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Don't Look in the Basement

Original title: The Forgotten
  • 19731973
  • RR
  • 1h 29m
IMDb RATING
4.9/10
3.2K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
12,725
5
Don't Look in the Basement (1973)
A young psychiatric nurse goes to work at a lonesome asylum following a murder. There, she experiences varying degrees of torment from the patients.
Play trailer2:11
1 Video
49 Photos
HorrorThriller
A young psychiatric nurse goes to work at a lonesome asylum following a murder. There, she experiences varying degrees of torment from the patients.A young psychiatric nurse goes to work at a lonesome asylum following a murder. There, she experiences varying degrees of torment from the patients.A young psychiatric nurse goes to work at a lonesome asylum following a murder. There, she experiences varying degrees of torment from the patients.
IMDb RATING
4.9/10
3.2K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
12,725
5
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • S.F. Brownrigg
    • Writers
      • Thomas Pope(uncredited)
      • Tim Pope
    • Stars
      • Bill McGhee
      • Jessie Lee Fulton
      • Robert Dracup
    Top credits
    • Director
      • S.F. Brownrigg
    • Writers
      • Thomas Pope(uncredited)
      • Tim Pope
    • Stars
      • Bill McGhee
      • Jessie Lee Fulton
      • Robert Dracup
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 123User reviews
    • 53Critic reviews

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:11
    Official Trailer

    Photos49

    Don't Look in the Basement (1973)
    Don't Look in the Basement (1973)
    Don't Look in the Basement (1973)
    Don't Look in the Basement (1973)
    Don't Look in the Basement (1973)
    Don't Look in the Basement (1973)
    Don't Look in the Basement (1973)
    Don't Look in the Basement (1973)
    Gene Ross and Annabelle Weenick in Don't Look in the Basement (1973)
    Rosie Holotik in Don't Look in the Basement (1973)
    Rosie Holotik and Gene Ross in Don't Look in the Basement (1973)
    Betty Chandler and Rosie Holotik in Don't Look in the Basement (1973)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bill McGhee
    Bill McGhee
    • Sam
    • (as William Bill McGhee)
    Jessie Lee Fulton
    Jessie Lee Fulton
    • Jane St. Claire
    Robert Dracup
    • Ray Daniels
    Harryette Warren
    • Jennifer D.
    Michael Harvey
    Michael Harvey
    • Dr. Stephens
    Jessie Kirby
    • Danny
    Hugh Feagin
    • Sgt. Jaffee
    Betty Chandler
    • Allyson King
    Camilla Carr
    • Harriet
    Gene Ross
    Gene Ross
    • Judge Oliver W. Cameron
    Annabelle Weenick
    Annabelle Weenick
    • Dr. Geraldine S. Masters
    • (as Anne MacAdams)
    Rosie Holotik
    Rosie Holotik
    • Nurse Charlotte Beale
    Rhea MacAdams
    Rhea MacAdams
    • Mrs. Callingham
    • Director
      • S.F. Brownrigg
    • Writers
      • Thomas Pope(uncredited)
      • Tim Pope
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This film was shot in 12 days on a budget of less than $100,000.
    • Goofs
      When the people are chopping someone up with axes, one of the heads of the axes fall off.
    • Quotes

      [Ray is fixing the asylum's telephone]

      Allyson King: You know, I used to live in this place where the phone man was always coming around.

      Ray Daniels: That bad, huh?

      Allyson King: Uh uh... that good.

      Ray Daniels: Oh, I thought that you meant that you'd had a lot of phone trouble.

      Allyson King: Hell, I didn't even have a phone!

    • Crazy credits
      The characters in the film are shown as the actor's/actress's name appears at the end of the film, including the murdered characters!
    • Alternate versions
      Once listed as a video nasty, the UK Stax (Boulevard) and Elstree Hill DVDs are now 15 rated and uncut, restoring the original cinema cut to a shot of an axe hitting a woman's bloody body.
    • Connections
      Edited into III Slices of Life (2010)

    User reviews123

    Review
    Top review
    5/10
    Over-achieving B grade shock-horror tale
    Take an ensemble cast of good B grade actors, give them a good script, a somewhat original premise, and unobtrusive directing, and you may end up with a film that over-achieves as much as "Don't Look in the Basement" did.

    The film takes place in a large house which is home to several psychotic individuals. Before the plot even begins, the head of the hospital is chopped up by one of the patients with an axe. Then Rosie Holotik enters the hospital looking for the axe victim and finds that the hospital has a new head who is not at first willing to honor her agreement with the deceased Dr. Stephens. Soon, however, Dr. Masters reconsiders and Nurse Beale (Holotik) is hired. The rest of the film builds tension and successfully develops the individual psychoses of the in-mates. After a while it becomes very unclear who is a patient and who is a doctor.

    In the end, Don't Look in the Basement is a cleverly plotted film which benefits from generally good acting and directing and not-overly-ambitious camera work. A must-see for B horror fans, and an interesting diversion for those interested in psycho-dramas and psychological thrillers. Be warned, however, this film is slightly more gory and sexy than the average horror film of its time.
    helpful•21
    5
    • mstomaso
    • Aug 11, 2006

    FAQ1

    • Is this available on DVD?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 1973 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Forgotten
    • Filming locations
      • Tehuacana, Texas, USA
    • Production companies
      • Camera 2 Productions
      • Century Studios
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $100,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 29 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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