Scream and Scream Again (1970)

Director:

Gordon Hessler

Writers:

Christopher Wicking (screenplay)
Peter Saxon (novel)

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 | Chase | Pursuit | Police Brutality | Torture

Cast

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

Directed by
Gordon Hessler

Writing credits
Christopher Wicking		(screenplay)
Peter Saxon		(novel "The Disorientated Soul")

Produced by
Louis M. Heyward	....	executive producer
Max Rosenberg	....	producer (as Max J. Rosenberg)
Milton Subotsky	....	producer

Original Music by
David Whitaker		(as David Whittaker)

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 (as Jimmie Evans)
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 (as Michael Redbourn)
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 (as David Whittaker)

Other crew
Eileen Head	....	continuity

Production Companies

• American International Pictures (AIP)
• Tigon

Distributors

• Anglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors (1970) (UK) (theatrical)
• American International Pictures (AIP) (1970) (USA) (theatrical)
• Nobis-Filmverleih (1971) (West Germany) (VHS)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1974) (USA) (TV)
• Vestron Video (1985) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan for Orion)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Video Ltd. (1986) (UK) (VHS)
• Esselte Video (1980s) (Finland) (VHS)
• Kabel 1 (????) (Germany) (TV)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• TM 3 (????) (Germany) (TV)

Other Companies

• Matburn Surgical, Farlington  special operating theatre equipment

Also Known As:

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:

Revealing mistakes: The "dead composite" that Dr. Browning is going to operate on moves her feet when she is placed on the operating table.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

Featured in 100 Years of Horror: Mad Doctors (1996) (V)

Soundtrack:

SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN

Weird, uneven, bizarre, but never boring

Gordon Hessler was not all that great a director. He wasn't particularly good at setting up interesting shots or getting good performances out of his actors, but occasionally he managed by default to create a movie that was so completely off-the-wall and bizarre that those shortcomings could be forgotten.

SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN is a good example of that. It is by no means a good movie; in fact, it's really pretty bad. But you literally have no idea where it's headed, and by the time you get there, even though it's a tad underwhelming, it's still just oddball enough to keep you hooked.

Basically, it's the story of a serial killer who preys on bar-hopping women, and who, incidentally, seems to have superpowers of some sort. Or, maybe it's the story of a military conspiracy of some sort? Or is it the story of some kind of body parts black market? Believe it or not, all these seemingly unrelated plotlines eventually come together, and it's a wacky ride all the way.

The biggest disappointment for me, is the scarce screen time of headliners Vincent Price, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. They literally have less than twenty minutes of screen time combined, and only Lee and Price even appear together, in one very brief scene. The main characters seem to be a disgruntled Scotland Yard detective, and a younger, less cynical police officer.

I recommend this movie to any fan of AIP or any of the three horror stars, but most people will not have the patience to sit through it. Fans will enjoy it, if only for it's sheer weirdness.