The Curse of the Living Corpse (1964) User Reviews

Cult films are difficult to rate!

[Ospidillo · 6/10 · 28 January 2008]

I found this B&W '63 drive-in genre movie rather difficult to assign a star rating because, today, it's clearly a CULT FILM and peoples' opinions are going to vary widely.

Scheider, the only real star in this one, was subsequently type-cast, (especially by "Jaws"), and here, in what was surely a very early career entry, he plays a divergent role as the family drunk and weakling.

The story, which takes place in 1898, is about a rotten and rich old patriarch who suffers from catalepsy and, following the pronouncement of his death by the oldest son who is a very cheesy and unethical doctor, the family hurriedly secures his casket in a mausoleum. They quickly want RID of all traces of the old scoundrel as he has tormented each of them unmercifully over the years. Since the old bugger was always terrified of being buried alive, in his will he had assigned each and every family member, as well as a trusted servant, a little task which would allow him to escape his tomb in case he might not really have died. The family, for the most part, is as rotten as was the old man and they promptly ignore his testamentary directives, much to the consternation of the family lawyer, the controller of the family money, and who hangs around the mansion all the time.

Stated in the old man's will was also a direct threat against each family member who failed to carry out his assigned task, (e.g., "Don't lock the mausoleum door!"), in addition to their being financially cut out of the will: the daughter fears water, the widow fears fire, the doctor-son fears disfigurement, etc. So, you pretty much KNOW, right off the bat, what's going to happen to these folks.

About halfway through the film, a buffoon of a police inspector is called in to investigate the deaths that have transpired so far, and he's assisted by his equally inept constable. These two also hang around the old mansion to make sure that there are no more murders, albeit they are not very successful in this endeavor.

About the only bright figures among the family spore are a nephew and his pretty wife, both of whom the old man apparently liked somewhat -- but even these two are still under the testamentary threat just like the rest of the clan. Still, the viewing audience at least has a couple of characters who are sympathetic to root for, which generates some additional subtle level of suspense.

The murder-fare includes a chopped off head, some very nasty quicksand, and various other vehicles of horrific death. We're also treated to the old secret panel in the library and, the eyes peeping from behind the portrait routines. The 'Living Corpse' slinks around in a long cape and his face is covered by a black scarf, revealing only his eyes... sort of a Bela Lugosi 'Plan 9' look.

The biggest actual problem with this film is that the director chose to make the horror/mystery facet serious, and the police activities as a tongue-in-cheek operation -- in this movie, the two concepts fail to mesh. Beyond that, the cinematography is pretty darn good, and the sets are really tops, all of which helps to save the film. Also, Scheider is pretty convincing in his role which also aids in carrying the film.

Finally, this flick really doesn't drag at any point which is an unexpected, but pleasant, surprise. This movie's not as good as the early Roger Corman films (e.g., "Dementia 13"), but it's okay.

If you're not into horror/mystery cult films, skip this one. If you're a fan of such productions then you'll probably enjoy it as I did.

Pretty fair film for its type

[imafaik · 6/10 · 26 April 2005]

Once upon a time, The Curse of the Living Corpse was a staple of local free broadcast television horror and all-night movie slots. Gone are the days.

Entertaining for a low budget outing with fairly good cinematography, in spite of the inclusion of a bumbling "Dr.Watson-type" assisting his superior in the investigation. I say spare the unneeded "comedy relief".

The story is an old-school "Ten Little Indians" drawing-room who-dun-it, with mayhem stalking about the mansion and the nearby forest, while the style of the movie is updated (for 1964) Gothic.

Roy Scheider is very good in his first outing and, though the film is not so much scary, it is gruesome to similar effect and may disturb sensitive viewers.

A reasonable diversion for fans of indie horror.

Low production values and very familiar, but somehow still pretty entertaining

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 23 October 2007]

The film begins with a funeral for a rich old man. However, soon after the man is locked away in his crypt, family and servants are killed off or maimed and it appears as if the man is very much alive...or is he? Okay, folks,...I KNOW that this isn't a great film nor is it a great work of art. The acting by several of the "actors" is extremely poor and too many of the parts seem almost "cartoony" in their simplicity and one-dimensionality (such as the police man and the lady who gets beheaded). But despite the general cheesiness of the film and the very, very familiar plot (sort of like an "old dark house" style film), the overall effort is still fun and entertaining. Some of this is due to the good special effects but most of it is because even some of the dumb characters (such as the oldest son) are so funny and over-the-top that you can't help but watch.

OK mid 60s B movie made for the drive-in set

[AlsExGal · 5/10 · 22 December 2022]

Old Rufus Sinclair wasn't a nice man, so it's no surprise that when he dies, no one in his family mourns the loss. Rufus had a condition that made him appear to be clinically dead, so he was terrified of being buried alive; so much so that his will contained explicit instructions for his family to carry out--or they would each be killed by a method that frightened them the most.

Oldest son, Robert Milli, who looks like he's doing a seductive Rhett Butler imitation, is bad at gambling, but good at having his way with the maids and his brother (Roy Scheider)'s wife..he's pretty despicable..and Scheider isn't much better as the always inebriated Phillip, who thinks his dark sarcasm makes him the clever one. Rufus actually preferred his nephew, Dino Narizzano who is dull as dishwater. Scheider's wife, Margot Hartman is conniving, and Narizzano's girlfriend (Candace Hilligoss) is just plain vapid.

As promised, we see the coffin lid open...and then we see a figure in black, only his eyes visible. Rufus? Zorro? Hard to tell. The bodies stack up, and the police are called..and that's too bad. The police inspector and his assistant are comic relief in a picture where it just doesn't fit.

Is it awful? No, in fact, compared to most of the B-made for the drive-in set movies of the period, this one has some good points. It does have some thoughtful cinematography, and actually could pull off the Victorian horror if the buffoonery of the police hadn't put a halt to it. Except for a couple of actors, the performances were pretty amateurish, but I guess my low expectations were met. So so..but of course, you may be scared to death by it..don't believe me? Just watch the cheesy trailer!

Grandpappy of the slasher films?

[evilskip · 7/10 · 10 October 2000]

Del Tenney brought us that abysmal dreck Horror Of Party Beach.Curse Of The Living Corpse is the other part of the double feature.Surprisingly it is an above average thriller worth checking out.

Rufus Sinclair suffered from catalepsy.He also suffered from impacted rhoids cause he was a mean old cuss.He abused his entire family.Everyone lived in fear or hatred of the old man.

Anyway old Rufus has seemingly kicked the bucket(died that is).However in his will he had certain stipulations that had to be carried out just in case he was suffering from a catatonic fit.If these conditions weren't met he would return from the grave and kill his family in the ways they feared the most.

Of course the conditions weren't met.A member of the household staff winds up being beheaded and her head is served on a breakfast tray.The eldest Sinclair is dragged to death behind a horse,one is roasted alive in her bed, one is stabbed and another is drowned.Has old Rufus come back from the grave or is it somebody else?You'll be guessing until the end.

There is a lot to like about this film.It is never boring and is well directed (surprise) and the acting for the most part is top notch.I would have liked to seen the comedy relief dragged behind a horse to their deaths.The outdoor scenes are magnificent and the moody black and white photography is top notch.As a bonus there is also an amazing amount of skin in one scene(for 1963).

Roy Scheider is in his first starring role and Candace Hilligoss is fresh from Carnival Of Souls(also highly recommended).

Catch this one if you can.

Shining example of a B horror movie

[InsideTheCastleWall · 4/10 · 28 October 2007]

The Curse of the Living Corpse (1964) is a mediocre horror featuring a young Roy Scheider eleven years before, "You're gonna need a bigger boat." Roy's performance was the one strong point and sole reason I sat through this otherwise unremarkable film. It kicks off with the far from original plot where an old contemptible, wealthy man dies. His heirs, hoping to inherit, gather together in one house. But they soon start getting creatively picked off one by one.

You can see the twist ending coming from a mile away.

With the plot holes, overacting and bad dialogue it misses the mark and falls some where between horror and dark comedy. It does show potential with a few of the death scenes. Pair that with an outstanding performance by Scheider and all things considered it's not all bad.

The best of Del Tenney's filmography.

[Hey_Sweden · 7/10 · 7 September 2016]

The setting is New England in the late 19th century. A hated and feared patriarch, Rufus Sinclair, has supposedly died, and his family lays him to rest. However, the corpse rises from the grave, and proceeds to punish the heirs to the estate. This is done by killing each person in the manner that they fear most: mutilation of ones' face, drowning, fire, etc.

"The Curse of the Living Corpse" was written, produced and directed by Del Tenney, something of a cult figure even if he only made a handful of movies. His others include "The Horror of Party Beach", "Violent Midnight", and "Zombie" a.k.a. "I Eat Your Skin". His tribute to the classic "old dark house" genre of black & white horror films is actually reasonably competent, although it must be said that it's mostly pretty lighthearted and fun stuff. It's never really scary, or even that atmospheric. Still, it has its delights, such as a memorable severed-head-on-a-platter gag. Tenney's screenplay won't bear much scrutiny, but in a fairly lightweight lark like this, that might not matter too much to the prospective viewer.

The movie is very much noteworthy for being the screen debut for future star Roy Scheider, who gets the top billed role and who is obviously having fun. He hams his way through his performance as drink-loving, sardonic Philip. Robert Milli is amusing as the pompous Bruce, Linda Donovan is a real cutie as the servant Letty, and Margot Hartman (the real life Mrs. Tenney) is fine as Vivian. This can also boast the only other film appearance for Candace Hilligoss, known to horror buffs as the star of "Carnival of Souls".

The story comes complete with comedy relief cops played by Paul Haney and George Cotton, who supply us with the blatantly goofy ending.

Nothing great but it is entertaining.

Seven out of 10.

Curse of the Living Snore.

[GroovyDoom · 27 March 2001]

This is an obscure little film that is more atmospheric than anything else. It's certainly not original, in fact it's a loose remake of a much earlier film called "Secret of the Blue Room"...which, in itself, was remade as "Murder in the Blue Room". Confused yet?

Here we have a stereotypical rich megalomaniac whose death brings out the worst in his surviving relatives. He threatens to come back to life and murder each of them if they do not conform to the minute details of his burial. Of course they blatantly disregard the orders, and soon they are all being picked off as promised. Not that any of them have the sense to just leave the old manor.

This is particularly interesting for its photography, which makes excellent use of light and shadow. Faces loom out of darkness, small objects are illuminated by tiny shafts of light, and the confines of the gloomy mansion are utilized to the hilt. This takes place in an indeterminate time period, with a glaring lack of modern technology, which adds to the gothic feel of the film.

Candace Hilligoss from "Carnival Of Souls" is our heroine, which is another intriguing aspect of the movie. Truthfully, I wasn't aware that Roy Scheider was even in this film, which makes me want to go back and watch it again just out of curiosity. I musn't have been watching the credits.

If you can find this one, you may enjoy it for the aforementioned reasons, but don't expect any real chills or thrills. If you can't figure out the conclusion ahead of time, you're just not paying close enough attention.

A real cheat if you think about it

[kevinolzak · 5/10 · 12 December 2009]

"The Curse of the Living Corpse" (1963) is probably director Del Tenney's best movie (faint praise indeed, with such competition as "The Horror of Party Beach" and "I Eat Your Skin", both 1964). All the main faults lie in Tenney's script, which appears to have been hastily concocted in the most rudimentary fashion (at least he allowed his wife to show as much skin as the censors would allow for its time). For those already familiar with the film, let's examine some of the details: since Roy Scheider is climactically revealed as the disguised killer, he could not be the corpse that awakens in the tomb while the lawyer is still reading the will; the gloved hand that locks the pretty blonde maid in the crypt would seem to be Scheider's, since the corpse is also locked in, and commits the film's first murder; after this, however, there is no evidence that the cowled killer is anyone but Scheider, yet there are no explanations as to the disappearance of the corpse, who is not found in the crypt when the maid's headless body is recovered and later dumped in the bog; if the secret passages included an unknown entrance to the crypt, then Scheider could have locked in the maid, returning via the hidden passage to kill her; after his brother is dragged to a violent death back to the stable, Scheider appears in the living room looking rested and relaxed; a drinking session with the idiot constable gives him the time to murder his fearful mother, but he sneaks in through the second floor window; lastly, Seth is murdered in the crypt despite the fact that all of the men are off on the manhunt; after Seth's murder, Scheider is clearly seen leaving the posse behind to return to the house for a final reckoning with the two remaining women. As one of the previous comments points out, the film does not bear close scrutiny (except by those of us with too much time on our hands), but could have been a classic of the genre rather than just a minor "cult" item notable chiefly as the film debut of Roy Scheider. It must be stated for the record that director Del Tenney made films that look more professional than the works of Ed Wood, Phil Tucker, Jerry Warren, Richard E. Cunha, David L. Hewitt, or Al Adamson.

Right up to the end he thrived on the ironic

[sol-kay · 6/10 · 25 October 2007]

(Some Spoilers) Having a morbid fear of being buried alive due to his catalepsy old man Rufus Sinclair stipulated in his will that everything should be done by both his relatives and servants after his death to make sure that he's in fact really dead. Being a bunch of greedy and uncontentious gold diggers Rufas' relatives together with his faithful but weak-minded servant Seth, Seth Lucas, overlooked what he wanted from them and had him entombed two, not the five that he demanded, days after he suddenly passed away.

For some strange reason the movie "Curse of the Living Corpse" which should have ended right there and then just keeps going on until it's final and not so surprising ending. This after the family lawyer James Benson, Hugh Franklin, had told those gathering to hear Rufus' will that their unqualified to receive any of his millions by not following Rufus' strict instructions.

Right away it becomes apparent to everyone that Rufus, since he disappeared from his coffin, is indeed alive and in his crazed condition, because of his instructions not being followed ,is out to murder everyone who had him laid to rest while he was still clinically alive and breathing. Rufus, or whoever the masked and crazed killer is, goes not only after his family members but also his maid Litty Crews, Linda Donovan, who was not only excluded from his will but didn't do anything wrong, in his premature burial, to give him just cause to murder her.

Dressed up like Zorro Rufus does in everyone in a way that they fear most by playing on their phobias; like fear of drowning suffocating and and fire. It's when the police are called in that Rufus, or whoever the killer is, becomes a bit overconfident in just how comical and ineffective they are. In fact Rufus' intended last victim is, like the brutally murdered Litty, totally innocent of his wrath, in not following his instructions, his nephews Robert, Dino Narizzano, girlfriend Deborah, Candace Hilligoss.

By then he truth is finally revealed to who's behind all these killings and it only a matter of time for the killer to get his just deserts, in what he fears the most,at the bottom of of a nearby bog on the Sinclair Estate.

Some really grizzly murder scenes, that includes a decapitation, that matched anything released back in those days, 1964, like the shower scene in "Psycho" and the string of vicious and blood splattering dismemberment's in "Blood Feast" makes the film "Curse of the living Corpes" truly terrifying to watch.

The trick ending in the movie is a bit worn out since it's obvious by then who the killer really is due to process of elimination. Still the acting and direction is far above average for a low budget horror movie like "Curse of the Living Corpse" and it's that what makes the film more then worth while to sit through.

Atmospheric, but fairly moronic horror chiller; only notable for Roy Schieder's film debut

[callanvass · 4/10 · 29 August 2013]

(Relatives of a family gather around a creepy old house for the revealing of a will, but they end up disappointed with the outcome. Suddenly; people start dying rather quickly. Has the dead come back to life?)

This managed to maintain my interest for 80 odd minutes or so, but it was rather lame to be completely honest with you. It's black and white, so it certainly has some atmospheric scenes, along with decent suspense, but idiotic characters, and a disappointing ending which is out of left field did it in. My main problem with this movie is that I felt every character was disposable and poorly written. I didn't have anybody to root for, and didn't care if anyone lived or died. The killer himself certainly had potential. I loved the cape he wore, along with the cane he carried around. It was always eerie whenever he was lurking around, but not all is as it seems. This movie is rightfully obscure these days. It's really only notable for Roy Schieder's debut. He does decent in his first film role, and plays a pathetic drunk very well. Not much more I can say, other than that. The rest of the actors do what they have to do well, but they were all unlikable. The death scenes actually do have a bit of creativity to them. I loved the one that involved fire. It was ingeniously twisted, and somewhat disturbing to watch for it's time.

Final Thoughts: It's one of those movies with a whole lot of build-up that goes nowhere. It never bored me; it does have its moments, but not nearly enough of them. It's very hard to find these days, and I would leave it that way if I were you

4/10

1940's Monogram thrillers meet 1960's American International Gothic Horror.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 15 July 2015]

The allegedly deceased patriarch of a wealthy 1890's Massachusetts family leaves his survivors feeling cursed after his funeral is held three days early and his body entombed before the five day waiting period he had requested. The family solicitor reads the will to the pathetic survivors which includes a not so grieving widow, some ungrateful, hateful children, and various servants who were all given bequests. Nobody could meet the rules of this estate which places a threat on all their lives. A servant girl is found beheaded, a vain heir is dragged to his death with his face scarred beyond recognition, and another heir desperately afraid of fire is gruesomely burnt to death. Yes, this is the typical "Old Dark House" premise where the deceased head of the family vows to come back to get them if his post-mortum requests are not honored.

If you were a fan of the early years of "All My Children", you will be shocked to see the elegant Hugh Franklin (Dr. Charles Tyler) as the family lawyer, joined here by Robert Milli (who played Lars Bogard in the early 80's) as the elegant but self-centered elder son who only has his own interests at heart. Probably best known for playing the noble Adam Thorpe on "Guiding Light" throughout the 1970's, Milli has a grand time here being a total scoundrel. Helen Warren gives an indication of how her widowed character felt alone and scared when her now deceased husband was alive, and you truly feel terrified for her here. A very young Roy Schneider plays a younger son, but is overshadowed by Milli, Warren and Margot Hartman as Milli's reluctant co-hort in his own despicable action. The acting is a notch above the usual schlock style, and the photography is darkly sinister. To think that this came from the same producer who in 1964 also gave us "The Horror at Party Beach" is a total contrast, or maybe this just seemed better because I watched as part of a double bill with that major turkey. Of course, the ending is pretty predictable (straight out of "Scooby Doo") but when I had such fun being scared, I didn't really care too much.

The greedy gather for the will.

[michaelRokeefe · 4/10 · 10 October 2011]

The patriarch of the Sinclair family was very miserable in life and more than likely a lot happier in the afterlife. Greedy relatives gather at the old Conneticutt estate to hear the reading of the will. The gathering are soon reminded that the old man had an obsession of being buried alive. To the family member's dismay the will describes how each will meet their death. Soon after it is discovered that the old man's body is no longer in its resting place and the forewarned deaths begin happening. Some scenes are a bit scary...but remember this is the mid sixties. The cast features the debut of a young Roy Schieder; other players include: Candace Hilligoss, Helen Warren, Hugh Franklin, Paul Haney and Robert Milli.

The `Corpse' Came D.O.A.

[genekim · 8 September 2000]

Has the patriarch of a turn-of-the-century New England family actually returned from the dead to start murdering his relatives, one by one? Believe me, by the time you get to the end of this low-voltage horror film, you won't really care anymore. Of interest only as the film debut of Roy Scheider, as well as the second movie appearance by "Carnival of Souls" star Candace Hilligoss.

The Curse of the Living Corpse

[Scarecrow-88 · 5/10 · 22 October 2007]

A bickering family of loathsome characters are being killed one by one(the method of their departure by nefarious means is through their worst fears)by supposedly their recently dearly departed patriarch deemed an evil man who caused nothing but strife to those around him while alive. The father had an intense fear of being buried alive and claims that if his family didn't carry out the wishes of his will, they'd all perish. One dies because he feared of a scarred face(the killer, if it is the dead father, uses a hidden sword within the cane he always carried around to let everyone know he was drawing near), is slashed in said face, & dragged by the murderer on a horse until dead, another feared death by drowning and is submersed underwater by the killer until dead, another has a great fear of fire and the killer sets her aflame, etc, etc.. Is the father really the one murdering each family member because they didn't follow the will to the letter, or is it possibly someone else with sights set on the fortune?

I really don't know if there's anything to recommend regarding "The Curse of the Living Corpse" for it's essentially a killer doing in relatives one by one, but the murders aren't that well staged and the characters are portrayed by the cast so badly you might be looking at your watches far before it's over. It might be of interest for fans of Roy Scheider since this is his film debut, though if he comes off rather unlikable..he portrays the second son whose a worthless, aggressive, confrontational, alcoholic jerk often causing verbal jousts with his relatives. This film is directed so poorly, with dialogue so limply delivered by the uninspired cast, it would probably serve best under the scrutinizing eyes of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 crew. And, when we find out who is murdering the cast, the film opens up a can of plot hole worms where you question how the person could commit the deeds without getting caught.

Not Great But Worth A Look

[josh-462 · 6/10 · 20 November 2006]

While this film is by no means a thriller on par with anything Mario Bava directed or anything Edmond O'Brien starred in, it still is a pretty decent watch. The acting is overdone, the comic relief (if one can call it that) is so pitiful that I was seriously hoping the Constable (the "funny" character) was the next beheaded.

THe story surrounds a New England family of status and money. Their abusive and controlling father dies, leaving an inheritance for each member of the family provided they fulfill the stipulations of the will. Upon the first reading of the will, we learn that everyone has already violated the terms, wow. Way to cut out a lot of story. The murders are pretty predictable and leave little tension. The killings each pertain to said victims' fear (drowning, fire, etc) and are admittedly pretty graphic for 1963/1964. The beheading, the drowning scene, etc are very violent and there is no sparing the gore. That isn't to say that it looks completely realistic, but nonetheless at the time it must've caused quite a stir.

The murderer is allegedly the dead father returned from the grave to revenge his disobedient family. I won't spill the beans but you can probably guess the twist about a half and hour into the film.

Roy Scheider makes his screen debut and chews the scenery with vigor.

At the end of the film the explanations don't really justify the "how" and if you've scene the film, and know the character I'm talking about, his "disability" wouldn't have allowed him to do what he did.

Through and through there are points of interest, it's not complete fodder but I wish the police men had been cut from the film. They made the viewing less pleasurable for me. It's not complete fodder and OK for a double feature (as it's released with Horror of Party Beach) when you just want a bit of "fun" and non-introspective entertainment,

Boring horror movie

[preppy-3 · 1/10 · 29 October 2006]

Takes place in 1895 New England. Familiar script of a tyrannical old man dying and leaving instructions for his wife and children on how he is to be buried. Naturally they ignore them and, in his will, he promises to come back and destroy them. Soon a black-clad figure with a hat, cane and scarf covering his face starts killing everybody. Has the mean old man returned from the dead?

FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!! The script is old hat, the dialogue and script are terrible and all the acting is bad. Even Roy Scheider (in his first movie) and Candace Hilligoss (from "Carnival of Souls") are lousy. The gore effects are pretty terrible: we see a severed head, a man disfigured, a woman burnt to death and a man stabbed with a sword. The only killing that worked was a woman who is strangled to death while taking a bath. The glimpses of nudity are surprising in a 1964 movie (expect all TV prints to be edited).

The final revelation was no surprise at all. Also the background music never seemed to fit the scenes! I was fast-forwarding through this movie at the halfway mark just to get to the killings. It's paired with "Horror of Party Beach" which is so hysterically bad it's good. This however is just bad. A 1 all the way.

This ham is 30 years overdue, but still tasty!

[Coventry · 6/10 · 30 August 2022]

In the year of our Lord, 1964, the horror genre already underwent a metamorphosis. Films like "Psycho" and "Peeping Tom" gave a new meaning to terms like tension and terror, pioneers like Hershel Gordon-Lewis were experimenting with extreme splatter, and across the Atlantic Ocean geniuses, like Mario Bava were savagely butchering fashion models in the first Gialli. Why this little history lecture? Well, because "The Curse of the Living Corpse" was released in the same year, but it still looks and feels - deliberately - like a horror production of the 30s or early 40s.

Okay, admittedly, it's a more Grand Guignol than in the thirties, with severed girls' heads on a plate and close-ups of burned corpses, but "The Curse of the Living Corpse" is basically a standard "old dark house" chiller, and I expected Boris Karloff or Bela Lugosi to pop out from behind the curtain at any given moment. Everything else is there: the death of a rich but tyrannical patriarch, the atmospheric reading of the will, insufferably greedy relatives bickering with each other, eerie family vaults, peek-holes through the eyes of portraits, quicksand puddles, redundant comic relief characters, etc.

All this isn't criticism, you know. I love hammy guff like this, especially when the main characters are as loathsome as the Sinclair brothers, and when the death traps are sadistically linked to the victims' deepest fears. Director Del Tenney maintains a good pacing, the ensemble cast is more than amiable (including the debut performance of none other than Roy Scheider), the women are beautiful, and the end-twist is acceptable.

Corpse apparently raises a ruckus...actors look embarrassed

[moonspinner55 · 1/10 · 6 June 2009]

Roy Scheider (billed with the middle initial R.) and Candace Hilligoss (post-"Carnival of Souls") are the only drawing cards of this cheap, somewhat atmospheric, but slow and sloggy thriller. A wealthy patriarch in 1892 New England promises in his will that horrifying deaths will befall his weak and selfish relatives if they fail to abide by his postmortem wishes. Camera-work and photography adequate, but this is strictly a fill-in-the-blanks screamer. Scheider, young and green, cannot belie his lack of faith in this material, reading his lines in a stilted monotone; he has one of those funny, "mad scientist"-styled speeches at the finish line which nearly renders the movie an unintentional comedy. So, does the corpse rise from the coffin? Initially, it appears to--complete with hat, cape, and cane in hand!--but what follows is pretty tired, even for the bargain-basement horror genre. NO STARS from ****

Unspectacular, if decent Gothic effort

[slayrrr666 · 7/10 · 26 October 2008]

"The Curse of the Living Curse" is a decent enough but rather unspectacular affair.

**SPOILERS**

After a funeral procession, Bruce Sinclair, (Robert Mili) Abigail Sinclair, (Helen Warren) Phillip Sinclair, (Roy Scheider) Vivian Sinclair, (Margot Hartman) Seth Lucas, (J. Francis Luke) and Robert Harrington, (Dino Narriziano) all display various forms of grief over the loss, and are soon distraught over what has happened. Reading over the will, they all realize that they have been entrusted to perform tasks to receive money, and they are told that all have violated terms of the agreement. Paying little attention to the threats, they all continue their vices and problems. When they start mysteriously disappearing, they realize that a mysterious killer is among them and killing them off one-by-one according to their fears. Trapped in the house, they all try to escape from the killer.

The Good News: This is a somewhat decent Gothic thriller. It's most surprising feature is that it gets some halfway decent suspense scenes. The opening sequence in the tomb is quite nice, as the slowly opening coffin and perpetual darkness is really great, and the fact that the there's a whole large amount of these kinds of scenes gives it an extra. The later sequence where the killer strikes one victim is great, as the first strike is spectacular with the killer emerging from the shadows, and the constant going in and out of light is pretty creepy. The beginning also has some pretty great Gothic moments, including the funeral and a shocking breakfast revelation. This one even has some pretty nice deaths to it. There's a brutal severed head, being dragged around over the ground tied to stampeding horses, thrown and sunk into a pit of quicksand, another is set on fire while trapped in a burning bed in the film's best scene, a sword in the neck and being drowned in a bathtub, which has a pretty sleazy air to it. In general, whenever the film has a death or is setting it up, it's the best moment, and all combine to make the film really entertaining.

The Bad News: This one here is overall decent and contains a couple flaws. The biggest one is that this one never once feels important about what it's doing. This one just doesn't seem to have anything for what has happened and instead seems content to have everything coast by. There's never the feeling of dread coming from this that they're should've been. That fact about following the details provided should've been built up more to give it a little extra, yet there is barely glossed over enough to get a handle on what will exactly happen to them, as it gives their phobias and nothing else afterward. That is just like the unemotional care for the film and destroys it just as badly. The film's conclusion is another big problem area. It's twist is one seen coming a mile away, and then it twists into something that doesn't make sense. Nothing is given about why it's twisted to where it is, and from there it actually has one of the biggest plot holes in the genre, as it decides to ignore a pressing matter that the film is based around. It's confusing as to why this secret is left, and is a hard problem to overlook. The goofy-looking killer's wardrobe is something, but it's not as bad as the other ones.

The Final Verdict: While it isn't that bad as a cheap Gothic film, as anything else it isn't that spectacular and comes off as rather decent. Fans of the genre at this point will think it's decent as well, while most will find others out there rather than this one to really get into.

Today's Rating-PG-13: Violence

So much murder shouldn't be this mediocre and mild

[ofumalow · 4/10 · 5 October 2021]

Made the same year as the director's camp classic "The Horror of Party Beach," this is better made, I suppose, but far less enjoyable. It's a period proto-slasher horror about the heirs of a detested patriarch getting killed off one by one--presumably by his vengeful ghost, or so they think--after ignoring his last wishes, which were all about fear of being buried alive.

With a plot like that, this should be exciting, but it's so tamely done, in such a straightforward style, it's like a prolonged mediocre episode of Alfred Hitchcock's TV show, or some other broadcast omnibus of the early 60s. There's just no atmospherics, tension, urgent pacing, or anything else but a rather bland slickness that kind of works against what they might have achieved with this story on a low budget. The movie doesn't really seem to be taking itself very seriously, without actually having any satirical edge, so it comes off as a mild murder mystery a la Agatha Christie rather than the horror thriller its plot seems to require.

The actors are OK, if not very appealing (but then none of them are meant to be sympathetic), with one's interest naturally most galvanized by young Roy Scheider, who plays the dissolute younger son. He has a little more fun with his part than the others, gives a confident performance, and gets a burst of histrionics at the climax. But no one here rises above the material such that you think even of him, "That guy will be a star some day!"

For a much more eccentric and interesting take on a similar story, in similar low-budget independent production circumstances that manage more stylistic flavor, see the more recent "A Chronicle of Corpses."

"It's a wonder in this house if your hair turns grey!"

[richardchatten · 6/10 · 20 July 2022]

By one of those bizarre coincidences film history is littered with, this quickie cashing in on the Corman Poes manages to include two of the cast of 'Klute' and the star of 'Carnival of Souls'.

Not quite as lurid as the title threatens but the scene with the head in the dumb waiter is memorably gruesome. The script abounds in orotund gems like "The body is an insatiable tube, in need of drink and relaxation", and the identity of the killer comes as a genuine surprise.

Quite Pathetic

[rruess-1 · 2/10 · 1 February 2010]

I rate this one on the same level as "The Birds". Terrible portrayal of human survival, inept police procedure and stupidity on the part of the characters. What are the police doing running around with the dogs when everything took place in/around the crypt and buildings? Why would any fool take a bath with a homicidal maniac dispatching everyone on the place? Why did it take so long to get from the crypt to the house when caretaker found in casket? Nobody is armed for protection, one moronic constable left to guard the place, and how did he get intoxicated on rancid tea? This is a bad one, and ranks with above avian picture where no one takes any initiative to eliminate the problem; just add to it and appear to substantiate the no lifeguard at the gene pool concept.

Family Strife...

[azathothpwiggins · 20 July 2020]

Set in 1892 New England, a rich patriarch leaves his fortune to the surviving members of the Sinclair family, but only if they can follow his strict, post mortem instructions. Otherwise, they will meet a grisly end. Not-too surprisingly, said family members can't seem to live up to the stringent instructions, resulting in the alleged, titular curse.

Schlock supremo director, Del Tenney's THE CURSE OF THE LIVING CORPSE isn't a bad little chiller, considering its vintage and total lack of budget. While it does get a bit tiresome due to being a few minutes overlong, it never ventures into Tenney's typical, all-out absurdity.

This is indeed Roy Scheider's debut. He is the seemingly more level-headed, less greed-driven Philip Sinclair. The lovely, enigmatic Candace Hilligoss also appears in this, the second horror film in her abbreviated career...

Viewer Beware!

[benoit-3 · 1/10 · 22 October 2007]

I watched this on AMC this morning. That is, I watched until the reading of the will scene which had two glaring errors in it that discouraged me from watching any further. The lawyer can't manage the line "in his employ" and pronounces it "in his employee". This scene was not retaken, showing how cheaply the film was made. Also, the prop used for the will is quite plainly a copy of the American Constitution like you can find in any Washington D.C. souvenir shop. If that's not enough to take you "out of the story", I don't know what is. Roy Scheider should have tried to have every copy of this film destroyed. It wouldn't have cost much.