Garden of Death (1974) The Gardener (original title)

Director:

James H. Kay

Writer:

James H. Kay

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Garden of LOVE... Garden of DEATH, He Plants the Seeds of Evil

Plot:

A sinister landscaper turns into a tree and learns to communicate with his fellow plants.

Plot Keywords:

Plant | Good Versus Evil | Nudity | Demon | Magic

Cast

Katharine Houghton	...	Ellen Bennett
Joe Dallesandro	...	Carl, the Gardener
Rita Gam	...	Helena Boardman
James Congdon	...	John Bennett
Anne Meacham	...	Mrs. García
Teodorina Bello	...	Liza, the Maid
Ivan Rodriguez	...	Max
Esther Mari	...	Rosa
Roberto Negron	...	Ralph
Hal Lasky	...	Fred Burrows
Cass Fry	...	Jinny
Robert Yoh	...	Robby
Tanny McDonald	...	Mrs. Burrows
Katherine De Beer	...	Gladys Stone
Orlando Rodriguez	...	Mr. Von Wohl
Baron De Beer	...	Wayne
Janet Gomez	...	Mrs. Von Wohl
Louis Vigoroux	...	Mr. García
Jorge Vasquez	...	Salvador
Yeyita Cervoni	...	Maria
Irma Torres	...	Domenica
Angel Rivera	...	Doctor
Maggie Benson	...	Nurse

Directed by
James H. Kay		(as Jim Kay)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
James H. Kay		(as Jim Kay)

Produced by
Tony Belletier	....	producer
Chalmer G. Kirkbride Jr.	....	associate producer
Chalmer Kirkbride	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Marc Fredericks

Cinematography by
Michael Zingale		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Cal Schultz

Casting by
Vic Ramos

Production Design by
Don Gilman

Makeup Department
Enrico Cortese	....	makeup artist
Romaine Greene	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Bob Plone	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Julián Ibáñez	....	assistant director (as Julian Ibanez)

Art Department
Richard Nelson	....	property master

Sound Department
Orlando Cordero	....	sound recordist
Al Mian	....	sound
John Quinn	....	sound mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Leslie Colombani	....	gaffer
Kenneth Goss	....	chief grip
Miguel Antonia Lauente	....	camera operator
Pat Tarzini	....	assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sivia Aulette	....	principal wardrobe

Other crew
Fay Dattner	....	script supervisor
Kenneth Lane	....	jewellery
Eva Montalvo	....	production secretary
Mateu Sherko	....	additional clothes
Bill Tice	....	additional clothes
Robert Yoh	....	production assistant

Distributors

• KKI Films (1974) (USA) (theatrical)
• New American Films (1981) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Unicorn Video (198?) (USA) (VHS)
• Sinister Cinema (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Subversive Cinema (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• F. Hillsberg  title design
• Film Optical  opticals
• Film Sound  sound effects
• General Camera Corporation  production service (as General Camera Co.)

Also Known As:

"The Gardener" - USA (original title)
"Seeds of Evil" - USA (alternative title)

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (TVC)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:18 (video premiere) | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Puerto Rico

Trivia:

The film's investors played the guests at the Bennett's costume ball.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Planting the Seeds of Evil (2006) (V)

Nostalgic and strange, but not scary.

I picked this movie up in the USED section at my local Record shop and I have to say, by the cover artwork and synopsis on the back, I was excited to take it home and pop it in. The whole project is really well-done in that way. But that's about it. The film was very 70's, which for me, is a good thing. For most viewers though, this would prove to be a cheesy example of an era that might be better off forgotten. The music is pretty bad and so are the clothes. It's not stylish, its like the Brady Bunch.

There is no good gore in this movie. The acting is decent and the guy who plays "The Gardener" is semi-creepy, but the plot just fails. It's not scary in the least bit and the only good scene in the film is the very last one.

I had high hopes, I really did. I wanted to like it more, and I still do. I've watched it three times now and I still fail to see how this is a horror movie. It's more like an off-beat romantic drama with a twist. If I had to compare it to something else, I'd say a mix between "Rosemary's Baby," "Play Misty for Me," and "Alice in Wonderland" (the live one) but not as good as any of those films.

4 out of 10, kids.