The House That Dripped Blood (1971)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Peter Duffell

Writer:

Robert Bloch (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

March 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

Vampires! Voodoo! Vixens! Victims!

Plot:

A Scotland Yard investigator looks into four mysterious cases involving an unoccupied house: 1) A writer encounters a strangler of his own creation...

Plot Keywords:

Actor | Vampire | Witchcraft | Hunchback | Writing

Cast

John Bennett	...	Det. Insp. Holloway
John Bryans	...	A.J. Stoker
John Malcolm	...	Sgt. Martin
Denholm Elliott	...	Charles Hillyer (segment "Method for Murder")
Joanna Dunham	...	Alice Hillyer (segment "Method for Murder")
Tom Adams	...	Richard / Dominic (segment "Method for Murder")
Robert Lang	...	Dr. Andrews (segment "Method for Murder")
Peter Cushing	...	Philip Grayson (segment "Waxworks")
Joss Ackland	...	Neville Rogers (segment "Waxworks")
Wolfe Morris	...	Waxworks Proprietor (segment "Waxworks")
Christopher Lee	...	John Reid (segment "Sweets to the Sweet")
Nyree Dawn Porter	...	Ann Norton (segment "Sweets to the Sweet")
Chloe Franks	...	Jane Reid (segment "Sweets to the Sweet")
Jon Pertwee	...	Paul Henderson (segment "The Cloak")
Ingrid Pitt	...	Carla Lynde (segment "The Cloak")
Geoffrey Bayldon	...	Theo von Hartmann (segment "The Clock")
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Coe	...	Film Director (segment "The Cloak") (uncredited)
Roy Evans	...	Hunchback (segment "The Cloak") (uncredited)
Carleton Hobbs	...	Doctor (segment "Sweets to the Sweet") (uncredited)
Bernard Hopkins	...	Film Crewmember (segment "The Cloak") (uncredited)
Joanna Lumley	...	Film Crew Girl (uncredited)
Jonathan Lynn	...	Set Designer (segment "The Cloak") (uncredited)
Hugh Manning	...	Psychiatrist (segment "Method for Murder") (uncredited)
Winifred Sabine	...	Tea Trolley Woman (segment "The Cloak") (uncredited)

Directed by
Peter Duffell

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Robert Bloch		written by
Russ Jones		segment "Waxworks" (uncredited)

Produced by
Paul Ellisworth	....	executive producer
Max Rosenberg	....	producer (as Max J. Rosenberg)
Milton Subotsky	....	producer
Gordon Wescourt	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Michael Dress

Cinematography by
Ray Parslow		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Peter Tanner

Casting by
Ronnie Curtis		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Tony Curtis

Makeup Department
Harry Frampton	....	makeup artist
Joyce James	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Teresa Bolland	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peter Beale	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Fred Carter	....	set dresser
Thomas Goswell	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Peter Wood	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Michael P. Redbourn	....	dubbing editor (as Michael Redbourn)
Ken Ritchie	....	sound mixer
Nolan Roberts	....	dubbing mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Gerry Anstiss	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Laurel Staffell	....	wardrobe (as Laurel Staffel)

Music Department
Michael Dress	....	conductor

Other crew
Phyllis Townshend	....	continuity (as Phyllis Townsend)

Production Companies

• Amicus Productions (as An Amicus Production)

Distributors

• Cinerama Releasing UK (1970) (UK) (theatrical)
• Cinerama Releasing Corporation (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1974) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Étoile Distribution (1971) (France) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (UK) (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• Koch Media (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD) (VHS)
• Prism Pictures (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)
• Videoville (1981) (Canada) (VHS)

Other Companies

• GSE  titles

MPAA:

Rated PG for scary images. (2002 re-rating)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Germany:16 | Iceland:16 | Norway:16 | UK:12 (video rating) (2003) | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG (re-rating) (2002) | UK:X (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Community Hall, Weybridge, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Amicus Productions

Trivia:

Vincent Price was first offered the part of Paul Henderson.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The newspaper that Sgt. Martin is reading is dated Monday, June 8, 1971. In 1971, June 8 fell on a Tuesday.

Quotes:

Paul Henderson: That's what's wrong with the present day horrorfilms. There's no realism. Not like the old ones, the great ones. Frankenstein. Phantom of the Opera. Dracula - the one with Bela Lugosi of course, not this new fellow.

Movie Connections:

References Frankenstein (1931)

A fun collection of horror stars and macabre stories.

From the mind of Robert Bloch, of "Psycho" fame, come four tales of twisty terror in this Amicus anthology film, which, while not quite as much fun, or scary, as I would have liked, still provides for some decent genre entertainment.

It's linked by the wrap-around story of a highly skeptical Scotland Yard detective (John Bennett) who is investigating the disappearance of a prominent actor; he's advised that this case is linked to a few others by the house in which they all took place, and our film is off and running.

"Method for Murder" has author Charles Hillyer (always delightful Denholm Elliott) haunted by his latest fictional creation, who has seemingly come to life. This sequence has some good surreal and fairly suspenseful moments, and is capped by a reasonably amusing revelation and denouement.

"Waxworks" stars horror icon Peter Cushing as retired stockbroker Philip Grayson, who, along with old friend Neville Rogers (Joss Ackland) becomes obsessed with the image of a beautiful woman found in a macabre wax museum. Most effective in this episode is the dream sequence, although it's great as always to watch Cushing. The final images presented to us in this story are pretty shocking.

"Sweets to the Sweet" features another well-loved horror star, Christopher Lee, as John Reid, who doesn't treat adorable moppet child Jane (Chloe Franks) with too much kindness, and it's up to new companion / tutor Ann Norton (Nyree Dawn Porter) to find out why. The mystery of this particular episode is handled excellently; the film-makers wisely don't tip their hand so it comes as more of a genuine shock as we get the full truth of this unhappy family. The "dying" moments are particularly horrific.

"The Cloak" has the most outright comedy of the four; Jon Pertwee, one of many actors to have played the role of Dr. Who over the years, is a lot of fun as a vain, temperamental horror movie star (in fact, he's the highlight of this story) who, infuriated with the lack of quality in his latest low-budget film, goes out and buys his own cloak. Said cloak has strange powers, which I dare not reveal here. Sexy Ingrid Pitt is a welcome presence as Pertwees' companion; one wonderful example of the humor here is a knowing jab taken at none other than Christopher Lee!

The wrap-up story then concludes in a predictable but still effective way as Detective Inspector Holloway learns that he should have taken all of the warnings given him more seriously.

Underscored by Michael Dress's unusual, striking, and eerie score, "The House That Dripped Blood" is an entertaining mix of stories; while I don't enjoy it quite as much as, say, "Tales from the Crypt", it's still good fun. Capably directed by Peter Duffell, it moves slowly but surely towards each of its chilling conclusions, and is certainly a good film of its type.

7/10