he finds that he becomes a real vampire when he wears the cloak.
The skeptical Holloway decides to go to the house during the night and leans the fate of Henderson in a tragic way
"The House That Dripped Blood" is an anthology from horror studio Amicus with the lead story and four segments, all of them engaging and entertaining. Fans of horror films from Amicus and Hammer will certainly not be disappointed with the segments and the conclusion. My vote is eight.
Title (Brazil): "A Casa que Pingava Sangue" ("The House That Dripped Blood")
"The House That Dripped Blood" is an anthology from horror studio Amicus with the lead story and four segments, all of them engaging and entertaining. Fans of horror films from Amicus and Hammer will certainly not be disappointed with the segments and the conclusion. My vote is eight.
Title (Brazil): "A Casa que Pingava Sangue" ("The House That Dripped Blood")
Terror waits for you in every room
utgard142 November 2014
A fun horror anthology film from Amicus. I love these types of movies and this one is especially good, thanks in large part to the terrific cast. It begins with a wraparound story about a Scotland Yard inspector investigating the disappearance of a movie star renting an old country house. The inspector hears stories about the house's history from a real estate agent and those stories are the different segments of the film.
"Method for Murder" is the first one. It's about a horror novelist (Denholm Elliott) who overcomes writer's block while staying at the house. He creates a strangler character that will be the focus of his next book. Things get crazy when it appears the strangler has come to life and is trying to torment the author. A good story to start with. It has a fine performance by Elliott, some nice atmosphere, and a creepy makeup job on the strangler. The ending is great. In the second story, "Waxworks," Peter Cushing and Joss Ackland play friends who become obsessed with a figure in a wax museum that resembles the woman they both loved years before. This is the weakest segment in the movie, despite nice performances from Cushing and Ackland. The story builds to a disappointing ending.
The third story, "Sweets to the Sweet," has Christopher Lee hiring a private teacher for his young daughter. The teacher (Nyree Dawn Porter) disapproves of the harsh way Lee treats the girl. But soon she comes to realize there's more to this little girl than it appears. This is a good segment. Lee's always enjoyable to watch and Chloe Franks does a great job as the daughter. "The Cloak" is the final and best story. It ties back into the wraparound directly, telling the story of the missing horror movie actor (Jon Pertwee) that the inspector is searching for. The actor buys a black cloak from a strange shop to wear in his next movie, where he plays a vampire. Turns out the cloak has a dark power over its wearer. Jon Pertwee is terrific and sexy Ingrid Pitt is easy on the eyes. This story is lots of fun with a nice amount of humor throughout.
On the whole, it's a good movie. The music score is especially nice. It's not the best horror anthology movie Amicus put out but it's entertaining enough. If you enjoy these types of movie I'm pretty sure you will like this one.
"Method for Murder" is the first one. It's about a horror novelist (Denholm Elliott) who overcomes writer's block while staying at the house. He creates a strangler character that will be the focus of his next book. Things get crazy when it appears the strangler has come to life and is trying to torment the author. A good story to start with. It has a fine performance by Elliott, some nice atmosphere, and a creepy makeup job on the strangler. The ending is great. In the second story, "Waxworks," Peter Cushing and Joss Ackland play friends who become obsessed with a figure in a wax museum that resembles the woman they both loved years before. This is the weakest segment in the movie, despite nice performances from Cushing and Ackland. The story builds to a disappointing ending.
The third story, "Sweets to the Sweet," has Christopher Lee hiring a private teacher for his young daughter. The teacher (Nyree Dawn Porter) disapproves of the harsh way Lee treats the girl. But soon she comes to realize there's more to this little girl than it appears. This is a good segment. Lee's always enjoyable to watch and Chloe Franks does a great job as the daughter. "The Cloak" is the final and best story. It ties back into the wraparound directly, telling the story of the missing horror movie actor (Jon Pertwee) that the inspector is searching for. The actor buys a black cloak from a strange shop to wear in his next movie, where he plays a vampire. Turns out the cloak has a dark power over its wearer. Jon Pertwee is terrific and sexy Ingrid Pitt is easy on the eyes. This story is lots of fun with a nice amount of humor throughout.
On the whole, it's a good movie. The music score is especially nice. It's not the best horror anthology movie Amicus put out but it's entertaining enough. If you enjoy these types of movie I'm pretty sure you will like this one.
oh dear
j_farthing9 August 2006
Warning: Spoilers
The house that dripped blood is one of a number of Amicus portmanteau horror films released in the 1960s and 1970s. All the film consisted of a number of short stories, usually with a twist in the tale, loosely linked by a framing device.
Unfortunately, house is one of the lesser Amicus films. Only the third tale has any real, and a great cast (Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Ingrid Pitt and Denholm Elliott to name but a few) are sadly wasted.
The first tale has an interesting premise, albeit one that has been dealt with many times before and since, in which a writer is haunted by his own character, but the tale is let down by a disappointing twist and a final few seconds which seem to make no sense whatsoever.
The second tale introduces Peter Cushing (looking like an aged Jason King) who, shortly after moving into the titular house, comes across a waxwork museum containing an effigy of his dead lover. To be frank, this one made no sense whatsoever and the whole segment was rendered even more laughable by the bizarre late seventies Cushing is wearing, in particular an ever more tasteless selection of neckerchiefs.
Things finally begin to pick up with the third tale, a genuinely creepy story of a stern father (Christopher Lee) who hires a nanny for his somewhat unusual daughter. While the father's behavior initially seems cruel it soon transpires the daughter is not all she seems. There is an unusual sense of foreboding throughout, and the ending is one of the few chills in the movie.
Unfortunately, things rapidly plummet down hill again with the final tale. A vain horror movie actor (Jon Pertwee), in a quest for authenticity, obtains a genuine vampires robe and begins to take on some of the qualities of its erstwhile owner. Once again, an interesting premise is let down by poor execution. The story features some of the most laughable vampire / flying effects committed to celluloid and no matter how hard you try its impossible to forget you're watching Worzel Gummidge as a vampire. Even Ingrid Pitt cant save this one.
One final point, and a bugbear for countless films of this type, is the framing device, in which a policeman (and later a real estate agent) recount the tales of terror. How the fk they can recount events which they did not witness and in which the participants have been variously strangled, beheaded, melted and vampire's is beyond me.
For a much better example of the Amicus anthology films, check out 'Dr Terror's House of Horrors', which apart from featuring an unpleasantly racist segment involving Roy Castle and voodoo jazz, provides much more entertainment and has a more interesting and pleasing framing story.
Unfortunately, house is one of the lesser Amicus films. Only the third tale has any real, and a great cast (Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Ingrid Pitt and Denholm Elliott to name but a few) are sadly wasted.
The first tale has an interesting premise, albeit one that has been dealt with many times before and since, in which a writer is haunted by his own character, but the tale is let down by a disappointing twist and a final few seconds which seem to make no sense whatsoever.
The second tale introduces Peter Cushing (looking like an aged Jason King) who, shortly after moving into the titular house, comes across a waxwork museum containing an effigy of his dead lover. To be frank, this one made no sense whatsoever and the whole segment was rendered even more laughable by the bizarre late seventies Cushing is wearing, in particular an ever more tasteless selection of neckerchiefs.
Things finally begin to pick up with the third tale, a genuinely creepy story of a stern father (Christopher Lee) who hires a nanny for his somewhat unusual daughter. While the father's behavior initially seems cruel it soon transpires the daughter is not all she seems. There is an unusual sense of foreboding throughout, and the ending is one of the few chills in the movie.
Unfortunately, things rapidly plummet down hill again with the final tale. A vain horror movie actor (Jon Pertwee), in a quest for authenticity, obtains a genuine vampires robe and begins to take on some of the qualities of its erstwhile owner. Once again, an interesting premise is let down by poor execution. The story features some of the most laughable vampire / flying effects committed to celluloid and no matter how hard you try its impossible to forget you're watching Worzel Gummidge as a vampire. Even Ingrid Pitt cant save this one.
One final point, and a bugbear for countless films of this type, is the framing device, in which a policeman (and later a real estate agent) recount the tales of terror. How the fk they can recount events which they did not witness and in which the participants have been variously strangled, beheaded, melted and vampire's is beyond me.
For a much better example of the Amicus anthology films, check out 'Dr Terror's House of Horrors', which apart from featuring an unpleasantly racist segment involving Roy Castle and voodoo jazz, provides much more entertainment and has a more interesting and pleasing framing story.
immense fun with a first-rate genre cast
dr_foreman9 September 2004
*contains very minor spoilers* (I'm sure the back of the box gives away more!)
Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Joss Ackland, Jon Pertwee...hey, this is one heck of a B-movie cast! All my British friends, together in the same horror anthology. Bliss. Mind you, I'm generally not too crazy about Amicus films; they're more screwed-up and cynical than their charming Hammer counterparts. But this time, Amicus got it just about right. The quality of the stories is uneven, but each has merit.
Story #1 is a pretty dull tale about a horror writer (played by Indiana Jones' buddy Denholm Elliot) who is haunted by one of his fictional creations, a strangler called Dominick. There are some interesting twists, yeah, but the characters are such stereotypes that it's hard to care much about them. And there's really nothing more tedious than writers writing about themselves! Stick with it, though, there's better stuff to come.
Story #2 is probably my favorite. The newly-retired Peter Cushing is haunted by a waxwork figure in a horror museum; it bears a striking resemblance to the late love of his life. An old friend, played by Joss Ackland (a very natural and likable performance), arrives and also falls under the wax girl's spell. I didn't really understand this story when I was ten, probably because I had not yet learned to pine for inaccessible women. However, since then I've been convinced that a wooden figure in a playground was modeled on an ex of mine, so suddenly this really resonates! A wonderfully sad, lonely tale.
Story #3 is also great. Christopher Lee gets to play a sort-of good guy, a rare treat for his fans; his daughter, as it turns out, is a little sorceress. The contrast between her sweet appearance and evil aims works rather well.
Story #4 is...ahem...rather silly, actually. It stars Jon "Doctor Who" Pertwee as a flamboyant horror film star. There's a lot of metahumor in this one; for example, Pertwee's character complains about having to star in cheap horror movies within the context of...a cheap horror movie called "The House that Dripped Blood"! "Doctor Who" was cheap, too, so one wonders if Pertwee was secretly complaining about his own career. But, apparently, he was actually spoofing Christopher Lee. The humor is this segment works, but it's strange to end such a dark movie with a goofy installment. I also don't know quite how to feel about seeing Jon get hoisted up on clearly visible wires during a "flying" segment.
After a somewhat dodgy epilogue with more Pertwee facing-making, the whole thing wraps up nicely with some cryptic remarks from an estate agent. On to the next British horror cheapie!
By their very nature, these anthology movies are mixed bags, but this is definitely one of the strongest. It's worth a look for the cast alone, and the middle two installments are definitely superior horror shorts.
Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Joss Ackland, Jon Pertwee...hey, this is one heck of a B-movie cast! All my British friends, together in the same horror anthology. Bliss. Mind you, I'm generally not too crazy about Amicus films; they're more screwed-up and cynical than their charming Hammer counterparts. But this time, Amicus got it just about right. The quality of the stories is uneven, but each has merit.
Story #1 is a pretty dull tale about a horror writer (played by Indiana Jones' buddy Denholm Elliot) who is haunted by one of his fictional creations, a strangler called Dominick. There are some interesting twists, yeah, but the characters are such stereotypes that it's hard to care much about them. And there's really nothing more tedious than writers writing about themselves! Stick with it, though, there's better stuff to come.
Story #2 is probably my favorite. The newly-retired Peter Cushing is haunted by a waxwork figure in a horror museum; it bears a striking resemblance to the late love of his life. An old friend, played by Joss Ackland (a very natural and likable performance), arrives and also falls under the wax girl's spell. I didn't really understand this story when I was ten, probably because I had not yet learned to pine for inaccessible women. However, since then I've been convinced that a wooden figure in a playground was modeled on an ex of mine, so suddenly this really resonates! A wonderfully sad, lonely tale.
Story #3 is also great. Christopher Lee gets to play a sort-of good guy, a rare treat for his fans; his daughter, as it turns out, is a little sorceress. The contrast between her sweet appearance and evil aims works rather well.
Story #4 is...ahem...rather silly, actually. It stars Jon "Doctor Who" Pertwee as a flamboyant horror film star. There's a lot of metahumor in this one; for example, Pertwee's character complains about having to star in cheap horror movies within the context of...a cheap horror movie called "The House that Dripped Blood"! "Doctor Who" was cheap, too, so one wonders if Pertwee was secretly complaining about his own career. But, apparently, he was actually spoofing Christopher Lee. The humor is this segment works, but it's strange to end such a dark movie with a goofy installment. I also don't know quite how to feel about seeing Jon get hoisted up on clearly visible wires during a "flying" segment.
After a somewhat dodgy epilogue with more Pertwee facing-making, the whole thing wraps up nicely with some cryptic remarks from an estate agent. On to the next British horror cheapie!
By their very nature, these anthology movies are mixed bags, but this is definitely one of the strongest. It's worth a look for the cast alone, and the middle two installments are definitely superior horror shorts.
Not a bad horror anthology.
poolandrews24 September 2004
Warning: Spoilers
A man walks up to the locked gates of a large country house, somewhere in England. It turns out he is a police inspector from Scotland yard investigating the disappearance of a famous film star (Jon Pertwee) who was renting the property. At the local police station he quizzes the Sergeant. He blames the house and starts to tell the inspector a story about one of the previous tenants.
And so we begin the first story which stars Denholm Elliott as writer who rents the house with his wife so he can finish the novel hes working on. However, things are not what they seem as Dominic, the murderous villain from his novel maybe more than just a character in a book.
After that story the sergeant then tells another. This time about a retired stock broker played by the ever willing Peter Cushing. On a trip into the local village Cushing comes across a waxworks and decides to have a look. I wont spoil the rest of this story for you but Joss Ackland turns up in this segment, as a friend of Cushing.
The inspector believes none of this nonsense and promptly goes in search of the estate agent who rents the property. The agent also warns the inspector about the house and tries to convince him by telling yet another story.
Chistopher Lee stars in this one as John Reid. He and his daughter Jane move into the house. He hires a tutor/nanny Nyree Dawn Porter to look after and educate his daughter while he is away in London on business. Generally speaking he doesn't treat Jane that well, which is explained in the shock/twist ending of this chapter.
The final story reveals what happened to Pertwee, Ingrid Pitt is in this story too, and revolves around a supernatural cape/cloak.
Each story lasts about 20mins or so, they don't outstay their welcome. Not a bad effort but the story's are a bit weak when compared to similar themed films like asylum, vault of horror, and creepshow. Worth a watch if you've seen those other films already and liked them.
And so we begin the first story which stars Denholm Elliott as writer who rents the house with his wife so he can finish the novel hes working on. However, things are not what they seem as Dominic, the murderous villain from his novel maybe more than just a character in a book.
After that story the sergeant then tells another. This time about a retired stock broker played by the ever willing Peter Cushing. On a trip into the local village Cushing comes across a waxworks and decides to have a look. I wont spoil the rest of this story for you but Joss Ackland turns up in this segment, as a friend of Cushing.
The inspector believes none of this nonsense and promptly goes in search of the estate agent who rents the property. The agent also warns the inspector about the house and tries to convince him by telling yet another story.
Chistopher Lee stars in this one as John Reid. He and his daughter Jane move into the house. He hires a tutor/nanny Nyree Dawn Porter to look after and educate his daughter while he is away in London on business. Generally speaking he doesn't treat Jane that well, which is explained in the shock/twist ending of this chapter.
The final story reveals what happened to Pertwee, Ingrid Pitt is in this story too, and revolves around a supernatural cape/cloak.
Each story lasts about 20mins or so, they don't outstay their welcome. Not a bad effort but the story's are a bit weak when compared to similar themed films like asylum, vault of horror, and creepshow. Worth a watch if you've seen those other films already and liked them.
Not one of the best Amicus anthologies, but the cast makes it worthwhile
Leofwine_draca1 August 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Another in the long line of Amicus anthologies. The connection between these stories is a mysterious house which gives the owners whatever their personality deserves, which basically means that it's an excuse to use the same set over and over again. Certainly the wrap around story sometimes makes these films – who can forget the classic train journey in DR TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS? – but not so here. Little thought or imagination seems to have gone into it and you get the feeling that the title was conceived before the story.
The first segment features the reliable Denholm Elliott as a writer who conjures up a strangler from his imagination. He's horrified when the strangler apparently becomes real. This story has a few shocks but is pretty formulaic and is singularly lacking in atmosphere, creepiness, or any form of terror. There's an interesting double twist at the climax but apart from that, this is nothing to get excited about.
The second story is probably the best, and has Peter Cushing and Joss Ackland in it. Cushing is the lonely man who visits a wax horror show, where he sees a figure which reminds him of a girl he once loved. When his old friend visits town he too sees the figure and becomes obsessed with it. The story is atmospheric in the wax museum scenes and has a typically gruesome climax, and of course Cushing's acting lifts it above the norm. Ackland is also good value for money. I think this is the scariest of the lot when it comes down to it.
The third story has Christopher Lee as a father of a young girl with "problems". A live-in nanny arrives and soon finds out what the problems are - the eerie taint of witchcraft is lurking in this one. Lee is good as his usual pompous, unlikeable self, but apart from him this story is nothing out of the ordinary. There's some fun to be had from trying to guess the resolution and the climax is suitably repulsive.
The final story benefits from having Jon Pertwee in it, and Ingrid Pitt appears to add some glamour too. Pertwee is the arrogant actor who buys a mysterious cape for his new vampire role. However, the cape belonged to a real vampire and is affecting the owner in strange ways, such as turning him invisible in mirrors when he wears it. There's a twist ending as usual and an interesting film-within-a-film premise in this comic instalment. It's dated pretty badly and Pitt's lack of talent is more than evident, but Pertwee's spirited performance makes up for it.
The wrap-around story, about the policeman investigating the deaths, is quite dull, apart from the ending which has some action in it. Altogether this is a very average anthology. It never gets boring to watch as none of the stories last more than 20 minutes. There's an interesting cast too, however it somewhat lacks from being mainly confined to a single set for much of the stories. It's worth having as it showcases the talent from the era, and, of course, it's a '70s British horror film so it gets a recommendation from me. And just look at the cast! Not brilliant, but eminently watchable for nostalgic fans of old fashioned horror.
The first segment features the reliable Denholm Elliott as a writer who conjures up a strangler from his imagination. He's horrified when the strangler apparently becomes real. This story has a few shocks but is pretty formulaic and is singularly lacking in atmosphere, creepiness, or any form of terror. There's an interesting double twist at the climax but apart from that, this is nothing to get excited about.
The second story is probably the best, and has Peter Cushing and Joss Ackland in it. Cushing is the lonely man who visits a wax horror show, where he sees a figure which reminds him of a girl he once loved. When his old friend visits town he too sees the figure and becomes obsessed with it. The story is atmospheric in the wax museum scenes and has a typically gruesome climax, and of course Cushing's acting lifts it above the norm. Ackland is also good value for money. I think this is the scariest of the lot when it comes down to it.
The third story has Christopher Lee as a father of a young girl with "problems". A live-in nanny arrives and soon finds out what the problems are - the eerie taint of witchcraft is lurking in this one. Lee is good as his usual pompous, unlikeable self, but apart from him this story is nothing out of the ordinary. There's some fun to be had from trying to guess the resolution and the climax is suitably repulsive.
The final story benefits from having Jon Pertwee in it, and Ingrid Pitt appears to add some glamour too. Pertwee is the arrogant actor who buys a mysterious cape for his new vampire role. However, the cape belonged to a real vampire and is affecting the owner in strange ways, such as turning him invisible in mirrors when he wears it. There's a twist ending as usual and an interesting film-within-a-film premise in this comic instalment. It's dated pretty badly and Pitt's lack of talent is more than evident, but Pertwee's spirited performance makes up for it.
The wrap-around story, about the policeman investigating the deaths, is quite dull, apart from the ending which has some action in it. Altogether this is a very average anthology. It never gets boring to watch as none of the stories last more than 20 minutes. There's an interesting cast too, however it somewhat lacks from being mainly confined to a single set for much of the stories. It's worth having as it showcases the talent from the era, and, of course, it's a '70s British horror film so it gets a recommendation from me. And just look at the cast! Not brilliant, but eminently watchable for nostalgic fans of old fashioned horror.
Worth a View if Only for the Excellent Cast of Brit Horror Stars
TheRedDeath3024 October 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Amicus Studios was the biggest competitor to Hammer in the heyday of British horror during the 60s and 70s. While their movies never quite achieved the same cult status as Hammer's, Amicus cared themselves out a niche at producing excellent horror anthologies that are still some of the best ever produced. Unlike some of the later Amicus anthologies which were created by using the works of EC Comics, this movie was written by Robert Bloch, a well-known horror writer at the time who is best remembered for penning PSYCHO.
This movie stands out from many other anthologies for a few reasons. For one, I don't see a "weak link" segment. Most any anthology you can think of had a throwaway part or two mixed with some excellent work, but the stories are all of a good caliber in this movie. The other thing that really stands out is the cast, which is comprised of a slew of Brit Horror all-stars, including Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and the luscious Ingrid Pitt, along with Indiana Jones' best buddy and a former Dr. Who.
The drawback of the movie, in my opinion, is that it is often very "stage bound". There aren't many extravagant sets and locales here and nothing that approaches the lavish sets of Hammer's movies. You often get the feeling that you're watching a stage play, but the directing and acting are able to elevate the work beyond those confines.
Of course, you have a wraparound framework story here involving a Scotland Yard detective who's investigating a murder at the titular house. For the interlocking segments this amounts to nothing more than brief interludes, but the story provides the movie's last big shock. Amicus would provide better framework stories in some of their later anthologies.
"Method for Murder" is the first segment with Denholm Elliot as a horror writer with a case of writer's block, who rents the house for inspiration and gets more than he bargained for. It actually has quite a bit in common with the Johnny Depp movie SECRET WINDOW. It's held back due to a poor makeup job on the killer and a bad cliché twist with your standard back-stabbing wife.
"Waxworks" stars Cushing, who is excellent here as he is in every role given to him. Two old friends/ rivals find a small wax museum and become obsessed with a statue that reminds them of their lost love. Cushing saves the segment from becoming nothing more than a clone of HOUSE OF WAX.
"Sweets to the Sweet" is an evil child story starring Christopher Lee in a rare non-villainous role. It's probably my least favorite segment in the movie as it takes a while to get rolling and leads up to a fairly boring climax as well.
"The Cloak" is the best segment involving an aging horror actor (John Pertwee) who really takes on his role. It's more than a little campy and has a PG vampire tone, but it's fun and well worth it if for nothing more than Ingrid Pitt.
Amicus would produce better anthologies in the years to follow this, including their best work TALES FROM THE CRYPT, but this works very well as a Saturday Midnight movie.
This movie stands out from many other anthologies for a few reasons. For one, I don't see a "weak link" segment. Most any anthology you can think of had a throwaway part or two mixed with some excellent work, but the stories are all of a good caliber in this movie. The other thing that really stands out is the cast, which is comprised of a slew of Brit Horror all-stars, including Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and the luscious Ingrid Pitt, along with Indiana Jones' best buddy and a former Dr. Who.
The drawback of the movie, in my opinion, is that it is often very "stage bound". There aren't many extravagant sets and locales here and nothing that approaches the lavish sets of Hammer's movies. You often get the feeling that you're watching a stage play, but the directing and acting are able to elevate the work beyond those confines.
Of course, you have a wraparound framework story here involving a Scotland Yard detective who's investigating a murder at the titular house. For the interlocking segments this amounts to nothing more than brief interludes, but the story provides the movie's last big shock. Amicus would provide better framework stories in some of their later anthologies.
"Method for Murder" is the first segment with Denholm Elliot as a horror writer with a case of writer's block, who rents the house for inspiration and gets more than he bargained for. It actually has quite a bit in common with the Johnny Depp movie SECRET WINDOW. It's held back due to a poor makeup job on the killer and a bad cliché twist with your standard back-stabbing wife.
"Waxworks" stars Cushing, who is excellent here as he is in every role given to him. Two old friends/ rivals find a small wax museum and become obsessed with a statue that reminds them of their lost love. Cushing saves the segment from becoming nothing more than a clone of HOUSE OF WAX.
"Sweets to the Sweet" is an evil child story starring Christopher Lee in a rare non-villainous role. It's probably my least favorite segment in the movie as it takes a while to get rolling and leads up to a fairly boring climax as well.
"The Cloak" is the best segment involving an aging horror actor (John Pertwee) who really takes on his role. It's more than a little campy and has a PG vampire tone, but it's fun and well worth it if for nothing more than Ingrid Pitt.
Amicus would produce better anthologies in the years to follow this, including their best work TALES FROM THE CRYPT, but this works very well as a Saturday Midnight movie.
Old Fashioned Horror Dish
Tweetienator10 March 2022
The House That Dripped Blood is simply a decent old-school British horror anthology. A fine watch if you like that now old fashioned looking style, if not, don't bother, but if you are "all in" in those Hammer horror movies, you will like this one too. This one is produced by Amicus, and there are more horror anthologies (and horror movies) produced by them, e.g. Dr. Terror's House of Horrors and Torture Garden, all starring such icons like Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Jack Palance, Burgess Meredith and others. Those I recommend to you too.
A great Amicus anthology but with a few flaws!
manchester_england200431 July 2009
THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD is the third in a series of seven Amicus horror anthologies. If THE MONSTER CLUB is included as part of the series, this would make eight movies. Although, that movie is very different from the others.
I look upon the Amicus anthologies with great memories as I used to love them when I was in my teens. My feelings for them today are just as strong.
I spent many years trying to track down this movie. The synopses of the stories was so appealing that I went as far as paying a substantial amount for it when I eventually found a copy. As great as though the movie is, I did feel a sense of disappointment when I finally saw it. It wasn't quite as good as I was led to believe. Whilst better than its two predecessors, it's nowhere near as good as its four successors as I shall demonstrate.
The linking story sees John Bennett as a police inspector tracking down a missing person who lives in a mysterious old house. His journey begins at the local police station where he learns the stories of previous occupants. The linking story later sees him visiting the estate agent who sold the house. Whilst this linking story seems enticing on paper, it is flat and lifeless in practice and easily the weakest of any Amicus anthology. I couldn't help but get the feeling that John Bennett is a poor man's version of Donald Pleasance or Ian Hendry. I would much rather have seen one of the two aforementioned actors in his role. We could have even had both here - one as the police inspector and another as the estate agent. They could, and I believe would, have brought this weak element of the movie to life much better.
The movie contains four stories, each of which focuses on an inhabitant of the house.
The first story sees Denholm Elliott as a writer of crime stories. He is absorbed into an exciting story about a strangler, even going as far as drawing a sketch to aid his writing. Soon after, he begins seeing visions of his own creation. Some excellent direction by Peter Duffell, particularly with the choice of camera angles helps to detract from the restrained script. Elliott's performance is superb as the tormented writer and he also helps to elevate the story. The story ends with a semi-twist but I couldn't help get the sense of a script which didn't allow it to live up to its potential.
The second story sees Peter Cushing move into the house. He is a lonely man who is still pining for a beautiful young woman who once jilted him and who he keeps a picture of. Cushing's performance really brings this emotionally-moving story to life. He is helped by the director who chooses to include continual focus on Cushing's loneliness. This is taken further with a great hallucination scene that helps us to see inside Cushing's mind. Anyway, Cushing sees a figure at a nearby wax museum that looks just like his girl. Naturally his obsession grows but this seemingly romantic story has a disturbing twist at the end. Joss Ackland plays Cushing's rival but his performance is massively overshadowed by the late great Peter Cushing.
The third story and easily the best sees Christopher Lee - my favourite horror actor of all time - move into the house with his daughter. Mr. Lee gives one his perfect ice cold performances here. He shows no love or attention for his daughter at all. He even brings in a school governess to educate her. The governess, played by Nyree Dawn Porter in another of her superb performances, tries to find out what is wrong. Without giving too much away, I can reveal that witchcraft plays a role. Christopher Lee's presence is truly electrifying in every scene he's in. Chloe Franks deserves special recognition for her massively underrated performance as the little girl who is easily the creepiest character in the whole movie. The movie is worth seeing even for the sake of seeing just this one story.
The final story is played almost entirely for laughs but it certainly does entertain and that's what matters. Jon Pertwee plays a horror movie actor who moves into the house. He is very dissatisfied at the approach his producers take to movies, seeing everything as cheap and fake, particularly the costumes. So he decides to buy an authentic cloak for his latest vampire role. Geoffrey Bayldon has an excellent cameo as a dealer who sells Pertwee an ancient cloak. When Pertwee puts the cloak on, he starts developing fangs and basically transforming into a vampire. Pertwee's performance has to be seen to be believed. It truly is hilarious. Ingrid Pitt is also in this story but her talent is wasted in a role that should have been much larger.
The linking story finishes with a loose connection to the final story. This is particularly fitting since the inspector was looking for Pertwee and naturally decides to visit the house. The rest you'll be able to work out for yourself. As weak as the linking story is, it does have a decent if somewhat unintentionally comical ending.
I'm convinced that the blame for the shortcomings in what should have been a truly magnificent movie doesn't lie with Peter Duffell, the director, who really does his best with what he's got. I think the script was just too restrained and lacking the ambition that can be found in the four later movies.
Overall, THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD, despite its flaws is a must-see for fans of the Amicus anthologies, fans of other Amicus movies or fans of portmanteau horror movies. If my summary provides the movie with enough appeal in your eyes, check it out. You'll enjoy it!
I look upon the Amicus anthologies with great memories as I used to love them when I was in my teens. My feelings for them today are just as strong.
I spent many years trying to track down this movie. The synopses of the stories was so appealing that I went as far as paying a substantial amount for it when I eventually found a copy. As great as though the movie is, I did feel a sense of disappointment when I finally saw it. It wasn't quite as good as I was led to believe. Whilst better than its two predecessors, it's nowhere near as good as its four successors as I shall demonstrate.
The linking story sees John Bennett as a police inspector tracking down a missing person who lives in a mysterious old house. His journey begins at the local police station where he learns the stories of previous occupants. The linking story later sees him visiting the estate agent who sold the house. Whilst this linking story seems enticing on paper, it is flat and lifeless in practice and easily the weakest of any Amicus anthology. I couldn't help but get the feeling that John Bennett is a poor man's version of Donald Pleasance or Ian Hendry. I would much rather have seen one of the two aforementioned actors in his role. We could have even had both here - one as the police inspector and another as the estate agent. They could, and I believe would, have brought this weak element of the movie to life much better.
The movie contains four stories, each of which focuses on an inhabitant of the house.
The first story sees Denholm Elliott as a writer of crime stories. He is absorbed into an exciting story about a strangler, even going as far as drawing a sketch to aid his writing. Soon after, he begins seeing visions of his own creation. Some excellent direction by Peter Duffell, particularly with the choice of camera angles helps to detract from the restrained script. Elliott's performance is superb as the tormented writer and he also helps to elevate the story. The story ends with a semi-twist but I couldn't help get the sense of a script which didn't allow it to live up to its potential.
The second story sees Peter Cushing move into the house. He is a lonely man who is still pining for a beautiful young woman who once jilted him and who he keeps a picture of. Cushing's performance really brings this emotionally-moving story to life. He is helped by the director who chooses to include continual focus on Cushing's loneliness. This is taken further with a great hallucination scene that helps us to see inside Cushing's mind. Anyway, Cushing sees a figure at a nearby wax museum that looks just like his girl. Naturally his obsession grows but this seemingly romantic story has a disturbing twist at the end. Joss Ackland plays Cushing's rival but his performance is massively overshadowed by the late great Peter Cushing.
The third story and easily the best sees Christopher Lee - my favourite horror actor of all time - move into the house with his daughter. Mr. Lee gives one his perfect ice cold performances here. He shows no love or attention for his daughter at all. He even brings in a school governess to educate her. The governess, played by Nyree Dawn Porter in another of her superb performances, tries to find out what is wrong. Without giving too much away, I can reveal that witchcraft plays a role. Christopher Lee's presence is truly electrifying in every scene he's in. Chloe Franks deserves special recognition for her massively underrated performance as the little girl who is easily the creepiest character in the whole movie. The movie is worth seeing even for the sake of seeing just this one story.
The final story is played almost entirely for laughs but it certainly does entertain and that's what matters. Jon Pertwee plays a horror movie actor who moves into the house. He is very dissatisfied at the approach his producers take to movies, seeing everything as cheap and fake, particularly the costumes. So he decides to buy an authentic cloak for his latest vampire role. Geoffrey Bayldon has an excellent cameo as a dealer who sells Pertwee an ancient cloak. When Pertwee puts the cloak on, he starts developing fangs and basically transforming into a vampire. Pertwee's performance has to be seen to be believed. It truly is hilarious. Ingrid Pitt is also in this story but her talent is wasted in a role that should have been much larger.
The linking story finishes with a loose connection to the final story. This is particularly fitting since the inspector was looking for Pertwee and naturally decides to visit the house. The rest you'll be able to work out for yourself. As weak as the linking story is, it does have a decent if somewhat unintentionally comical ending.
I'm convinced that the blame for the shortcomings in what should have been a truly magnificent movie doesn't lie with Peter Duffell, the director, who really does his best with what he's got. I think the script was just too restrained and lacking the ambition that can be found in the four later movies.
Overall, THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD, despite its flaws is a must-see for fans of the Amicus anthologies, fans of other Amicus movies or fans of portmanteau horror movies. If my summary provides the movie with enough appeal in your eyes, check it out. You'll enjoy it!
Highly effective journey into fear
fertilecelluloid9 December 2005
Amicus made close to a good half dozen of these horror anthologies in the 70's, and this, from leading horror scribe Robert Bloch, is one of their best efforts. There are four stories, all worthwhile, but two -- "Sweets For The Sweet" and "Method For Murder" -- distinguish themselves as highly effective journeys into fear.
In "Sweets", Christopher Lee plays an impatient widower whose lovely daughter (Chloe Franks) becomes resentful of his neglect and brutish intolerance, so she sculpts a voodoo doll with which she expresses her distaste for his methods. Franks is a beautiful figure of mischievous evil and delivers one of the greatest child performances in a horror film since Martin Stephens in "The Innocents". This installment is directed with great subtlety and the final outrage, occurring off-screen, is a moment of purest horror.
"Method of Murder" is about a horror novelist (Denholm Elliott) who is menaced by one of his own creations, the creepy Dominic. This episode is striking for its simplicity and stark terror. Dominic may or may not be real, so director Peter Duffell has a great time playing with our expectations. The brief shots of Dominic reflected in a pond or seen as a fleeting phantasm in a meadow are truly haunting.
The original poster art, featuring a skeletal figure clasping a tray holding Peter Cushing's severed head, was a rich enticement for punters fixed on fear.
In "Sweets", Christopher Lee plays an impatient widower whose lovely daughter (Chloe Franks) becomes resentful of his neglect and brutish intolerance, so she sculpts a voodoo doll with which she expresses her distaste for his methods. Franks is a beautiful figure of mischievous evil and delivers one of the greatest child performances in a horror film since Martin Stephens in "The Innocents". This installment is directed with great subtlety and the final outrage, occurring off-screen, is a moment of purest horror.
"Method of Murder" is about a horror novelist (Denholm Elliott) who is menaced by one of his own creations, the creepy Dominic. This episode is striking for its simplicity and stark terror. Dominic may or may not be real, so director Peter Duffell has a great time playing with our expectations. The brief shots of Dominic reflected in a pond or seen as a fleeting phantasm in a meadow are truly haunting.
The original poster art, featuring a skeletal figure clasping a tray holding Peter Cushing's severed head, was a rich enticement for punters fixed on fear.
"That's what's wrong with your present-day horror films... there's no realism."
The_Movie_Cat26 June 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Probably the least successful of the Amicus product up to and possibly including 1973's The Vault of Horror.
A very languid production sees three segments unfold without any real sense of urgency, stars like Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee not doing their best work in a film that's less than their worth. What really throws the film is the fourth segment, dovetailing into the framing story, with Jon Pertwee hamming it up as a comedy vampire.
Most of the Amicus anthologies struggle today with uneven tone and intent, but none more so than here. Although quite amusing (complete with in-joke references to Christopher Lee not being a very good Dracula) it flies at total odds with what's come before. Suddenly a very straight, sombre - dare I say slightly boring? - film climaxes with what amounts to little more than a send-up. The final segment probably works the best but undermines what really amounts to just a so-so movie.
Interestingly, these Amicus pictures were often getting mixed up in the minds of audiences with the far better known and established Hammer Pictures, particularly as stars from Hammer appeared, as here, in Amicus films. This was compounded in 1987 when the BBC made a documentary on Hammer, alluding to the title of this film by calling it "The Studio That Dripped Blood."
A very languid production sees three segments unfold without any real sense of urgency, stars like Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee not doing their best work in a film that's less than their worth. What really throws the film is the fourth segment, dovetailing into the framing story, with Jon Pertwee hamming it up as a comedy vampire.
Most of the Amicus anthologies struggle today with uneven tone and intent, but none more so than here. Although quite amusing (complete with in-joke references to Christopher Lee not being a very good Dracula) it flies at total odds with what's come before. Suddenly a very straight, sombre - dare I say slightly boring? - film climaxes with what amounts to little more than a send-up. The final segment probably works the best but undermines what really amounts to just a so-so movie.
Interestingly, these Amicus pictures were often getting mixed up in the minds of audiences with the far better known and established Hammer Pictures, particularly as stars from Hammer appeared, as here, in Amicus films. This was compounded in 1987 when the BBC made a documentary on Hammer, alluding to the title of this film by calling it "The Studio That Dripped Blood."
One of the finest British horror films
The_Void29 June 2004
Horror omnibus films were popular in the seventies. I'm not very fond of them myself, but this one is an undeniably excellent slice of British horror cinema. The House That Dripped Blood is a horror omnibus, featuring four stories that surround a creepy old house in the country and are being told to a Scotland Yard officer by an estate agent.
This film is headlined by three well known stars of horror cinema; Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Ingrid Pitt, whom horror fans will recognise as one of Lee's co-stars in the greatest British horror film of all time; The Wicker Man.
The first segment of the film, titled "Method For Murder" tells the story of a horror storywriter, whose creation; a strangler named "Dominic" is brought to life by his own imagination. This story builds suspense very well; through his girlfriend, he, and the audience is lead to believe that what he is seeing is a figment of his imagination. This story certainly isn't very original, but it makes up for its lack of originality through the atmosphere it creates and it's final twist; which works incredibly well and came as a genuine surprise.
The second story, titled "Waxworks", stars Peter Cushing and is my least favourite of the four. This tale follows the story of Phillip Grayson (Cushing), a man that discovers a wax museum and decides to venture in. Inside, he discovers a woman that is familiar to him and who we later find out is a murderess. Quite what the woman's relationship with Phillip entailed is never really explained, but the tale relies more on the mystery to build the suspense rather than plot details. Cushing is later joined by his friend, Neville Rogers (played by Joss Ackland) and that's when the tale really starts to pick up. The setting of a waxwork museum full of murderers for a horror film isn't a new idea; the same setting was used to great effect in the excellent 1966 horror film, "Chamber of Horrors". Although the one here isn't as grand as the one in the aforementioned film, the power of the setting is used to no lesser a horrifying effect, much of which is achieved by a feeling of claustrophobia, brought about by the limited area of the museum. Peter Cushing is always interesting to watch, and seeing him avoid an axe-wielding madman is a treat for the horror fan. Despite being my least favourite, this story is still entertaining and interesting enough to not let this anthology down.
The film continues with "Sweets for the Sweet", which is without doubt the best of the omnibus. This story stars the legendary Christopher Lee as a seemingly overprotective father. The beauty of this story comes from the way it is played out. It leaves the audience guessing; we know that there is something wrong with either the father or the daughter, but we don't know who, or what, it is. Christopher Lee, as usual, portrays his character with a great degree of sinisterness; the audience is left to simmer over his actions regarding giving his daughter a doll, and the fact that she isn't allowed to go to school or have any toys. The card of exactly why is held close to the chest until right near the end, epitomised by the truly chilling line in which Lee tells his babysitter that he is, in fact, afraid of his daughter. The ending to this section is superbly played out, in my opinion it's one of the finest endings to any horror story ever told, and will stay with you long after the end credits roll.
The omnibus finishes with "The Cloak", which is definitely the most comedic of the four. This tale is about a hammy horror film star that, unimpressed by his latest film's technical side, goes out and buys himself a cloak. Naturally, this cloak turns out to be a real vampire cloak. Unlike the other three tales, this one seems to be played out mostly for laughs. That is no bad thing however as the majority of the humour is funny and it serves as a nice contrast to the rest of the film. The ending to this tale coincides nicely with the ending to the wraparound story of the film, which is a very sinister yet humorous ending to a very good film. Also, look out for the little jibe regarding Christopher Lee in Dracula. A nice touch, I think.
Overall, if you want a horror omnibus, you really cant go wrong with The House that Dripped Blood. The third tale alone makes the film worthy of your time and this is a very solid horror film indeed.
This film is headlined by three well known stars of horror cinema; Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Ingrid Pitt, whom horror fans will recognise as one of Lee's co-stars in the greatest British horror film of all time; The Wicker Man.
The first segment of the film, titled "Method For Murder" tells the story of a horror storywriter, whose creation; a strangler named "Dominic" is brought to life by his own imagination. This story builds suspense very well; through his girlfriend, he, and the audience is lead to believe that what he is seeing is a figment of his imagination. This story certainly isn't very original, but it makes up for its lack of originality through the atmosphere it creates and it's final twist; which works incredibly well and came as a genuine surprise.
The second story, titled "Waxworks", stars Peter Cushing and is my least favourite of the four. This tale follows the story of Phillip Grayson (Cushing), a man that discovers a wax museum and decides to venture in. Inside, he discovers a woman that is familiar to him and who we later find out is a murderess. Quite what the woman's relationship with Phillip entailed is never really explained, but the tale relies more on the mystery to build the suspense rather than plot details. Cushing is later joined by his friend, Neville Rogers (played by Joss Ackland) and that's when the tale really starts to pick up. The setting of a waxwork museum full of murderers for a horror film isn't a new idea; the same setting was used to great effect in the excellent 1966 horror film, "Chamber of Horrors". Although the one here isn't as grand as the one in the aforementioned film, the power of the setting is used to no lesser a horrifying effect, much of which is achieved by a feeling of claustrophobia, brought about by the limited area of the museum. Peter Cushing is always interesting to watch, and seeing him avoid an axe-wielding madman is a treat for the horror fan. Despite being my least favourite, this story is still entertaining and interesting enough to not let this anthology down.
The film continues with "Sweets for the Sweet", which is without doubt the best of the omnibus. This story stars the legendary Christopher Lee as a seemingly overprotective father. The beauty of this story comes from the way it is played out. It leaves the audience guessing; we know that there is something wrong with either the father or the daughter, but we don't know who, or what, it is. Christopher Lee, as usual, portrays his character with a great degree of sinisterness; the audience is left to simmer over his actions regarding giving his daughter a doll, and the fact that she isn't allowed to go to school or have any toys. The card of exactly why is held close to the chest until right near the end, epitomised by the truly chilling line in which Lee tells his babysitter that he is, in fact, afraid of his daughter. The ending to this section is superbly played out, in my opinion it's one of the finest endings to any horror story ever told, and will stay with you long after the end credits roll.
The omnibus finishes with "The Cloak", which is definitely the most comedic of the four. This tale is about a hammy horror film star that, unimpressed by his latest film's technical side, goes out and buys himself a cloak. Naturally, this cloak turns out to be a real vampire cloak. Unlike the other three tales, this one seems to be played out mostly for laughs. That is no bad thing however as the majority of the humour is funny and it serves as a nice contrast to the rest of the film. The ending to this tale coincides nicely with the ending to the wraparound story of the film, which is a very sinister yet humorous ending to a very good film. Also, look out for the little jibe regarding Christopher Lee in Dracula. A nice touch, I think.
Overall, if you want a horror omnibus, you really cant go wrong with The House that Dripped Blood. The third tale alone makes the film worthy of your time and this is a very solid horror film indeed.
No, I mean I saw him. Just last night before you came back from the theater... And again... just now!
Sylviastel30 July 2020
I saw this on the Movies channel last night. It's quite entertaining about a house in the English countryside. I enjoyed watching Jon Pertwee; Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing in their roles. Pertwee played an actor who has played a vampire in many horror films. Lee played Mr. Reid, a widower and single father of a strange daughter, who moves in with secrets. Nyree Dawn Porter played the girl's tutor. That was quite an episode of horror and built slowly. It was probably my favorite. There was one where a single mature man moves and becomes infatuated with a wax statue at the wax museum in town. It's an entertaining horror film that should be shown around Halloween.
Mediocre quadruple bill
funkyfry21 June 2008
Warning: Spoilers
This is an "anthology" horror film. It's made up of 4 short stories taken from the fiction of Robert Bloch (who wrote for Weird Tales and was personal friends with H.P. Lovecraft, but is most famous for the original story "Psycho"). The quality of the stories is very uneven and I didn't think very much about the film was creepy or horrific at all. It would have been better to do it as a comedy like "Comedy of Terrors." Only the last of the 4 stories was really done in a humorous way, and it's probably the best of them (the one with Ingrid Pitt). I've seen a few of these Amicus anthology films and the only one that was really worth my time was Freddie Francis' "Tales from the Crypt." The anthology style works well for the producers, because it means that they can hire a bunch of "big name" actors, employ them for only one week of shooting or so, and then bring in the next big name. So you essentially pay for 6 weeks of movie star salary but get 5 or 6 different names on the marquee. But that's very unfortunate for the audience, because the audience would like to see some scenes with Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, and Ingrid Pitt actually acting together. Instead they're stuck in these vignettes by themselves. So let's take them one at a time, briefly.
The first story has Denholm Elliot, who does a really admirable job of trying to bring some dignity to his silly role as a writer terrorized by his own character. Unfortunately the actor who plays Dominic, the source of the horror, Tom Adams, just looks silly which ruins any possible horror. There's some hilarious stuff if you want to laugh at it though, like the scene where Dominic kills Elliot's psychiatrist. It's the patented scene where the killer creeps up behind the victim but nobody is watching, so the whole audience is supposed to shout out "LOOK OUT BEHIND YOU!" The second story is the one with Peter Cushing. God I love that man so much. Too bad so many of his films, like this one, pretty much stink. In the story he's supposed to be pining away for a long-lost love, and he sees her likeness in a wax museum. It's a completely predictable story that goes nowhere.
Then you have the bit with Christopher Lee, where he plays the father of a little kid who turns out to be a witch. Again this bit could have been fun if it had been played for laughs. But instead we're supposed to be horrified when Lee slaps the child and surprised when she turns out to be evil. The actress, Chloe Franks, was pretty good in that type of "Bad Seed" role though.
The last story is kind of amusing... Ingrid Pitt plays an actress and Jon Pertwee plays an actor who accidentally buys a vampire cape that turns him into a real vampire. That's about all the story has to offer. I was surprised at how bad Ingrid Pitt's English is, I guess she must have been dubbed in some of the other films I've seen her in.
Not a very memorable film or one that I would recommend to anyone but horror completists.
The first story has Denholm Elliot, who does a really admirable job of trying to bring some dignity to his silly role as a writer terrorized by his own character. Unfortunately the actor who plays Dominic, the source of the horror, Tom Adams, just looks silly which ruins any possible horror. There's some hilarious stuff if you want to laugh at it though, like the scene where Dominic kills Elliot's psychiatrist. It's the patented scene where the killer creeps up behind the victim but nobody is watching, so the whole audience is supposed to shout out "LOOK OUT BEHIND YOU!" The second story is the one with Peter Cushing. God I love that man so much. Too bad so many of his films, like this one, pretty much stink. In the story he's supposed to be pining away for a long-lost love, and he sees her likeness in a wax museum. It's a completely predictable story that goes nowhere.
Then you have the bit with Christopher Lee, where he plays the father of a little kid who turns out to be a witch. Again this bit could have been fun if it had been played for laughs. But instead we're supposed to be horrified when Lee slaps the child and surprised when she turns out to be evil. The actress, Chloe Franks, was pretty good in that type of "Bad Seed" role though.
The last story is kind of amusing... Ingrid Pitt plays an actress and Jon Pertwee plays an actor who accidentally buys a vampire cape that turns him into a real vampire. That's about all the story has to offer. I was surprised at how bad Ingrid Pitt's English is, I guess she must have been dubbed in some of the other films I've seen her in.
Not a very memorable film or one that I would recommend to anyone but horror completists.
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