Asylum (1972/I)

Director:

Roy Ward Baker

Writer:

Robert Bloch (stories)

Release Date:

17 November 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The hot-blooded beauty in the cold freezer.

Plot:

A young psychiatrist interviews four inmates in a mental asylum to satisfy a requirement for employment...

Plot Keywords:

Robot | Tailor | Animate Doll | Anthology | Axe

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Peter Cushing	...	Smith
Britt Ekland	...	Lucy
Herbert Lom	...	Byron
Patrick Magee	...	Dr. Rutherford
Barry Morse	...	Bruno
Barbara Parkins	...	Bonnie
Robert Powell	...	Dr. Martin
Charlotte Rampling	...	Barbara
Sylvia Syms	...	Ruth
Richard Todd	...	Walter
James Villiers	...	George
Geoffrey Bayldon	...	Max Reynolds
Ann Firbank	...	Anna
Megs Jenkins	...	Miss Higgins
John Franklyn-Robbins	...	Stebbins

Also Known As:

House of Crazies

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Iceland:16 | France:-16 | UK:15 | Australia:M | Finland:(Banned) (1973) | Sweden:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

New Lodge, Winkfield, Berkshire, England, UK

Company:

Amicus Productions

Trivia:

Arthur Grant was booked as director of photography but three weeks before shooting discovered he was terminally Ill and had to reluctantly drop out. Denys N. Coop stepped in at short notice.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Bonnie is being chased by a severed arm crawling along the floor, a crew member's hand is visible, holding the arm to make it appear as if it is moving.

Quotes:

[Barbara's imaginary friend Lucy has just stabbed Barbara's brother and nurse to death]
Lucy: I say... this is a lark, isn't it? There, Barbara, now you're free. Free of all of them.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Monster Mania (1997) (TV)

Soundtrack:

A Night on the Bald Mountain

"This is an asylum for the incurably insane."

Amicus churns out yet another cool-as-hell anthology. Asylum was written by Robert Bloch (Psycho) and directed by Roy Ward Baker. Some very recognizable names, including Peter Cushing, Britt Ekland, and Patrick Magee, also make this film an enjoyable little ride. All four tales are excellently crafted, but some are better than others. The Weird Tailor is the best of the yarns in my opinion but the wrap-around story happens to be my favorite and has the best "punchline." I don't believe it's as good as its predecessors (Tales from the Crypt and The Vault of Horror) but still a must-see for fans of the EC comic books. On another note, the music seems a bit too familiar (New World Symphony anyone?).