The Oblong Box (1969)

Director:

Gordon Hessler

Writers:

Lawrence Huntington (writer)
Edgar Allan Poe (story)

Release Date:

11 June 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

For the first time... the classic tale of the restless dead and their unspeakable hungers!

Plot:

Aristocrat Julian Markham keeps his disfigured brother, Sir Edward, locked in a tower of his house....

Plot Keywords:

Hood | Body | Doctor | Voodoo | Flashback Sequence

Cast

Vincent Price	...	Sir Julian Markham
Christopher Lee	...	Dr. J. Neuhart
Rupert Davies	...	Joshua Kemp
Uta Levka	...	Heidi, the prostitute
Sally Geeson	...	Sally Baxter, Dr. Neuhart's Maid / Sir Julian Markham's Maid
Alister Williamson	...	Sir Edward Markham
Peter Arne	...	Samuel Trench
Hilary Heath	...	Elizabeth Markham (as Hilary Dwyer)
Maxwell Shaw	...	Tom Hackett
Carl Rigg	...	Mark Norton
Harry Baird	...	N'Galo
Godfrey James	...	Weller, Grave Robber
James Mellor	...	Holt
John Barrie	...	Franklin
Ivor Dean	...	Hawthorne

Also Known As:

Dance, Mephisto
Edgar Allan Poe's The Oblong Box

Runtime:

USA:91 min | USA:97 min (DVD)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 (video rating) | UK:X (original rating) | Iceland:16 | Germany:16 (re-rating) | West Germany:18 (original rating) | Norway:18 (1972) | Sweden:15 | USA:M (original rating) | USA:PG | Australia:R

Filming Locations:

Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

American International Productions

Trivia:

Alister Williamson is dubbed.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Sir Edward murders Heidi the prostitute, the special effects knife clearly sprays blood onto the actresses' neck well before it actually touches her.

Quotes:

Dr Neuhart: I might find myself buying your pretty little body one day for a guinea or two.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Fantastic Fantasy Fright-o-Rama Show Vol. 1 (1996) (V)

More could have been done with a teaming such as Price and Lee.

A man is disfigured in an African tribal ceremony and ends up going mad. Once home, he is kept confined to his room by his brother Julian (Vincent Price). However, he figures out how to fake his death and uses the ruse to go about seeking vengeance.

The detailed plot also involves body snatching on behalf of a dedicated doctor, Newhartt (Christopher Lee), and the man, whose name is Edward, becomes enmeshed in the doctors' schemes.

Not bad Poe adaptation benefits from a story that never runs out of twists and turns. It has the potential to confuse viewers, but is kept on track by director Gordon Hessler and leads to some good shock scenes. Commendably, we are never shown Edwards' face until late in the film, allowing us to fire our imaginations. Often set at night, the sometimes sadistic story indulges in a little bit of graphic violence, and costumes & sets are well done as could be expected.

The momentous teaming of Price and Lee ultimately proves to be disappointing, as they share precious little screen time. They're each fine as usual, and the supporting cast - including Rupert Davies, Hilary Dwyer, Maxwell Shaw, Carl Rigg, Harry Baird, Godfrey James, Uta Levka, and the very cute Sally Geeson is likewise enjoyable. But the actor who clearly stands out is Alister Williamson as the tortured Edward. He has the best role in the picture, and clearly relishes it. Helping to make the character memorable is the crimson hood worn over his face.

It's good, if not great, AIP Poe horror. With its twist-laden script and decent visual treatment, it makes for some decent viewing.

7/10