The Shuttered Room (1967)

A series of horrific murders is traced to a creature that inhabits a very strange house.

Director:

David Greene

Writers:

August Derleth (book), D.B. Ledrov,

Stars:

Gig Young, Carol Lynley, Oliver Reed

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gig Young	...	Mike Kelton
Carol Lynley	...	Susannah Whately Kelton / Sarah
Oliver Reed	...	Ethan
Flora Robson	...	Aunt Agatha
Judith Arthy	...	Emma
Rick Jones
Ann Bell
William Devlin	...	Zebulon Whately
Charles Lloyd Pack	...	Barge Master
Bernard Kay	...	Tait
Celia Hewitt	...	Aunt Sarah
Robert Cawdron	...	Luther Whately
Murray Evans
Cliff Diggins	...	(as Clifford Diggins)
Peter Porteous

Storyline

In a small island off the American coast, the Whateleys live in an old mill where a mysterious bloody being creates an atmosphere of horror. After her parents get killed by lightning, young Susannah is sent to New York by her aunt Agatha, who wants her to avoid the family curse. Years later Susannah, now married, persuades her husband to spend a holiday in the abandoned mill. Once on the island, Susannah and Mike soon find themselves exposed to the hostility of a gang of thugs led by Ethan, Susannah's brutal cousin...

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Plot Keywords:

mill | island | curse | murder | aunt | 

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Taglines:

There are some doors that should never be opened...

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Genres:

Horror

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 December 1967 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Blood Island

Filming Locations:

Twickenham Film Studios, St Margarets, Twickenham, Middlesex, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Seven Arts Productions, Troy-Schenck Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

William Devlin's part was entirely dubbed by the uncredited Donald Sutherland.

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Goofs

Throughout the movie the two rear windows of the Thunderbird are alternately up or down. This happens often in the same scene. It is first noticeable as they back off the ferry. As they back up, the passenger side rear window is up and the driver's is down. But as they as turning around upon leaving the ferry, the driver's side rear window is up and the passenger's is down. This becomes very noticeable throughout the film.

User Reviews

A couple inherits an old house in New England that harbors a dark and terrifying secret!

Creepy! This is an unfairly unappreciated and extremely effective Gothic horror flick from the late 60's. It is also one of the better attempts to bring literary mastermind H.P. Lovecraft to the screen. The acting is magnificent! Carol Lynley and Gig Young are in top form as the bewildered young couple whose arrival in the small, tranquil village seems to trigger off a series of bizarre and ultimately deadly occurences. Veteran character actress Flora Robson is genuinely affecting as the strange old lady who seems to know a great deal more than she's telling about the secret that's hidden away in THE SHUTTERED ROOM. Oliver Reed is appropriately menacing as a young roughneck. This one is a little tough to find these days. It's not readily available in video stores, and though once popular on late night television, they rarely run it on TV. But should you be so fortunate to come across it, don't pass it up!