Director: Terence Fisher. Screenplay: Peter Bryan, based on the novel by Arthur Conan Doyle. Starring: Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, André Morell, Marla Landi, Francis de Wolff, Miles Malleson, David Oxley, Ewen Solon, John le Mesurier, Helen Goss.

Sir Charles Baskerville seems to have fallen victim to a family curse, which states that the head of the family will meet death in the jaws of a hellhound on Dartmoor, where the family estate is situated. Dr. Mortimer (de Wolff) is worried for the new heir, Sir Henry Baskerville (Lee), who has just arrived in England to take over the title and property. Mortimer secures the services of Sherlock Holmes (Cushing) and Dr. Watson (Morell) to protect Sir Henry and find out what is going on.

A masterly Holmes film from Hammer Films’ most magical period. While generally more faithful to the novel than the equally excellent 1939 Basil Rathbone version, liberties are taken with the source material, mainly in an attempt to “hammer” the studio style onto the movie by constant and pointless references to satanic rituals.

Hammer at its peak is quite something. We’ve got Fisher, Cushing and Lee, James Bernard’s music (although he borrows a few notes from his own Dracula score), Jack Asher’s insanely gorgeous cinematography and Roy Ashton’s makeup: the entire team that made Hammer what it was, with the notable exception of screenwriter Jimmy Sangster. Peter Bryan did write Hammer’s superb Brides of Dracula and above average Plague of the Zombies, so let’s call him part of the family, shall we?

Like all of the studio’s Gothic films from 1957 to 1965 or so, Hound of the Baskervilles is oozing with atmosphere, Asher’s stylised colour schemes giving it that look of heightened reality that makes you feel like you’re watching the story from the translucent interior of Snow White’s poison apple. In some ways it was Asher more than anyone who defined Hammer’s style, something which is readily apparent in the films they made after he was allegedly fired for being too slow.

Practically everything works well on this movie: the suspense is ripe, the dialogue sharply honed and the story structure almost spotless. Even the seemingly unavoidable comedy relief scenes are fun thanks to inimitable Miles Malleson as an out-of-it country vicar (you can see Lee trying to keep a straight face when Malleson starts ad libbing).

Cushing, in his first outing as Homes, is not only brilliant (I calmly expect that from him), but a particularly good fit as the great detective. He has the look and the clipped diction, and is also uncommonly good at projecting intellect and intense concentration. Cushing’s preoccupation with props and minute details of mannerisms also serves him well in the role, as does his (surprising, if you know what he was like in real life) talent for arrogance and smugness.

Lee got his wish, after a number of monster roles, to play a nice guy, and he’s good enough as this romanticised, smoochy version of Henry, but the part really isn’t much to play. Morell is a solid, effective Watson far from the clueless bumbling of Nigel Bruce, and the supporting cast is equally well chosen.

There are a few shortcomings, naturally. The meaningless allusions to satanism I have already mentioned, and there’s also the flaw inherent in the novel, that Holmes is absent for much of the story. Complaints are sometimes voiced that the titular doggywoggy isn’t anywhere near monstrous enough, and while I agree that it doesn’t exactly look diabolical, I maintain that given the facts of the plot this actually makes a lot of sense.

For some reason Hound of the Baskervilles wasn’t a great success for Hammer, and consequently no sequels were made. It did firmly establish Cushing as one of the great Holmes portrayers, however, and he played the role again in the TV series Sherlock Holmes in the late 1960’s, and in the TV film Sherlock Holmes and the Masks of Death 1984.

Rating: 8 of 10.

Country: UK

Director:  John Gilling

Main Stars: Andre Morell, Diane Clare, Brook Williams

Storyline:  A strange epidemic is affecting Cornwall and the dead are slowly being seen walking the land.

Review (Spoils): Another great Hammer film from the UK but this time its zombies. We have a plague happening in the village of Cornwall and James Forbes (Andre Morell ) and his daughter Sylvia (Diane Clare)have come to help the doctor (Brook Williams )figure out the plague.The scenery yet once again is outstanding when it comes to old England. Hammer has always done this right. This film moves at a great pace and sets the mood of plague and disease. We have great acting from most of the cast except the zombie version of Alice was pretty lame and she moved way to fast out of the grave. Diane Clare stole the show for the film; she graced it with her beauty and great acting.The scene in which she was being attacked by the red coats you can sense her torment. The zombies themselves in the movie were really well done and I love the voodoo bit added to it to explain at least why the dead walk for mining. The storyline was very well written.

Rating:  I’m a Hammer fan to begin with and this is a classic within their collection outside of the great Dracula films. The cast for the film and the storyline was great and having Diane Clare added to the cast with her beautiful brown eyes was refreshing for a Hammer and zombie film.

7/10 Beers!

Yacker

Sir James Forbes (André Morell) receives a letter from former student Dr. Peter Tompson (Brook Williams), now a doctor in Cornwall whose patients are dieing unexpectedly. Together with his daughter Sylvia (Diane Clare), Sir James travels to the aid of his former pupil. They arrive to find another young man has died with no discernable cause and Tompson’s wife Alice Mary (a young Jacqueline Pearce, better know for her later role as Servalan in Blakes 7) acting strangely.

Although the movie lacks any of the Hammer big names it is as full of atmosphere and style as you would expect. It also contains many iconic images that have since become synonymous with the genre. Fitting perfectly between early zombie classics like White Zombie (1932) and I Walked with a Zombie (1943) and the reinvention of the genre by George A. Romero and Sam Raimi. Interestingly it only predates Night of the Living Dead by two years. Predating both infected zombies and “When there’s no more room in hell….” these are traditional Haitian Voodoo zombies. There isn’t a huge amount of zombie action, but there are a couple of standout scenes at the centre of the movie. The movies treatment of its zombies really cements its place within the genre. It actually contains just as much political subtext as Romero movies, but with typically British restraint it is all a little to subtle for some.

The movie does occasionally suffer from shaky dialogue (and sets) and the final act is a little week in comparison to the rest of the movie but I am prepared to live with this for the rich atmosphere and charm. Possibly more a steppingstone than a milestone in the zombie genre but certainly one worth seeing. Interestingly it was originally shown as a double billing with the first Hammer movie I have Dracula: Prince of Darkness.

I won’t be going to next weeks screening of The Man Who Fell to Earth clashes with the England v Ukraine football. I’m not sure about Hobson’s Choice the week after but will certainly be going to see one of my favourite Hammer movies Quatermass & The Pit on 3rd July.

The name Hammer Studios carries certain connotations, conjuring up images of Sir Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing in gothic horror retellings of the Dracula and Frankenstein legends that revitalised the horror genre during the sixties. There are however plenty of films in the Hammer canon that sit outside of these more recognisable classics and it’s these films that (in my opinion) represent some of their best work. A full three years before Romero shocked the world with his undead nightmare cum social satire Night Of The Living Dead they produced The Plague Of The Zombies (originally a B-feature to accompany the release of Dracula Prince Of Darkness) that effectively beat him to the punch. There are a few spoilers coming up so let me say at this stage that this is my favourite Hammer film and therefore should be immediately sought out and viewed before you continue reading. If you’ve already seen it or aren’t bothered about the game being given away, then please do read on.

When Doctor Peter Thompson (Brook Williams) writes to his old teacher Professor James Forbes (Morell) seeking help with identifying a mysterious illness that is afflicting the population of the small Cornish village at which he is the GP he is ill prepared for what their investigation will uncover. When the graves of the recent dead are found to be empty and people start to swear they’ve seen their deceased relatives roaming the moors by night it quickly becomes apparent that there is something more than mere disease at work and it is up to Forbes and Thompson to get to the bottom of the dark arts that appear to be raising the dead from their rest.

It’s an interesting film for several reasons. Firstly, the zombies are “proper” zombies, that is to say the result of Haitian voodoo, cursed individuals who become ill and then die as a result of black magic before being subsequently raised from the dead by the same curse that sent them there. Cinematically speaking it was at the time a subject that still remained largely obscure and so for many people would have been an introduction to the exotic witchcraft of voodoo, complete with the necessary dolls not to mention the concept of enslaved, reanimated corpses. It’s important to note that these are not the brain devouring predators of Romero or the virus enraged psychos of Danny Boyle. These are genuine voodoo zombie slaves, brought back from the dead by the local squire to work in his tin mine.

This brings me nicely on to the social aspect of the film. Not content with exploiting the villagers for his own ends in life, the charismatic but clearly sinister Squire Hamilton (Carson) wants to exploit them in death as well. His wealth and social status have given him a cavalier attitude to the working class inhabitants of the village whom he views as his to use as he sees fit. The Squire’s entourage terrorise the villagers without compunction and can do so without retribution thanks to the power and influence of their patron. Whether it’s deliberate or accidental, theres a condemnation of the aristocracy here amongst the shuffling zombies and voodoo rituals.

As far as the fear factor goes, it manages to maintain a certain amount of atmosphere, even after almost fifty years of hardening audience sensibilities. Sure, the zombie makeup is looking a bit dated and some of the acting from the supporting cast is a bit shaky but there are still moments of genuine horror at work. There is a fantastic moment where Thompson is accosted by the living dead who claw their way out of their graves before surrounding and ultimately overwhelming him. It’s a pretty tense scene, despite the technical limitations of the zombie design, deftly handled and something of a prototype for the zombie swarming Romero would popularise a few years later. The film’s most disturbing moment though comes not at the hands of the zombies but is when Forbes’ daughter Sylvia (Clare), abducted by the Squire’s men narrowly avoids being raped based on the cutting of a deck of cards to see which of the men gets to go first. It’s a level of darkness that the film never really revisits but is a fantastically chilling moment in a film that is otherwise happy to deliver lesser shocks with a tongue firmly in its cheek.

The main performances are pretty solid, Carson’s Squire is suitably smarmy and villainous, Diane Clare portrays Sylvia as a woman with plenty of guts and intellect, even if she is lined up for victim duty later on and Brook Williams is a passable sidekick to the Professor. The standout though is Andre Morell and his at times hilarious turn as the intelligent and decisive Forbes. Straightforward and incredibly forthright in his opinions, quick witted and bold he is the real star of the piece with an outstanding performance of a great character. He’s so good it sort of makes me wish they’d made a series of films revolving around Sir James Forbes to follow this up.

I was lucky enough to see this on the big screen, in a proper cinema at the premiere of the newly remastered version of the film and it really is looking in excellent shape. I was particularly pleased by the “day for night” scenes which have really benefited from the remastering work and have always been a bit of a bone of contention for me with Hammer’s films. The overall clarity of image is excellent throughout and the colours are beautifully vivid, all of which bode well for the imminent blu ray release. It’s always a pleasure to see an overlooked classic like this lovingly restored and hopefully its debut on blu ray will bring it to new fans who will appreciate it as much as I do.

4/5 stars

Director - Terence Fisher

Cast - Peter Cushing, Andre Morell, Christopher Lee,  Marla Landi, Ewen Solon, Francis de Wolff, John Le Mesurier, Miles Malleson

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The great detective Sherlock Holmes is the most prolific character in screen history. Having so many interpretations of the character floating around, I can only imagine how any actor must feel upon taking on the role. It would be tough, to be sure. Peter Cushing has the unenviable task here, and he carries it off reasonably well. He is no Jeremy Brett, who played the role in the revered BBC series of the 80′s/90′s, or even a Basil Rathbone of the ’40s films, but we can’t really complain. Andre Morell is an excellent Watson, and is perhaps a bit more succesful in his part than Cushing is in his. He plays Watson as an intelligent and eager man, and as someone you can imagine having spent time in the army. This is miles away from perhaps the most famous Watson, Nigel Bruce, who played the role opposite Rathbone as a stupid and out of touch English gentleman. As Holmes is MIA for a good portion of this movie, I’m glad I didn’t have to put up with any Bruce-ish bumbling.

But on to the movie itself. Plot-wise, we find Holmes and Watson taking on a case of attempted murder, and they fear the victim (Christopher Lee, playing Sir Baskerville) is still in danger. Watson accompanies Baskerville back to his country estate on the ancient moors of Dartmoor, while Holmes insists he is far too busy to leave London, but will follow at some point. As Watson eventually discovers, Holmes in fact does come down from London. Making a camp in a rocky outcrop on the moor, he investigates from afar. Meanwhile, a legendary hound is rumoured to be roaming the moors… perhaps the same one that was famously rumoured to have killed Sir Baskervilles ancestor?

Watching Holmes and Watson go toe-to-intellectual-toe against the forces of menace is always a treat for me. I read the original stories and books as a kid, and love returning to the various versions that have been made. Downey’s Sherlock Holmes series, while arguably playing a bit fast and loose with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s intended tone, is bringing Holmes back into the public’s conscience, which is not a bad thing. While I do manage to enjoy that series (and at running a risk of comparing apples to oranges) the BBC show Sherlock is much better. Ironically, the TV series has found a greater reception amongst Holmes fans despite updating the stories to modern times, and in fact ditching most of the actual original plots. But I digress…

This version of The Hound of the Baskervilles is just the right side of gothic camp, and the added/emphasized horror elements work within the style we are presented with, but do not really clash with the Sherlock Holmes world of realism.Cushing and Morell bring the appropriate energy to their interactions, and the story here is relatively engaging. But I found myself absolutely unable to look away from Christopher Lee throughout the whole movie. He is strangely entertaining… perhaps it is from the shock of seeing him a) not in Dracula makeup, and b) young. He is tall and strong here at age 37, and has a commanding presence. His voice is not as deep and rich as we know it now, but we can hear where it will go. It was great to see him here.

I’ve always loved movies that take place on the English moors, Wuthering Heights for example. There is such a feeling of desolation and hopelessness, and that certainly holds true here. You feel utterly alone out on the grey and green expanse of grass and moss-eaten rock. It is fortunate, and perhaps done on purpose, that Hammer Films (a company best known for their Dracula series with Cushing as Van Helsing and Lee as the count, and other such films) chose to produce a film version of what is probably the most gothic of the Holmes stories. The traditional Hammer gothic tone fits right in with the cold, dreary, and desolate landscape.

 OVERALL

The Hound of the Baskervilles is a good solid Sherlock Holmes story, with a decent cast. The movie is suitably atmospheric, with all the Hammer Films trademarks (including, it must be said, a cheap looking set or a not quite convincing effect here or there). I would gladly recommend this to Sherlock Holmes fans, or anyone who might just like an old mystery.

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TRAILER

“The Hound of the Baskervilles” on other websites:

IMDB —– Rotten Tomatoes —– Wikipedia

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Directed by William Wyler, Judah Ben-Hur lives as a rich Jewish prince and merchant in Jerusalem at the beginning of the 1st century. Together with the new governor his old friend Messala arrives as commanding officer of the Roman legions. At first they are happy to meet after a long time but their different politic views separate them. During the welcome parade a roof tile falls down from Judah’s house and injures the governor. Although Messala knows they are not guilty, he sends Judah to the galleys and throws his mother and sister into prison.

In the absence of Cushing and Lee, the roles of stalwart rationalist and charming pervert are taken by André Morell and John Carson respectively. Both are good, but particularly Morell, who was Watson in the Hammer ‘Sherlock Holmes’ and was a Major in the army, which shows. He’s calm but never absurdly so, and his deep, steady voice fills Oakley Court with a menace-confronting sense of decency and tact. So dependable is he, that where other superior Hammers escape the ditch of silly by the credibility of their horrors, Plague of the Zombies does so on the credibility of Sir James Forbes’ staunch trustiness. In other words, one watches him and thinks “goodness, if he’s scared, so should I be!”

Ultimately, of course, a horror film doesn’t work unless it’s frightening, and the central menace in Plague of the Zombies falls short of scary. This isn’t the fault of the villain Squire Hamilton (John Carson) who, even when implementing his foppish ruse to collect blood from oblivious local women, comes out looking relatively un-camp. The problem comes from the zombie threat: their basis and attributes are muddled and undernourished, chilling data and incidents concerning them are released ham-fistedly, and when they do fully appear they look too milky and fat to be any real shock to anyone.

Fortunately the frights are bolstered and compounded by the less paranormal inhabitants of the village. The squire, who’s been to the colonies and brought back voodoo necromancy, employs a gang of unrestrained toffs to participate in his gory games. When they’re off-duty, however, these slick lads get up to the classic hobbies of the bored and rich: hunting, bullying and attempted gang rape. While doing the former, they carelessly gallop through a funeral and knock the coffin off a bridge, exposing the deceased to the mourners and a sense of indignity and oppression to the audience. Their rutting lawlessness then considerably increases when they sack off the foxes and lay chase to the leading lady, Forbes’ wilful daughter Sylvia, when she makes a ballsy misjudgement of her neighbourhood’s general security and sneaks out in pursuit of her brainwashed friend Alice. Whisking her up onto a horse in a tasteless imitation of expected aristocratic chivalry, they drag her back to the squire’s manor, form a circle, and start shoving her around from man to man an a scene which prefigures that memorable, lopsided wedding duff-up in the anime section of Kill Bill: Vol I - white dress and all.

That these rapacious plummies are more frightening than the Zombies of the title may, however, be part of the director’s (John Gilling’s) vision. Plague of the Zombies forms part of a brief series of Hammer films with a gurgling postcolonial undercurrent, and its plot reads as an inventive, if slightly crooked, interrogation of expansionism, slavery and greed. Squire Hamilton, having gathered a horde of home-made zombies, uses them as slaves to operate a defunct tin mine and burgeon his sizeable wealth. Like the black slaves the Squire has presumably driven in the Caribbean (a handful of whom he brings to Cornwall as his backing drummers), the zombies are alien, surrounded by superstition and bound by a false ideological debt to their masters. They are also constantly beaten, although one wonders if beating a zombie is much good. Tellingly, the only scene in which the zombies seem to mean any real harm turns out to be a dream dreamt by Doctor Thompson (an atrocious, risible performance from Brook Williams) and when they are gathered in the mine they seem more human than most zombies – they are not visibly rotting, they do not thirst for human flesh – but sadder for that, since their infantile foot-dragging and lack of purpose is a bleak as the lot of a living slave, and their reanimation is obviously a fate worse than death.

As in most hammer horrors, there are plenty of hit gags. Doctor Thomson learning of his wife’s death is very funny, as is Forbes when he sees his first Zombie; announcing it with a pistol finger and a single, guttural “Zombie!”. Morell’s assurance and command breathe such depth and class into his scenes, though, and his screenworthiness cements the jolly gaps in plot and production throughout. His exquisite, unshakeable dignity when caught elbow-deep in a grave by a pair of policemen is one moment that springs to mind, along with his sudden deflation and medical distaste on realising that he has slain a thug in a fireside scuffle. It is these moments which avoid and reject the comedy for which Hammer Studios has since been remembered, and these moments that make the good ones good. Christopher Lee quit the team in 1973 when he realised the studio was pandering to the ‘fatuous, pointless’ farce which had previously inhabited, but never governed, their few great horror films. Lee would have been proud of Plague of the Zombies, but it’s probably a good thing he wasn’t around to audition, since his lanky, gliding baritone was sometimes a bit much.

-KB

INFÖR OSCARSGALAN 2011
Historisk tillbakablick, belönades 1958 med Oscarstatyetten i följande kategorier: Bästa film, Bästa regi, Bästa manliga huvudroll (Alec Guinness), Bästa manuskript efter förlaga (Michael Wilson, Carl Foreman, Pierre Boulle), Bästa filmmusik (Malcolm Arnold), Bästa filmklippning (Peter Taylor), Bästa fotografi (Jack Hildyard). Nominerades även i följande kategori: Bästa manliga biroll (Sessue Hayakawa).

Scenen finns med i en science fiction-roman av John Wyndham, The Kraken Wakes. I alla fall tror jag det. Hur som helst minns jag den. Några engelsmän sitter och dricker eftermiddagste utomhus när de fasansfulla monstren närmar sig och engelsmännen genast inser att de inte har någon som helst möjlighet att fly. Men i stället för att gripas av panik sitter de lugnt kvar och fortsätter att dricka te och diskutera litteratur, tills de några minuter senare alla är döda. Därför att civilisationen, civiliserat beteende och mänsklig värdighet är oändligt värda att upprätthålla. Till varje pris och under vilka omständigheter som helst. På engelska är det en av betydelserna i uttrycket “stiff upper lip”.

Detta är ett av de stora teman som genomsyrar The Bridge on the River Kwai. När de brittiska soldater som tillfångatagits av japanska armén kommer marscherande till fånglägret i djungeln, visslande den oförglömliga melodi som blivit ett av filmhistoriens mest slitstarka ledmotiv, utgör de en skara smutsiga trashankar, men de marscherar i snörräta rader och med högburet huvud. Okuvliga. Därför att något annat vore ovärdigt.

Den viljornas kamp som därpå dramatiskt utspelas mellan den japanske befälhavare som är fånglägerchef, Sessue Hayakawa, och den brittiske befälhavaren, Alec Guinness, är ett utslag av samma inställning. The Bridge on the River Kwan är regisserad av den brittiske regissören David Lean, och det är därför inte så Hollywoodenkelt som att den japanske befälhavaren är barbar och den brittiske befälhavaren civiliserad. De företräder båda två högstående men sinsemellan mycket olika civilisationer, med helt olika hedersbegrepp, helt olika syn på mänsklig värdighet. Den brittiske befälhavaren (lysande väl spelad – Alec Guinness gör en av sina paradroller) utstår ohyggliga plågor för att upprätthålla de västerländska, av FN statuerade krigslagarna och det i en fråga som strängt taget är en bagatell. Men han vägrar att ens i den minsta fråga, under några som helst omständigheter, ge avkall på vad han uppfattar som civiliserat beteende och mänsklig värdighet.

Men temat utvecklas. För Alec Guinness visar sig, i sin obevekliga, militäriska disciplin och helt i enlighet med den hederskodex som föreskriver att han till varje pris måste försvara Storbritanniens ära (läs: civilisationen), gå så långt att han rent konkret, tillsammans med mannarna under sitt befäl, byter sida. Av ren stolthet, och med uttalad ovilja att ta hjälp av de japanska soldater som står till hans förfogande, sätter han igång att utföra det väldiga arbete – att bygga bron över floden Kwai – som fångarna är beordrade att under mycket stark tidspress färdigställa åt japanerna.

Frågorna som The Bridge on the River Kwai ställer om vad mänsklig värdighet och civilisationens upprätthållande kan innebära, om de dras till sin yttersta spets, får ett oväntat men benhårt konsekvent svar i filmens slutreplik, som består av ett enda ord.

Temat är enastående väl behandlat.

Det här ser måhända, i somligas ögon, ganska högtravande intellektuellt och smalfilmsmässigt ut. Fast tror man det så känner man inte till David Lean. The Bridge on the River Kwai, som utspelas i Koreas djungler under andra världskriget, är även en storslagen, technicolorsprakande äventyrsfilm, den är *bio* i bemärkelsen vidunderlig matiné för vuxna. Stundtals, som under de allra sista minuterna, bjuder den på nästan outhärdlig spänning, den bjuder på oväntade förvecklingar, och den bjuder på hjältar som inte är Hollywoodaktigt osannolika utan tvärtom mycket trovärdiga. Därför att de inte är hjältar, därför att de är vanliga människor som under svåra omständigheter lyckas uppamma de oanade reservkrafter som krävs för att gå iland med ett företag som man själv kan anse är rena vansinnet, därför att det i grund och botten är meningslöst. Tydligast porträtteras den sidan av saken av William Holden, vars amerikanske, mycket mänsklige och berättigat krigscyniske soldat tvingas in i den lilla brittiska elitstyrka vars uppgift är att ta sig genom djungeln och genomföra det stora sabotaget. När saker och ting ställs på sin spets handlar han, delvis i strid med sin personliga och mer övergripande övertygelse, som han måste för att försöka genomföra uppdraget.

The Bridge on the River Kwai är ett storslaget äventyrsepos som utspelas mot en fond av kvalmig djungelhetta och outhärdliga förhållanden, och som för en gångs skull när det gäller den sortens filmer har något mycket väsentligt att säga om oss själva som människor, om mänsklig värdighet – och om mänsklig dårskap.

Kör hårt,
Bellis

Peter Tompson is a doctor in a small village that has been afflicted with a deadly infection. In desperation he sends a letter to his mentor Sir James Forbes who comes to his aid. The mysterious circumstances surrounding the deaths get stranger the more they learn and the answers lie in empty graves, walking corpses and voodoo ceremonies.

The props and sets in The Plague Of The Zombies are wicked fun. There are lots of lovely outdoor shots that takes us through woods where we might encounter zombies and other potential dangers. An old nickel mine, a tiny crowded cemetery and some nifty abodes provide lot’s of visual goodness. Haitians playing drums, ceremonial robes, masks, and candles; all the great voodoo elements and an added bonus of zombies! I loved the mini coffins and the little clay men and women used in the ritual! The zombies look pretty damn cool. They are seen in various stages of decay depending on how long they’ve been dead. Older zombies have rotting skin and white cloudy eyes while Fresher corpses closely resemble their former selves but devoid of a natural pallor. The dead are being raised intentionally via voodoo and there is actually a purpose for their reanimation. The effects in general are quite excellent for the time. This film is from 1966 after all so there isn’t much in the way of gore. But there is some blood, a decapitation, an old-fashioned barbecue and some really nice looking zombies to keep you interested. The film has plenty of mood and atmosphere complimented by just the right amount of humour.

It really is a fun story with great characterizations. Of course, there is a lot more to it than what I mention in the plot summary. I don’t want to go into too much detail and spoil all the fun for you though. There are two women in our little tale as well as a villainous Squire. Dr Peter Tompson is married to Alice who is a friend of Sir James’ daughter Sylvia. We are made aware that something isn’t right with Alice upon her introduction. When she answers the door for Sir James and Sylvia she does not immediately recognize her long time friend. She also looks dishevelled and sickly. The two girls catch up after a long time apart and Alice tells Sylvia about Squire Clive Hamilton, a man her husband dislikes but she has grown fond of. Sylvia does indeed meet the Squire under most unsettling circumstances and is suitably unimpressed. When Sylvia meets the Squire for a second time a minor accident involving a broken glass gives him the ammunition he needs and Sylvia falls under his spell. The Squire himself had been living abroad but has returned after his father’s death. His father left him the house and property along with many debts. The Squire quickly turns the finances around and soon a group of unsavoury men under his employ are terrorizing the local population and the Squire’s will reigns supreme. Unbeknownst to the villagers the Squire Clive Hamilton’s wealth and power comes via practising voodoo. The characters are all quite strong but it is André Morell who plays Sir James Forbes that really steals the show. Sir James is not only a brilliant doctor and teacher he is also quite the sleuth and he pretty much single-handedly solves the mystery that has terrorized the village for a year. Morell has a great presence and plays Sir James Forbes with a wry wit that was endlessly entertaining. It gave me a chuckle when he tells his daughter he should have drowned her at birth. Diane Clare who plays his daughter Sylvia is also good and the two have a great chemistry that made the father-daughter relationship work. John Carson does a commendable job playing the smarmy Squire Clive Hamilton. The Squire’s funky sideburns practically scream evil! I also really liked Alice Tompson, played by Jacqueline Pearce. She doesn’t get a lot of screen time but she does a nice job while she’s there. The only remotely weak link here was the Dr. Peter Tompson character played by Brook Williams. For Sir James’ star pupil he was a bit daft at times.

The Plague Of The Zombies looks great, has a fun story, strong performances and is 100% pure entertainment! If you’re a fan of Hammer Horror and you haven’t seen this one, what are you waiting for? If you are looking to be introduced into the world of Hammer this mid-sixties entry is a great place to start. The Plague of the Zombies gets my highest of recommendations!

Dungeon Rating: 5/5

Directed By: John Gilling

Starring: André Morell, Diane Clare, Brook Williams, Jacqueline Pearce, John Carson, Alexander Davion, Michael Ripper, Marcus Hammond, Dennis Chinnery, Louis Mahoney, Roy Royston, Ben Aris

Besides starring Gene Evans, more on him in a second, Behemoth has the distinction of being a complete rip-off of the original Godzilla. I didn’t think the British ripped it off until Gorgo, a few years later, but I stand corrected. Behemoth, the monster, comes from the sea, is a dinosaur, has been effected by radiation, and has fire-breath. Even the fishermen angle resembles Godzilla (Godzilla, however, got that aspect of the story from an actual incident). Behemoth doesn’t follow Godzilla’s story structure, nor does it stick with the one it has in the beginning, following two or three characters, characters who disappear as the monster starts showing up.

Gene Evans was a favorite of Sam Fuller and seeing him play a marine biologist would be fun enough, but seeing him play a marine biologist who’s sure of a giant radioactive monster is even better. André Morell plays Evans’s British counterpart–and, if one wants to read enough into a scene, his lover–and Morell gives Behemoth a certain bit of credibility, but it might just be the accent.

I watched Behemoth because it’s one of King Kong special effects producer Willis H. O’Brien’s last films. The stop-motion work isn’t too good, however, and the best special effects in Behemoth are a couple of the rear screen projection shots. They perfectly mix the foreground and background. Maybe it’s the black and white. The film doesn’t handle the special effects well in its structure either. After it ended, I realized Evans never even sees the monster. At least it’s got me curious again about O’Brien’s work, because it certainly hasn’t gotten me wanting to see anymore of Lourié’s.

CREDITS

Directed by Eugène Lourié; screenplay by Lourie and Daniel James, from a story by Robert Abel and Alan J. Adler; directors of photography, Desmond Davis and Ken Hodges; edited by Lee Doig; music by Edwin Astley; production designer, Lourie; produced by David Diamond and Ted Lloyd; released by Eros Films Ltd.

Starring Gene Evans (Steve Karnes), André Morell (Professor James Bickford), John Turner (John), Leigh Madison (Jean Trevethan) and Jack MacGowran (Dr. Sampson).

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