Starring Eric Porter, Angharad Rees, Jane Merrow, Keith Bell, Derek Godfrey
Directed by Peter Sasdy
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
The unknown daughter of Jack The Ripper, after committing a shocking murder of her own, is taken into the care of a doctor experimenting with the new technique of psychoanalysis.
A terrific premise, fine acting, and good production values highlight this 1970's picture from Britain's Hammer Films, with Porter (as Dr. Pritchard) and Rees (as the troubled young Anna) definite standouts. The shocks in the film are as potent as any of Hammer's past output, even though we know the killings are coming ahead of time, thanks to the cues the audience knows that drive Anna into her mindless violence. The music score by Christopher Gunning (somewhat reminiscent of James Bernard's scores for the company) has some lovely melodic themes as well as darker material for the killings. It's a well-produced and directed, intelligently written and acted production and one I found disturbing long after viewing.
Showing posts with label Jane Merrow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jane Merrow. Show all posts
Saturday, January 25, 2020
Thursday, February 15, 2018
Island Of The Burning Damned (1967)
Starring Christopher Lee, Patrick Allen, Peter Cushing, Jane Merrow, Sarah Lawson
Directed by Terence Fisher
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
While an author tries to keep his wife from discovering his former mistress has followed him to a small British island, the heat rises and rises without relief, and only a reclusive scientist knows why.
One of a pair of science fiction films director Terence Fisher, better known for his Hammer horror films, made for Planet Film Productions, the picture boasts appearances by Hammer stars Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, who do share scenes together, but play second fiddle to the love triangle between Allen, Merrow, and Larson. The film was based on a novel by John Lymington, and although the story is pretty similar to many sci-fi creature films, with people mysteriously attacked by unseen creatures building up to their eventual reveal, I was sufficiently interested and intrigued enough, although I felt disappointed Lee and Cushing didn't have larger roles. I first saw the film over a decade ago after having recorded it off cable television, but the length of the tape was not sufficient to cover the ending of the film, and with the film having been long absent from home video, I only just yesterday saw the film's ending in which the creatures' true appearance is revealed. They're visually striking but not mobile enough to bring enough menace to the picture's final act. I still found the movie worthwhile, but agree with friend Troy Howarth that it's far from a high point in the career of Lee, Cushing, or Fisher.
Directed by Terence Fisher
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
While an author tries to keep his wife from discovering his former mistress has followed him to a small British island, the heat rises and rises without relief, and only a reclusive scientist knows why.
One of a pair of science fiction films director Terence Fisher, better known for his Hammer horror films, made for Planet Film Productions, the picture boasts appearances by Hammer stars Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, who do share scenes together, but play second fiddle to the love triangle between Allen, Merrow, and Larson. The film was based on a novel by John Lymington, and although the story is pretty similar to many sci-fi creature films, with people mysteriously attacked by unseen creatures building up to their eventual reveal, I was sufficiently interested and intrigued enough, although I felt disappointed Lee and Cushing didn't have larger roles. I first saw the film over a decade ago after having recorded it off cable television, but the length of the tape was not sufficient to cover the ending of the film, and with the film having been long absent from home video, I only just yesterday saw the film's ending in which the creatures' true appearance is revealed. They're visually striking but not mobile enough to bring enough menace to the picture's final act. I still found the movie worthwhile, but agree with friend Troy Howarth that it's far from a high point in the career of Lee, Cushing, or Fisher.
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
The Woman Who Wouldn't Die (1965)
Starring Gary Merrill, Jane Merrow, Georgina Cookson, Neil McCallum, Rachel Thomas
Directed by Gordon Hessler
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A female executive's domineering ways lead her husband and one of her employees to conspire to murder her, but once they've done the deed, the husband fears she may have returned from the dead.
Although pretty derivative of past works, this is an absorbing and intricately plotted thriller with strong performances. I enjoyed it, and must admit I didn't see the screenplay's final twist coming, but was somewhat disappointed that the filmmakers didn't try to do more to amp up the horror, although there are some effectively creepy moments. Hessler would go on to make a series of violent horror films with Vincent Price, so it's interesting to see him create chills on a more subtle level here, including a nice sequence where Merrill witnesses lights turn out one by one in a house he had thought empty. Still, I felt the picture was a bit too dialed back, and would have been much more memorable with a greater emphasis on unnerving the audience.
Directed by Gordon Hessler
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A female executive's domineering ways lead her husband and one of her employees to conspire to murder her, but once they've done the deed, the husband fears she may have returned from the dead.
Although pretty derivative of past works, this is an absorbing and intricately plotted thriller with strong performances. I enjoyed it, and must admit I didn't see the screenplay's final twist coming, but was somewhat disappointed that the filmmakers didn't try to do more to amp up the horror, although there are some effectively creepy moments. Hessler would go on to make a series of violent horror films with Vincent Price, so it's interesting to see him create chills on a more subtle level here, including a nice sequence where Merrill witnesses lights turn out one by one in a house he had thought empty. Still, I felt the picture was a bit too dialed back, and would have been much more memorable with a greater emphasis on unnerving the audience.
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