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Greetings, and welcome to VIEWING THE CLASSICS. Here you'll find capsule reviews of vintage movies from the early days of cinema through the 1970s, with a special emphasis on sci-fi, horror, and mystery movies. Be sure to check out the Pages links, where you can find a Film Index of all my reviews, links to the reviews organized by cast members, directors, and other contributors, and links to my reviews of the films of talented young director Joshua Kennedy.

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Friday, November 16, 2018

Scream Of Fear (1961)

Starring Susan Strasberg, Ronald Lewis, Ann Todd, Christopher Lee, John Serret
Directed by Seth Holt
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

A paralyzed young lady returns after a long absence to her father's home in France, and although told he's away, she begins to see his dead body in different locations.

An excellent psychological thriller from Hammer Films, the film is very well plotted and directed, with a strong performance from Strasberg in a difficult role.  Her supporting cast is also quite good, with Lewis, Todd, and Lee (taking on a French accent) convincing in their parts, and not letting any hint on of the twists and turns to follow.  Douglas Slocombe's black-and-white cinematography is very suited to the suspenseful screenplay, and Bernard Robinson's production design adds elements of claustrophobia despite the large estate of the setting.  Holt's judicious use of Clifton Parker's score, with a number of eerie moments unscored, adds to the still potent atmosphere and mystery.

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