The Terror (1963)

Director:

Roger Corman

Writers:

Leo Gordon (screenplay) and
Jack Hill (screenplay)

Release Date:

16 May 1964 (Japan)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

There's No Rest For The Wicked...

Plot:

A young officer in Napoleon's army pursues a mysterious woman to the castle of an elderly Baron.

Plot Keywords:

Castle | Sea | Bird | Horse | Extramarital Affair

Cast

Boris Karloff	...	Baron Victor Frederick Von Leppe
Jack Nicholson	...	Lt. Andre Duvalier
Sandra Knight	...	Helene / Ghost of Ilsa The Baroness Von Leppe
Dick Miller	...	Stefan (as Richard Miller)
Dorothy Neumann	...	Katrina, Witch / Eric's Mother
Jonathan Haze	...	Gustaf
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rick Dean

Also Known As:

Lady of the Shadows (USA) (working title)
Roger Corman's The Terror (USA) (uncensored intended title)
Roger Corman's The Terror: Original Uncut Version (USA) (alternative title)
The Castle of Terror
The Haunting (USA) (TV title)

Runtime:

81 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (cut) (1964) | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:12 | Finland:K-15 (uncut) (2009) | Australia:PG | UK:12 (DVD rating) (2002) | UK:15 (video rating) (1986) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Big Sur, California, USA

Company:

Filmgroup, The

Trivia:

Roger Corman decided on a major change for this film. Instead of a fire, the usual finale for a Corman film of the period, he had the castle flooded instead. Corman's crew had come to look forward to "fire day".

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Watch for the stones falling from the castle ceiling at the end, then floating away.

Quotes:

Helene: The crypt! It must be destroyed, and with it the dead.
Andre: Don't speak of the dead anymore. You're with me now.
Helene: I am possessed of the dead.
Andre: You're a warm living woman. Who has told you these things?
Helene: The dead.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Schlock! The Secret History of American Movies (2001)

An old castle is host to strange deeds.

The master of the low budget movie, Roger Corman, strikes again. This flat, poorly written tale was directed by committee with Corman calling the shots on about half of it. Movie lore also has the movie being made in just under three days. The story line is faulty and slow. The special effects are pretty bad. And The Terror brings about none.

A French soldier (Jack Nicholson) stumbles across an old castle on the Baltic coast owned by Boris Karloff. Things happen inside the castle that are suppose to bring about chills, but mostly it is faint laughter. This film has earned a following by being so bad it is fun to watch.

Karloff is below par, half hearted and lethargic in a sad way. Nicholson is still young and is many miles from his now famous screen presence. Don't let this review keep you from viewing; just don't expect any redeeming qualities. Corman/Nicholson are the drawing card after the fact. Remember a "quickie" is just that.