FACES IN THE DARK

Mai Zetterling and John Gregson

FACES IN THE DARK (1960). Director: David Eady. Colorized. 

Richard Hammond (John Gregson of Fright) is a gruff and unpleasant developer who is working on a revolutionary new light bulb called the Apollo. This bulb explodes, blinding Hammond. His wife, Christiane (Mai Zetterling), who was about to divorce Richard, decides to stay and take care of him, and she takes him for a rest stay at their place in Cornwall. Other guests and residents include Richard's mistreated business partner, David (Michael Denison), Richard's irresponsible brother, Max (John Ireland of Gunslinger), the chauffeur Clem (Tony Wright of The House in Marsh Road), and the maid Janet (Nanette Newman of The Painted Smile). Richard actually seems to be adjusting to his vision loss rather well, but then he gets the notion that things in the household just aren't right. Is he being paranoid or mentally unstable, as his wife suggests, or is he truly the victim of a diabolical plot?

Gregson with Tony Wright

Faces in the Dark is based on a novel by the authors of the source material for Les Diaboliques and Vertigo. It is also a tricky suspense tale that will keep you wondering exactly what is going on in the background. Gregson gives an excellent performance, perfectly convincing in his blindness, and remaining true to his grumpy characterization throughout, although he eventually becomes pitiful. Zetterling, Denison and the others are all on target, with the exception of Ireland, who gives a surprisingly  perfunctory performance. Although the film lacks the slick quality and pacing of other British thrillers of the period, it's great in its depiction of the harrowing struggle of Richard to uncover the truth, whatever it may be, and survive. The movie makes clear, as Richard states, that a blind person is easily fooled by his enemies. 

Verdict: Solid lead and supporting performances help bolster this interesting suspense film. ***. 

BLACKOUT (1950)

Maxwell Reed and Dinah Sheridan

BLACKOUT (1950). Director: Robert S. Baker.

Chris Pelley (Maxwell Reed of Shadow of Fear) lost his sight in an accident but is scheduled to have an operation that will restore it. Before that he goes to an appointment and discovers that he has entered the wrong flat and  even stumbled over a dead body. The body disappears and nobody believes him. After a successful surgery, Chris returns to the flat and encounters Pat Dale (Dinah Sheridan of No Trace) and her grumpy father (Kynaston Reeves of Fiend without a Face), who has been out of sorts ever since his son died in a plane crash. Attracted to one another, Chris and Pat begin their own investigation into whoever the dead man was as well as whosoever killed him. Because of this both of them not only find themselves in danger but discover that sometimes dead men walk again ...

Chris is in a bit of a pickle -- Michael Evans on the far left

Blackout has superior photography and scoring, and all told is not badly done, and well-acted as well. But somehow it just never catches fire and comes off as a decent but distinctly minor crime drama. Maxwell Reed, who I have seen in many working class roles, this time plays a dapper, urbane type and is as good as ever. Dinah Sheridan is a bit bland but okay. Annette D. Simmonds offers more spice as a gal who is in with the bad guys but tries to help Chris to her regret. Patric Doonan is Chalky, an old pal of Pat's brother who may know more than he's telling, and Michael Evans (of The Young and the Restless) is effective as Guy Sinclair, who is mixed up in the thick of things. An eerie house that figures in the story looks like something out of Psycho. Robert S. Baker also (co-) directed the much more interesting Jack the Ripper. Maxwell Reed married Joan Collins two years after this film but their marriage only lasted four or so years. 

Verdict: Acceptable suspense story with some good settings and performances. **1/2. 

HORROR HOUSE

Pitiful victim of Horror House

HORROR HOUSE (aka Haunted House of Horror/1969). Written and directed by Michael Armstrong.

Although Chris (Frankie Avalon) generally gives swingin' parties in London, everyone is bored at his latest soiree, until somebody gets the idea of the group going to investigate a haunted house. One of the group, Sylvia (Gina Warwick), is followed by her married lover, a creepy guy named Bob (George Sewell), who is stalking her. At the house one of the young men is attacked and slashed to death. Chris gets the not-very-bright idea of hiding the body and covering up the crime so that none of them will be forever branded a psychopath, even though one of them is undoubtedly guilty of the murder. But things will eventually come out as more murders occur ...

Frankie Avalon and Julian Barnes

Horror House holds the attention, but for most of its length it's completely devoid of any style or real excitement. The film is nearly half over before the first murder occurs. (This consists of quick shots of a slashing knife, a screaming man, and lots of fake blood thrown about.) But the final quarter is altogether different, almost as if it were directed by another person. There's an excellent and very suspenseful climax when two men are confronting each other, and a knife -- clearly being held by one of the men -- is seen between the two of them, only you can't tell which man is holding the knife as their hands are out of frame. 

Jill Haworth and Frankie Avalon

Beach Party movie alumnus Avalon is okay in the film, but two other actors make more of an impression: Julian Barnes as a haunted young man who had a bad experience in his youth; and Mark Wynter, who was introduced in the film (although he had at least one previous starring role), and seems to have the biggest part in this as a ladies man until he's suddenly sliced and diced.  Jill Haworth [Horror on Snape Island] plays Avalon's girlfriend, Sheila, as a tough, rather unlikable wench who is easily bored. Dennis Price [The Horror of It All] has little to do as a police inspector. Reg Tilsley's score can best be described as uneven, although when it's good it's quite effective. Michael Armstrong also directed Mark of the Devil. 

Verdict: Half-baked horror flick that has some rewards it you sit through it all. **1/2. 

HYSTERIA

HYSTERIA (1965). Director: Freddie Francis.

One of Jimmy Sangster's worst scripts is the main problem of this silly pseudo-thriller in which an American (Robert Webber) traveling from France to England winds up losing his memory in an auto crash. The dead driver's widow, Denise (Lelia Goldoni), arranges for his treatment in a clinic and for him to stay in her luxury apartment. Trying to summon up comparisons with Psycho, there's some business with a bloodied knife and then a corpse being found in or near a shower stall with the water running and so on -- but this is no Psycho and doesn't even come close. The film never works up more than the mildest of suspense as it tries to make you wonder who Webber really is and how he fits in with Denise, the dead body, and Dr. Keller (Anthony Newlands), the doctor who's been treating him. Jennifer Jayne from The Crawling Eye plays Gina, a nurse and romantic interest. A riot of loose ends and stupid contrived murder "plots," Hysteria is simply tedious and terrible and never makes much sense. Goldoni had a better role in Theatre of Death a couple of years later. Sue Lloyd of Corruption briefly plays a zesty French hooker. Dan Banks' jazzy score is pretty bad.

Verdict: Unmemorable British thriller. *1/2. 

RING-A-DING RHYTHM

Craig Douglas and Helen Shapiro

RING-A-DING RHYTHM (aka It's Trad, Dad/1962). Director: Richard Lester.  

The mayor (Felix Felton) of a small British town is convinced that the new music the kids are playing is not only disturbing the peace, but lowering moral values. Craig (Craig Douglas) and Helen (Helen Shapiro) think the answer is to organize a jazz festival to show that the music is not that bad, but who can they get to host it? They travel to a studio to try to find a host, and encounter a large number of both British and American musical acts. But can they convince the mayor of the rightness of their cause?

"Another Tear Falls:" Gene McDaniels

Douglas and Shapiro were minor singers in the UK who were tapped to essentially host this concert movie, which makes use of such acts as The Paris Sisters, Gary (U.S.) Bonds, Gene Vincent, the Brook Brothers, Del Shannon, Chubby Checker, and others, most of whom (with the exception of Checker) are forgotten today. The musical highlight is the very talented Gene McDaniels singing "Another Tear Falls." Douglas has a pleasant voice and appealing manner, but Shapiro's voice is very odd and too deep. John Leyton (of The Idol) is billed as a special guest star, but he only shows up to sing one number. The final segment features some excellent Dixieland jazz bands, and the mayor finally gets to shaking his booty! Director Richard Lester assures that the movie is visually inventive, although producer Milton Subotsky's "script" doesn't amount to much. Lester later directed two films starring the Beatles as well as Superman III. From Amicus studios. 

Verdict: Musically interesting, but not much of a movie. **. 

FIRE MAIDENS OF OUTER SPACE

The Fire Maidens go into their dance

FIRE MAIDENS OF OUTER SPACE (1956). Written and directed by Cy Roth. Colorized version. 

A space ship heads for the 13th moon of Jupiter and discovers a hidden city called New Atlantis -- it's like a medieval castle inside -- presided over by an old man named Prasus (Owen Berry), who is the figurative father of a bevy of dancing beauties. Outside New Atlantis a tall dark humanoid creature -- a skinny guy dressed in black and wearing a kind of voodoo mask -- stalks anyone who dares to step outside the enclave. Astronauts led by Luthor Blair (Anthony Dexter) enter the city and aren't quite certain that the inhabitants are friendly, especially when they are put into a drugged sleep via Prasus' refreshments ...

The monster goes after the maidens as astronauts watch

Prasus does not offer any explanations for the weird goings-on in Fire Maidens. We never learn how the occupants of doomed Atlantis managed to get from Earth all the way to Jupiter. Where are the parents of all the young ladies? Who or what exactly is "the creature" that roams about outside? The whole thing is like something out of an old comic book or cliffhanger serial, only even more illogical. The ladies start dancing to the strains of Borodin at the drop of a hat. Kim Parker of Fiend Without a Face is one of the fire maidens. 

Verdict: The only space babes movie which is worse is the execrable Queen of Outer Space. **1/4. 

NIGHT AFTER NIGHT AFTER NIGHT

Gilbert Wynne and Donald Sumpter

NIGHT AFTER NIGHT AFTER NIGHT (1969). Director: Lindsay Shonteff. 

A Jack the Ripper-type killer is preying on prostitutes in London. Inspector Rowan (Gilbert Wynne) immediately focuses on the thuggish Pete Laver (Donald Sumpter), and is convinced he is the killer. When Rowan's wife, Jenny (Linda Marlowe of Spaceflight IC-1) becomes the latest victim, slashed in her bathtub, a furious Rowan follows Pete everywhere and threatens him. But as the murders continue new suspects come into view. Also involved in the case are Judge Lomax (Jack May), his wife, Helena (Justine Lord), and his seriously weird assistant, Carter (Terry Scully). 

Gilbert Wynne and Jack May

The excellent performance of Donald Sumpter is the main reason to watch the mediocre Night After Night After Night. To be fair, it's possible the film was less interested in creating suspense over the identity of the killer -- which is no surprise -- than it was in looking at his home life, but his psychopathology seems to come out of nowhere. The performances are generally good but Jack May is way, way over the top as hanging Judge Lomax. The ending to the film is dragged out to a ridiculous length, with everyone in the audience probably wanting someone to just shoot the guy and be done with it. As usual, Lindsay Shonteff betrays little directorial skill. 

Verdict: One of the lesser "ripper" movies despite some very good performances. **. 

THE CRAWLING EYE

The alien eye creatures go on the attack!

THE CRAWLING EYE (aka The Trollenberg Terror/1958). Director: Quentin Lawrence. Colorized.

Alan Brooks (Forrest Tucker of The Strange World of Planet X) travels to the Trollenberg mountain in Switzerland at the behest of scientist Crevett (Warren Mitchell), whose observatory is studying cosmic rays. Crevett feels that something weird that happened years ago in the Andes is now happening on the Trollenberg. There are strange deaths of climbers, some of whom wind up decapitated, and a radioactive cloud that is able to move independently. All of this is disturbing to Anne Pilgrim (Janet Munro), who is one half of a telepathic act with her sister Sarah (Jennifer Jayne), and who picks up "thoughts" from whatever it is on top of the Trollenberg. Brooks and the sisters, along with reporter Philip Truscott (Laurence Payne of The Tell-Tale Heart), try not to panic when the cloud starts moving downwards towards the village and they finally see what's inside ...

Telepathic: Janet Munro picks up signals from the mountain

Based on a British mini-series, The Crawling Eye is a highly creepy and suspenseful horror show with more than competent acting, an eerie premise, and several memorable sequences. The FX work is crude and low-budget, but nevertheless effective, and there's a good score by Stanley Black (there's an especially nice passage during a scary sequence at a cabin which is slowly being enveloped by a freezing mist). A particularly tense scene occurs when the cable on the car taking frightened passengers up to the observatory begins to freeze ... As usual in films of this nature, there is plenty of illogic. When one little girl leaves her mother's side near the lower landing of the cable car to look for her ball in the inn below, one can't imagine this toddler being able to make it such a distance in so short a time. (This could have been corrected if the shot of the inn made it seem much closer.) The sequence in the cabin as shot also seems a bit impossible. But the movie is such gruesome fun that it scarcely matters. The color definitely adds a new dimension. 

Verdict: Giant eyeballs with tentacles, severed heads -- what more can you ask for? ***. 

THE SAINT'S GIRL FRIDAY

Louis Hayward as The Saint, Simon Templar

THE SAINT'S GIRL FRIDAY (aka The Saint's Return/1953). Director: Seymour Friedman. Colorized. 

"Did you really drop a man into a vat of acid?" -- elderly lady partygoer.

"No. It was a woman." -- Simon Templar.

When Simon Templar (Louis Hayward of Son of Dr. Jekyll) learns that Judy, an old girlfriend of his, died in a mysterious car accident, he flies to London to investigate, whereupon Chief Inspector Claude Teal (Charles Victor) warns him to stay out of trouble. Learning from her guardian that Judy had huge gambling debts, Simon tries to find which illegal gambling club she was a patron of, and then who the mysterious chief is who owns the place. He enlists the aid of Carol (Naomi Chance) who works for the club to pay off her own debts, and whom Simon affectionately calls his girl Friday. She resists helping him and he and his butler Hoppy (Thomas Gallagher) try various stratagems to collar the gang -- called the River Mob -- and its unknown chief. Then they learn Carol is in serious danger ...

William Russell and Naomi Chance

The always-debonair Louis Hayward makes an excellent Simon Templar and gives a smooth and expert performance. The other cast members, including Jane Carr as the effervescent Katie French; Diana Dors [Berserk] as a lascivious blonde moll in a bad guy's apartment; Fred Johnson as counterfeiter Irish Cassidy; William Russell as gambleholic Keith Merton; and Ian Fleming as his father, Lord Merton, among others, are all quite effective. Sam Kydd has a small role, too. Hayward hadn't played the Saint in fifteen years, since The Saint in New York, and would never play it again. This is fast-paced, has a degree of suspense, and a couple of surprises to boot. For my money, the colorizing adds to the enjoyment. Although it is considered the 9th and final entry in the RKO Saint series, this is a British film from Hammer studios. 

Verdict: Easy to take intrigue from the UK. **3/4.  

IN THE DEVIL'S GARDEN

Suzy Kendall

IN THE DEVIL'S GARDEN (aka Assault/1971). Director: Sidney Hayers. 

A girl, Tessa (Lesley-Anne Down), is sexually assaulted in the woods and is so traumatized that she is unable to speak. Then another girl is not only raped but murdered. Dr. Lomax (James Laurenson) tries to get through to the mute girl without success. Detective Velyan (Frank Finlay of Lifeforce) is frustrated by the lack of clues in the case when Julie West (Suzy Kendall of Torso), the arts teacher at the nearby girls' school, gets a glimpse of the killer, but can only describe him as being "like the Devil." Nevertheless she, a reporter (Freddie Jones) and Velyan and his associates cook up a plan to use the brave Julie as a decoy. Meanwhile there are a few suspects, including the headmistress's sleazy husband, Leslie (Tony Beckley of Beware My Brethren), and even Dr. Lomax and some of the police officers. Julie discovers that the killer is much closer than anyone realizes ... 

Frank Finlay and James Laurenson

In the Devi's Garden, originally released under the dull title Assault, is an interesting and suspenseful thriller with some solid performances. The ending is dragged out a bit too much, and the identity of the killer is telegraphed a bit too soon, but there are some intriguing developments nevertheless. Lesley-Anne Down was introduced in this film -- it was actually her fourth movie -- and is unrecognizable at 17. James Cosmo, Dilys Hamlett, Patrick Jordan, and Anthony Ainley also have significant roles. Sidney Hayers also directed Circus of Horrors.

Verdict: Reasonably worthwhile suspense-thriller. **3/4. 

SHADOW OF TREASON

John Bentley and Anita West

SHADOW OF TREASON (1964). Director: George P. Breakston. 

When Steve (John Bentley of Salute the Toff) saves the life of singer and club owner Tina (Anita West) in Trieste, she hires him as her bodyguard. Apparently her late father was blackmailing certain traitors and one of them is afraid that his daughter has knowledge of their activities. Steve tracks down some of these people, including Nadia (Faten Hamamah) and her crippled father; Mario (Ferdy Mayne), and former Nazi Michel Duval (John Gabriel), who tries to form an alliance with Nadia. This whole bunch wind up on a trek through East Africa, searching through a cave for incriminating documents and blackmail money. 

Ferdy Mayne and Faten Hamamah

Shadow of Treason throws together war criminals, rampaging elephants, large, sinister snakes and big spiders and still manages to be one of the duller movies to come out of Britain. The two women become jealous of each other but the dissipated-looking Bentley hardly seems the type to inspire that much lust, not that the ladies are such raving beauties. Much of the story is confusing in any case. The liveliest scene has a hit man being stabbed by Nadia's father, who comes rushing at the man, knife in hand, in his wheelchair -- both wind up dead. Shadow of Treason tries very hard to be exciting and sexy but it's a losing battle. It has decent performances, a poor musical score, a flaccid pace, and insufficient direction. Hamamah appeared in a great many Arabic films while West had only a few credits in Brit pictures. 

Verdict: Makes the worst eurospy picture seem like the best of Bond. *1/2. 
 

SCORPIUS

SCORPIUS. John Gardner. Putnam's; 1988.

Absolutely one of Gardner's best 007 efforts, and one of the most entertaining and chilling Bond novels ever written. Bond takes on a malevolent cult leader named Father Valentine, who turns out to be none other than loathsome arms dealer Vladimir Scorpius, who has switched from selling mechanical weapons to marketing the services of his brainwashed cult members, The Society of the Meek Ones, as human bombs. A campaign of terror reigns in England as these human bombs blow themselves up at public gatherings, taking many public officials and innocent spectators and police officers with them. Father Valentine has also issued a smart card, a credit card, Avante Carte, to his members, and it also has menacing possibilities. Bond joins forces with Harriett Horner, an American IRS agent, and a military man named Pearlman whose daughter is a member of the cult. But Bond isn't certain that either can be trusted, as someone seems to know his every move... It all winds up on Hilton Head Island, off South Carolina, where Valentine/Scorpius has his headquarters, and Bond tries a thrilling escape through a nest of hundreds of scorpions, and a run across a beach occupied by dozens of deadly snakes whose one bite means near-instantaneous death. The thrilling climax has Bond desperately trying to prevent a final attack on both the Prime Minister and the President.

Scorpius is prime Bond. It pulls the reader along from the first paragraph and never lets go. The supporting cast is more interesting and dimensional than usual, and more than one of the characters comes to a moving fate. The novel also taps into contemporary fears of cults and terrorists and human bombs, who have become all too common in the real world. As an in-joke, Gardner has Bond watch The Untouchables on an airplane in which “a favorite actor of his” played a Chicago cop. (The role was essayed, of course, by Sean Connery.) Possibly expressing his own feelings about the death penalty Gardner has Bond, improbably, make the comment that “I don't believe this eye-for-an-eye business... I've been in the game too long, and there's something particularly vile about snuffing out life if there's another way.” Not so improbably, Bond forgets all of this stuff and deliberately engineers the death of the truly miserable villain at the end. (Bond would try not to take a life if he could help it – he was certainly never as casual about death as the movie 007 is -- but he would take pleasure in snuffing out certain despicable and merciless parties if it came to it.)

Verdict: Despite some suspect or illogical moments, Scorpius is the real deal.***1/2.

BOMBAY WATERFRONT

Dainton, Bentley and Arthur Hill

BOMBAY WATERFRONT (aka Paul Temple Returns/1952.) Director: Maclean Rogers. 

Scotland Yard man turned mystery writer Paul Temple (John Bentley of Calling Paul Temple) and his wife, Steve (Patricia Dainton of The Third Alibi), get embroiled in the case of a mysterious figure known only as the Marquis, who has committed multiple murders for unknown reasons. Steve comes to suspect Inspector Ross (Ronald Leigh-Hunt) to the incredulity of his boss, while Paul is highly suspicious of the strange Sir Felix Raybourne (Christopher Lee of Alias John Preston) whose beautiful home is full of incense and other weird accoutrements. Others involved in the case include Storey (Grey Blake), whose fiancee was one of the victims, and Slater (Robert Urquhart), an actor who once appeared in one of Temple's plays and is now in the employ of the villain. 

Patricia Dainton with Christopher Lee

Bombay Waterfront is smooth and entertaining, with Bentley as good as usual as Temple -- his third and last time playing the character -- but Chris Lee, as expected, offers the most flavorful performance as Felix Raybourne. Grey Blake is also notable as the distraught Storey. Dan Jackson plays Sakki, the brother of the Temples' original Indian manservant. Arthur Hill has a very small role as a friend of the Temples. While the musical score is too often inappropriate, the picture does manage to build up suspense, and there are a few exciting scenes, although many will not be much surprised when the Marquis' identity is finally exposed.  

Verdict: Satisfying if unspectacular Paul Temple adventure. **3/4. 

HAMMER THE TOFF

Patricia Dainton and John Bentley

HAMMER THE TOFF (1952). Director: Maclean Rogers. 

Susan Lancaster (Patricia Dainton of The House in Marsh Road) is the niece of a professor (Ian Fleming, not the creator of James Bond), who has developed a secret formula for a certain process useful in defense. When he is murdered via a hypodermic needle in a briefcase, Richard Rollison (John Bentley of The Flaw), aka The Toff, takes it upon himself to protect Susan from a nefarious character called the Hammer. Up to now the Hammer has been seen as a kind of Robin Hood, helping the poor people of the East End of London, but now he and his gang are resorting to murder. Or is there another person calling himself the Hammer? With the help of Inspector Grice (Valentine Dyall), Sergeant Barrow (Ben Williams) and Rollison's major domo Jolly (Roddy Hughes), the Toff tries to find out the truth. Then Susan is kidnapped ... 

John Robinson with Bentley 

Hammer the Toff is the second of two films starring Bentley as the John Creasy creation the Toff -- the first was Salute the Toff -- and it is much better than the first, with a more complicated storyline and a lot of action. Bentley is perfection as the Toff. The entire cast plays this kind of light yet dramatic material with panache. John Robinson gives a smooth performance as a suspect and never quite gives away his guilt or innocence. Wally Patch is the crusty but likable bar owner who briefly turns against the Toff when he thinks he's betrayed an associate to the police. 

Verdict: Well turned out British suspense film. ***. 

OUT OF THE FOG (1962)

David Sumner

OUT OF THE FOG (aka Fog for a Killer/1962). Director: Montgomery Tully.  

Released from prison, George Mallon (David Sumner) takes up residence in a kind of halfway house for ex-cons. He gets a job driving for a furniture company, but can't get rid of the massive chip on his shoulder. Even his own mother (Olga Lindo) wants nothing to do with him. When blond women are strangled on what is known as "the flats" each full moon, George becomes the prime suspect. Sgt. June Lock (Susan Travers) is assigned to get a job at the furniture company and ingratiate herself with George. On the next full moon George decides to forget about going to the movies with June, and instead takes her for a walk in the flats ... 

David Sumner and Susan Travers

Out of the Fog is a minor but well-acted British suspense film that could have used another twenty or thirty minutes of character development as well as a few tense murder sequences. It comes off much more like a 1940's production than something made two years after Psycho. David Sumner with his sensitive features so at odds with the bitter unpleasant character he plays makes a decided impression in the film, and a wide variety of character actors also make their contribution. A ridiculous bit has to do with Det. Supt. Chadwick (John Arnatt) ordering some more men to the flats once he learns June has gone there with George, but considering it was a full moon -- the only time murders occur -- why the hell wouldn't he have had a lot more men there already? Montgomery Tully also directed The Third Alibi. 

Verdict: Very good lead performance with a so-so script. **1/2. 

THE PAINTED SMILE

Liz Fraser and Tony Wickert

THE PAINTED SMILE (aka Murder Can Be Deadly/1962). Director: Lance Comfort.  

Jo Lake (Liz Fraser) and her boyfriend Mark (Peter Reynolds) entrap unsuspecting men, with Liz picking them up and Mark pretending to be her husband. One night Mark is murdered by a gangster named Kleinie (Kenneth Griffith). Jo brings Tom (Tony Wickert) home from the club where he and his pals are celebrating his having one final fling, where they come upon Mark's body. Jo tells a horrified Tom that if he doesn't help her get rid of the corpse, she will tell the police that he is the murderer. Tom's actions after that border on the moronic. The Painted Smile is a lesser melodrama from director Lance Comfort. The acting is more than adequate. Others in the cast include a pre-Blowup David Hemmings as one of Tom's pals and Nanette Newman as Tom's highly supportive fiancee, Mary. Singer Craig Douglas warbles a tune in a nightclub. 

Verdict: Very short alleged thriller that you can easily miss. **. 

SHADOW OF FEAR

Jean Kent and Mona Freeman

SHADOW OF FEAR (aka Before I Wake/1955). Director: Albert S. Rogell. Colorized. 

April Haddon (Mona Freeman of Angel Face), who has been in the U.S. for several years, comes home when her stepmother, Florence (Jean Kent), notifies her that her father has died in an accident. April is very suspicious of Florence, especially when she tells her that her late mother, who was nursed by Florence, was supposedly a hopeless drunk, something April refuses to believe. She also uncovers incriminating evidence about the boat  accident in which her father died. April's old boyfriend,  Michael (Maxwell Reed), now a doctor, listens to April but is unconvinced that her stepmother, whom everyone loves, is the monster she portrays her as. April learns that the fortune her father left her will be in trust until she turns 21 in three weeks -- but April is convinced her stepmother plans to do away with her before the time is up. Florence was left the house and money but April fears that she wants it all ... 

Mona Freeman and Maxwell Reed

Shadow of Fear is a low-budget but absorbing British thriller with good performances, especially from Jean Kent as Florence, who keeps the audience guessing as to whatever her true character, motivations, or plans may be, sinister or otherwise. Mona Freeman is also excellent as the distraught daughter who finds her efforts to get justice for her parents continuously stymied. Marshall Reed was a British matinee idol who was once married to Joan Collins and he's stalwart enough as the good doctor who comes to April's aid after being initially dismissive. Supporting performances are all on target and the film is quite enjoyable. 

Verdict: Minor but entertaining suspense film with good performances. ***. 

ALIAS JOHN PRESTON

Christopher Lee

ALIAS JOHN PRESTON (1955). Director: David MacDonald.

Sally Sandford (Betta St. John), who lives with her parents in the staid British town of Deanbridge, is rather unsatisfied with her boyfriend, Bob (Peter Grant), even though he's felt they would get married ever since childhood. Into town comes the striking and wealthy industrialist John Preston (Christopher Lee of The Gorgon), who begins buying up buildings and businesses and sweeps Sally off of her feet. When Sally accepts John's proposal, the latter realizes that he needs to enter married life with a clean slate, so to speak, so grudgingly speaks to psychologist Peter Walton (Alexander Knox of Son of Dr. Jekyll) about recurring nightmares in which he murders a blond woman, Sylvia (Sandra Dorne), with the complicity of her jilted French husband (Patrick Holt). But are these really dreams, or is something more sinister going on? What do you think?

Patrick Holt with Lee

It's a good thing Christopher Lee wound up in Horror of Dracula or he might have been doomed to be in lousy movies like Alias John Preston for the rest of his career. Clumsily directed and edited, the film has virtually no suspense or excitement. Lee gives a good enough performance, as do most of the other cast members, but as a mystery -- if that's even what this is -- the flick is a stinker. Sally seems rather plain to be attracting so many men from the town and Bob turns out to be not so tightly wrapped. Lee has decided presence in the film, but even his participation can't save it. Another low-budget British misfire. Sandra Dorne and Patrick Holt appeared together in The Gelignite Gang. 

Verdict:  Stick with Lee in Hammer horror films where he really made an impression. *1/2. 

EASTER BUNNY MASSACRE

EASTER BUNNY MASSACRE (aka Easter Killing/2021). Director: Jack Peter Mundy. NOTE: Not to be confused with Easter Bunny Massacre: The Bloody Trail.  

A group of high school friends on a camping trip over Easter have to deal with the antics of "bad girl" Heather (Antonia Whillans), who is stabbed to death by someone wearing a weird rabbit mask. (Somehow blood spatter gets all over virtually the entire cast, something which is never explained). The rest of the group -- Neil (Tom Nyugen), Carl (Michael Hoad), Amy (May Kelly), Tom (Genna Lostkutnikov), and Jane (Sarah T. Cohen) -- decide to hide Heather's body and cover up the murder because it might prevent them from going to "Uni" (college) or something along those lines. A year later these people -- all of whom look like they are several years out of college let alone high school -- receive invitations to an isolated cabin from -- you guessed it -- Heather. Strangely, they all show up -- along with Amy's brother, Marty (Lee Hancock) and Neil's girlfriend, Maria (Beatrice Fletcher), who wants to know what the hell is going on. Then someone wearing a bunny fright mask starts stalking all of them ... 

Michael Hoad as Carl

While the plot is workable. the direction and editing of the film is off the mark. The characters are probably better developed than in other films of this nature, but the slow pacing may have you searching for the fast-forward function. There are also severe continuity problems, especially an attack scene that just seems to stop dead for no reason. The plot is an amalgam of I Know What You Did Last Summer with a solution that reminds one of the Scream movies, but Easter Bunny Massacre is in no way as entertaining or as slick as those movies. Surprisingly, the acting in this is uniformly good, better than the script deserves. A particular stand out is Michael Hoad as Carl, who has genuine screen presence. Antonia Whillans scores as the bitchy "tramp" who gets herself sliced, and May Kelly makes a positive impression as well. I must say that the furry bunny mask in which the murders are committed is much more creepy than you might imagine.

Verdict: Twisted British horror film with some points of interest but ultimately doesn't quite, ahem, cut it. **1/4. 

FEAR IN THE NIGHT

FEAR IN THE NIGHT (1972). Produced and directed by Jimmy Sangster.

Newlyweds Peggy (Judy Geeson of Berserk) and Robert Heller (Ralph Bates) have moved into a cottage on the grounds of a boys school owned and run by headmaster Michael Carmichael (Peter Cushing of The Beast Must Die). Michael has a much younger wife named Molly (Joan Collins). Peggy has already been attacked by a man with a prosthetic arm back in the city, when this same man breaks into the cottage. Robert, who knows that Peggy was seeing a doctor after a nervous breakdown, isn't certain whether to believe her or not. One evening he has to go on an errand for Michael, and Peggy is left all alone in the house. Bad things are going to happen ... 

Ralph Bates and Judy Geeson

Fear in the Night is an intriguing and suspenseful Hammer thriller with some excellent performances. Even if you get clued in to some of the things that are going on, there are still some interesting twists to the story. Once everything has unfolded there is also a degree of pathos when you realize how cruelly one of the innocent characters has been used. The great Peter Cushing adds some class to the picture as he generally does, Bates doesn't give away if he's keeping secrets or not, Collins is suitably tough and forceful in her portrayal, and Geeson generally manages to deal with all of the sinister goings-on with aplomb. Sangster, who also co-wrote the screenplay, never lets the pace flag. It all builds to a quite satisfactory conclusion. 

Verdict:  Notable Hammer suspense film with fine performances. ***.