House of Whipcord (1974)

Director:

Pete Walker

Writers:

David McGillivray (writer)
Pete Walker (story)

Release Date:

March 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Many young girls have entered these gates--none have yet come out!

Plot:

An old man that lives in an old house conducts a correctional institute for girls. But he does not realize...

Plot Keywords:

House | Torture | Beating | Whipping | Murder

Cast

Barbara Markham	...	Mrs. Wakehurst
Patrick Barr	...	Justice Bailey
Ray Brooks	...	Tony
Ann Michelle	...	Julia
Sheila Keith	...	Walker
Dorothy Gordon	...	Bates
Robert Tayman	...	Mark E. Desade
Ivor Salter	...	Jack
Karan David	...	Karen
Celia Quicke	...	Denise
Ron Smerczak	...	Ted
Tony Sympson	...	Henry
Judy Robinson	...	Claire
Jane Hayward	...	Estelle
Celia Imrie	...	Barbara

Also Known As:

Photographer's Models (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

USA:102 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:R | Norway:18 (video premiere) | USA:R | UK:X (original rating) | UK:18 (video rating) | Norway:(Banned) (1977-2003) (cinema release)

Filming Locations:

Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England, UK

Company:

Peter Walker (Heritage) Ltd.

Trivia:

The character of Mrs. M. Wakehurst alludes to the British "moral reformer" Mary Whitehouse.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Out of this World Super Shock Show (2007) (V)

Great Euroshock classic - Pete Walker has outdone himself!

I didn't go into this film with very high expectations because I didn't like Pete Walker's Frightmare very much; but House of Whipcord is a vastly superior film and, to be honest, I'm shocked that this doesn't get mentioned more often! Pete Walker's film is both a sleazy seventies exploitation classic and a striking indictment of the justice system. The film serves as a warning against what would happen if private institutions were given the power to decide what is apt punishment for certain crimes, and the dedication of the film to all those who believe in capital punishment shows Pete Walker's love for controversy. The plot takes place in an old house, which doubles up as a private institution ran by a senile judge, his unforgiving partner; the female warden of the prison and two equally vile female orderlies. They punish girls for crimes committed that weren't, in their eyes, properly punished by the corrupt British courts. We pick the story up when a young French girl is inducted into the institution.

The atmosphere of the film is brilliant; Pete Walker always ensures that the action is sleazy, and yet oddly erotic at the same time. The film is very matriarchal, and it's the female characters that are the protagonists while the men exist in background roles. However, the film isn't feminist; and, in fact, is the exact opposite; as the director ensures that none of the women are portrayed in a favourable light. The film benefits from a handful of great performances; the best of which coming from Barbara Markham, who gives a powerhouse performance in the role of the head of the institution. Frightmare star Sheila Keith, and Dorothy Gordon are the orderlies, while Patrick Barr is brilliantly understated in his role as the ineffective Justice of the prison. Penny Irving is the young French victim at the centre of the story; but her performance is brought down by her ridiculous French accent! The story is another major strong point for this film, as Pete Walker ensures that it always moves well and although you wouldn't expect it from a Euroshock movie like this - he also makes it easy to care about the characters and what happens to them. On the whole, this is a vastly underrated and under seen seventies gem that must be seen by anyone who gets the chance to see it!