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.

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Plot Keywords:

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

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Taglines:

A venture into the deepest, starkest realms of the supernatural . . .

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Genres:

Fantasy | Horror | Mystery

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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 was nearly decapitated for real. She was supposed to duck when Lee swung the sword but forgot to do so at the critical moment. The assistant director pushed her aside just in time. The scene was then redone with a dummy.

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Goofs

Professor Heitz's hairline is entirely different between his early scenes and later ones, after he's been gorgonized.

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Quotes

Dr. Namaroff: We are men of science. I don't believe in ghosts or evil spirits, and I don't think you do, either.
Professor Jules Heitz: That's one of the most unscientific remarks I have ever heard. I believe in the existence of everything which the human brain is unable to disprove.

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Connections

Referenced in The Sarah Jane Adventures: Eye of the Gorgon: Part 1 (2007)

User Reviews

Gripping, atmospheric and ideal for Halloween watching...

Hammer gives some rich production values to THE GORGON, a horror film starring PETER CUSHING as a doctor with some mysterious secrets and CHRISTOPHER LEE as an inquisitive professor who wants to solve the riddle--namely, whatever is causing the strange deaths of several unfortunate victims who turn to stone under the evil gaze of "the gorgon." BARBARA SHELLEY commands interest immediately as a mysterious woman who knows somewhat more than she should about the legendary myth involving Maguera. The story is somewhat simplistic but holds a certain power because of the atmospheric sets and the high quality of the acting by an all British cast.

I've been critical of some of the Hammer films because they use garish color to get their effects (as in THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES which was done at an earlier time by Fox in glorious B&W with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, superior in every way to the Hammer version). But THE GORGON has been photographed with an eye for atmospheric details that give the proper Gothic feel to the story.

The ending is somewhat disappointing in that The Gorgon is not quite as sinister and real as it should be (especially with regard to the snake headdress), but it's good to see Christopher Lee playing a good man for a change.

Well worth viewing.