A young college student arrives in a sleepy Massachusetts town to research witchcraft; during her stay at an eerie inn, she discovers a startling secret about the town and its inhabitants.
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Title: The City of the Dead (1960)
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Edit
Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Dennis Lotis | ... | Richard Barlow | |
| Christopher Lee | ... | Alan Driscoll | |
| Patricia Jessel | ... | Elizabeth Selwyn / Mrs. Newless | |
 |
Tom Naylor | ... | Bill Maitland |
| Betta St. John | ... | Patricia Russell | |
| Venetia Stevenson | ... | Nan Barlow | |
| Valentine Dyall | ... | Jethrow Keane | |
|
|
Ann Beach | ... | Lottie |
|
|
Norman MacOwan | ... | Reverend Russell (as Norman Macowan) |
|
|
Fred Johnson | ... | The Elder |
|
|
James Dyrenforth | ... | Garage Attendant (as Jimmy Dyrenforth) |
|
|
Maxine Holden | ... | Sue |
|
|
William Abney | ... | Policeman |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
Storyline
A young coed (Nan Barlow) uses her winter vacation to research a paper on witchcraft in New England. Her professor recommends that she spend time in a small village named Whitewood. He originally came from the village , he also recommends she stay at the "Raven's Inn," run by a Mrs. Newlis. When she arrives at Whitewood, she notices macabre happenings, Soon, things begin to happen in earnest, and she finds herself "marked" for sacrifice by the undead coven of witches. It seems that the innkeeper is actually the undead spirit of Elizabeth Selwyn, and the "guests" at the inn are the other witches who have come to celebrate the sacrifice on Candalmas Eve. As one of them said when Nan walked away, "HE will be PLEASED." Written by John A Kostecki <jak@wbst207v.xerox.com>
Taglines:
The Thrills - The Chills of Witchcraft Today See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See more on IMDbPro »
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
UKLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
12 September 1962 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
City of the Dead See more »Filming Locations:
Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UKEdit
Box Office
Budget:
£45,000 (estimated)Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
(uncut)Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1
Edit
Bill Maitland: Dig that crazy beat, man.
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Released in Britain in September 1960, and not released in the U.S. until September 1962 when it opened in Los Angeles as "Horror Hotel". See more »Quotes
Prof. Alan Driscoll: Burn witch, burn witch, burn!Bill Maitland: Dig that crazy beat, man.
See more »
Alternate Versions
The original U.S print (titled "Horror Hotel") is around 2 minutes shorter than the "City Of The Dead" version, and is missing most of the cursing made by Elizabeth Selwyn to the villagers during the opening burning and some of the conversation between Driscoll and Barlow as they discuss belief in the supernatural. See more »On IMDb Freedive, you can catch Hollywood hits and popular TV series at no cost. Select any poster below to play the movie, totally free!
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1960 was a year in which three horror films on a similar subject matter known as The Haunted Palace, Horror Hotel, and The Mask of Satan were released. The locales are worthy of Lovecraft. The opening scene is inspired by the pre credits sequence of Mario Bava's debut, The Mask of Satan(1960). Horror Hotel(1960) has an Italian flavor with its atmosphere and mystery. Whitewood like Dunwich is a cursed and unsavory little town. An underrated horror flick of the 1960s. Patricia Jessel gives a commanding and menacing performance as Elizabeth Selwyn.
Christopher Lee gives an excellent turn as the mysterious Professor Alan Driscoll. One of his best roles in a non hammer horror film besides Horror Express(1972), The Whip & the Body(1964), and The Wicker Man(1974). Comes after his famous roles for Hammer studios in Curse of Frankenstein(1957), Horror of Dracula(1958), and The Mummy(1959). About a young student who goes off into an old New England town to investigate the phenomen of witchcraft. After she disappears her brother looks for her with sinister results. There are tads of Dennis Wheatley in Horror Hotel(1960). John Moxey films the horror with finesse.
Professor Alan Driscoll in a way i alike the character of Mocata. The scene where the boyfriend of the missing girl crashes into a tree after seeing the image of Selwyn burning and laughing is something out of The Devil Rides Out. Christopher Lee does a good job in hiding his rich British voice. May be the influence for Lucio Fulci's Paura Nella Citta Dei Morti Viventi/City of the Living Dead(1980) and Dario Argento's Inferno(1980). For example Inferno(1980) uses a couple of this film's plot device. An intriquing line in Horror Hotel comes from Christopher Lee in the early first half when he says, "The basis of fairy tales is reality, basis of reality is fairy tales". Seems to implie that legends and myths are based on something true.