The Shuttered Room (1967)

A series of horrific murders is traced to a creature that inhabits a very strange house.

Director:

David Greene

Writers:

D.B. Ledrov (screenplay by), Nat Tanchuck (screenplay by) (as Nathaniel Tanchuck)

Stars:

Oliver Reed, Gig Young, Carol Lynley

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gig Young	...	Mike Kelton
Carol Lynley	...	Susannah Whately Kelton / Sarah
Oliver Reed	...	Ethan
Flora Robson	...	Aunt Agatha
Judith Arthy	...	Emma
Rick Jones	...	Luther Whately
Ann Bell	...	Mary Whately, Susannah's Mother
William Devlin	...	Zebulon Whately
Charles Lloyd Pack	...	Barge Master
Bernard Kay	...	Tait
Celia Hewitt	...	Aunt Sarah
Robert Cawdron	...	John Whately, Susannah's Father
Murray Evans	...	Gang Member
Cliff Diggins	...	Gang Member (as Clifford Diggins)
Peter Porteous	...	Gang Member

Storyline

In a small island off the American coast, the Whateleys live in an old mill where a mysterious bloody being creates an atmosphere of horror. After her parents get killed by lightning, young Susannah is sent to New York by her aunt Agatha, who wants her to avoid the family curse. Years later, Susannah Whately Kelton (Carol Lynley), now married, persuades her husband to spend a vacation in the abandoned mill. Once on the island, Susannah and Mike Kelton (Gig Young) soon find themselves exposed to the hostility of a gang of thugs led by Ethan (Oliver Reed), Susannah's brutal cousin.

---

Plot Keywords:

aunt | female stockinged legs | suntan pantyhose | pantyhose | putting on stockings | 

---

Taglines:

Sleep one night in the house with the shuttered room and you may never want to sleep again... (original theatrical poster)

---

Genres:

Horror

---

Certificate:

Unrated

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie was originally offered to Director Ken Russell, who turned the project down. David Greene, a successful television director, took it on because, in his late forties, he thought it a last chance to get away from television and into movies. He was, however, greatly dissatisfied with the script, and it was being re-written right up to the end of filming.

---

Goofs

Throughout the movie the two rear windows of the Thunderbird are alternately up or down. This happens often in the same scene. It is first noticeable as they back off the ferry. As they back up, the passenger side rear window is up and the driver's is down. But as they as turning around upon leaving the ferry, the driver's side rear window is up and the passenger's is down. This becomes very noticeable throughout the film.

---

Quotes

Aunt Agatha: There's no hope for Susannah if she spends even one night in that house.
Mike Kelton: Do I um, detect a threat there somewhere?

---

Connections

Referenced in Two a Penny (1967)

User Reviews

Overdue for a DVD release

I haven't seen this film in many years now, but it has always stayed with me. It has a terrific creepy air to it. The feeling of desolation, the barbaric local thugs led by the perfectly cast Oliver Reed; the lovely and vulnerable Carol Lynley, trying to unlock the mysteries of her childhood; the jazzy score (I can still remember the main titles - the camera peering through the windshield of that cool Thunderbird convertible looking upon Ms. Lynley's gorgeous face while the reflection of trees pass over her image and all the while the peculiar and somewhat jarring title music underscores the visuals). Great stuff. Sadly underrated and now, seldom seen, this film is a perfect companion piece to Ms. Lynley's other top drawer film - 1965's "Bunny Lake Is Missing". A DVD release is in order.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 February 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

Blood Island

Filming Locations:

Twickenham Film Studios, St Margarets, Twickenham, Middlesex, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Seven Arts Productions, Troy-Schenck Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1