IMDb > Macabre (1958)
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Overview

User Rating:
5.5/10   118 votes
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Down 22% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
William Castle
Writers:
Theo Durrant (novel)
Robb White (writer)
Release Date:
October 1958 (USA) more
Genre:
Horror | Thriller more
Tagline:
The greatest showmanship in a decade... backed by a sensational ticket-selling campaign... from ALLIED ARTISTS more
Plot:
A doctor's daughter is kidnapped and buried alive, and he is given just five hours to find and rescue her. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
NewsDesk:
(4 articles)
William Castle Film Collection Comes To DVD October 20th!
 (From Icons of Fright. 17 August 2009, 11:17 PM, PDT)
Stacked William Castle Box Set on the Way
 (From Dread Central. 17 August 2009, 3:32 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
Great Marketing Trick At The Box Office more (8 total)

Cast

  (Credited cast)
William Prince ... Doctor Rodney Barrett
Jim Backus ... Jim Tyloe
Christine White ... Nancy Wetherby

Jacqueline Scott ... Polly Baron
Susan Morrow ... Sylvia Stevenson
Philip Tonge ... Jode Wetherby
Jonathan Kidd ... Ed Quigley
Dorothy Morris ... Alice Barrett
Howard Hoffman ... Hummel
Ellen Corby ... Miss Kushins
Linda Guderman ... Marge
Voltaire Perkins ... Preacher
more
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
72 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
USA:Unrated | UK:X (cut) | Germany:BPjM Restricted
Company:
William Castle Productions more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
During its initial theatrical release, attendees were given a small badge that said, "I'm no chicken. I saw Macabre." more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Fear in the Dark (1991) (TV) more

FAQ

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
13 out of 14 people found the following comment useful.
Great Marketing Trick At The Box Office, 21 January 2003
Author: (BOOWAH@aol.com) from Scranton, Pa.

What set this film apart from all others playing at the time, was an insurance policy, issued by Lloyds Of London, given out at the box office, and insuring the patron against "death by fright" during the viewing. Of course, I doubt that anyone's relatives managed to collect the one million dollar face value, but it certainly managed to lure in a packed house.

One scene ,in particular, caused a few hesitations in my cardiac functions, despite the films generally boring overtones. One of the many false leads in the search for the missing child, led to a graveyard. An interrment was taking place during a dismal rainstorm,and the child supposedly was buried in the open grave. The camera was positioned up in the trees, as the would be rescuers dug frantically at the grave, rapidly filling with rainwater. As the coffin was unearthed and opened, the camera zoomed in for a closeup of the morbid contents, prompting ear splitting screams from the audience,and raising me out of my seat. Although only a partially melted wax doll, it did resemble a decomposing corpse.

This excellent use of the element of surprise and shock, made this ordinary film, memorable.

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