skjam | Entries tagged with hammer studios

Creatures the World Forgot (1971) dir. Don Chaffey

The Dark-Haired Tribe hunters have had a successful day, bringing down an antelope while only losing one of their number to its mate. But as the tribe is divvying up the meat, The Crone (Rosalie Crutchley) directs their attention to the nearby twin mountains--which turn out to be live volcanoes that erupt moments later. One of the hunters, Mak (Brian O'Shaughnessy) mercy kills the badly crushed old leader, and successfully defeats a challenger to become the new leader.

Their homes destroyed, Mak leads the remnants of the tribe across the desert in search of a new place to live. Despite much hardship and a few more deaths, the Dark-Haired Tribe eventually comes to the dwelling place of the Fair-Haired Tribe. Fortunately, the two tribes manage to establish peaceful relations, and several of the Dark-Haired, including Mak, are able to find mates among the Fair-Haired. (One unhappy couple want each other instead of the mates picked for them, which ends badly.

Mak's mates gives birth to fraternal twins before dying. During the ceremony to welcome the babies, another woman suddenly goes into labor when a lightning strike sets a nearby tree on fire. The tribe considers sacrificing the new girl baby, but the Crone intervenes.

The twins grow up into Toomak the Fair Boy (Tony Bonner) and Rool the Dark Boy (Robin John), who are very much rivals. Mak clearly favors the taller, stronger and more competent Toomak, leaving Rool feeling jealous and resentful. The girl baby has grown into the Mute Girl (Marcia Fox) who has unusual reddish hair and is something of an outcast in the tribe (neither of the twins treat her well) but becomes the apprentice of the Crone.

On one of their adventures, the brothers wind up bringing home The Girl (Julie Ege), the last survivor of her own tiny tribe. She winds up becoming the mate of Toomak. When the now-aged Mak dies, the stage is set for the brothers to battle for leadership of the tribe!

This was the last of Hammer Films' "caveman" pictures with outdoor scenes shot in South Africa and Namibia. It skips the anachronistic dinosaurs and fluent language skills of the previous entry for a slightly more "realistic" approach. Similarly, while the young women are certainly scantily clad, they're not usually posing like they're in a men's magazine.

Because there's no intelligible dialogue or narration, the characters have to express themselves mainly through facial expression and body language, and you absolutely do have to be paying attention to follow what's going on.

The scenery is excellent, and most of the animal bits look good, with the exception of a cave bear that is obviously a man in a fur suit because he has to do stuntwork. The lava towards the beginning also looks a bit low-budget.

The main problem of the movie for me is that it kind of meanders, and it's not until a good third of the way in that the primary conflict driving the rest of the plot is established.

Content note: Lethal violence, including the death of children and animals. Suicide. Attempted rape. Mak's favoritism towards Toomak is obvious; his parenting skills are dubious. Male and female nudity, and otherwise skimpy clothing for both sexes. I think it would get an "R" rating these days.

This is a decent movie that rewards the attentive viewer. Not recommended, however, for anyone who get bored or distracted easily. Most recommended for fans of "caveman" stories.

Current Location: cave

Maniac (1963) dir. Michael Carreras (aka "The Maniac")

Four years ago, French schoolgirl Annette Beynat (Liliane Brousse) was raped by a neighbor. That man was caught in the act by her father Georges, who decided not to turn him over to the police, but instead use an acetylene torch to murder him in a manner so horrific it even made the American newspapers. Deemed insane by the court, Georges has languished in an insane asylum ever since.

In the present day, American artist Jeff Farrell (Kerwin Matthews) comes to Camargue, a rural area of Southern France noted for its horse ranches. He quarrels with his current lover, a spoiled rich woman, and since she owns the car, is now stranded in the small village where Annette and her stepmother Eve (Nadia Gray) operate Georges' inn. Jeff immediately finds Annette (now 19) attractive and flirts with her. She in turn seems to be somewhat attracted to the exotic Yank and open to romantic feelings for the first time since the incident.

Eve also sees something in Jeff, and with her greater experience and more direct approach, wins him away from Annette, so the two older people are soon having an affair. Problem! While Eve is no longer in love with Georges, she still feels loyalty to him, visiting him every week in the asylum, and unable to get a divorce because Catholic. She has a plan, though. Georges, she says, is actually much better now and could live in the outside world if it weren't that revealing he's no longer insane would simply get him transferred to regular prison. If he's sprung from the asylum, Georges has promised to go overseas, send for Annette, and leave Eve free to move on with her life.

Jeff, romantic that he is, is okay with this plan, though Annette is uncomfortable with it. Especially the illegal parts. Eve and Jeff decide to go through with it anyway, meeting the escapee (Donald Houston behind a thick mustache and dark glasses) and driving him to the docks where a ship is waiting.

The next morning, Inspector Etienne (George Pastell) is questioning the residents of the inn, who claim to know nothing of Georges' escape. Before he leaves, the police officer drops a bit of a bombshell. Two men are missing from the asylum. Quickly, the simple plan unravels in a series of twists.

This film is another of Hammer Studios' early crime thrillers before they pivoted to horror. We never see what Georges does with the torch, nor is it described beyond that it made the American papers, it was that horrific. But the opening is all the lurid stuff we get for a long while. The movie takes its own sweet time developing the romantic relationships before the halfway point when the escape happens. Finally, it's rollercoaster time!

The acting is generally okay, though the French accents sometimes are less than intelligible (can't speak to their authenticity. Jeff gets stiffer as the movie moves into the thriller section of the plotline.

The landscapes are pleasant, especially the abandoned quarry at the climax. Might have looked even better in color.

Content note: Off-camera murder, we see corpses after except for the first one for obvious reasons. Some lesser violence. A little blood. Off-camera rape, consensual extramarital sex. Female toplessness from the back. Adults smoke and drink alcohol, not always wisely. It's implied the local boys see Annette as "soiled goods."

Worth seeing once just to enjoy all the twists. Recommended for patient viewers who are okay with a slow buildup that's more romance than suspense.

Current Location: abandoned quarry

Scream of Fear (1961) dir. Seth Holt (British title: "Taste of Fear")

Ten years ago, the Applebys divorced, and Mrs. Appleby got custody of their daughter Penny Appleby (Susan Strasberg). Eight years ago, Penny had a riding accident and lost the use of her legs. Three years ago, her mother died, and she was left alone with only her long-time companion. Three weeks ago, her companion drowned, an apparent suicide, and her father sent a letter inviting her to his home on the French Riviera near Cannes.

But when Penny arrives at the villa, she is met by Jane Appleby (Ann Todd), her father's second wife and thus her stepmother. Her father's been called away on "business" and it must have been important as he left despite having a non-specified medical condition, and without his chauffeur, Robert (Ronald Lewis). Jane's installed a couple of wheelchair ramps in the villa where practical, but most of the building is closed off to Penny by steep stairs or locks with out-of-reach keys. She can't even leave the estate without being carried by Robert! The only other servant at this time is Marie (Anne Blake) the housekeeper, who does not live in the villa so is usually absent at night.

That night, Penny sees a light in the supposedly locked "summer house." When she investigates, she sees what appears to be her father Mr. Appleby (Fred Johnson)--and he's dead! Retreating in fear, Penny accidentally wheels herself into the swimming pool. When she awakens, she's tended by her father's friend and frequent visitor Dr. Pierre Gerard (Christopher Lee). There is, of course, no corpse in the summer house, which has been locked up for months. (It's winter, by the way.)

A series of other events involving music no one else hears from a locked piano and the corpse reappearing and re-vanishing convinces Penny that either she's going mad...or someone is trying to drive her mad. If Mr. Appleby is truly dead, then Penny gets the money except for a pittance for Jane, but if Penny is deceased or "incompetent", then Jane gets it all. Dr. Gerard seems deeply concerned for Penny's mental state, and is chummier with Jane than the official "friend of your father's" description would imply. Robert is acting sympathetic, but can he be trusted? Can anyone in the villa be trusted?

This is another of the black and white thrillers Hammer Films produced before they went all-in on horror. The lack of color helps disguise that it wasn't shot in Southern France, but their usual locations in England. It's nicely suspenseful, and has an excellent ending. Christopher Lee described it as the best of the Hammer movies he was in, but he may have meant "favorite."

While Mr. Lee is quite good in his role despite a dubious French accent, he's more of a supporting role in this one, and not the main reason to see the movie. Ms. Strasburg is excellent as Penny, getting a lot of emotional range, and the other actors also do a good job.

I have difficulty dealing with "is this character crazy or not" stories, so some scenes, especially the one where Dr. Gerard suggests that Penny's paraplegia is psychosomatic and that her disappearing evidence might also all be in her head, were hard to sit through. The story does resolve this subplot well.

There's a nicely creepy atmosphere and a couple of well-distributed jump scares.

Content note: murder, suicide, corpses, implied marital infidelity. Some dubious treatment of mental and physical disability. At one point Robert wears swim trunks that would have been scandalously brief and tight for 1961 Britain. Older teens on up, maybe younger teens if adults are present for guidance.

Current Mood: enthralled
Current Location: Cote d'Azur

Never Take Candy From a Stranger (1960) dir. Cyril Frankel (aka "Never Take Sweets from a Stranger")

The Carter family, Peter (Patrick Allen), Sally (Gwen Watford), nine-year-old daughter Jean (Janina Faye) and Sally's mother Martha (Alison Leggatt) have moved from Britain to Jamestown in Canada so that Peter can take up a job as the school principal there. It's an exciting opportunity for Peter to advance in his career, and away from the crowding and crime of the big cities. But small towns have their own dangers.

Peter and Sally return home late from a welcoming party for the new principal at the school. To their surprise, Jean is out of bed. Seems that she can't sleep from restlessness. As her parents ask about Jean's day, she mentions that she and the neighbor girl Lucille (Frances Green) went to see Mr. Clarence Olderberry Sr. (Felix Aylmer) as he's known for giving out candy to kids. But before he gave them the candy, Mr. Olderberry asked them to take off their clothes and dance for him. Jean doesn't quite understand what's wrong here, but it makes her feel restless, and later she has nightmares.

The adults do recognize what's wrong and dangerous here, and Peter Carter decides to file a complaint. He immediately runs into roadblocks, starting with Police Chief Hammond (Budd Knapp). He doubts the veracity of Jean's story (children have vivid imaginations) and warns that the Olderberry family are rich and powerful in the community. (Mr. Olderberry, Sr. has a bust dedicated to him in the high school.) Clarence Olderberry, Jr. (Bill Nagy) is quick to throw his weight around, promising he'll punish his father's accusers if this goes forward.

The townsfolk either see Senior as a harmless eccentric who did a lot to make the town prosperous, or think that he is a creep, but one whose wealth and power make it pointless to go after. Best to just avoid him! Lucille's father sends her out of town so she can't be forced to give evidence.

Sure enough, the Olderberrys hire a slick lawyer (Niall McGinnis) whose cross-examination tears Jean's testimony apart by confusing and bullying her. Rather than have her suffer further torment, the case is withdrawn. But that's not quite the end of the story.

This movie comes from Hammer Films' experimental period, trying different subgenres to see what went over well, before fully committing to Hammer Horror. This is an "issue" film, dealing with the danger of pedophiles but more so the danger of letting wealth and power ride roughshod over the safety of a community. The setting of Canada is meant to make the story slightly less personal to British audiences, though the opening disclaimer emphasizes that it could happen in any country.

Despite the title, Mr. Olderberry Sr. isn't a "stranger"--Lucille has met him before, he's a mostly respected member of the community, and he has a reputation among the children for giving out sweets. Most people who assault children are not random strangers, but people the child is supposed to trust. Interestingly, he never speaks on camera. This makes him even more sinister-seeming, but raises questions about his mental competence.

Junior sincerely believes his father to be innocent, but is an enormous ass on top of that. Even his "graciousness in victory" comes across as more about his family's power than any real kindness. Finding out the truth and that he could have prevented tragedy all along crushes him.

As expected, the courtroom scene and subsequent miscarriage of justice are uncomfortable to watch. Censorship standards of the time keep it from getting graphic, but wow. The final act is more conventional thriller as the little girls once again meet the old man, but now understanding that he's a danger.

Audiences were not ready for this kind of film in 1960, and it remains one of Hammer's more obscure efforts. It's decently acted and shot, but not brilliant, and social mores have in many ways changed to make it obsolete. Perhaps of most interest to those interested in the treatment of the subject matter in Hays Code-compliant movies.

The Snorkel (1958) dir. Guy Green

Paul Decker (Peter van Eyck) has gotten away with murder before. Years ago, he murdered his wealthy friend Mr. Brown by drowning him in a boating "accident" so that he could marry the widow and her considerable inheritance, including an Italian villa near the French border. Now Mrs. Decker has outlived her attractiveness and usefulness to Paul. He comes up with a brilliant plan to commit the perfect crime, using the device mentioned in the title.

At first it's working a treat. Both the local police inspector (Gregoire Aslan) and British consul Wilson (William Franklyn) see that there's no possible way Mrs. Decker's death could be anything but a suicide. Soon, however, there's a bit of a hitch. Paul's stepdaughter Candace "Candy" Brown (Mandy Miller) arrives from her boarding school in England earlier than expected (by Paul), accompanied by her governess Jean Edwards (Betta St. John) and dog Toto (Flush). Candy isn't buying the suicide verdict for a moment--her mother was expecting her, had no reason to take her own life, and there's no note or letter as you'd normally expect from such a carefully planned suicide. Plus, she witnessed Paul killing her father as a little girl, and although no one has ever believed her, she's never trusted the man since. Toto almost gives away Paul's hiding place, but unlike his The Wizard of Oz namesake, no one pays attention to his antics.

What little credence the authorities give to Candy's testimony is dispelled when it turns out that Paul was in France the whole time, giving him an unbreakable alibi. Not deterred by this setback, the teenager continues snooping and asking questions, picking at the edges of Paul's elaborate plan. There's no help for it, Paul will have to shut her up permanently!

This thriller came from Hammer Films a few years before they struck on their horror formula and is a clear precursor to those movies. There's excellent camerawork and the opening scene is especially well done. It's a silly and overelaborate way to commit murder, but that's what makes it intriguing. The middle part is less inventive, but it leads to a mostly satisfying ending.

Van Eyck does a good job as the cold-blooded killer. Mr. Decker is a writer of novels, but apparently not a very successful one as it's established early on he doesn't have his own money and didn't like his wife spending hers for herself. He's also probably not a mystery writer or someone would have noted an ability to think up locked room murders. He's superficially charming, which has taken in everyone but Candy. The plot requires Paul to demonstrate strong swimming skills a couple of times, something the casting director forgot to mention to the actor.

Candy is afflicted with Cassandra levels of no one ever believing her when she states the truth. Her dog dies abruptly after Paul was the last person seen with it? Clearly a total coincidence! Paul tries to murder her in exactly the same way as her mother? She was clearly trying to commit suicide herself! She's threatened with the loony bin if she doesn't stop making these wild accusations.

It's played relatively subtly, but I suspect Jean is sweet on her employer, which contributes to her ignoring clear warning signs and not taking simple precautions like never leaving Candy alone with Mr. Decker, despite knowing what the girl thinks of her stepfather. Wilson's failure to catch on is a bit more excusable as he doesn't know the family well and isn't trained in detective work or how to deal with teenagers.

Content note: Murder, attempted murder, death of a dog. Candy is throughout the film treated as delusional even though she's absolutely correct about what's going on.

This isn't one of the true masterpieces of suspense cinema, but it's good enough that you won't regret seeing it. Recommended to old-style thriller fans.

The Gorgon (1964) dir. Terence Fisher

It is 1908, and the police state of Van Dorf has had seven unsolved murders in five years. When painter Bruno Heizt's (Jeremy Longhurst) model and lover turns up dead and himself hanged, the police, led by Inspector Kanof (Patrick Troughton), are quick to call it murder-suicide. They are aided in this by the local physician, Dr. Namaroff (Peter Cushing) whose testimony at the inquest leaves out the important detail that the woman's corpse had turned to stone, something most artists aren't capable of doing.

Professor Jules Heizt (Michael Goodliffe), father of Bruno, isn't convinced. He noticed how shallow and evasive the testimony at the inquest was, and how railroaded the verdict seemed. Despite the hostility of the locals, Professor Heizt is determined to stay and uncover the truth. Soon, he too is dead, but he leaves a message behind.

Now it's time for Bruno's brother Paul Heizt (Richard Pasco) to take up the investigation. After a near-death experience, he forms a bond with Dr. Namaroff's lovely nurse/assistant Carla Hoffman (Barbara Shelley), who has problems of her own. Paul still isn't getting any straight answers, so it's a good thing his mentor, Professor Karl Meister (Christopher Lee) arrives from Leipzig to help.

This minor Hammer film has the advantage of featuring two of horror fans' favorite actors, and makes economical use of a limited number of sets. It has a relatively rare central monster, the gorgon named Megaera (Prudence Hyman), who mixes elements of the sisters of Medusa and the Furies from Greek mythology. Despite last being reported in Greece two millennia before, somehow Megaera manifested in a castle in Van Dorf in the 1850s, killing everyone on site. The castle is now abandoned, and none of the locals go near it. Then the gorgon was quiescent for decades, only starting to kill again about five years ago..for some reason.

The time and place setting of the movie work well, allowing Hammer Studios to use costumes and props that look suitably old-fashioned but would still be inexpensive to obtain in the 1960s.

The suspense builds nicely, even if the romantic subplot feels forced. This is one of those movies where the decision to keep the monster mostly off-stage, only seen in short glimpses or reflections until the ending was a good one. Because the one thing that really falls down is the special effects for the Gorgon itself. Without Ray Harryhausen or another master of effects, or today's computer magic, Megaera is disappointing. Possibly this is why, despite the obvious excuse for the movie to have a sequel, it never did.

Political: The police are negatively portrayed. They throw their weight around with civilians, refuse to go into situations where they might be in actual danger, engage in cover-ups to protect their jobs, and have to be threatened to provide needed background information. There's no police brutality on screen, but it's made pointedly clear they won't stop a mob from attacking outsiders if those outsiders don't stop snooping.
At no time do the police contribute to protecting people from or actively investigating the monster.

The ending is a downer.

Content note: Female nudity from behind. Bruno and his model have been having extramarital sex, and she's pregnant because of that. A surprisingly small amount of gore (I think I got the toned-down American cut.) Early Twentieth Century (mis)treatment of the mentally ill.

Overall: A middling horror film with a good structure, solid performances by the headline actors, and a disappointing monster. If you like Lee, Cushing, Hammer Studios or the more staid kinds of horror movie, this is worth your while. Turn down the lights, get comfy and enjoy the show!

Current Mood: contemplative
Current Location: abandoned castle