The Monster Club (1980)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Roy Ward Baker

Writers:

Edward Abraham (writer)
Valerie Abraham (writer)

Release Date:

27 May 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror

Plot:

A writer of horror stories is invited to a "monster club" by a mysterious old gentleman. There, three...

Plot Keywords:

Monster | Writer | Anthology | Village | Nightclub

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Vincent Price	...	Eramus
John Carradine	...	R.Chetwynd-Hayes, Writer
Anthony Steel	...	Lintom Busotsky, Film Producer
Roger Sloman	...	Club Secretary (Werewolf)
Fran Fullenwider	...	Buxom Beauty
B.A. Robertson	...	Entertainment
Night	...	Entertainment
Suzanna Willis	...	Stripper
Barbara Kellerman	...	Angela
Simon Ward	...	George, Angela's Boyfriend
James Laurenson	...	Raven (the Shadmock)
Geoffrey Bayldon	...	Psychiatrist
Donald Pleasence	...	Pickering, Chief of the B-Squad
Richard Johnson	...	Busotsky's Father
Britt Ekland	...	Busotsky's Mother

Runtime:

USA:104 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 (video rating) | UK:A (original rating) | Iceland:16 | Germany:12 | Australia:PG | Norway:16 | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Knebworth House, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Amicus Productions

Trivia:

It has been alleged that the monster masks were made by Milton Subotsky's milkman. The story came about because the masks were commissioned at short notice from Vic Door, who at the time was freelancing and also worked at a milk processing plant. He was not a milkman.

Movie Connections:

Follows Torture Garden (1967)

Soundtrack:

Monsters Rule O.K.

The Monster Club (1980) **1/2

It's been many years since I last saw this anthology, and though it's usually reviled I think it's gotten better with age. I love the air of black comedy that prevails in the scenes with Vincent Price and John Carradine in the Disco (both perform very tongue in cheek and appear to be having some fun spoofing their images), and the three horror tales aren't bad, either. The stories manage to be satirical, humorous, and even a little scary.

I even liked some of the rock tunes sung at the club (my favorite probably being B. A. Robertson's SUCKER FOR YOUR LOVE). I also like MONSTERS RULE O.K. by the Viewers. Okay, so I wouldn't go out and buy the album perhaps, but the songs work nicely within the bizarre context of the film. Price and Carradine actually get up on the dance floor to boogie with the ghouls, and it's good fun all around.