William CastleRezensionen

Though the plot and dialogue are sometimes unsubtle to the point of silliness, it's pleasantly short and to the point for an ensemble piece. Despite the characters each being a sketch of a type, they all feel complete enough. The pair of twists at the end, while somewhat predictable, are reasonably seamless and don't feel shoehorned in. This review sounds like faint praise, but this is a pretty satisfying watch, especially because you can see the kernels of tropes that would later become horror staples.

This film is quite a bit of fun, but it has so many plot holes that it makes you wonder if anyone was paying attention. Very interesting cast, however, and generally well acted, which is an achievement given how silly it is. Watch it with someone you love and engage in your own MST narration.½

I'm not sure how to rate this movie. As a pre-teen I would have given it 5 stars. The suspense! The drama! Terror! Crank phone calls! Parents don't know what trouble you are getting into while they are out! Joan Crawford! Scary stuff! I remembered this movie and when the opportunity arose to buy it on DVD after not having seen it for several decades, I could not resist. It did not quite live up to my memories but it is pure William Castle and so I will give it 3 stars.

Two teenagers - Libby (Andi Garrett) and Kit (Sara Lane) - spend an evening making nuisance prank 'phone calls. It's all good fun until they whisper to psycho killer Steve Marek (John Ireland): "I Saw What You Did and I Know Who You Are" and things take a turn to the murderous. This is a semi-decent William Castle thriller that manages to entertain despite being full of rather implausible plot developments and a couple of teeth-grittingly annoying teens. Castle manages to build some decent tension at the right moments and spice things up with the occasional scare and a vicious shower room murder. Nicely shot in black and white by Joseph Biroc who fills the set with some great ground fog for the shadowy climax of the film. The two teens Andi Garrett and Sara Lane are pretty poor; John Ireland is appropriately stoney-faced and Joan Crawford is enjoyably bonkers as the dolled-up hag who is hot for the killers body. She's in a role that serves no real purpose but is great lunatic fun despite that.

Got this for the superb Mr Sardonicus--don't know squat about the other movie

Five strangers are invited to stay the night in a haunted house.

What the heck - what's a good movie doing in my "bad horror movies" marathon? Maybe this endeavor won't be quite as painful as I thought.

Concept: C
Story: B
Characters: B
Dialog: B
Pacing: B
Cinematography: C
Special effects/design: C
Acting: B
Music: B

Enjoyment: B

GPA: 2.7/4½

The autobiography of low budget movie maker William Castle (d. 1977) who was famous for his publicity gimmicks. I didn't go to the movies much as a kid...we couldn't afford to with four kids, but I remember the red and blue filter glasses issued to watch 13 Ghosts which I did get to see. To see the ghosts you looked through one filter, to not see the ghosts you used the other filter. After working with the studios, Castle began producing his own, introducing his first gimmicks with the Vincent Price films The Tingler and House on Haunted Hill (Vinnie said he hadn't done much horror, Castle responded 'this could be a new career direction'). His biggest success was Rosemary's Baby. Great look at a notable among low budget filmmakers. Highly recommended. With photos.

This classic version of "House on Haunted Hill" is one of the most entertaining examples of the low-budget, black-and-white horror films that used to be such a mainstay for movie fans. It has few frills, but it does have some thrills, and in particular it has a cleverly written story that is told at a brisk pace, with a good deal of interesting and pleasingly macabre detail. "House On Haunted Hill" (Source:IMDB)

The Last Man on Earth is a great film to watch alone. Horror veteran Vincent Price plays Dr. Robert Morgan, a desperate and lonely man who's left alone in an apocalyptic world; A world ruled by zombie-like vampires as a result of a widespread plague. These vampire zombies are highly reminiscent of George Romero's walking dead in Night of the Living Dead. Price does a remarkable job interacting with practically nothing. He's alone throughout the majority of the film. His performance largely carries this low budgeter. When you watch the movie alone, you really feel where his character is coming from and a sense of hopelessness is established. The Last Man on Earth is really a thought-provoking, creepy classic. I recommend it be watched with Charlton Heston's The Omega Man to see another take on the same story (both were based on Richard Matheson's "I Am Legend"). (Source:IMDB)