Starring Roy Scheider, Helen Waren, Robert Milli, Margot Hartman, Hugh Franklin
Directed by Del Tenney
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
In 19th century New England, a cruel landowner dies, but warns his heirs that his spirit will hunt them down and murder them if they don't abide by the conditions of his will.
Del Tenney, probably best known for his horror-musical
The Horror Of Party Beach, also made this horror film which is quite different, a stark period piece with victims being stalked on the grounds of a New England estate. Scheider, later to star in
Jaws, is the standout among a cast I was largely unfamiliar with, playing a smarmy drunkard who gets quite the showcase. The horror scenes are generally well done, with a variety of attacks built around the characters' worst fears, and are broken up by the comic relief of a rotund constable who bumbles his way through trying to protect the family. Although suitably unique from other fare of the time, the film is somewhat slow moving and not very involving with most of the main characters being unsympathetic. Nevertheless, it's a good try by Tenney and has some worthwhile dark atmosphere.
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