Cover Up (1974)

Edmund and Dorothy Yates are freed after fifteen years in an asylum. Edmund covers up for his wife who is a murderer and a cannibal and Dorothy's daughter Debbie and stepdaughter Jackie, ... See full summary »

Director:

Pete Walker

Writers:

David McGillivray (screenplay), Pete Walker (from an original story by)

Stars:

Rupert Davies, Sheila Keith, Deborah Fairfax

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rupert Davies	...	Edmund Yates
Sheila Keith	...	Dorothy Yates
Deborah Fairfax	...	Jackie
Paul Greenwood	...	Graham
Kim Butcher	...	Debbie
Fiona Curzon	...	Merle
John Yule	...	Robin (as Jon Yule)
Trisha Mortimer	...	Lillian (as Tricia Mortimer)
Victoria Fairbrother	...	Delia
Edward Kalinski	...	Alec
Victor Winding	...	Detective Inspector
Anthony Hennessey	...	Detective Sergeant
Noel Johnson	...	The Judge
Michael Sharvell-Martin	...	Barman
Tommy Wright	...	Nightclub Manager

Storyline

Edmund and Dorothy Yates are freed after fifteen years in an asylum. Edmund covers up for his wife who is a murderer and a cannibal and Dorothy's daughter Debbie and stepdaughter Jackie, who live apart from them, may or may not have inherited her appetites. Dorothy has started to kill again...

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Plot Keywords:

stepdaughter | daughter | cannibal | cover up | asylum | 

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Taglines:

Worse than your most shocking nightmare!

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

July 1975 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cover Up

Filming Locations:

BBC Television Centre, Wood Lane, Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Peter Walker (Heritage) Ltd.

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The final film of Rupert Davies.

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Goofs

When Jackie drives to her father and stepmother's house, she sits on the right-hand side of the car (as is normal in the UK). But when she drives back, the footage is the exact mirror of the drive there, with her sitting on the left.

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Quotes

Edmund Yates: They said she was well again! They said she was well...

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Connections

Featured in British Film Forever: Magic, Murder and Monsters: The Story of British Horror and Fantasy (2007)

User Reviews

British Horror at its best - grim and gruesome, but intelligent.

This is an impressive downbeat British horror from the Pete Walker / David McGillivray partnership which, despite its gory reputation, works on more of a psychological level.

From the grainy black & white prologue, with a pre-Fawlty Towers Andrew Sachs visiting a deserted fairground, to the terrifying climax in a farm attic, 'Frightmare' holds itself together incredibly well.

The bulk of the narrative revolves around twenty-something Jackie and her wild-child teenage sister Debbie. Jackie frequently goes to visit her parents in an isolated farmhouse, both of whom have recently been released from a mental institution. The atmosphere of unease built up in these family scenes is almost suffocating, with Sheila Keith putting in a virtuoso performance as Dorothy, the mother.

Things come to a head when Jackie's psychiatrist boyfriend Graham (complete with incredibly annoying thick framed glasses), decides to start prying into the family history and takes a visit up to the farm.

The film has been termed as Britain's answer to 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' and make no mistake, 'Frightmare' is every bit as impressive as its more famous American counterpart. There are also a few nods to Hitchcock's 'Psycho' and once again any comparisons are favourable.

The only previous Pete Walker film I'd seen was 'The Confessional' (1975) which despite some interesting ideas was overall disappointing. 'Frightmare' really delivers the goods though and should be in everyone's list of Top Cult Horror Films.

BEST SCENE - any of Dorothy's Tarot Card readings.