What seems like a good size school of "Red Herrings" swim past the screen of this very British "who done it?" Although obviously marketed as a lurid school girls in trouble film, under such names as "The Creepers", "Satan's Playthings", "Tower of Terror", "Assault", and "In the Devil's Garden", the movie is not a horror, or sex film, but a fairly decent mystery thriller. By the rather stringent British decency standards, I suppose this pushes the envelope, but overall is very tame. This does not detract from the story, which maintains interest throughout. The acting seems good, however American audiences will struggle with the thick accents. One annoyance is the repetitive and blaring suspense music, but overall the film is totally watchable. - MERK
24 Reviews
British 'Giallo-Lite'
Coventry6 September 2007
During the 60's and 70's when Hammer Studios ruled the industry the vast majority of genre movies that got released in the United Kingdom were either Gothic tales (practically all Hammer films), horror omnibuses (Amicus) or provocative exploitation films (courtesy of Pete Walker & Norman J. Warren). At the same time in Italy, a very different sub genre of horror was extremely popular and overflowing the market; namely the Giallo. This is basically a whodunit type of thriller, interlarded with sleaze, graphic violence and bizarre plot twists. Usually each country stuck to its own specialties, but "Assault" is one of the truly few films crossing the countries' borders of styles. What we have here is a British Giallo, containing all the rudimentary ingredients that define the genre: luscious under aged school girls, rape & strangulation, perverted elderly suspects and a grotesque climax. A vicious rapist dwells the forestry area surrounding an all-girls school building. With one girl dead and another one traumatized for life, the school courageous art teacher Julie (Suzy Kendall) volunteers to act as bait in order for the police to unmask the culprit. There are quite a number of suspects, including the headmistress' uncanny husband and maybe even the helpful police doctor who's friendly with Julie. "Assault" may perhaps feature all the trademarks of a genuine Italian Giallo, it still remains a "light" version of the real thing. The plot is extremely textbook, the red herrings are very transparent and the action sequences are unspectacular and soft. There's very few sex & violence and then still most of it takes place off-screen. Still, the atmosphere is a little disturbing because the girl victims are very young and clearly vulnerable. One sequence is particularly questionable & gratuitous, as it involves a sleaze middle-aged guy fondling a young girl whilst she climbs up a ladder in the library. The most interesting aspect about this film is to witness Italian styles mix with typically British characteristics. Even the most perverted blokes behave very British and talk with a sophisticated yet arrogant tone of voice. Suzy Kendall was probably the best casting choice imaginable, as she played in some actual Italian Giallo highlights such as "The Bird with Crystal Plumage", "Torso" and "Spasmo". It's a remotely interesting cinematic 'marriage' between two nations with solid reputations in the horror genre, but definitely not the best movie in its type.
Interesting British attempt at making a Giallo
The_Void28 June 2006
Assault is apparently a British attempt at emulating the popular Italian Giallo sub-genre. If that is indeed what the filmmakers were aiming for, it has to be said that they've done a rather good job, as Assault incorporates many of the common Giallo trademarks. We've got a killer on the loose, a number of victims, a police investigation, an eyewitness, lots of red herrings and an unknown assailant, among other things. I'd even go as far as to say that if I didn't know better, I might have thought this was an Italian production, set in the UK. It's unfortunate, then, that director Sidney Hayers wasn't able to take the script and craft an exciting mystery out of it, as the film features far too much talking and not enough action, leaving it caught up in boredom for most of the running time. The plot follows the murder of a young girl in the woods outside of her school. When another is found dead in the same way shortly after, the police are brought in. Their only witness is a young teacher, who says the killer looks like the devil and puts herself on the line to catch the psychopath.
One common element of the Italian Giallo is a silly plot, and that has been copied for this film also. The idea regarding the capture of the killer is preposterous, and the murderer would have to be a complete and utter fool to fall for it. The film doesn't seem too keen on keeping itself away from complete farce either, as the climax is very silly and it's often hard to keep a straight face while watching the film unfold, and that's not what you want from a thriller that handles themes of murder and rape. The cast is distinctly British, and Derbyshire-born Giallo star Suzy Kendall, who has also worked with the likes of Dario Argento, Sergio Martino and Umberto Lenzi on Giallo thrillers, takes the lead role and is joined by a host of tea-drinking co-stars. Sidney Hayers' direction is a little turgid at times, although scenes such as the one in which we get an early glimpse of the murderer are well shot. The conclusion to the mystery is disappointing, as the identity of the killer just sort of comes out of nowhere. Overall, this film isn't all that good; but it may appeal to Giallo fans for the fact that it's a Giallo, but it's not Italian.
One common element of the Italian Giallo is a silly plot, and that has been copied for this film also. The idea regarding the capture of the killer is preposterous, and the murderer would have to be a complete and utter fool to fall for it. The film doesn't seem too keen on keeping itself away from complete farce either, as the climax is very silly and it's often hard to keep a straight face while watching the film unfold, and that's not what you want from a thriller that handles themes of murder and rape. The cast is distinctly British, and Derbyshire-born Giallo star Suzy Kendall, who has also worked with the likes of Dario Argento, Sergio Martino and Umberto Lenzi on Giallo thrillers, takes the lead role and is joined by a host of tea-drinking co-stars. Sidney Hayers' direction is a little turgid at times, although scenes such as the one in which we get an early glimpse of the murderer are well shot. The conclusion to the mystery is disappointing, as the identity of the killer just sort of comes out of nowhere. Overall, this film isn't all that good; but it may appeal to Giallo fans for the fact that it's a Giallo, but it's not Italian.
A (Very) British Giallo
lazarillo30 November 2004
Although any number of Italian gialli ("Nude Si Muore", "What Have You Done to Solange?", etc.) were set in Britain and/or were UK co-productions, this film is somewhat unique in that it seems to be a completely British giallo. We're definitely in giallo territory here: There's a vicious rapist-murderer on the loose at a girl's school. There are two witnesses to the murder--one who can't quite remember what she saw (a familiar plot-line in the Italian films)and a previous rape victim who is too traumatized to speak. The lead is Suzy Kendall, who two years earlier had starred in Dario Argento's seminal giallo "The Bird with Crystal Plumage." It's definitely a very British film, however. The cinematography is staid and workman-like compared to the more garish and stylistic Italian films. The plot is fairly linear and logical, at least until the end when the murderer-rapist goes to laughably ridiculous lengths to stop a psychiatrist from giving sodium pentathlon to the traumatized victim to help her recover her memory.
It's not surprising given the famed British aversion to violence (in movies that is)that most of the violence here takes place off-screen. Still it is pretty nasty violence, especially considering the rape angle and the age and gender of the victims. (It's interesting that these kinds of movies never take place at a MEN'S college or in an old age home). The sex and nudity is also pretty non-existent, but it doesn't exactly seem wholesome either the way they have cast sexy twenty year olds as fifteen year olds and dressed them in mini-skirts short enough to get any real schoolgirl expelled. The most lurid scene involves the headmistress's lecherous husband and a student librarian on a ladder. I don't know if it makes it more or less perverse that the "student" is played by Janet Lynn, a British sex star of the period (thus the obvious pseudonym)who had been featured the year before in Pete Walker's naked sex romp "Cool It, Carol". The only really recognizable star though, besides Suzy Kendall, is a young Leslie-Anne Down as the traumatized rape victim. (Despite what an earlier reviewer said, Jenny Agutter is NOT in this movie).
Still if you can get around the leering British hypocrisy, the relative lack of sex and violence, and the fairly low-wattage of the star power, this is actually a pretty entertaining little film, and, if nothing else, an interesting one.
It's not surprising given the famed British aversion to violence (in movies that is)that most of the violence here takes place off-screen. Still it is pretty nasty violence, especially considering the rape angle and the age and gender of the victims. (It's interesting that these kinds of movies never take place at a MEN'S college or in an old age home). The sex and nudity is also pretty non-existent, but it doesn't exactly seem wholesome either the way they have cast sexy twenty year olds as fifteen year olds and dressed them in mini-skirts short enough to get any real schoolgirl expelled. The most lurid scene involves the headmistress's lecherous husband and a student librarian on a ladder. I don't know if it makes it more or less perverse that the "student" is played by Janet Lynn, a British sex star of the period (thus the obvious pseudonym)who had been featured the year before in Pete Walker's naked sex romp "Cool It, Carol". The only really recognizable star though, besides Suzy Kendall, is a young Leslie-Anne Down as the traumatized rape victim. (Despite what an earlier reviewer said, Jenny Agutter is NOT in this movie).
Still if you can get around the leering British hypocrisy, the relative lack of sex and violence, and the fairly low-wattage of the star power, this is actually a pretty entertaining little film, and, if nothing else, an interesting one.
not bad mystery surrounding rapes in woods near an all-girl school; better soundtrack would've helped
FieCrier10 February 2005
I saw Saturn Productions Inc.'s video of this release, retitled The Creepers (the title doesn't make much sense).
It starts with young women leaving a school in uniforms of white shirts a short pinks skirts. One of them takes a shortcut through the woods, where she is chased and then raped underneath overhead electrical lines by someone we do not see. There are several shots from the stalker's point of view.
The woman is hospitalized, still ambulatory but mute and largely unresponsive. A doctor tries to nurse her back. A couple months later, another girl tries cutting through the woods, and she is chased, raped, and killed. A group of girls and an art teacher drive into the woods to look for her. They get stuck in the mud, and when the teacher looks out the back window, she catches a glimpse of someone in the red taillights. She then finds the body of the dead woman.
The teacher thinks the man she caught a glimpse of looked like the devil! She paints a picture of how she saw him. She works with the police to try to identify the man. Meanwhile, the first victim is becoming more responsive, but is still mute. A plan is concocted to flush out the killer...
This was an OK movie. It was hurt by the music. The action scenes all use the same piece of music, which is so inappropriate it almost makes those scenes comical, which is just wrong. While the version I saw was probably cut, I can't imagine what would have led to this movie getting an NC-17 rating. Perhaps the assaults were more graphic; little is shown of them on the video I watched.
After the movie on the video, there's a listing of Saturn Productions' videos, showing the boxcovers for this one and: Circle of Fear, Castle of the Walking Dead AKA Schlangengrube und das Pendel, Die (1967), Demon of the Lake AKA Creature from Black Lake (1976), Night of Horrors (1978), Sinner's Blood (1969), Blade of the Ripper AKA Strano vizio della Signora Wardh, Lo (1970), The Devil Walks at Midnight AKA Plus longue nuit du diable, La (1971), Christmas Evil AKA You Better Watch Out (1980). Several of these are little seen today! Curiously, the illustrated cover for Blade of the Ripper is the same used for the VHS for it still available from another distributor, Alpha. I'm not sure what movie Circle of Fear is; the cover shows a few women standing around a pentagram inside a circle chalked on a floor.
It starts with young women leaving a school in uniforms of white shirts a short pinks skirts. One of them takes a shortcut through the woods, where she is chased and then raped underneath overhead electrical lines by someone we do not see. There are several shots from the stalker's point of view.
The woman is hospitalized, still ambulatory but mute and largely unresponsive. A doctor tries to nurse her back. A couple months later, another girl tries cutting through the woods, and she is chased, raped, and killed. A group of girls and an art teacher drive into the woods to look for her. They get stuck in the mud, and when the teacher looks out the back window, she catches a glimpse of someone in the red taillights. She then finds the body of the dead woman.
The teacher thinks the man she caught a glimpse of looked like the devil! She paints a picture of how she saw him. She works with the police to try to identify the man. Meanwhile, the first victim is becoming more responsive, but is still mute. A plan is concocted to flush out the killer...
This was an OK movie. It was hurt by the music. The action scenes all use the same piece of music, which is so inappropriate it almost makes those scenes comical, which is just wrong. While the version I saw was probably cut, I can't imagine what would have led to this movie getting an NC-17 rating. Perhaps the assaults were more graphic; little is shown of them on the video I watched.
After the movie on the video, there's a listing of Saturn Productions' videos, showing the boxcovers for this one and: Circle of Fear, Castle of the Walking Dead AKA Schlangengrube und das Pendel, Die (1967), Demon of the Lake AKA Creature from Black Lake (1976), Night of Horrors (1978), Sinner's Blood (1969), Blade of the Ripper AKA Strano vizio della Signora Wardh, Lo (1970), The Devil Walks at Midnight AKA Plus longue nuit du diable, La (1971), Christmas Evil AKA You Better Watch Out (1980). Several of these are little seen today! Curiously, the illustrated cover for Blade of the Ripper is the same used for the VHS for it still available from another distributor, Alpha. I'm not sure what movie Circle of Fear is; the cover shows a few women standing around a pentagram inside a circle chalked on a floor.
packed with red herrings and starring Suzy Kendall
christopher-underwood28 November 2009
Not particularly explicit and barely any blood, this is nevertheless packed with red herrings and starring Suzy Kendall, so the fact that this is pretty much a British giallo does not come as such a surprise. Sleazy subject matter, schoolgirls getting raped in the woods behind the school and poor old Lesley-Anne Down gets it twice, although I reckon they used the same footage twice. Even so this starts at quite a pace with not just one girl chased through those woods but almost immediately afterwards another. The rest of the film is more a who-dun-it but keeps the attention and if some are under performing, like the very poor offering from Frank Finlay (never knew he was that small!) the rest acquit themselves well enough.
Probably Doesn't Hold Up Today
Theo Robertson15 October 2004
Warning: Spoilers
In 1977 ITV had a " Late night adult movie season " on Monday nights . There's two things you have to consider
1 ) Late night in British TV terms in those days meant 10.30 pm . Up until the mid 1980s TV stations would close about 12.30 am
2 ) Adult movies shown on television were a world removed from the gore and exploitation seen in video nasties of the early 1980s
!!!! MILD SPOILERS !!!!
Seeing as these movies were on too late for me I never got to see any of the movies scheduled in this slot with the exception of ASSUALT , though I did read up on what movie was being shown via the TV Times . With the exception of NO BLADE OF GRASS every movie shown seemed to be about a serial killer and this movie is little different , which is a pity since the opening gives the impression that it's going to be a supernatural horror where schoolgirls are being murdered by a demon stalking the woods near the local school . The first third fools the audience into thinking that this indeed is a horror film featuring a demon but then it settles down into a whodunnit as to who the sexual predator is
I saw the movie again in the early 1980s and was bitterly disappointed with it . It's not a movie that holds up to repeated viewing if memory serves me right , it has several red herrings like a woman thinks she's being stalked but it turns out to be a police bodyguard and contrived where the villain is caught because he stands beside a red light and justice is dispersed because he chose a bloody stupid escape route
To sum up I have to agree with the person who said this is typical of British movies of the late 60s / early 70s . It's very similar to THE BEAST IN THE CELLAR . Once you know what the plot is it's a very flat movie
1 ) Late night in British TV terms in those days meant 10.30 pm . Up until the mid 1980s TV stations would close about 12.30 am
2 ) Adult movies shown on television were a world removed from the gore and exploitation seen in video nasties of the early 1980s
!!!! MILD SPOILERS !!!!
Seeing as these movies were on too late for me I never got to see any of the movies scheduled in this slot with the exception of ASSUALT , though I did read up on what movie was being shown via the TV Times . With the exception of NO BLADE OF GRASS every movie shown seemed to be about a serial killer and this movie is little different , which is a pity since the opening gives the impression that it's going to be a supernatural horror where schoolgirls are being murdered by a demon stalking the woods near the local school . The first third fools the audience into thinking that this indeed is a horror film featuring a demon but then it settles down into a whodunnit as to who the sexual predator is
I saw the movie again in the early 1980s and was bitterly disappointed with it . It's not a movie that holds up to repeated viewing if memory serves me right , it has several red herrings like a woman thinks she's being stalked but it turns out to be a police bodyguard and contrived where the villain is caught because he stands beside a red light and justice is dispersed because he chose a bloody stupid escape route
To sum up I have to agree with the person who said this is typical of British movies of the late 60s / early 70s . It's very similar to THE BEAST IN THE CELLAR . Once you know what the plot is it's a very flat movie
Assault(The Creepers)
Scarecrow-8810 June 2007
Warning: Spoilers
A hideous rape to a lovely young teen girl heading home through the woods after exiting her all-girls-school opens this adult British mystery thriller. Soon, the one responsible for the rape will strike again, this time killing the second victim. Although this time the man gets sloppy as an Art teacher, Julie West(the beautiful Suzy Kendall)drives her car, with other students inside the back seat, into the forest on the main road finding him hovering over the dead student's body. Her description is hazy because of the light reflecting on his face. She still poses a threat, but not as so as the first victim, Tessa(Lesley-Anne Down)whose so traumatized she's borderline catatonic. Several possible suspects are served to us such as Dr. Greg Lomax(James Laurenson)who is trying to mentally assist Tessa back to health, Dr. Bartell(Anthony Ainley), and the headmistresses husband(Leslie Sanford;who is often shown peering at girls' legs, up their skirts and carries a lustful gaze). Det Chief Velyan(Frank Finlay)will reluctantly agree to allow Julie to make artistic renditions of a possible murderer, placed in the newspaper of a dogged reporter(Freddie Jones, underneath a large hat and sunshades)to flush the killer out of hiding. Here is when the danger towards Julie..and Tessa..increases as someone will obviously attempt to silence the voices that can put him away.
I watched this film under a low-quality VHS print under the title, "The Creepers" and must say I liked it. I've noticed many label this a British giallo and that's a pretty good assessment I must say. It shows poor Tessa get her shirt and bra viciously torn off, nude photos of naked girls found by the headmistress possibly implicating her vile husband who will not hide his lust for young nubile flesh. The music was a bit loud, often melodramatically overlapping key moments of dialogue like when Julie was being interviewed by Lomax in the police car. I liked Kendall as Julie, quite a strong female heroine performance as she must contend with the fact that this killer is at large and could be just about anyone. The opening chase scenes through the woods as a killer stalked his two victims is dazzling and frightening at the same time. Tense final revelation where the killer reveals himself to be quite an important man in society while chasing poor Tessa, who has trouble even speaking or responding to anything, is a fine conclusion as Julie tries to save her as she is being raped yet again.
I watched this film under a low-quality VHS print under the title, "The Creepers" and must say I liked it. I've noticed many label this a British giallo and that's a pretty good assessment I must say. It shows poor Tessa get her shirt and bra viciously torn off, nude photos of naked girls found by the headmistress possibly implicating her vile husband who will not hide his lust for young nubile flesh. The music was a bit loud, often melodramatically overlapping key moments of dialogue like when Julie was being interviewed by Lomax in the police car. I liked Kendall as Julie, quite a strong female heroine performance as she must contend with the fact that this killer is at large and could be just about anyone. The opening chase scenes through the woods as a killer stalked his two victims is dazzling and frightening at the same time. Tense final revelation where the killer reveals himself to be quite an important man in society while chasing poor Tessa, who has trouble even speaking or responding to anything, is a fine conclusion as Julie tries to save her as she is being raped yet again.
Have not seen this in a very, very long time.
MuggySphere23 January 2009
Warning: Spoilers
And I have to change my score from 7 to 6. It's been quite some time since I saw this film under the same title on an old VHS from my local video library. That was some 20 odd years ago.
Some scenes seem different to me now. The rapes are vivid and quite alarming, and they don't look like they have changed those scenes at all since last viewing this. Leslie Anne Down did a marvelous job of playing Tessa the first victim who can not speak or, do much else after being attacked. Understandable of course.
There is one scene I remember, even from my first viewing of this of a girl in the school library and the headmistress' sleazy husband. She asks him to, and I quote "could you steady me?" I'm thinking this translates to helping her stand on the chair. But he holds her with both hands on her waist, and as she stands then proceeds to move his hands along the curve of her hips and then push her skirt up... You see that in the scene then as his hand gets high they cut to her face with her looking down with a puzzling expression. It looks like a half smile on her face, as if she either doesn't care what is going on or might even like it. Anyway the scene is gross...
Overall the movie tries to be serious, the only serious part is what happens to poor Tessaa played by Lesley Ann Down.... In the end the rapist finds her again right before the film ends but he is dispatched in the most silly manner that I can recall ever seeing.
So after watching this today I don't think I'd give it another go. Pass and put this DVD in the bin.
Some scenes seem different to me now. The rapes are vivid and quite alarming, and they don't look like they have changed those scenes at all since last viewing this. Leslie Anne Down did a marvelous job of playing Tessa the first victim who can not speak or, do much else after being attacked. Understandable of course.
There is one scene I remember, even from my first viewing of this of a girl in the school library and the headmistress' sleazy husband. She asks him to, and I quote "could you steady me?" I'm thinking this translates to helping her stand on the chair. But he holds her with both hands on her waist, and as she stands then proceeds to move his hands along the curve of her hips and then push her skirt up... You see that in the scene then as his hand gets high they cut to her face with her looking down with a puzzling expression. It looks like a half smile on her face, as if she either doesn't care what is going on or might even like it. Anyway the scene is gross...
Overall the movie tries to be serious, the only serious part is what happens to poor Tessaa played by Lesley Ann Down.... In the end the rapist finds her again right before the film ends but he is dispatched in the most silly manner that I can recall ever seeing.
So after watching this today I don't think I'd give it another go. Pass and put this DVD in the bin.
Good period chiller reminds me of the forgotten "I start counting".
biggee8 May 2004
The film is typical of its time, with the lighting, camera work and fashion giving a clear indication of 1969 to 1971 British cinema.
It is not scary, but there is reasonable suspense and enjoyment.
My main reason for commenting is has anyone else noticed the very strong similarities with the brilliant (but sadly never shown) "I start counting"?
There is the same fashion, the similar colour technique which is surprising given this is Eastman and "I start" is De Luxe, an emphasis on short skirts, an unknown serial assailant who is revealed at the end but throughout most of the film the viewers attention is diverted to other suspects. There is also the woods where the events take place; the atmosphere in the woodland scenes is very similar. Finally, there is a young and good looking central character in both, Lesley-Anne Down and Jenny Agutter
Watch the film if you enjoy late 60's, early 70's Britain and a bit of suspense.
It is not scary, but there is reasonable suspense and enjoyment.
My main reason for commenting is has anyone else noticed the very strong similarities with the brilliant (but sadly never shown) "I start counting"?
There is the same fashion, the similar colour technique which is surprising given this is Eastman and "I start" is De Luxe, an emphasis on short skirts, an unknown serial assailant who is revealed at the end but throughout most of the film the viewers attention is diverted to other suspects. There is also the woods where the events take place; the atmosphere in the woodland scenes is very similar. Finally, there is a young and good looking central character in both, Lesley-Anne Down and Jenny Agutter
Watch the film if you enjoy late 60's, early 70's Britain and a bit of suspense.
Below average mystery fodder.
emm14 December 1998
If you like to see cute, cuddly schoolgirls getting raped in a special gentle way, then this is it! If you greatly admire a nice young Lesley-Anne Down being half-mute, then this is it! If you like obscure movies with acting that compares to an Orson Welles picture, then this is it! So what's not it? A movie that lures men into the seductive world of muddled mystery dramas like this one. Its B-budget production values and uninteresting clues won't deserve much further attention. The end is too predictable, to say the least. Real soft in a way, but overall, this one didn't hold my interest for long. Only if you like mini-skirts and knee-high socks. Also released as SATAN'S PLAYTHINGS.
Very alert, very dynamic!
RodrigAndrisan11 June 2020
Suzy Kendall, another love of my youth and always! Admired in "To Sir, with Love" (1967), "The Penthouse" (1967), "Up the Junction" (1968), and especially in the fascinating role in "Fraulein Doktor" (1969) and in "Fear Is the Key"(1972). One of the most beautiful women ever and extraordinary actress in "The Penthouse", her best and most complex role in a movie. This "Devil's Garden"(1971)Assault (original title) is not bad but not great either. Frank Finlay is good as a cop, and Freddie Jones is even better as a journalist. Lesley-Anne Down, the later beauty from movies like "Brannigan" (1975), "Sphinx" (1981) and especially "Hanover Street" (1979), here very very young, just a
teenager, is full of sexuality already.
A little less than mediocre
KDWms4 April 2003
Too much talk and too little of the right kind of action, for me. But the talk is delivered capably; the sex is maximally restrained; and the gore is maturely, practically non-existent. The police in this story believably - albeit boringly - strive to come up with the identity of who, among a few possibilities, is the rapist? You're gonna hafta rent the movie to find out. That would be OK if it doesn't cost very much. But buy it only if that does not exceed the price of renting. My impression was: a little less than mediocre.
Kinky Little Schoolgirls
Sargebri8 February 2003
I haven't seen this film in years, but from what I remember of it, it was a pretty good movie. The only thing that I think might be a little politically incorrect is the fact that the a few of the girls are pretty much seen as teases, especially in the scene in which the headmistress' husband fondles one of the girls as she stands on top of a stool. This scene is a little disturbing, especially when you consider the film was made in 1971. No wonder this film was mainly shown very late at night when the kiddies were asleep.
Carry on in the woods
malcolmgsw29 January 2021
Surprised to see that this was a Peter Rogers production.Maybe if he had gotten Gerald Thoma to direct we could have had some laughs.Instead this is a limp lethargic thriller which long outstays it's welcome.The climax is out of The Spiral Staircase.Now there was a classy thriller.
Salacious yet by-the-numbers Brit effort
Red-Barracuda6 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This thriller is often categorized as a British giallo. This is not entirely unreasonable, even if it does lack the style and gory mayhem of those Italian movies. In this one there is a murderous rapist on the prowl in the woods adjacent to a girl's school. One of the teachers half-see's him and becomes one of his targets as a consequence.
You can probably detect from the synopsis that this does operate in giallo territory and it even also features the sort of ridiculous plot developments that those films had, such as the idea of featuring an imagined painting of the culprit in the local paper - except of course the painting looks exactly like Satan! How this exactly will be helpful in catching the killer is never fully explained. The story also includes a stock list of typical characters, such as an inept police officer who almost winds up letting the heroine die when he is distracted by a dog, a paedophile school caretaker and an aggressively annoying newspaper reporter who physically harasses the heroine. Needless to say, this is not a politically correct film at all by today's standards. That does naturally give it some interest value nowadays but it is let down a bit by its routine nature, with several male suspects so obviously not the killer that they might as well have been called Rod Herring and despite all this the real villain of the piece turns out to be a pretty easy to spot culprit; even if that individual's demise was pleasingly bizarre. Plus points do have to be given for the cast though, with the likes of Frank Finlay, Freddie Jones and the always great Suzy Kendall adding a lot. Watch out too for a hilarious cameo from David Essex. Salacious but routine Brit effort.
You can probably detect from the synopsis that this does operate in giallo territory and it even also features the sort of ridiculous plot developments that those films had, such as the idea of featuring an imagined painting of the culprit in the local paper - except of course the painting looks exactly like Satan! How this exactly will be helpful in catching the killer is never fully explained. The story also includes a stock list of typical characters, such as an inept police officer who almost winds up letting the heroine die when he is distracted by a dog, a paedophile school caretaker and an aggressively annoying newspaper reporter who physically harasses the heroine. Needless to say, this is not a politically correct film at all by today's standards. That does naturally give it some interest value nowadays but it is let down a bit by its routine nature, with several male suspects so obviously not the killer that they might as well have been called Rod Herring and despite all this the real villain of the piece turns out to be a pretty easy to spot culprit; even if that individual's demise was pleasingly bizarre. Plus points do have to be given for the cast though, with the likes of Frank Finlay, Freddie Jones and the always great Suzy Kendall adding a lot. Watch out too for a hilarious cameo from David Essex. Salacious but routine Brit effort.
Six Characters In Search Of An Actor
writers_reign19 September 2016
Warning: Spoilers
This is almost unbelievable in its ineptitude. You get the feeling that some student, about a week into a course on programming has programmed a computer to write a thriller and detailed a few components; lots of vulnerable teenage girls wearing mini-skirts and stupid enough to walk through woods alone even after one of them is traumatised by a rapist;risible red herrings, a totally unrealistic newspaper reporter, and then, when it gets down to the actual writing the computer turns out to be both dyslexic and autistic. It's mind-boggling that actors like Freddy Jones and Frank Finlay can contrive to act like sub-Alan Lake and that the actual killer should be wheeled out in the last ten minutes with no preparation. Total RUBBISH!
Interesting but not great - similar to a number of British Thrillers 1967 1972
Battery_Park22 December 2014
Warning: Spoilers
The film, looks, sounds, 'feels' exactly typical of its period. The colour, camera angles, use of music, are similar to other films, particularly The Strange Affair, All neat in black stockings, Fright and, as biggee writes, in another review, the brilliant, almost forgotten, I start counting.
Similarly the portrayal of young girls as provocative 'sex objects' without any hint of embarrassment, discernment or question, and that's not a criticism, that's what life was like - at least certainly at my school.
Reasonable acting, I do like the period fashions and behaviours and cars and would watch it just for that. There are plenty of red herrings but, slight spoiler coming, if you look with care when Suzy Kendall sees the murderer in her car's rear view mirror - you only get a split second glimpse, you can see who the murderer is.
Similarly the portrayal of young girls as provocative 'sex objects' without any hint of embarrassment, discernment or question, and that's not a criticism, that's what life was like - at least certainly at my school.
Reasonable acting, I do like the period fashions and behaviours and cars and would watch it just for that. There are plenty of red herrings but, slight spoiler coming, if you look with care when Suzy Kendall sees the murderer in her car's rear view mirror - you only get a split second glimpse, you can see who the murderer is.
Moderately Watchable British Giallo
acidburn-1013 January 2023
'Assault' is a fairly effective 70's British Giallo inspired flick with a grim and dire atmosphere, plenty of voyeuristic sleaze and a few genuinely tense moments. Despite a promising and quite disturbing opening scene, the middle part falls flat as it becomes more of a police drama with an easy to figure whodunit aspect that fails to surprise, but the movie is fairly well made with decent acting performances and a memorable finale that helps this rise above mediocrity.
The plot begins with a schoolgirl Tessa Hurst (Lesley Ann Down) getting attacked and raped in the woods after she leaves school by an unseen assailant and a couple of days later another girl is murdered from the same school. Detective Velyan (Frank Finlay) is on the case and attempts to solve the case before the killer strikes again.
The movie is fairly entertaining but could have done with a tighter pace and perhaps could have done with a bit more visual style like the other giallo's flicks from this period. The police procedural elements are a little flat and the cinematography isn't very engaging, but like I said the frantic finale does rank up the tension when its needed, but the movie could have done with more of that sprinkled throughout as everything else just feels very basic.
The acting performances are strong here with Suzy Kendall making for a fine leading lady and is always a joy to watch in these types of flicks. James Laurenson provides an interesting and strong performance as the psychiatrist and Frank Finlay gives a strong and much needed presence to the flick.
Overall 'Assault' is a moderately entertaining British thriller even if the Giallo elements are weak, but the strong cast and a few memorable sequences makes it at least watchable.
The plot begins with a schoolgirl Tessa Hurst (Lesley Ann Down) getting attacked and raped in the woods after she leaves school by an unseen assailant and a couple of days later another girl is murdered from the same school. Detective Velyan (Frank Finlay) is on the case and attempts to solve the case before the killer strikes again.
The movie is fairly entertaining but could have done with a tighter pace and perhaps could have done with a bit more visual style like the other giallo's flicks from this period. The police procedural elements are a little flat and the cinematography isn't very engaging, but like I said the frantic finale does rank up the tension when its needed, but the movie could have done with more of that sprinkled throughout as everything else just feels very basic.
The acting performances are strong here with Suzy Kendall making for a fine leading lady and is always a joy to watch in these types of flicks. James Laurenson provides an interesting and strong performance as the psychiatrist and Frank Finlay gives a strong and much needed presence to the flick.
Overall 'Assault' is a moderately entertaining British thriller even if the Giallo elements are weak, but the strong cast and a few memorable sequences makes it at least watchable.
Assault (AKA 'Molested', AKA 'In the Devil's Garden')
Milk_Tray_Guy22 January 2022
Little-seen (these days) British attempt at a giallo horror-thriller, starring Suzy Kendall (star of several Italian giallos), Frank Finlay, Freddie Jones, and introducing Lesley-Anne Down and James Laurenson. A schoolgirl is attacked and raped whilst taking a shortcut through woods after school. Soon after, a second girl is raped, and this time murdered. A police Chief Supt. (Finlay) teams-up with a psychiatric doctor (Laurenson), a local journalist (Jones), and the school's art teacher (Kendall) to find the killer before he can strike again.
The film's achieved a certain notoriety over the years, mainly due to its juxtaposition of sexual assault/murder, and nubile, innocent schoolgirl victims - although by today's standards it's pretty tame in its execution. The performances are good. Aside from those already mentioned, viewers of a certain age will recognise a host of reliable UK TV faces. Tony Beckley is especially noteworthy as the sleazeball husband of the school's headmistress, who isn't adverse to 'feeling up' the girls when opportunities arise. It's produced by Peter Rogers, better known as producer of the Carry On films. Director Sidney Hayers does a sound job - especially with two thrilling foot chases through the woods. The score is terrific, courtesy of Eric Rogers (no relation to Peter, but likewise better known for the Carry On series). The whole thing is well put-together. And whilst the reveal of the killer isn't exactly unexpected, it's an enjoyable ride getting there. 7.5/10.
The film's achieved a certain notoriety over the years, mainly due to its juxtaposition of sexual assault/murder, and nubile, innocent schoolgirl victims - although by today's standards it's pretty tame in its execution. The performances are good. Aside from those already mentioned, viewers of a certain age will recognise a host of reliable UK TV faces. Tony Beckley is especially noteworthy as the sleazeball husband of the school's headmistress, who isn't adverse to 'feeling up' the girls when opportunities arise. It's produced by Peter Rogers, better known as producer of the Carry On films. Director Sidney Hayers does a sound job - especially with two thrilling foot chases through the woods. The score is terrific, courtesy of Eric Rogers (no relation to Peter, but likewise better known for the Carry On series). The whole thing is well put-together. And whilst the reveal of the killer isn't exactly unexpected, it's an enjoyable ride getting there. 7.5/10.
The most inept police in movie history.
mark.waltz21 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
A rape victim in the woods followed by a rape and murder leads to a full investigation of who the culprit is, as well as security measures taken at the school where the victims were students. A student is made a decoy, and the police officer assigned to her makes her drive to the woods where she pretends to be sleeping in her car and he looks on from the shrubbery in the distance. He doesn't even see someone entering the car and attempting to strangle the girl, and then basically ends up with a slap on the wrist.
This film is insipid in so many ways that I lost count. There is a ridiculously obnoxious reporter trying to break into the rape victims house, promising her payment for her story and basically stalking around the outside house even after it gets dark. He seems to be enabled by the police department to do this, making me wonder who hires these horrible officers.
The only interesting fact about this outside the eerie outdoor photography is the presence of Lesley Anne Downe in her film debut as the rape victim who survives, and Sheila Hancock as a supportive teacher. The very masculine headmistress has a pervert of a husband who is allowed by several students to feel them up in the library, and when she finds some nude photos in his toolbox, he hysterically just walks away from her as she screams at him from the distance. This is definitely one of the worst British thrillers ever made, hideously bad incomplete concept and a mess as far as realism is concerned. I wouldn't recommend this school as a girl's reformatory, and the police make the Keystone Cops look like the FBI.
This film is insipid in so many ways that I lost count. There is a ridiculously obnoxious reporter trying to break into the rape victims house, promising her payment for her story and basically stalking around the outside house even after it gets dark. He seems to be enabled by the police department to do this, making me wonder who hires these horrible officers.
The only interesting fact about this outside the eerie outdoor photography is the presence of Lesley Anne Downe in her film debut as the rape victim who survives, and Sheila Hancock as a supportive teacher. The very masculine headmistress has a pervert of a husband who is allowed by several students to feel them up in the library, and when she finds some nude photos in his toolbox, he hysterically just walks away from her as she screams at him from the distance. This is definitely one of the worst British thrillers ever made, hideously bad incomplete concept and a mess as far as realism is concerned. I wouldn't recommend this school as a girl's reformatory, and the police make the Keystone Cops look like the FBI.
Before Britney Spears...
Lurkerbunny25 June 2005
Warning: Spoilers
... not to mention before political correctness too. This could never be made today because now we know rape is about power, not sex. But in this film, it's all about sex, sex, sex. It's the original schoolgirl fetish film, a precursor to those Japanese tentacle films, except without tentacles.
If you've read the summary, you'd know some pervert is raping schoolgirls in the woods. And killing some too. Why one girl goes through the woods directly after the first rape I dunno. Anyway it's a big mystery, and every guy is a suspect. This film has a lot of alternate titles, mostly dealing with Satan because the schoolteacher who saw the perpetrator said he "looked like Satan". Lesley Anne-Down (or however you spell it) is the lovely and barely legal (17 at the time) first victim.
Okay, you've read this far, you know there's a spoiler warning, you must really wanna know something. Like who did it. It was Anthony Ainley's character. Yup. The old Master himself is the evil rapist. Who's really surprised, huh? Now excuse me, I think I'll go hop a TARDIS back to 1971 and stand in the woods while wearing a schoolgirl outfit. Aww yeah.
If you've read the summary, you'd know some pervert is raping schoolgirls in the woods. And killing some too. Why one girl goes through the woods directly after the first rape I dunno. Anyway it's a big mystery, and every guy is a suspect. This film has a lot of alternate titles, mostly dealing with Satan because the schoolteacher who saw the perpetrator said he "looked like Satan". Lesley Anne-Down (or however you spell it) is the lovely and barely legal (17 at the time) first victim.
Okay, you've read this far, you know there's a spoiler warning, you must really wanna know something. Like who did it. It was Anthony Ainley's character. Yup. The old Master himself is the evil rapist. Who's really surprised, huh? Now excuse me, I think I'll go hop a TARDIS back to 1971 and stand in the woods while wearing a schoolgirl outfit. Aww yeah.
In the Devil's Garden
BandSAboutMovies13 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Yes, I know, this isn't an Italian movie, so some think it can't be a giallo. It may also be closer to a slasher. But seeing as how Suzy Kendall is in it, let's consider it.
Also known in the U. S. as the more giallo-feeling title In the Devil's Garden, this starts as Tessa Hurst (Lesley Anne-Down) being attacked and raped. The act damages her so much that she loses her voice and is placed under the care of Dr. Greg Lomax (James Laurenson).
When a second student named Susan (Anabel Littledale) is assaulted and murdered, art teacher Julie West (Kendall) decides that she will offer herself as bait for the killer with help from a reporter (Freddie Jones). She's pretty brave, because whoever did it seems to have glowing red eyes and looks like some kind of demonic force as it carries away Susan's body.
Based on The Ravine by Kendal Young (actually Canadian writer Phyllis Bretty Young), this was directed by Sidney Hayers (Deadly Strangers, Burn Witch Burn) and written by John Kruse. It was produced by Carry On... producer Peter Rogers and the school was also the setting for Carry on Camping.
Speaking of alternate titles, when this played in the U. S. as In the Devil's Garden, it was as part of a double feature with The Devil's Nightmare and billed as a Devil Double Feature.
When it played on American TV, it was under the title Tower of Terror, which refers to the electrical title where the assaults happen.
Even stranger, in 1980 - nine years after it was made and years after it aired on TV - it came back to drive-ins as Satan's Playthings along with an ad campaign that promises three women who are under the thrall of Lucifer.
If that's not enough, it also played as Molested and The Creepers.
Also known in the U. S. as the more giallo-feeling title In the Devil's Garden, this starts as Tessa Hurst (Lesley Anne-Down) being attacked and raped. The act damages her so much that she loses her voice and is placed under the care of Dr. Greg Lomax (James Laurenson).
When a second student named Susan (Anabel Littledale) is assaulted and murdered, art teacher Julie West (Kendall) decides that she will offer herself as bait for the killer with help from a reporter (Freddie Jones). She's pretty brave, because whoever did it seems to have glowing red eyes and looks like some kind of demonic force as it carries away Susan's body.
Based on The Ravine by Kendal Young (actually Canadian writer Phyllis Bretty Young), this was directed by Sidney Hayers (Deadly Strangers, Burn Witch Burn) and written by John Kruse. It was produced by Carry On... producer Peter Rogers and the school was also the setting for Carry on Camping.
Speaking of alternate titles, when this played in the U. S. as In the Devil's Garden, it was as part of a double feature with The Devil's Nightmare and billed as a Devil Double Feature.
When it played on American TV, it was under the title Tower of Terror, which refers to the electrical title where the assaults happen.
Even stranger, in 1980 - nine years after it was made and years after it aired on TV - it came back to drive-ins as Satan's Playthings along with an ad campaign that promises three women who are under the thrall of Lucifer.
If that's not enough, it also played as Molested and The Creepers.
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