Chamber of Horrors (1966)

Director:

Hy Averback

Writers:

Stephen Kandel (screenplay)
Stephen Kandel (story)
(more)

Release Date:

28 October 1966 (UK)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

The year's most startling entertainment

Plot:

A one-handed madman (he lost the hand while escaping a hanging) uses various detachable devices as murder weapons to gain revenge on those he believes have wronged him. |

Plot Keywords:

Revenge | Murder | Carriage | Street | Midget

Cast

Patrick O'Neal	...	Jason Cravatte aka Jason Caroll
Cesare Danova	...	Anthony Draco
Wilfrid Hyde-White	...	Harold Blount
Laura Devon	...	Marie Champlain
Patrice Wymore	...	Vivian (Delano's hostess)
Suzy Parker	...	Barbara Dixon
José René Ruiz	...	Senor Pepe De Reyes (as Tun Tun)
Philip Bourneuf	...	Insp. Matthew Strudwick
Jeanette Nolan	...	Mrs. Ewing Perryman
Marie Windsor	...	Madame Corona
Wayne Rogers	...	Police Sgt. Jim Albertson
Vinton Hayworth	...	Judge Walter Randolph
Richard O'Brien	...	Dr. Romulus Cobb
Inger Stratton	...	Gloria (one of Corona's girls)
Berry Kroeger	...	Chun Sing
Charles Seel	...	Rev. Dr. Hopewell
Ayllene Gibbons	...	Victoria the Barmaid
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Don Anderson	...	Ball Guest (uncredited)
Jean Carson	...	Girl on Street (uncredited)
Annazette Chase	...	Prudence (uncredited)
William Conrad	...	Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Tony Curtis	...	Mr. Julian (uncredited)
James Drake	...	Police Officer Morrison (uncredited)
Harry Ellerbe	...	Judge Train (uncredited)
Robert Goodwin	...	Oliver - Coachman (uncredited)
Barbro Hedström	...	Florabell (uncredited)
Clegg Hoyt	...	New Orleans Bartender (uncredited)
Ray Kellogg	...	Officer Manton (uncredited)
Mike Lally	...	Ball Guest (uncredited)
Lyle Latell	...	Trainman (uncredited)
Monty Margetts	...	Dowager (uncredited)
Philo McCullough	...	Ball Guest (uncredited)
Al McGranary	...	Senator Dixon (uncredited)
Joe Ploski	...	Street Vendor (uncredited)
Ralph Roberts	...	Merritt - Doorman (uncredited)
Stewart Rose	...	Police Officer Briggs (uncredited)
Nedra Rosemond-Watt	...	Maid (uncredited)
Jack Shea	...	Java Gross - Sailor (uncredited)
Paul Sorensen	...	Baltimore Bartender (uncredited)
Fredd Wayne	...	Charlie Benton (Miss Dixon's escort) (uncredited)
Napoleon Whiting	...	Servant (uncredited)

Directed by
Hy Averback

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Stephen Kandel		screenplay
Stephen Kandel		story
Ray Russell		story

Produced by
Hy Averback	....	producer
James Barnett	....	associate producer (as Jim Barnett)

Original Music by
William Lava

Cinematography by
Richard H. Kline		(as Richard Kline)

Film Editing by
David Wages

Art Direction by
Art Loel

Set Decoration by
William L. Kuehl

Makeup Department
Gordon Bau	....	makeup artist
Jean Burt Reilly	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Sherry Shourds	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sam Schneider	....	assistant director (as Samuel Schneider)

Sound Department
M.A. Merrick	....	sound

Stunts
Richard Farnsworth	....	stunts (uncredited)
Buddy Van Horn	....	stunts (uncredited)

Music Department
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer
David Strech	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Doris DeHerdt	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Warner Bros

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1966) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1966) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1970) (USA) (TV)
• Liberty Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

80 min | Australia:95 min | USA:99 min (DVD version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | UK:15 | USA:Unrated | Australia:PG | Norway:16 | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros

Trivia:

This was a pilot for a period detective program from Warner Bros. entitled "House of Wax", padded out with various gimmicks including the red "fear flash" and "horror horn", several added sequences and guest stars with a larger screen in mind because it was considered too intense at that time for television.

Quotes:

Harold Blount:His study?
Anthony Draco:Yes, the judge studies women
Anthony Draco:It's a Randolph family tradition
Anthony Draco:High standards in low wenches

Movie Connections:

Featured in Cinemacabre TV Trailers (1993) (V)

Soundtrack:

Wein, Weib und Gesang, Op. 333 (Wine, Women and Song)

William Castle meets Jacques Tourneur at Hammer Studios

Expecting a low-grade and low budget chiller (you know: good ol' Tony Curtis has a cameo in it...), knowing that it was originally made for TV, and having seen vintage ads of it, announcing gimmicks like the "fear flasher" and the "horror horn" to protect rabbit-hearted viewers from being shocked without warning, this one's a real surprise to watch. Sure, the gimmicks are quite ridiculous, but the rest of the movie -and that is quite a lot- provides tense and moody atmosphere, above average camerawork, gorgeous colour compositions and probably the most gripping performance Mr. Patrick O'Neal -as the demented killer- has ever delivered (well, sure, there have not been many...). It's great fun watching him do scary things with his special wooden hand stump, fitted with a variety of hooks, knives and cleavers. This almost forgotten pic can easily compete with the quality of the Vincent Price Classic "House of Wax" and it's a winner - especially considering the fun factor. The whole thing looks a bit like as if William Castle would have produced and re-edited a classic hammer movie directed by -say- Jacques Tourneur (forgive me, Jacques). Great fun to watch.