Dr. Terror's House of Horrors/Review

From The Grindhouse Cinema Database

< Dr. Terror's House of Horrors
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The first of Amicus’ many anthology films, Dr. Terror's House of Horrors is a Mod-and-fancy collection of five short stories culled from horror classics.

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Werewolf: When an architect (Neil McCallum) returns to an old family home that’s now owned by a wealthy widow, renovations reveal a coffin hidden behind a false wall! The coffin contains a werewolf determined to return to life in human form—and reclaim his former estate.

Creeping Vine: Returning from a vacation, a family (Ann Bell and Alan Freeman) discover an odd vine that, when they try to cut it down, seems to resist. Soon the vine grows, forcefully covering the windows and doors of their home and keeping them prisoners. Will they escape/survive?

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Voodoo: A British Jazz trumpeter (Roy Castle) gets a gig in the West Indies where he witnesses a voodoo ceremony. Avoiding sound advice, he vows to incorporate the ancient tribal music into his nightclub act. The consequences are dire.

Disembodied Hand: A pompous art critic (Christopher Lee) is publicly humiliated by a painter (Harold Lang) whose work he despises. Seeking revenge, the critic, using his car as a weapon, runs over the artist: severing his right hand. But that bloodied and battered hand keeps turning up! It’s got a nefarious plan of its own!

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Vampire: Newlyweds (Donald Sutherland and Jennifer Jayne) are just like everyone else: or so it seems. When the sun goes down one of them turns into a bat and flies out the window in search of fresh human blood! Will a local Dr. (Max Adrian) be able to help bring the bloody matter to an end?

Director Freddie Francis does a fine job with Milton Subotsky’s vignettes—all of which are introduced by a card deck wielding fortuneteller “doctor,” (Peter Cushing). The standout stories here are Creeping Vine—which feels fresh and original: nature run amok but with a decided twist; and Disembodied Hand—which builds nicely, has superior-for-the-time special effects, and contains some satisfying surprises.

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A prototype film that launched a much-loved horror franchise, Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors is an entertaining liftoff: a first stop for the anthology film completist.


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Josiah Howard is the author of four books including Blaxploitation Cinema: The Essential Reference Guide (now in a fourth printing). His writing credits include articles for the American Library of Congress, The New York Times and Readers Digest. A veteran of more than one hundred radio broadcasts, Howard also lectures on cinema and is a frequent guest on entertainment news television. Visit his Official Website.
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