Reviews (9)

Entertaining Mummy Saga from Hammer Studios
"The Mummy's Shroud", is one of the lesser known efforts by the famed English Hammer Studios who were responsible for some of the greatest horror films of the late 1950's and 1960's. Their productions were responsible for reviving some of the most unforgettable Universal Studios horror figures like Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolfman, and The Mummy", in beautiful colour productions that are as popular today as they were 40 years ago. Here it is the Mummy's turn in an admittedly lesser effort than Hammer's classic "The Mummy", of 1959 starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing.

"The Mummy's Shroud", set in 1920 tells the story of a team of archaeology experts who come across the lost tomb of the boy Pharaoh Kah-To-Bey and unfortunately fall foul of the tomb protector in the guise of Prem, a manservant of the boy once the sacred words are read aloud off the shroud found covering the boy king by the team. The story begins with a flash back sequence to Ancient Egypt and we see the story of how Prem spirited away the boy when his father was killed in a palace coup and taken into the desert for protection where unfortunately the boy dies and is then buried. Returning to 1920 "The Mummy's Shroud", shows the expedition to find this tomb lead by scientist Sir Basil Walden (Andre Morell, a Hammer regular) and bossy business man Stanley Preston (John Phillips) where they not only find the tomb and remove the bodies and the sacred shroud but ignore the dire warning issued to them by Hasmid, a local Bedouin about the consequences for those that violate the tombs of Ancient Egypt. Resulting from this warning Sir Basil is bitten by a snake just after finding the tomb and after a number of days dies of the snake bite poison. Once placed in the Cairo Museum the mummy of Prem is revived when Hasmid chants the sacred oath on the shroud and then proceeds to go on a murderous rampage to kill off the remaining members of the expedition. One by one those who assisted in removing the contents of the tomb to Cairo are eliminated by such grissly means as strangulation, being thrown out of windows and in one terrible scene having photographic acid thrown in his face. Greedy Stanley Preston the real villian of the piece, after repeated attempts to evade the murder investigations and flee for his own safely is murdered in a Cairo sidestreet by the avenging mummy. All ends happily of course thanks to the intervention of remaining members of the party Paul Preston, Stanley's son and Maggie Claire de Sangre who succeed in destroying the Mummy in a very dramatic and beautifuly staged finale.

While the storyline of "The Mummy's Shroud",is the often used one of revenge against the violators of an ancient tomb it is staged in an entertaining manner which although not the best Hammer Mummy film, still retains the interest. The beautiful location photography gives the film an overall authentic look and the Mummy himself played by tall actor Eddie Powell is genuinely a frightening vision in particular during his brutal murders of the digging party. The film boasts some beautiful narration by the great Peter Cushing during the flash back sequences and any participation by this always letter perfect actor aids tremendously in creating the feel of the time. Hammer veteran Michael Ripper, who appeared in more productions for this studio than anyone else also shines in one of the largest and best written characters of his career as Longbarrow, Stanley Preston's nervous and very put upon assistant during his time in Egypt who eventually falls victim to the Mummy's revenge. A very talented character actor all too often playing poachers, inn keepers or grave diggers, Ripper had a long theatrical background that equipped him for far more demanding roles than those usually assigned to him.

While certainly a lesser effort by Hammer Studios and having the distinction of being the last of their productions to be filmed at the historic Bray Studios, "The Mummy's Shroud", does hold the attention and have the creepy atmosphere expected of any Hammer production. It can't compare with the 1959 Christopher Lee effort but in it's own right is an enjoyable horror film for those that like old fashioned thrills with a scary looking lead monster and plenty of background atmosphere. Beware "the beat of the cloth wrapped feet" when the monster seeks revenge in "The Mummy's Shroud".

creepy and horrific
I have to say, this movie is pretty scarie for 1967! I've seen alot of horror movies, and I find this to be the scarest!!
I don't recomend this movie for kids under 7 years old.
The best part in the movie is when in the end when the mummy comes after Claire {Maggie Kimberly} but of course the hero {David Buick} comes to rescue her. The music in this movie really gets you into the horror mood when Sir Basil {Andre Morrell} is murdered by the mummy when he's in the gypsy's tent.
This is really spooky!!! I feel sorry for one of the expiditioners who was murdered by the mummy in his hotel room. He is so fat and chubby and that's why I like him. Alot of people die in this movie because of the mummy's curse. The only reason why all of them die is because, they distrubed the spirit of the tomb. I feel this is a great movie with good music and acting.

Another Mummy
Once again the high quality of Anchor Bay and the extra features turn an otherwise average DVD into something special. The picture quality is quite good and if you like Hammer horror this one is worth a look. I do feel however, that its not one of the better Mummy pictures. The bonus "World of Hammer" episode narrated by Oliver Reed is quite entertaining.

Totally predictable but the Mummy's death is really cool
Of the four Mummy films produced by Hammer Films, "The Mummy's Shroud" is the third and least of their efforts, although it does have the distinction fo being the last movie made at Hammer's Bray studios. Directed by John Gilling, this was the bottom of a double bill with a much better film, "Frankenstein Created Woman." The film begins with the inevitable flashback to Egypt 2000 B.C. and we learn of Prem, the faithful protector of Kar-to-Bey, son of the pharaoh. Prem protects his charge following a palace coup but the boy dies and is buried in the desert. Jump ahead to 1920 to the discovery of these ancient corpses by an archeological expedition led by a distinguished scientist (Andre Morell) and a cowardly businessman (John Phillips), both of who ignore the dire warnings of the local Bedouin (Roger Delgado). In a Cairo museum the mummy of Pern stands close to where the body of Kar-to-Bey is displayed. The rich guy cheats the scientist out of his glory and the Bedouin raises the mummy at which point murder and mayhem ensue until the lovely blonde (Maggie Kimberely) saves the day. The best moment of this rather weak film comes at the end when the Mummy bites the dust by literally ripping itself to bits and pieces. Otherwise the production design is nothing compared to the previous two Hammer Mummy films, the Mummy is apparently wearing a workout outfit instead of a whole lot of bandages, and the only sympathetic character is the first one to die. At least Peter Cushing does the opening narration, although he is uncredited.

"Beware the beat of the cloth-wrapped feet" and thrill!
John Gilling's THE MUMMY'S SHROUD is perhaps one of the best of the late 60s Hammer films. I first saw this as a kid on Saturday afternoon TV over 20 years ago and it made a big impact. Though the premise of the film seems overused, the story is nonetheless gripping. The cinematography is quite stunning and the use of colors exquisite. There is a genuine sense of foreboding throughout the film. The casting for the film is decidedly low-key, but bigger Hammer stars may have diluted the script. As for the technical aspects of the DVD, its rates among the best of the Hammer series. The picture is clear and the color brilliant. The soundtrack is amazing in its fidelity. The extras of the DVD add even more value to this wonderful package. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

There is something rotten in the Kingdom of Gudavia
"The Gamma People" is a 1956 science fiction/horror film that can be described as a cross between "1984," "The Boys From Brazil," "Night of the Living Dead," and "Brigadoon" (sorry, I am really into offering up such comparisons this week). American reporter Mike Wilson (Paul Douglas) and his English photographer, Howard Meade (Leslie Phillips) are on a train bound for Salzburg to cover the music festival when their car becomes uncoupled, ends up on an abandoned spur, and rolls all the way to the Kingdom of Gudavia, nestled somewhere in Eastern Europe behind the Iron Curtain. The two unwanted visitors discover a weird confluence of strange people and events. There are military types in costume uniforms lend by a bungling kommandant named Koerner (Philip Leaver), a young boy named Hugo (Michael Caridia) who clearly has Hitler as a role model, an even younger piano protégé named Hedda (Pauline Drewett), strange monstrous figures walking the streets, a beautiful fraulein scientist named Paula Wendt (Eva Bartok) riding a horse, and Bronoski (Walter Rilla), a brilliant scientist who prattles on about the wonderful effects of Gamma rays on improving the human species. Oh, and there turns out to be a castle. Mike likes Paula, feels sorry for Hedda, declares Hugo to be strange, and worries that Boronski is fooling around too much with the Gamma rays (keep in mind that this film was made years before Stan Lee used Gamma rays to create the Incredible Hulk). Meanwhile, the original music by George Melachrino underscores every scene with tension and peril even when the plot is unclear and the acting misses the moment.

It is not that "The Gamma People" is MST3K fodder because it is so bad, but rather because it is just not good (yes, there is a difference). For example, there is a point where Hedda and her father try to escape from Gudavia and Hugo's harsh critique of her piano playing, taking a horse over the mountains. But of course the bad guys show up to foil their escape. A moment later Mike shows up, apparently just out for a nice little walk so he can smoke a cigarette, even if it means wearing a suit and tie and hiking a couple of miles out of town up the side of a mountain. Then again, it is amazing how many characters happen to pop up during this scene out in the middle of nowhere.

John Gilling's film will really remind you of "Night of the Living Dead" in its visual style and the acting (tilted camera angles, groups of characters moving in an exaggerated manner, etc.), which I guess is not surprising for a man who directed "Mother Riley Meets the Vampire" and wrote the script for "Trog." Perhaps the strangest thing in the film is Paul Douglas as the hero. I mean, this is an actor I associate with baseball comedy movies like "It Happens Every Spring" and the original "Angels in the Outfield," and not as some sort of action hero. Douglas seems like a fish out of water in "The Gamma People," but then everybody seems out of place in this rather ambitious low-budget Fifties science fiction/horror film. Certainly worth a look, 'The Gamma People' is not quite up to cult classic status.

"Gamma People" creepy 1984-like vision of mind control
"The Gamma People" is excellent rainy, Saturday afternoon science fiction/horror fare. Two journalists on their way to a music festival in Salzburg accidentally arrive in the unknown Kingdom of Gudavia (somewhere in Eastern Europe), where mysterious deaths occur, brown-shirted bully boys run amok in the village and hideous goons lurking in the shadows diverts our heroes from their planned itinerary. This movie and its goons gave me the creeps as a child. Not a perfect film, but a highly entertaining and enjoyable one.

Check the production credits and you will see some notable names: Irwin Allen ("Lost In Space") and Albert Broccoli (James Bond films) are executive producers. Syd Cain art designer for such films as "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" and "Frenzy" provides his touch in the creation of a diabolical mind-control laboratory. Cinematographer Ted Moore, who filmed many of the early James Bond films, captures the essence of the film in dark, black and white German expressionistic tones. The lyircal music score by George Melachrino also adds to the fantasy atmosphere of the mysterious Kingdom of Gudavia and its secrets. Paul Douglas and Leslie Phillps are not your stereotypical leading men, yet they add heroic style and aplomb to the solving of Gudavia's dark secrets. Walter Rilla plays the Mabuse-like evil scientist Brononski with diabolical grace. Philip Leaver as the bungling Commandant Koerner lends comic relief to ease the 1984 nightmarish tension of the film.

Do-it-yourself MST3K material
OK, folks, it's a "good news/bad news" situation. The bad news is that this is really a bad movie. A REALLY bad movie. Our heros arrive in Ruritania (which reminds me more than anything of the Grand Duchy of Fenwick, but that's a different movie...) when (wait for it) their railroad car inadvertantly decouples from the train and rolls sloooooowly to a stop in the boondocks of what is supposed to be?? Eastern Europe?? Never mind - it's just a show, and you should really just relax. The locals are, um, different. Maybe it's because they are all zapped by gamma rays (you know, the kind that turned mild-mannered Bruce Banner into The Incredible Hulk) at an early age, turning them into either geniuses or goons.

So - what's the GOOD news, you ask? This is essentially virgin territory for your own riffing! Get this tape, invite over some pals, and have a do-it-yourself Mystery Science Theater! Believe me, it isn't good for anything else. It's filmed in painfully depressing black and white, has scenery reminiscent of the local slag heap, pot holes big enough to drag solar systems through, surprisingly old and unattractive male protagonists, cheesy and short-lived special effects, in short - PERFECT for that hard-to-kill rainy Saturday afternoon. END ... Read more

Amazon.com

Anticipating Night of the Living Dead by a couple of years, the John Gilling-directed Plague of the Zombies gives the gothic treatment to the stumbling undead. André Morell plays an unassuming medical professor called by a former student, village doctor Peter Tompson (Brook Williams), to investigate a mysterious plague in a small Cornish village. They uncover an unholy plot by the devilishly decadent local Squire (John Carson), who has been using black magic to create an army of laborers to work his failing tin mine and has now infected William's sickly young wife. Gilling sets a spooky atmosphere, a fog-drenched village where the inhabitants live as if under a cloud of doom, dominated by the arrogant squire, who bullies his way about with his gang of cruel, aristocratic thugs. The film's highlight is the eerie introduction of the zombies, clawing their way up through the earth and emerging as lumbering, death-masked ghouls. The film has been remastered from the original 35mm negatives in the Hammer vaults, and letterboxed to its original aspect ratio. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (23)

The original and still the best modern zombie movie
Plague of the zombies is a horror film with breeding.In comparison to its illegitimate offspring of the 1980s spawned by such directors as George Romero it boasts what can be done with a skillful combination of a simple story and energetic direction. Never reducing itself to the visceral excesses of the Night of the Living Dead series,as its name might imply,the film relies on creating an atmospheric sense of mystery that engages your imagination rather than the muscles of your digestive system.

The story centres around the dead rising from their coffins to wander the Cornish countryside frightening the locals and providing a scientific enigma for a visiting Professor of medicine from London University (the stalwart Andre Morrell). Mixed up in the proceedings are his inquisitive daughter (Diane Clare),the mysterious squire Hamilton (John Carson),a village Doctor seemingly out of his depth,along with his affected,pale and sickly wife (Brook Williams and Jacqueline Pearce).Numerous members of the peasantry add their weight to the proceedings,while a confused constable (the ever present Michael Ripper)attempts to retain law and order during a period when noone seems to obey the rules,least of all the dear departed.

The film produced by Hammer was Directed by John Gilling,a veteran British screenplay writer of post war, crime and detective yarns. He controls the action with a nicely judged feel for pace ,blending the qualities of both fantasy horror and a sense of adventure in a way that makes the whole experience much more enjoyable. One scene in the film is particularly memorable and can never go unmentioned,the now famous dream sequence,where corpses rise from their graves. Filmed in slightly green hue,with a tilted frame it shows what can be done with simple techniques of the movie makers craft.

This quality DVD edition is an excellent anamorphic transfer by Anchor Bay in the academy standard ratio of 1:1.85 and shows more information on the sides of the frame than any other previous television or VHS panned and scan version.

A curious aside to this release is the fact that two versions were actually produced,the only difference being the placement of the title sequence.In the American release it was placed quite close to the start,as opposed to the British print which introduced it right at the end of the opening sequence,which in all honesty, if you watch the film is the most effective place for it to go.The start of the film is self evidently less dramatic and the build up slightly spoiled in the American print.This DVD of course is the American copy and although the other title arrangement would have been preferred its only a very small criticism.

GOOD HAMMER HORROR.....
"Plague" is a well made British period horror film about a Cornish lord/landowner using voodoo (via rituals he picked up in the islands) to turn the local people into zombies to work his tin mines. Very good production with good acting and atmospheric sets make this highly watchable. Jacqueline Pierce (also in Gillings' "The Reptile") is very good as a victim. I recommend both films to Hammer and horror fans. They're perfect companion peices for each other. "Plague" is stylish and well worth seeing. Although classy and non-gory, it's interesting as an early modern effort to present a zombie story in literate terms. The DVD from Anchor Bay is fine. Enjoy this one.

NO ZOMBIES HERE!
The title of this film is INCREDIBLY Misleading!! There are NO ZOMBIES ANYWHERE in this film! A Terribly Disappointing film to watch or to own. This one CAN "Passed Over" AND Forgotten.

Not bad. Not bad at all! :)
I watched this Hammer production only yesterday and it's worth watching from beginning to end. It's especially a treat to be savored on Halloween night. Although I basically knew what this 1966 film was about, it nevertheless held my interest. Just about all of the movie's elements, such as the script, camera shots and overall direction, have been carefully crafted so that John Gilling would avoid creating a hackneyed, cliche-driven monster flick. Not bad, considering that "The Plague of the Zombies" was filmed in a single month!
Actor Andre Morell stars as Sir James Forbes, a London Professor who travels to Cornwall after answering a distress letter sent by his ex-student Peter Thompson (Brook Williams). Cornwall itself is a small communal village riddled with superstitious beliefs; the villagers won't allow scientific research performed on their dead. Upon arriving, Forbes investigates a mysterious fever that has killed 12 villagers. The cause of this disease is unknown, but Peter's study indicates that every victim suffered dementia, a loss of appetite, and skin discoloration. What makes this case even stranger is how the bodies buried in the Cornwall cemetary are disappearing! Later, Forbes' strong-willed daughter Sylvia (Diane Clare) follows Peter's distressed wife Alice (Jacqueline Pearce) after she suddenly wanders away from home in a trance. Curious about Alice's mental state, Sylvia eventually comes across an abadoned tin factory where Alice's body turns up dead. Sylvia, meanwhile, gets a frightful scare in an accidental encounter with a walking corpse! After collecting a number of scientific clues, Forbes, Sylvia and Peter eventually uncover a devious scheme conducted by Clive Hamilton (John Carson), the town's wealthy Squire. The suave and sadistic Hamilton is secretly performing voodoo rituals to infect innocent villagers with zombification; once transformed, the living dead are forced into slavery, working endlessly in the tin factory's underground mines. In a wicked pattern, Hamilton preys upon each victim by politely asking for a drink of water, dropping the glass and forcing each person to cut his/her skin. This enables the Squire to collect drops of blood and seal each victim's fate with black magic. After discovering this, the alarmed Sir James and Peter race against time; they must break into Hamilton's estate and rescue Sylvia before SHE becomes the Squire's latest zombie slave!
Like I said before, this film is guaranteed to hold your interest in place. Beware for a few scares! Wide-eyed corpses will rise from their graves only to be decapitated and set on fire! Also watch out for masked figures wearing hollow masks and dripping blood into wooden coffins!

Hammer's Only Excursion Into Zombie Horror
By 1966 Hammer Studios were among the leaders in producing stylish horror stories often in a period setting and they were responsible for resurrecting most of the great horror characters of Hollywood's heyday like Dracula, Frankenstein and The Mummy who had been out of favour for almost a decade. The Zombie genre strangely was never a subject Hammer explored, the sole exception being this beautiful 1966 production of "Plague of the Zombies". It incorporates most of the elements made famous by Hammer, an English setting last century, a mysterious plague settling on the unsuspecting townspeople, a dark secret that needs unravelling, and ghoulish deceased residents rising from the dead for a sinister purpose. This film makes terrific viewing with some of Hammer's best atmospheric and makeup work on show in a beautiul full colour production.

"Plague of the Zombies", takes place in a small Cornwall village where a mysterious epidemic is decimating the population. The victims develop a strange lethargy and then die from undeterminable causes. The village doctor Dr. Peter Thompson (Brook Williams), is completely baffled so he writes to his old college mentor in London Sir James Forbes asking him to come down to help solve this problem. Sir James travels down with his daughter Sylvia (Diane Clare). who is a friend of Peter's wife Alice. Upon arriving however they discover that many strange things are going on. They first encounter trouble with the local Squire Clive Hamilton who has recently arrived in the area after a period in Haiti and owns a large estate that includes a disused tin mine. Peter informs them that the villagers distrust him and wont let him perform an autopsy on any of the plague victims making a treatment impossible. Alice alarmingly is also suffering from the epidemic. Sylvia's suspicions are raised when she sees the Alice wandering off into the forest at night. Following her she comes into contact with Squire Hamilton and his young ruffian friends and fears for her life. Alice is later found dead and a local villager found near the body states that he has seen his recently deceased brother wandering in the area with a ghoulish zombie-like appearance. Sir James begins to suspect Squire Hamilton of foul play and after further investigation involoving a clandestine visit to the Hamilton estate, he dicovers that the squire is using voodoo practices from his days in the Carribean to firstly kill and then ressurect the deceased villagers as zombie like slaves to work in his tin mine. Watching Alice's fresh grave Sir. James and Peter witness a ghastly scene whereby Alice's body is turned into a zombie and Sir James is forced to kill her in front of Peter. Squire Hamilton has meanwhile singled out Sylvia as his next target and while visiting her manages to get a sample of her blood which he then uses in his magic magic ritual to lure her into his clutches. Arriving just in time to save her Peter and Sir James witness the whole of the interior of the mine erupt into flames with the Squire and his unfortunate zombie followers consumed in the holocaust.

With it being one of the most atmospheric of the Hammer productions, "Plague of the Zombies", also displays good acting by the leads and an overall beautiful film with high production values. The superb zombie makeup is some of the best ever created at Hammer with the ghoulish grey faces and rotting skin a real stand out. The famous dream sequence of the zombies clawing their way out of their graves in the mist shrouded graveyard is one of the most remarkably eerie scenes in any Hammer production. Fine performances are delivered by Hammer regular Andre Morell as Sir. James Forbes who is excellent in his investigator role trying to solve the mystery and the two female leads are also most capable with Jacqueline Pierce as Alice being so effective that she returned in director John Gilling's next production of "The Reptile", playing the title character. John Carson makes a terrifically sinister Squire Hamilton who is at the centre of all the trouble and Hammer regular Michael Ripper lends his always excellent support as the befuddled Sargeant trying to help out in solving this mystery. Composer James Bernard contributes an eerie score combining the wild Carribean elements with the more traditional Gothic tones so typical of Hammer. Lush colour photography and Victorian flavour, the typical Hammer trademarks, are amply used here alongside the "greyish"toned scenes with the zombies to startling effect.

Despite having a fairly obvious story and villian "Plague of the Zombies", is a first rate horror story. Hammer Studios had a way with stories such as this where the violence in minimal and the blood letting kept to the background. The zombie scenes alone make "Plague of the Zombies", memorable horror viewing before more famous zombie stories surfaced on screen in following years. For some atmospheric chills in the mist shrouded English countryside make sure you see Hammer's "Plague of the Zombies". ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Cartoonland...
"The Fiction Makers" originally was a two part episode from "The Saint" TV program, later packaged as a feature. By 1968, the series was winding down. Most of the original Saint stories had been adapted for the program, and the writers had been creating new original adventures for the character for some time. By then, most of the Saint's hard edge was gone, and what was left was just a shell, at times almost a cartoon character, especially in the hands of screenwriter John Kruse. There has always been an undertone of humor to the Saint, but here much too much is just played for laughs. For fans of the original Saint found in literature or even from the early days of the TV program, it is sad to see the decline of a once proud character.

That said, this comic book adventure, written by Kruse, features Roger Moore as Simon Templar, AKA "The Saint". "Amos Klein" is the reclusive author of James Bond type spy adventures. When a deluded band of crooks seek to make Klein's fictional world a reality, the Saint finds himself kidnapped, and mistaken for the famous author. The real Klein is actually a woman (Sylvia Syms), who is imprisoned with the Saint in a country manor. There, the gang plot the their upcoming caper, the robbery of a facility where valuables are stored. All that is needed to insure their success is the expertise and guidance from their creator (Klein). The Saint plays along with the deception until he can turn the tables on the gang and foil their criminal plans.

This is strictly lightweight entertainment. Fun, if your expectations are low. Production values are TV quality. Edwin Astley's main title music is good, and the opening credits are amusing. This adventure will be part of an up coming DVD boxed set of The Saint TV program, so if you are interested you may want to look there for it. If you are a fan of the Saint, you may want to see my other reviews of the DVD boxed sets of this program.

Ever So Saintly was Roger Moore...
While most remember Moore as Ian Fleming's super spy, James Bond, Moore was playing The Saint while Sean Connery hit the big screen as 007. This film was originally broadcast as a 2 part episode during the TV series. Then it saw release as a motion picture in several countries. Author & creator, Leslie Charteris, actually re-wrote the screen play into a novel by the same name in 1968.

Roger Moore's rendition of Simon Templar (The Saint) became the most famous. His tongue and cheek style was perfect for television (although he was never as ruthless as he was in the books).

In The Fiction Makers, Templar is hired by a publisher to protect his best selling authour, Amos Kline. Kline's books are a direct spoof of Fleming and Charteris' own stories, and the opening scene depicts Moore at a movie premiere poking fun of how predictable the "007-like" character was (how ironic).

Kline and Templar get kidnapped by S.W.O.R.D. (Secret World Organization for Retribution & Destruction) a take off on Fleming's "Spectre" organization and must write a plan for S.W.O.R.D. to break into the world's strongest bank (how very Goldfinger-esque...)

The film flows very well, with plenty of humour and Moore's perpetual raised eyebrow wit. A perfect addition for fans of the TV series, or fans of Moore in general. Great 60's spy soundtrack courtesy of Edwin Astley. My only complaint is that we only see Templar's car (his famous white Volvo 1800) for a few minutes.

The VHS transfer is excellent and the sound and picture quality are first rate. A steal at the price. ... Read more

Amazon.com

John Gilling shot this supernatural thriller after wrapping Plague of the Zombies, using that film's locale and even some of the same sets. Noel Willman stars as the mysterious Dr. Franklyn, a reclusive nobleman with a beautiful daughter (Jacqueline Pearce) he keeps hidden away--and for good reason. His daughter carries a curse, the result of his forays into forbidden knowledge in the Far East, and transforms into an uncontrollable, snakelike creature who preys upon the local villagers. Gilling's spooky, mist-enshrouded countryside and foreboding interior atmosphere is undercut somewhat by Pearce's unconvincing makeup, but her freakish appearance is still startling and the gruesome corpses she leaves in her wake are genuinely unsettling. The film has been remastered from the original 35mm negatives in the Hammer vaults and letterboxed to its original aspect ratio. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Pardon Me While I Shed My Skin...
Harry and Valerie Spalding (Ray Barrett and Jennifer Daniel) have just moved into a nice little cottage in a nice little town. Well, Harry's brother Charles (David Baron) used to live in the nice little cottage before his sudden death from... what?? The coroner calls it "heart failure", but the townsfolk know that Charles actually died from the mysterious "black death"! We know they're right, as we get to watch Charles die by turning black and foaming at the mouth Cujo-style! Soon, Harry and Valerie encounter Dr. Franklyn (Noel Willman) and his shy, beautiful daughter Anna (Jaqueline Pearce), who live in a huge mansion with a menacing indian guy. This man seems to have a strange hold on the Franklyns, especially Anna. When another man called Mad Peter falls victim to the "black death", Harry and newfound friend Tom (Michael Ripper) find two small holes on old Pete's neck. Putting things together, they dig up Harry's brother, and discover the same bite-marks on his neck as well! Harry pays another visit to the Franklyn estate, only to be attacked by the now fanged and bug-eyed Anna, who bites through Harry's shirt collar, sparing him from the full effects of her venom. While Harry lies in bed recovering, Valerie goes to help Anna, who has sent a note asking for help. Anna is in her secret lair beneath the house, recooperating from her latest molting. Her father has come down there to kill her, but is interrupted by Valerie's screams. Somehow, Dr. Franklyn manages to catch the house on fire, waking Anna from her slumber. We finally get a good look at snake-gal and boy is she ugly! All green and whatnot! Anyway, Anna attacks dad and does him in, while Valerie tries to escape the burning mansion. Snake-Anna and Valerie meet at last! I'll leave you hanging there. THE REPTILE is a well made gothic with loads of atmosphere and good characters. Check it out...

A rare horror film in which the monster is a woman
"The Reptile," the 1966 film directed by John Gilling, is set in the turn-of-the-century Cornish village of Clagmore Heath, where the superstitious villages are once again succumbing to an unknown malady after a wealthy stranger has moved into the local mansion. Even when a local man is attacked and his throat bitten, the village officials call in heart failure despite the fact the victim foams at the mouth and turns green. What makes this particular monster mystery interesting is that this time we are dealing with a female! Again, it is painfully obvious that is it is the reclusive Anna (Jacqueline Pearce in her most sensual role) who is the snake-woman in question. As the father who tries to protect her, Noel Willman provides one of the better and even complex roles in a Hammer film as it heads towards its inevitable tragic outcome. But the star of the show is Roy Ashton's makeup for the title creature, in what proved to be his final film for the studio. "The Reptile" makes an excellent double-bill with "The Plague of Zombies" since they are made by the same studio, same director, in the same setting, using the same sets, with obvious parallels to the stories as well.

Great Atmosphere In Highly Effective Hammer Horror
In any discussion of this 1966 Hammer production mention almost always is made of the fact that this film was made almost along side Hammer's other big effort of that time "The Plague of the Zombies", using alot of the same sets and cast and employing the same director, John Gilling. "The Reptile", usually comes off the worse when the two are compared but I've always had a great fondness for this film which incorporates a very sinister premise with great photography and an extremely interesting and I might add quite, frightening central creature of the title. Hammer's seemingly favourite locale for their films, the moors of Cornwall, serves ideally as the backdrop for this tale of far eastern curses and underlying menace. The slow build up to what is really happpening also adds greatly to the tension as a number of red herrings are put in place to distract the viewer from finding out why things are happening. The eventual full appearance of the "reptile" of the title comes well into the running time and certainly comes off as one of Hammer's most effective horror creations.

"The Reptile", begins with the strange death of Charles Spalding a newish resident of a small Cornwall village. He is attacked by an unknown creature while in the home of the mysterious Dr. Franklyn. As his funeral is quickly conducted in the village graveyard we find out that he is not the first resident to die a horrible death in recent times. Charles' brother Harry (Ray Barrett) inherits all of his property including his small cottage on the edge of the moor and along with his wife Valerie (Jennifer Daniel) decides to travel down to Cornwall and set up residence there. Their arrival in the village however produces some strange reactions among the locals and only the local innkeeper Tom Bailey (Hammer veteran Michael Ripper), befriends the couple and tries to warn them of what might be in store for them in the village. Harry and Valerie make the acquaintance of "Mad Peter", the local eccentric who soon after dies a horrible death with the same symptons, always passed off simply as "heart failure", that Charles had. Each victim has the same strange wound on the neck and blackened face that seemingly comes from some fanged animal and spreads a strange poison throughout the body causing almost instant death. Harry suspects their very strange and inhospitable neighbour Dr. Franklyn is behind the mysterious deaths and his curiosity is further aroused when the doctor's heavily dominated daughter Anna (Jacqueline Pearce),is seemingly kept away from contact with others. The presense in the doctor's house of a mysterious man servant (Marne Maitland) who seems to have an unexplained hold over the household adds further to the Harry's suspicions about the doctor. After investigating Dr. Franklyn's house late at night for clues Harry is attacked and nearly dies from the same wound as the earlier victims. While Harry is recovering Valerie is lured to the house by a note from Anna asking for help. It is revealed that Dr. Franklyn is not the guilty party afterall as he is the one cursed by an ancient religious cult from South East Asia that worships snakes and has turned his daughter into a half woman, half reptile as punishment for him interfering in their secret society. Anna now awakens from her reptilian slumber and attacks Valerie in the house after she has already killed her father. However in the fight with her father a fire begins which destroys not only the house but Anna as well.

John Gilling reveals a sure hand in his direction of "The Reptile", and wisely doesn't allow the audience to see clearly the creature in question till well into the film's running time. The film has a most suitable air of anticipation and uncertainity about it and about who actually is doing the murders. The whole scenerio of the secret snake worshipping cult taking revenge on outsiders by turning them into part reptiles is certainly an intriguing one and is well employed in this story set in Victorian England. Special effects wise the film may not be as spectacular as Gillings other effort "The Plague of the Zombies", however the reptile's makeup created by Hammer's resident makeup artist Roy Ashton is really first class for the time and makes for one of Hammer's more memorable creature creations. The vivid use of half light and strange far away music usually heard just before one of the horrific murders is eerily appropiate. Performances are all first rate with Ray Barrett who was not a regular Hammer productions regular a stand out in the pivotal role of Harry Spalding. Noel Willman as the supposedly sinister Dr. Franklyn is excellent and his character is one of the most interesting in the cast changing as it does from being the villian to being a man trying to save others from the curse that has wreaked his family. The always reliable Michael Ripper a veteran of countless Hammer Studio productions, for once is given a role of some substance as the innkeeper who helps Harry solve the mystery of who is committing the murders in the village. As with all Hammer efforts the strong period flavour is first rate and use of actual locations in the moors and in the stately but sinister looking mansion adds hugely to the horror element in the story.

If Gothic horror of the old school is your forte then "The Reptile", is a perfect piece of viewing. Hammer studios had a way with bringing these types of stories to the big screen and this film in particular allows the viewer to guess for quite awhile about what actually is going to happen before revealing all. This 1960's type of horror story telling sadly is a definite thing of the past and stories like that of "The Reptile", would possibly appear too slow moving for most modern audiences. I however feel this is a most interesting horror tale enlivened but sincere performances by a professional cast. Enjoy Hammer's excursion into curses and secret religious intrigues in John Gilling's "The Reptile".

Curse of the Deadly Reptile Hickey
The Reptile (1966) is directed by John Gilling, who was also responsible for much better known film, The Plague of the Zombies (1966), released in the same year. One thing I've noticed about his style of direction is that the pacing is methodical and steady, drawing out the story, focusing on building up to a climatic finish. That is certainly the case with The Reptile.

The film takes place in a small English village and starts out with a brutal attack that leads to a grisly and violent death of a local man. The man's brother, Harry George Spaulding (Ray Barrett) arrives with his new wife, Valerie, played by Jennifer Daniel, to take possession of his brother's cottage. As they arrive to the small town, they notice an underlying sense of dread permeating the air. The townspeople are wary of strangers, partly due to the number of recent deaths attributed to 'heart failure' for lack of a proper autopsy.

As the young couple moves into the small cottage despite the warnings of a number of local individuals, strange noises are heard, and another death occurs literally at their front door. The Spaulding's meet their affluent neighbor, Dr. Franklyn (Noel Willman) and his daughter Anna (Jacqueline Pearce). They soon discover the death of Harry's brother is somehow linked to the Franklyns.

While watching this film, I had an idea of what happening and who the killer was, but I didn't know the circumstances behind why the murders were taking place. This information is revealed much later, near the end of the film, in a rather clunky chunk of exposition. I was expecting a much larger conspiracy, something to do with a cult or a little known sect, so I was a little surprised and a little let down when the truth was finally revealed. It just seemed to me the way the plot played out that this was where it was headed.

Some viewers may consider the pacing to be slow, and it was, but I thought it more deliberate, allowing for us to really get involved with the characters, and I did appreciate it. There were some minor holes in the story along the way, but they did little to quash my enjoyment of the movie. The sets, locations, costumes, all worked really well, creating a sense of the time period and atmosphere common to many earlier Hammer releases. The actors all performed well, really bringing their characters to life. I would have liked to learned more of the Franklyn's mysterious Indian butler, played by Marne Maitland, who turned out to be much more than a mere servant, as he was a critical character but had little development. His connections to the Franklyn's was merely touched on, but never truly illuminated.

Roy Ashton's makeup for the snake creature is quite good, and is shown fairly well on the cover of the DVD. The effect of the snakebite on the various victims was very hideous, involving a darkening of the skin by the bite and foaming at the mouth. The townspeople, unaware or too scared to look into it further, called the effects the 'black death' for lack of a better diagnosis.

Anchor Bay does a wonderful job releasing this lesser known Hammer movie, providing an excellent print and a number of special features. Included are theatrical trailer and TV spots, a featurette on Hammer films called 'Vamps' narrated by Oliver Reed, and a nice mini card reproducing a movie poster for the film along with Rasputin - The Mad Monk (1966) which led me to believe maybe these two films were released as a double feature. Not a bad Hammer film, certainly better that some of the other films they released at the end of the 60's and into the 70's as their productions became cheaper and quality suffered.

Cookieman108

Eve, The Serpent, and The Punishment...what, no Apple!
Warning!!! Thematic Spoilers Ahead

The similarities in plot point and theme to Hammer's "The Gorgon" make "The Reptile" less effective than it would have been if I hadn't have seen the other film first. Actually, "The Reptile" is the better of the two films with better acting, a more clever plot, better plot development, a more shocking monster/Monster's First Scene, and it's rather humorous retelling of the Adam and Eve tale.

In this version, it is a Professor of Old Religions and Cults rather than Eve who goes out in search of Knowledge and encounters a secret Snake Cult. He digs too deeply into their mysteries and the Cult takes out their vengeance in a particularly nasty way. In this retelling, his penance is exacted from the daughter. She becomes half-snake, half-human, shedding her skin yearly and using her fangs and venom regularly and without provocation anytime the cult deems her in need of a journey to the depths of her demonic and lesser half.

And when the brother and sister-in-law of a recent victim decide to move into a cottage nearby the Professor's home, his daughter, in her better form, kindly decides to invite them to their last supper just when it is time for her to slither out her role as belly-crawler and redeemer of her father's sins. The depiction of her penance and eventual death without the usual resurrecting sequel continually fills me with thrills and chills of horror and delight, doing for me in ten minutes what "The Passion" does to Believers in two hours.

I only have one complaint...the DVD is too expensive for an old 60s film. At almost 30 dollars, it is ten dollars more than most all other DVDs available, almost as if it's reserved for the viewing pleasure of only a special, privileged few. Sort of like porno, yet it's not even incredibly gory or indecent, just an interesting and rare portrayal of an old, important, yet truth-filled theme. Overall, I love it, it's a fave and a royal hoot of a good time. Buy it on sale or on special so you won't be disappointed. It's low production values are why I gave it 4 stars. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

El santo
Ya hay vodeos de "El santo" en existencia. ... Read more

Description

The legendary Bela Lugosi as "the Vampire" teams up with Britain's much-loved "Mother Riley" in this hilarious comedy adventure. The Vampire plans to control the world with the help of his robot, which accidentally gets shipped to Mother Riley. Through radar control, he contacts the robot and orders it to come to him, bringing along Mother Riley! But his life is turned upside down when he holds this most meddling of mothers captive. "My Son the Vampire" is the last of the Mother Riley film series (1937-1952), lighthearted, immensely popular British comedies that featured the slapstick antics of Arthur Lucan as an Irish scullery maid who gets herself into all sorts of tough spots. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Wild and Crazy British Comedy.
This is another Bela Lugosi flick filmed in glorious B&W that stretches the low budget dollar. For anyone that liked Bela's encounters with The East Side Kids and Abbott and Costello, this zany British flick is a good fit. Neither classic comedy nor classic horror, it's fun in a reverse sort of way. Bela covers all bases spoofing his own movie image portraying a mad scientist posing as a vampire. In making these career choices, we get a mental image of Bela shrugging his shoulders at the proposed absurdity and taking the money, paltry sums notwithstanding. British comic Arthur Lucan made a career out of dressing as an old woman. His "Mother Riley" character was apparently popular in England. This must be an acquired taste. Shades of Frankenstein, Bela's super robot gets delivered by mistake to Mother Riley, and the fun is on. There are sight gags and pratfalls aplenty. There's even a frantic chase scene. It's hard for Lugosi to be menacing while smothering chuckles. Viewers that like their comedy sprinkled with horror chills will find the results pleasing. ;-)

Mother Riley Meets The Vampire. AKA My Son The Vampire!
This was the last of the Mother Riley films and this one is definately the best. Bela Lugosi is obviously enjoying himself despite taking on this film as a way of flying home to Los Angeles. You can see it in his face as he shuffles up to Mother Riley, "That's My Brother!" he says as Old Mother Riley stares at a painting of a BAT!. Dora Bryan is brilliant as always and so is Judith Furse as the matron-like housekeeper. This film is a must. Anyone who like comedy, old comedy, will love this film. Slapstick at it's best!

Fanged Farce In A Frock From The UK!
The long-awaited DVD release of My Son The Vampire (aka Old Mother Riley Meets The Vampire) also contains the brief theatrical trailer for the film's American release (an inclusion not stated on the packaging). Previously available many years ago in an inferior VHS release, and undoubtably available elsewhere as a independently released video, the DVD transfer from the American print is beautiful!

Brit drag comedian Arthur Lucan stars as Irish scullery woman Old Mother Riley, a role he played in several "Riley" films over a course of fifteen years from 1937 to 1952 (when this film was released). Bela Lugosi actually co-stars as a mad scientist who believes he is a vampire, like a predecessor of his, and plans to rule the world with an army of 50,000 invincible robots...but only gets to create just one! Through an unfortunate hysterical mixup, Mother Riley ends up in the clutches of the pseudo-vampire, and slapstick farce ensues.

Directed by John Gilling, who went on to such films as Hammer Studio's THE MUMMY'S SHROUD (also on DVD), and featuring the title song written and performed by Alan Sherman (remember "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah?"). Sherman wrote the song for the American release, and appears in the short theatrical trailer which is also included on the DVD as a supplementary item (go to the main menu on the disc). ... Read more

Description

Unique special effects combine with taut suspense in this gripping tale of a city caught up in a nightmare! A baffling alien object falls from the sky, a few miles outside London. The city becomes prey to a series of deadly kidnappings. Innocent women are being stalked, then disappearing without a trace. When it becomes apparent the reign of terror is caused by the horrifying creature from outer space, it's a chase to find him, before many more women fall into his clutches. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Much Better Than The Cover Would Suggest
I am a huge fan of B-Movies from the 1950s to the present, and when I saw the cover art (surely a near reproduction of the original theater poster) I highly suspected that this would be a first class piece of cheese.

I was wrong.

This film is an extremely well made black and white psychological thriller from the mid 1960s. It is taut, has good (for the day) special effects, a plausible story line, genuine suspense, and excellent acting, especially by the young John Saxon (much better than his later role opposite Joe Don Baker in "Mitchell" that MST3K fans would be better acquainted with.) The story concerns an object from Ganymede (a moon of Jupiter) which is an energy door which allows a being, the night caller of the title, to come to Earth. The night caller sets up a system to recruit women (via ads in 'Bikini Girl' magazine!) to return to Ganymede with him. The plot is well executed, and keeps tension high throughout. The conclusion proves both dramatic and cautionary about the future of Earth, and is not overdone with the histrionics so common today.

I liked this film for totally different reasons than I expected to. Although frequently lumped in with other monster movies from that era, this film is well executed, well acted, and suspenseful from start to finish.

Ganymede needs women...
Ganymede ("GAN uh meed"), in case you weren't aware, is the seventh and largest of Jupiter's known satellites and third of the Galilean moons. It's also the name of a Trojan boy of great beauty whom Zeus carried away to be cup bearer to the gods. In the case of The Night Caller (1965), my reference relates to the very real moon and not the mythological figure.

This British film, directed by the prolific and well known John Gilling, stars John Saxon as Dr. Jack Costain, an American scientist working in a research facility in England. While doing some routine research work, an object is observed traveling to Earth. What makes it so strange is that it appears not to be a random piece of space flotsam, but an object guided by some unseen force. The military is also aware of the object, having tracked its' decent, has concern that it may be an atomic device from an unfriendly country, so they are actively seeking the mysterious widget. Once found, the mystery deepens as the orb, about the size of a bowling ball, is comprised of an unknown material and has a temperature of below zero.

After a couple of incidents, one involving a death, the cosmic bowling ball vanishes, and young women from the area begin disappearing. The women all seem to have a common link in that they answered an ad in a magazine, one that is calling for attractive women to model on television, promotional advertising, and such, and a strangely garbed individual calling himself Mr. Medra. As the police search for clues, Dr. Costain feels that the timing of the disappearance of the space orb and the missing girls are linked, along with this shady Medra character. The police, with the help of Dr. Costain, begin to put the pieces together, and the hunt for Medra begins. Will they learn the true nature of the sphere, Medra, and the missing girls? If you've read the cover of the box, you've probably already deduced that Medra is an alien and he is kidnapping the women to take back to his planet, Ganymede, so I don't think I am really giving anything away. For what purpose, though?

The Night Caller is listed as a horror/sci-fi film, but it has a strong element of mystery throughout as the police and Dr. Costain try to track down this Medra, and learn of the nature of his appearance on Earth, and for what purpose he needs the women. The casting of John Saxon in the lead role seems an odd one, but I suppose it was done to help the film sell within the US, as similarly done with other British productions like The Quatermass Experiment (1955) and The Trollenberg Terror (1958), starring American actors Brian Donlevy (actually, Donlevy was sort of a transplanted American, being born in Ireland but immigrating to the US early in his life) and Forrest Tucker, respectively. The science fiction portion is obvious, but certainly competes with the mystery element of the story. The horror aspect is not really in a visual sense, but more of an underlying theme as we are unaware of what purpose the women will serve, and if they will ever be seen again. The reference of the Night Caller is because the character Medra always stayed in the shadows, appearing only at night, and wore dark garments further shrouding himself in darkness. The box would appear to make this look like a cheap, schlocky, run of the mill science fiction feature, but when I saw that Gilling had directed it, I took a bit more interest in it, as I knew I would, at the very least, get an visually entertaining story. Not only that, but it's pretty intelligent and has a light smattering of comedy (the part where the police and Dr. Costain interview the parents of one of the missing girls is rife with your classical, dry British humor). I found surprising a few of the plot twists within the film, and found it interesting that the story developed the way it did. What really shocked (well, maybe not so much shocked, but more startled) me was the way the film ended. I didn't see it coming, and, while some may be unsatisfied with it, I thought it was a pretty gutsy move, going against the some of the conventions I am used to seeing in other science fiction films of the time.

Image Entertainment provides a really good looking print here in full screen format. I am unsure if this was the original aspect ratio, but it shows very little, if any signs of wear and tear. Also provided are fairly detailed listing of filmographies of director Gilling and Saxon, looking like complete listings, rather than 'selected' listings as I am used to seeing whenever a disc has this feature. By the way, love that opening song sung in classical Las Vegas lounge style...you wouldn't think serious science fiction and cheesy lounge music could mix...and you'd be right.

Cookieman108

Better than counting sheep
It's not that this movie is especially bad--it's just boring. I could hardly stay awake as I watched it and I wasn't even tired. A large plastic ball transports an alien to earth from one of Jupiters moons, where he poses as an agent for "Bikini today" to ensnare attractive young women. The acting and story are okay for the time period--it's just not interesting-and it's not "bad" enough to be funny.

It was ok
I had never seen the movie before but I had heard that it was funny because it was so odd and it was! For that very reason I loved it!

Night Caller From Outer Space
Director John Gilling is true to form with his Night Caller From Outer Space a SiFi B Movie Classic! It has all the magical ingredients you would hanker for with a late 60's SiFi movie. Mystery, wonder, plenty of giant buttons & switches and naturaly a beautiful woman! If you have enjoyed such movies as The Mummy's Shroud, My Son The Vampire, The Plague of the Zombies and The Reptile then you are sure to love Night Caller! I did! ... Read more

Description

Edinburgh, 1827. Two Irish immigrants hit upon the idea of selling the bodies of the recently deceased to eminent surgeon Dr. Robert Knox. Dr. Knox, knowing that experimental vivisection is the only way for medicine to make progress, forms an uneasy alliance with the self-styled body snatchers. But when their supply of corpses runs out, they decide to murder for their inventory. Knox, who has turned a blind eye, is forced to defend himself with all of his skill and intelligence as everyone closes in, condemning his controversial actions. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A true thriller blessed with amazing performances
The Flesh and the Fiends is a thoroughly enjoyable horror thriller. With the impeccable Peter Cushing, sporting a disturbingly droopy left eyelid, playing the misguided Dr. Knox, Donald Pleasance giving an awe-inspiring performance as half of the murdering duo of Burke and Hare, and plenty of illegal traffic in dead bodies, this movie can hardly do less than succeed admirably. Dr. Knox is an instructor at a medical school in Edinburgh during the 1820s. The number of bodies available for dissection by his students, limited to the bodies of executed criminals, is much too low to satisfy him, so he turns to alternative means of acquiring specimens for study. He has no problem paying grave robbers for corpses, so long as they are fresh enough to be useful; in fact, he openly admits the improper solicitation of corpses, much to the dismay of the leading surgeons in town. Eventually, two shiftless vagabonds by the name of Burke and Hare come to realize that traffic in corpses offers them an unusual economic opportunity. When a lodger in Burke's apartment house passes away, he and Hare box her up and trade her in for several guineas. Since the doctor wants the freshest corpses possible, they set out to give him what he wants by murdering individuals and bringing them in almost immediately. Things start to go wrong when the pair murders the sweetheart of one of Dr. Knox's students, yet Knox remains steadfast in his dealings with the loathsome creatures. Murder will out, of course, and Knox must eventually face the music for his actions. This movie, while very good, is by no means perfect. June Laverick gets second billing in her role as Knox's niece, yet her character really serves no purpose at all in the story. Knox's assistant, beset early on with doubts and fears over Knox's acceptance of suspicious corpses, is never fleshed out and ends up behaving somewhat strangely in my opinion. Most of all, the ending (not the real climax, but the ending itself) is just plain weird and makes little sense to me in the context of the story.

Peter Cushing is always fantastic, but the real star of this movie is Donald Pleasance. Even though I knew the future Dr. Loomis from Halloween was in the movie, I quite frankly did not actually recognize him initially. His portrayal of Hare is simply incredible. His calm, assured manner is rarely breached, even in the midst of potential trouble, and his droll manner of explaining his dastardly activities makes of him one of the best truly evil villains I have ever encountered. He is almost capable of convincing anyone, especially his partner, that killing each victim is actually a kindness, for that person will surely be of more use on a dissecting table than he/she is in life. It's thrilling to watch this master criminal mind at work.

The Flesh and the Fiends has been unduly neglected over the years and has itself suffered the noxious wounds of the dissection table of the censors. It was quite graphic for its time (1959): one of the first scenes features a pale corpse being dragged out of a grave by its head, then the murders of Hare and Burke are shown more realistically than one might expect from a film of this particular era. Its bitingly realistic presentation of early 18th century life, complete with rowdy barrooms and miserable living quarters, along with its moments of unusually graphic violence, give the film a superb believability factor. In fact, the basic story of Burke and Hare is indeed a true one, which makes the horror qualities of this film even more affective than they already are.

For years, this movie has only been available in edited form, bearing the title of Mania in the U.S.; it has also been pawned off with the titles The Fiendish Ghouls as well as The Psycho Killers. The complete, 97-minute version of the movie is the one you want, so don't accept a copy of Mania and deny yourself six minutes of delightfully horrific entertainment. Despite the weird ending, this movie ranks among the best horror films of the 1950s and 1960s and stands as much, much more than a mere precursor for the later Hammer films starring the inimitable Peter Cushing.

Don't waste your time
I'm a huge fan of Peter Cushing and the genre...but this was a horrible movie. I have no idea what the people who gave this movie a good reveiw were smoking.

Flesh and the Fiends
Another marverlous performance by Peter Cushing as a doctor whose visions overshadow morality. This may be the best role Donald Pleasance ever had. Fresh bodies being more in demand and worth more in cash, Pleasance (Hare) and his partner Burke decide to "manufacture" a few bodies. The DVD contains the U.K. version and the more violent and adult (nudity) Continental version. If you like the Hammer Horror films, you will love this movie.

Available At Last!
Although my true field of interest remains the silent film (see my other reviews), I just cannot pass up the opportunity to say something about this movie which has been one of my favorites for many years. I first saw it on television back in the 1960's and it has been with me ever since. Despite the lurid title and packaging THE FLESH AND THE FIENDS is not really a horror film. It is a historical drama with horrific overtones. The movie is based on the lives of Burke and Hare, graverobbers in 1828 Edinburgh, who began to murder people in order to supply the local medical school with fresh corpses to dissect. Robert Louis Stevenson based his story THE BODY SNATCHER (which was made into a film in 1943 by Val Lewton starring Boris Karloff) on their exploits. Filmmakers Robert Baker and Monty Berman mounted this project in 1959 hoping to cash in on the burgeoning horror boom created by Hammer Films. They hired Peter Cushing plus a host of character actors to bring the story to life. Special mention should be made of the vivid performances given by George Rose as Burke and Donald Pleasance as Hare. It is really their movie. The film also features Billie Whitelaw in a colorful early role. Like PSYCHO which it predates, THE FLESH AND THE FIENDS. is also a psychological thriller (it was called MANIA in the U.S.). It even eliminates its young protagonists halfway through the film. I wonder if Hitchcock was familiar with it? John Gilling, the director and co-writer, would move on to Hammer after the success of this film where he would make THE REPTILE and THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES. FLESH is well acted, tightly directed, and in the Continental version (also available on this DVD) extremely daring in its use of nudity. An influential film that was ahead of its time, it has only been available in substandard public domain copies up until now. Thanks to Image Entertainment for making it available at last in a beautiful print made from the camera negative. Along with the release of the restored WICKER MAN, fans of intelligent horror films have a double reason to celebrate. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Much Better Than The Cover Would Suggest
I am a huge fan of B-Movies from the 1950s to the present, and when I saw the cover art (surely a near reproduction of the original theater poster) I highly suspected that this would be a first class piece of cheese.

I was wrong.

This film is an extremely well made black and white psychological thriller from the mid 1960s. It is taut, has good (for the day) special effects, a plausible story line, genuine suspense, and excellent acting, especially by the young John Saxon (much better than his later role opposite Joe Don Baker in "Mitchell" that MST3K fans would be better acquainted with.) The story concerns an object from Ganymede (a moon of Jupiter) which is an energy door which allows a being, the night caller of the title, to come to Earth. The night caller sets up a system to recruit women (via ads in 'Bikini Girl' magazine!) to return to Ganymede with him. The plot is well executed, and keeps tension high throughout. The conclusion proves both dramatic and cautionary about the future of Earth, and is not overdone with the histrionics so common today.

I liked this film for totally different reasons than I expected to. Although frequently lumped in with other monster movies from that era, this film is well executed, well acted, and suspenseful from start to finish.

Ganymede needs women...
Ganymede ("GAN uh meed"), in case you weren't aware, is the seventh and largest of Jupiter's known satellites and third of the Galilean moons. It's also the name of a Trojan boy of great beauty whom Zeus carried away to be cup bearer to the gods. In the case of The Night Caller (1965), my reference relates to the very real moon and not the mythological figure.

This British film, directed by the prolific and well known John Gilling, stars John Saxon as Dr. Jack Costain, an American scientist working in a research facility in England. While doing some routine research work, an object is observed traveling to Earth. What makes it so strange is that it appears not to be a random piece of space flotsam, but an object guided by some unseen force. The military is also aware of the object, having tracked its' decent, has concern that it may be an atomic device from an unfriendly country, so they are actively seeking the mysterious widget. Once found, the mystery deepens as the orb, about the size of a bowling ball, is comprised of an unknown material and has a temperature of below zero.

After a couple of incidents, one involving a death, the cosmic bowling ball vanishes, and young women from the area begin disappearing. The women all seem to have a common link in that they answered an ad in a magazine, one that is calling for attractive women to model on television, promotional advertising, and such, and a strangely garbed individual calling himself Mr. Medra. As the police search for clues, Dr. Costain feels that the timing of the disappearance of the space orb and the missing girls are linked, along with this shady Medra character. The police, with the help of Dr. Costain, begin to put the pieces together, and the hunt for Medra begins. Will they learn the true nature of the sphere, Medra, and the missing girls? If you've read the cover of the box, you've probably already deduced that Medra is an alien and he is kidnapping the women to take back to his planet, Ganymede, so I don't think I am really giving anything away. For what purpose, though?

The Night Caller is listed as a horror/sci-fi film, but it has a strong element of mystery throughout as the police and Dr. Costain try to track down this Medra, and learn of the nature of his appearance on Earth, and for what purpose he needs the women. The casting of John Saxon in the lead role seems an odd one, but I suppose it was done to help the film sell within the US, as similarly done with other British productions like The Quatermass Experiment (1955) and The Trollenberg Terror (1958), starring American actors Brian Donlevy (actually, Donlevy was sort of a transplanted American, being born in Ireland but immigrating to the US early in his life) and Forrest Tucker, respectively. The science fiction portion is obvious, but certainly competes with the mystery element of the story. The horror aspect is not really in a visual sense, but more of an underlying theme as we are unaware of what purpose the women will serve, and if they will ever be seen again. The reference of the Night Caller is because the character Medra always stayed in the shadows, appearing only at night, and wore dark garments further shrouding himself in darkness. The box would appear to make this look like a cheap, schlocky, run of the mill science fiction feature, but when I saw that Gilling had directed it, I took a bit more interest in it, as I knew I would, at the very least, get an visually entertaining story. Not only that, but it's pretty intelligent and has a light smattering of comedy (the part where the police and Dr. Costain interview the parents of one of the missing girls is rife with your classical, dry British humor). I found surprising a few of the plot twists within the film, and found it interesting that the story developed the way it did. What really shocked (well, maybe not so much shocked, but more startled) me was the way the film ended. I didn't see it coming, and, while some may be unsatisfied with it, I thought it was a pretty gutsy move, going against the some of the conventions I am used to seeing in other science fiction films of the time.

Image Entertainment provides a really good looking print here in full screen format. I am unsure if this was the original aspect ratio, but it shows very little, if any signs of wear and tear. Also provided are fairly detailed listing of filmographies of director Gilling and Saxon, looking like complete listings, rather than 'selected' listings as I am used to seeing whenever a disc has this feature. By the way, love that opening song sung in classical Las Vegas lounge style...you wouldn't think serious science fiction and cheesy lounge music could mix...and you'd be right.

Cookieman108

Better than counting sheep
It's not that this movie is especially bad--it's just boring. I could hardly stay awake as I watched it and I wasn't even tired. A large plastic ball transports an alien to earth from one of Jupiters moons, where he poses as an agent for "Bikini today" to ensnare attractive young women. The acting and story are okay for the time period--it's just not interesting-and it's not "bad" enough to be funny.

It was ok
I had never seen the movie before but I had heard that it was funny because it was so odd and it was! For that very reason I loved it!

Night Caller From Outer Space
Director John Gilling is true to form with his Night Caller From Outer Space a SiFi B Movie Classic! It has all the magical ingredients you would hanker for with a late 60's SiFi movie. Mystery, wonder, plenty of giant buttons & switches and naturaly a beautiful woman! If you have enjoyed such movies as The Mummy's Shroud, My Son The Vampire, The Plague of the Zombies and The Reptile then you are sure to love Night Caller! I did! ... Read more