The Gorgon (1964)

In the early 20th century, a Gorgon takes human form and terrorizes a small European village by turning its citizens to stone.

Director:

Terence Fisher

Writers:

John Gilling (screenplay), J. Llewellyn Devine (original story)

Stars:

Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Richard Pasco

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Christopher Lee	...	Prof. Karl Meister
Peter Cushing	...	Dr. Namaroff
Richard Pasco	...	Paul Heitz
Barbara Shelley	...	Carla Hoffman
Michael Goodliffe	...	Professor Jules Heitz
Patrick Troughton	...	Inspector Kanof
Joseph O'Conor	...	Coroner
Prudence Hyman	...	The Gorgon
Jack Watson	...	Ratoff
Redmond Phillips	...	Hans
Jeremy Longhurst	...	Bruno Heitz
Toni Gilpin	...	Sascha Cass
Joyce Hemson	...	Martha
Alister Williamson	...	Janus Cass
Michael Peake	...	Constable

Storyline

In early-twentieth-century middle-Europe, villagers are literally becoming petrified. Although the authorities try to hush the matter up, it is apparent that at the full moon, Megaera, a Gorgon, leaves her castle lair and anyone looking on her face is turned to stone. When this fate befalls a visitor, experts from the University of Leipzig arrive to try and get to the bottom of it all.

---

Plot Keywords:

gorgon | stone | full moon | legend | 1900s | 

---

Taglines:

She had a face only a mummy could love!

---

Genres:

Fantasy | Horror | Mystery

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 February 1965 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Górgona

Filming Locations:

Bray Studios, Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hammer Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Prudence Hyman's snake-filled wig was worked by five wires which were attached to a box that was about 25 feet behind her.

---

Goofs

Megaera is an Erinýe, or Fury, not a Gorgon. The Gorgons were named Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa.

---

Quotes

Prof. Karl Meister: Well, I hadn't seen you for some considerable time, so I thought I'd come see what you're doing.
Paul Heitz: It's a long story.
Prof. Karl Meister: I've come a long way to hear it.

---

Connections

Featured in 100 Years of Horror: Girl Ghouls (1996)

User Reviews

Not A Great Hammer Horror . A Bit Of A Failure Really

I can see what the producers were trying . They were trying to make a film that had a brooding atmosphere that terrified the audience rather than having a film which scared the audience via gore . Hammer Studios would perfect this type of atmospheric film with THE REPTILE in 1966 . Here unfortunately they fail

A man walks into a dark courtyard . He hears something , he turns and sees ... and sees ... and sees something so terrible that he can't even find the instinct to scream . Must be a very scary monster right ? Well it would be if your idea of a scary monster is a woman wearing a wig that has snakes in it but I can't think of anyone off the top of my head who'd find this the least bit scary . In fact I think most people would burst out laughing if they were attacked by this mythical monster . The premise of the film is good enough but whenever the title creature appears the film suddenly takes a dive and you find yourself asking why on earth didn't the director and make up artistes put more of an effort into the Gorgon itself ?

There is another problem and that is who is the Gorgon ? For much of the running time the audience are supposed to be on tenter hooks wondering whose body the Gorgon takes in human form . Unfortunately it's obvious from the start who it is which means the big shock revelation isn't really any kind of revelation never mind a shock big or otherwise . It's also obvious who is THE REPTILE but in that film I was still entertained probably because THE REPTILE succeeded in creating a brooding atmosphere , one that is lacking in this film and because of this THE GORGON should be classed as a failure