1.12.10

cry of the banshee (1970)


"Don't you know this house is cursed? You are cursed, and Edward's cursed, and everybody's cursed."
In Elizabethan England, the thoroughly unlikable Lord Edward Whitman (Vincent Price) earns the emnity of Oona (Elisabeth Bergner), the leader of a coven of witches, when he has her coven killed. In retaliation she calls forth a demon bent on exacting revenge on the Whitman family.
Treading a similar path as Witchfinder General, with Price playing a familiar character, and having a fine time doing so, hamming it up with aplomb. His prescence lifts a mundaine suspence piece up a level.

La noche de Walpurgis (1971)


aka The werewolf vs vampire woman. Blood Moon.
"We should not have opened the coffin."
Elvira (Gaby Fuchs) and Genevieve (Barbara Capell) are searching for the lost tomb of a medieval tyrant and possible vampire, Countess Wandessa. They soon come across a castle ownened by Waldemar Daninsky (Paul Naschy). He invites them to stay and shows Elvira the countesses tomb. She accidentally brings the vampire back to life, (or should that be death?) Meanwhile Daninsky has a secret of his own...
After a promising opening salvo, this rapidly slows down, and is only very occassionally enlivened by some vamp, or werewolf activity. Unfortunately not enough to sustain any level of interest.

29.11.10

communion (1976)


aka Alice Sweet Alice. Holy Terror
"You're going to be the prettiest girl there."
Just before her first holy communion, Karen Spages (Linda Miller) is found murdered. Suspicion falls on Alice (Paula Sheppard), Karen's often overlooked, sullen and anger prone older sister. But is a twelve year old girl really capable of such savagery? As further murders are committed people become more and more convinced Alice is behind them. With only her mother believing in her innocence.
Engaging suspence-horror, that would have been much better if the Alice character had been nicer. As it was, she was an annoying brat, and as such I didn't care much one way or another whether or not she did or didn't do the crimes.

28.11.10

not of this earth (1957)


"I came for a transfusion of blood."
Johnson (Paul Birch) is a mysterious gentleman, of few words, who turns up at a doctors demanding a blood transfusion. When the doctor refuses without knowing more about his medical history Johnson reveals he has no blood! Once he recieves his transfusion Johnson hires the nurse (Beverley Garland) to continue his treatment. Meanwhile we find out Johnson is actually an alien sent to try and save his dying race by taking over the world.
Film that suffers slightly from uneven pacing, due to the talkyness of the script, but is otherwise a fine low budget alien invasion flick; and all for the price of some contact lenses and a large rubber bat type creature.

the shuttered room (1967)


aka Blood Island.
"You've left the door unlocked again!"
Susannah Kelton (Carol Lynley) inherits a millhouse on the New England coast, her childhood home. Arriving in the village they soon encounter the less than welcoming locals including ? (Oliver Reed), a local thug. All advise them not to venture onto the property and that there's nothing but demon's live there. Of course they disregard such advice...
Interesting film, that entertained but never caught my imagination, lacking suspence and any level of horror.

chamber of horrors (1966)


"But you're dead!"
Three businessmen, who run a house of wax, help in the capture of the serial killer Jason Cravette (Patrick O'Neal). Cravette is sentenced to hang, but dies in a freak accident, In fact Cravette only loses a hand, and free to stalk again, decides to take revenge on those that helped put him away.
A nicely realised period piece horror, which features a Fear Flasher and Horror Horn gimmick, much like William Castle was want to use.

night of fear (1972)


Two years before the Texas Chainsaw Massacre came this, arguably Australia's first horror flick. It concerns a backwoods character ((Norman Yemm) who kidnaps women who stray too close to his shack and subsequently tortures them. Don't expect much in the way of plot development, or much of anything other than, woman gets lost, woman gets chased, woman is tortured. Also although there are some shocks along the way, strangely there is no dialogue in this uneven horror, which adds to the disconnection from the film.

virgin witch (1972)


aka Lesbian twins.
"I won't let you down."
Christina (Ann Michelle) sees an advert recruiting aspiring models and decide to chance her arm. The woman behind the ad Sybil (Patricia Haines) sends her on a shoot to an old castle, and her Christina's sister Betty (Vicki Michelle) decides to chaperone. All seems idyllic enough, but unfortunately for them its a ruse to obtain virgins for a witch's coven.
Vaguely entertaining low budget horror, this film gives plenty of nudity, but none of the chills it promises. Also how did they expect the audience to believe that this uninhibited pair would still be virgins; that pushes suspension of disbelief beyond breaking point!