the hearse (1980)

"Is everyone in Blackford as friendly as you are?"
Jane (Trish Van Devere) decides to move to the country, to her aunts old house. She does so as she desires to get away from it all following the death of her mother, and a recent divorce. Then on her journey to her new life, her car is hit by a hearse, which subsequently fails to stop. This proves only one of many problems that she encounters...especially following the discovery of her aunt's diary.
An old school ghost story, updated to a modern setting, but it doesn't deliver the required atmosphere to really chill.

the fiend (1972)

aka Beware My Brethren.
"God looks after the righteous."
A puritan religious sect, led by the Minister (Patrick Magee), performs its services in Mrs Wemys (Ann Todd) house. She is fully emersed in the needs of the church, and is ever fearful that they will cast out her son Kenny (Tony Beckley). For unfortunately Kenny has taken this religious fanatisism to another level 'cleansing' wrong-doing women in his religious fervor.
Anti-religious tract, that fails to grip, due to its slow pacing. This dissipates what little chills are thrown the audience's way.

tower of evil (1972)

aka Horror of Snape Island. Horror on Snape Island. Beyond the Fog.
"I get feelings of evil from this island."
When a girl (Candace Glendenning) is found on a deserted island, insane and with a number of dead bodies, the police close the case, believing she butchered them all. Intriguingly one of the victims had been run through by an ancient Phoenician spear. So a team of archaeologists are sent to the island, thinking it will yield up more buried treasures, but it yields up more than they have bargained for.
The film can be seen as a bridge between the eerie chiller and the soon to come slasher pic, with a potent mix of chills, gore and sex, but it is only partially successful. Never the less it is entertaining enough 90 minute ride.

the cat and the canary (1978)

"I don't want to be remembered forever."
The heirs to a substantial inheritance gather at the family seat for the reading of the will. But soon they have more pressing things on their minds, when they find out that a maniac killer is on the loose in the area.
Another version of this 1922 stage play, this time starring Honor Blackman, Olivia Hussey, and Edward Fox. It thankfully plays to the strengths of the story, giving us an old style thriller, all be it one with few chills.

crucible of terror (1971)

aka Unholy terror.
"Perhaps if we try another pose."
John Davies (James Bolam) is a desperate art dealer, trying to pursuade a reclusive artist to sell him some of his works. But Victor Clare (Mike Raven), is reluctant to say the least. The artist's son, the dealer and their girlfriends decamp to Cornwall to visit Clare, and the killings start...
A pot boiler, that barely gets up a head of steam, but maintains a certain watchability.

carry on henry (1971)

"Has she been chaste?"
Henry VIII (sid James) eyes up his next conquest, ? (Barbara Windsor). The only problem is that he has just married Marie of Normandy (Joan Sims). To rid himself of this annoying impediment he hits on the idea of getting her to have an affair...
The usual inuendo flows freely: Ok, but there are better.