Incense for the Damned (1970)

Director:

Robert Hartford-Davis

Writers:

Julian More (screenplay)
Simon Raven (novel)

Release Date:

1971 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Plot:

A group of friends search for a young English Oxford student who has disappeared whilst researching in Greece...

Plot Keywords:

Vampire | Independent Film | Based On Novel

Cast

Patrick Macnee	...	Derek Longbow
Johnny Sekka	...	Bob Kirby
Alexander Davion	...	Tony Seymore (as Alex Davion)
Peter Cushing	...	Dr. Walter Goodrich
Edward Woodward	...	Dr. Holstrom
Madeleine Hinde	...	Penelope (as Madeline Hinde)
Patrick Mower	...	Richard Fountain
Imogen Hassall	...	Chriseis
William Mervyn	...	Marc Honeydew
David Lodge	...	Colonel
John Barron	...	Diplomat
Valerie Van Ost	...	Don's wife
Theo Moreos	...	Mayor
Nick Pandelides	...	Monk Superior
Andreas Potamitis	...	Police Chief

Also Known As:

Blood Suckers (USA) (trailer title)
Bloodsuckers (USA)
Doctors Wear Scarlet (UK) (alternative title)
Freedom Seekers (UK) (alternative title)
Incense of the Damned (UK) (alternative title)

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:18 | UK:X (original rating) (cut) | UK:15 (re-rating) | Australia:M | Sweden:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Cyprus

Company:

Lucinda Films

Trivia:

Director Robert Hartford-Davis refused to have anything to do with the film, stating that he did not believe it to be finished. The film was credited to Michael Burrowes.

Quotes:

Tony Seymore: Are you trying to tell me that a girl sucking blood from a man's neck can induce an orgasm?

Movie Connections:

Edited into Extra Weird (2003) (V)

So much potential...yet so very incoherent.

I'll be a little less harsh than my fellow reviewers here, who all seem to agree that this `Incense for the Damned' is a giant waste of time, effort and film. I can't deny this is a failure in all viewpoints but I'm deeply convinced that the story's potential, along with the talent of the cast, could have resulted in a much better film. Although the screenplay remains faithful to Simon Raven's novel, the film completely lacks feeling and coherence. Small aspects, like the annoying use of voice-over, ruin the horror atmosphere and the occult-aspects are dreadfully overstressed. There's a drug trance/ sexual ecstasy sequence near the beginning of the film and it takes WAY too long! Even Imogen `the Queen of Cleavage' Hassall doesn't manage to keep you fascinated during this tedious scene.

But I still stand by my idea that the messy `Bloodsuckers' (the more appealing a.k.a of the film) contains several neat moments of clarity! Like a brief appearance by Edward Woodward, giving us a little insight on the unusual and slightly perverted sexual fantasies of humans… Or Desmond Dickinson's brilliant camerawork on location in Greece. I might even say that the entire substance of the story is excellent horror matter! Richard, a young and respected Oxford student has disappeared in Greece and a group of friends, including his girl, go on a search for him. Richard seems to be under the influence of a beautiful, sexy vampire who even forces him to perform sado-masochism. Believing they annihilated the ravishing bloodsucker, the return to Britain. Yet, Richard's behavior when back at Oxford remains bizarre and alarming… The plot is promising enough, no? If `Incense for the Damned' would have been directed by Roman Polanski, I might have enjoyed a classic status by now. Erotic morbidity is definitely more his field! Or, who knows, in the hands of Italian mastermind Mario Bava this could have been one of the greatest horror masterpieces ever. Instead Robert Hartford-Davis directed it and the only appreciation he gets is when people hear he took his name off of this project afterwards. Better luck next time.