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Joss Ackland, Tom Adams, Geoffrey Bayldon, John Bennett, John Bryans ... see more see more... , Peter Cushing , Joanna Dunham , Denholm Elliott , Chloe Franks , Robert Lang , Christopher Lee , Joanna Lumley , Wolfe Morris , Jon Pertwee , Ingrid Pitt , Nyree Dawn Porter , John Malcolm

This anthology picture about a bad-luck mansion is a thriller with four episodes--all framed by a police investigation. A review of the files of the local policeman (John Bennett) shows that everyone ... read more read more...who has owned the mansion has died in a horrible fashion. In the first episode, "Method for Murder," the obsessions of a mystery writer (Denholm Elliott) provide his wife with an opportunity to do him in. In the second, "Waxworks," Peter Cushing is the unhappy recipient of the attentions of a jealous husband. The third, "Sweets to the Sweet," has Christopher Lee fall victim to his charming little daughter, who plays with voodoo dolls. In "The Cloak," Jon Pertwee (best known for his TV portrayal of Dr. Who) is a horror-film star who insists on authenticity in his costumes. Somehow, he is given the cloak of a real vampire, with humorously ghoulish results. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

Flixster Users

56% liked it

2,767 ratings

Critics

75% liked it

8 critics

PG, 1 hr. 41 min.

Directed by: Peter Duffell

Release Date: March 31, 1971

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DVD Release Date: October 28, 2003

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Stats: 128 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (128)

  • ajv2688
    December 20, 2010
    ajv2688
    A pretty good anthology horror film with good actors and interesting stories, I especially liked the vampire one. Some stories are better than others, but overall it's a pretty good movie.
  • cancercapricorn2002
    November 6, 2008
    cancercapricorn2002
    Amicus made close to a good half dozen of these horror anthologies in the 70's, and this, from leading horror scribe Robert Bloch, is one of their best efforts. Featuring a few of rival studio Hammer all-stars, this highly effective slice of British horror revolves around a house... read more and the fates of it's previous tenants, whose stories are all told to a Scotland yard detective, in search of a missing actor.

    Story number one, which is probably the least impressive of the four, deals with a writer and his wife who've just moved in the house and plan to stay just for a short time so that he may write one of his horror novels. He creates a demented character named Dominic, who's a very creepy looking strangler, and soon finds himself going mad as he starts to seeing this beastly looking man everywhere he goes. After his wife convinces him to seek psychiatric help, a sub-plot is introduced which frankly, didn't really work for me. I won't spoil it for you.

    The next story (the best in my opinion) stars the wonderful Peter Cushing as Philip Grayson, a man who's moved into the home for his retirement years and soon makes his way to a nearby wax museum(that deals in the macabre) where he's very startled to find a wax figure that looks exactly like a woman from his past. Soon thereafter, an old friend(who also has a history with this woman) is in town for business and drops by to see him. The two men are in for a rude awakening as they soon discover that there was more to this woman than meets the eye.

    Story three stars one of my very favorites...Christopher Lee, who plays John Reid. After moving into the home with his peculiar daughter Jane, the nanny that he hires becomes awfully suspicious as to the way Reid suppresses his daughter. Well come to find out...if she knew what Lee did, she would have certainly understood.

    The final story is a rather light-hearted vampire tale that stars John Pertwee and Ingrid Pitt. After buying a cloak from a mysterious merchant, actor Paul Henderson finds himself turning into the very creature that he's portrayed several times in his career.

    Overall, the pacing and direction were very good, as was the most of the performances. There were nice Gothic touches here and there and an effective score to complement the ambiance. This one's a keeper. Highly Recommended
  • alanjayh
    October 23, 2008
    alanjayh
    Take a ride on the Cornball Express...only 4 short stops...ultimate destination..BOREDOM!!!!
  • DrLappos
    August 21, 2008
    DrLappos
    Very very poor attempt to carry on the Hammer Horror history...I am an absolute buff of theses but this one was rank.
  • muveekween
    July 8, 2011
    muveekween
    Not as captivating as "Asylum" which is also an Amicus film. Characters weren't that interesting in THTDB. I did like the twist in the first story though. Definitely check this film out if you are a horror fan and enjoy movies with different stories in them. You won't regret it.
  • pacardullo
    December 3, 2008
    pacardullo
    Fun + creepy Amicus horror anthology from 1970. Written by Robert Bloch. A great cast has fun with it, never taking itself too seriously. More good, creepy fun from Amicus.
  • flynnparadox
    September 14, 2006
    flynnparadox
    One of Amicus' most successfull anthology films, this one has a great performance from Jon Pertwee as a vain horror star.

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Critic Reviews

Roger Greenspun
May 9, 2005
Roger Greenspun, New York Times

The latter two stories, though necessarily too short and too schematic, generate some interest, and humor, and even a bit of characterization. Full Review

Stefan Birgir Stefansson
January 29, 2008
Stefan Birgir Stefansson, sbs.is

There are other, much better Amicus anthology films out there...

December 10, 2007
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Skillfully written by Bloch and boasting an excellent cast, this omnibus is a bit better than most and was the feature debut of television director Peter Duffell, who wound up returning to small-scree... Full Review

Tom Milne
June 24, 2006
Tom Milne, Time Out

Three of the episodes are rough-and-ready but vigorous Grand Guignol fun. Full Review

Pablo Villaca
September 5, 2005
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena

Narrando quatro pequenas histórias, é um filme irregular cujo apelo se mantém graças ao ótimo calibre de seu elenco.

November 25, 2003
Film4

One of the best of the Amicus portmanteau films, this relies on Robert Bloch's superior scripting abilities to fashion a chilling atmosphere of terror that has dated extremely well. Full Review

Bill Chambers
October 30, 2003
Bill Chambers, Film Freak Central

Cushing, Lee, and Pitt's dirty-pillows are memorable as always, but only the Lee section fully coheres Full Review

Nicolas Lacroix
January 5, 2004
Nicolas Lacroix, EnPrimeur.ca

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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