Scream and Scream Again (1970)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Gordon Hessler

Writers:

Peter Saxon (novel)
Christopher Wicking (writer)

Release Date:

13 February 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Crime | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

TRIPLE DISTILLED HORROR... as powerful as a vat of boiling ACID!

Plot:

A serial killer, who drains his victims for blood is on the loose in London, the Police follow him to a house owned by an eccentric scientist.

Plot Keywords:

Scientist | Acid | Severed Hand | Dismemberment | Independent Film

Cast

Vincent Price	...	Dr. Browning
Christopher Lee	...	Fremont
Peter Cushing	...	Benedek
Alfred Marks	...	Supt.Bellaver
Christopher Matthews	...	David Sorel
Judy Huxtable	...	Sylvia
Yutte Stensgaard	...	Erika
Anthony Newlands	...	Ludwig
Julian Holloway	...	Griffin
Kenneth Benda	...	Prof. Kingsmill
Judy Bloom	...	Helen Bradford
Marshall Jones	...	Konratz
Peter Sallis	...	Schweitz
Uta Levka	...	Jane
Clifford Earl	...	Det. Sgt. Jimmy Joyce
Nigel Lambert	...	Ken Sparten
Michael Gothard	...	Keith
David Lodge	...	Det. Insp. Strickland (credit only)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kay Adrian	...	Nurse
Edgar D. Davies	...	Rogers
Rosalind Elliot	...	Valerie
Leslie Ewin	...	Tramp
Andy Fairweather-Low	...	Singer (as Amen Corner)
Lee Hudson	...	Matron
Stephen Preston	...	Fryer
Blue Weaver	...	Organist (as Amen Corner)
Lincoln Webb	...	Wrestler (uncredited)

Directed by
Gordon Hessler

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Peter Saxon		novel
Christopher Wicking		writer

Produced by
Louis M. Heyward	....	executive producer
Max Rosenberg	....	producer
Milton Subotsky	....	producer

Original Music by
David Whitaker

Cinematography by
John Coquillon

Film Editing by
Peter Elliott

Production Design by
Bill Constable

Art Direction by
Don Mingaye

Makeup Department
Jimmy Evans	....	makeup artist
Betty Sherriff	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Teresa Bolland	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ariel Levy	....	assistant director

Art Department
Scott Slimon	....	set dresser
Bill Waldron	....	construction manager

Sound Department
Michael P. Redbourn	....	dubbing editor
Bert Ross	....	sound
Hugh Strain	....	dubbing mixer

Stunts
Joe Wadham	....	stunt driver

Camera and Electrical Department
Les Young	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Evelyn Gibbs	....	wardrobe supervisor

Music Department
Shel Talmy	....	musical director
David Whitaker	....	conductor

Other crew
Eileen Head	....	continuity

Production Companies

• American International Pictures (AIP)
• Tigon

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1970) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors (1970) (UK) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1974) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Kabel 1 (????) (Germany) (TV)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Nobis-Filmverleih (1971) (West Germany) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Video Ltd. (1986) (UK) (VHS)
• TM 3 (????) (Germany) (TV)
• Vestron Video (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Matburn Surgical, Farlington  special operating theatre equipment

Also Known As:

Screamer

Runtime:

USA:95 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:18 (video rating) | UK:X (original rating) | West Germany:16 (nf) | Australia:M | Finland:(Banned) (1972) | Norway:16 (1970) | Sweden:15 | USA:M (original rating) | USA:PG (certificate #22245) (re-rating) (1969)

Filming Locations:

Chertsey, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Trivia:

Peter Cushing was an 11th hour casting choice and was only required for one day's shooting.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Michael Gothard is finally apprehended, his left arm is curled up behind his head in one shot and then disappears altogether in the next.

Quotes:

Superintendent Bellaver: Smells like cheese, looks like ham...
[takes a bite of sandwich]
Superintendent Bellaver: Oh, no problem: it's chicken.

Movie Connections:

Spin off Dr. M (1990)

Soundtrack:

SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN

Cast Of Horror Icons Make The Movie Fun To Watch

The film is a big mess of ideas. It tries to do too much. Part cop drama, part spy thriller, part vampire movie, part sci-fi mumbo-jumbo, this movie makes little sense until we get to see how all threads come together near the end of the film. I guess a great director could have turned this film into something really special, but as it is, the movie is never boring, if a tad overcomplicated. Biggest disappointment was to find out that despite their prominent billing, Vincent Price, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing have glorified cameos. Plus they do not share any screen time, which is not a wise idea when you are dealing with iconic figures of the horror genre. Regardless of my complaints, this is an entertaining movie, very interesting in terms of its unusual plot structure. The very 1960s psychedelic music score is terrible, though. Definitely Hessler's best movie of his erratic movie career.