Terror (1978)

Royal ancestors feel the wrath of the curse of the condemned witch Mad Dolly, who spews forth her prophecy while she is burned at the stake. The victims suffer death by having their heads ... See full summary »

Director:

Norman J. Warren

Writers:

David McGillivray (screenplay), Les Young (story),

Stars:

John Nolan, Carolyn Courage, James Aubrey

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Nolan	...	James Garrick
Carolyn Courage	...	Ann Garrick
James Aubrey	...	Philip
Sarah Keller	...	Suzy
Tricia Walsh	...	Viv
Glynis Barber	...	Carol Tucker
Michael Craze	...	Gary
Rose Collins	...	Diane (as Rosie Collins)
Chuck Julian	...	Phil the Greek
Elaine Ives-Cameron	...	Dolores Hamilton
Patti Love	...	Hannah
Mary Maude	...	Lady Garrick
William Russell	...	Lord Garrick
Peter Craze	...	The Director
Peter Atard	...	Curtis the Actor (as Peter Attard, Peter Atiard)

Storyline

Royal ancestors feel the wrath of the curse of the condemned witch Mad Dolly, who spews forth her prophecy while she is burned at the stake. The victims suffer death by having their heads removed in various fashions, getting their limbs caught in animal traps, knife wounds, and other methods of medieval torture.

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Plot Keywords:

witch | curse | ancestor | bear trap | murder | 

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Taglines:

It was buried a hundred years ... but never laid to rest!

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

R

Details

Official Sites:

Crown International Pictures

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 October 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

De repente, llegó el terror

Filming Locations:

Holland Park, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bowergange Productions, Crystal Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Fujicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Michael Craze, who plays Gary, was originally going to play a leading role but had an epilepsy seizure during the shoot and was told he couldn't work during that time. Director Norman J. Warren ended up getting James Aubrey to taken over Craze's scenes.

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Crazy Credits

L.E. Mack ... Mad Dolly is after the Dolly Grip that pushes James Aubrey down the stairs

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Connections

Featured in Evil Heritage: Independent Film-Making & the Films of Norman J. Warren (1999)

User Reviews

Terror-ible

British "horror" film from director Norman Warren and screenwriter David McGillivray about a curse given to a family by a witch. The films opens with the burning of the witch, the curse, and all the information we need and then ends abruptly showing it was a film production by a small company with the head being the last remaining male in the actual line of ancestors cursed by the witch. Anyway, a party ensues and hypnotism is the party game de jour. An actress - also related to the family(last living relative) - goes wild with a sword and tries to kill the host. The party ends and then people begin to die. Whoever could be th killer? Or is this the real deal - the deadly curse exacting its revenge for deeds done centuries ago? Who cares by film's end? This is not a very well-done or executed film on many levels. The opening sequence is okay, but the film quickly turns into yet another soft-core story about this deadly curse with far more emphasis on peripheral plot threads. The deaths make virtually no sense when one sees the end of the film. The deaths are particularly gruesome for this decade even with some mad slashing, a hit and repeated run-over, and a head sliced from a pane of window glass. The acting is adequate by the British cast and some of the performers are even pretty decent. Carolyn Courage has the best peeved-off face I have seen in any film of recent years as the girl related to the cursed family. She is lovely to boot as are all the female actresses. Particularly standing out are Sarah Keller, a leggy blonde clad in white(what happens to her makes absolutely no sense at all when you see resolution of film...also look at the reaction of the guy that sees her - he looks like he is peeved rather than horrified!), and Tricia Walsh, a shapely and funny redhead. The male lead John Nolan looks like he is walking through his part, however. Why was he acting the way he did when we discover the real force behind these killings? And the answer to that is the real problem with this film - David McGillivray's screenplay. It JUST does not make any sense! You might remember some of McGillivray's other screen credits - Satan's Slave, Frightmare, and the brutal House of Whipchord to name a few. His work is always framed with brutal, bloody, misogynistic killings of lovely, young women. Some of the scenes are effectively shot and are a cut above a real bad picture. The opening for one is decidedly eerie and I liked a scene of a girl hiding out in a cottage waiting for a mechanic. Star Wars fans get a treat as the mechanic's cameo is played by none other than Peter Mayhew aka Chewie.