Years ago I taped this story off of TBS. As a collector, I am glad I did because this is a very rare film. Shot in 1964 by Warner Brothers and released in 1965, most reference books do not even mention it. Unless I am mistaken, it is out of print. (NOTE: a friend informed me after reading this that Two On a Guillotine is avaialbale on eBay)If anyone sees it in a video store, please let me know.
That's the bad news. The good news is that it is probably not worth tracking down, unless you are a hard core collector like me and enjoy the thrill of the hunt.
Two on A Guillotine starred Dean Jones and Connie Stevens, with a small but important role for Caesar Romero and a most unusual cameo by John (Attack of the Puppet People, 1958) Hoyt. More on that a little bit later. Running time was 107 minutes and was done in B & W, at a time when B & W was being phased out.
At best, this is a two star film, but is easy and enjoyable viewing. There is nothing extraordinary about the plot. Old time magician Romero has passed away, leaving his daughter as the sole heir to his estate. The catch is that she has to spend one night in his creepy old mansion. (This plot was worn thin even in 1965). You guessed it, odd things begin to happen, and, thankfully, reporter/boyfriend Dean Jones is usually nearby to save the day. ***SPOILERS BEGIN HERE*** At film's end, he struggles with the not so dead Romero as daughter Stevens is locked into a deadly guillotine set up in one of the mansion's rooms. Seems that Dad had a tragic accident and beheaded his wife accidentally on this same machine years before, and the guilt has ruined his life. Romero wishes to atone for the previous tragedy, so he has promised his daughter that it will work properly "this time."
Does it work properly? Well, I don't want to give the plot away, but I will say that although she was beheaded, the story ends happily.
Two on a Guillotine has somewhat of a House on Haunted Hill (1959) feel to it, probably because it was done in B & W and shared the same era, being done only six years later. Interiors of the creepy house were well done, mood music is adequate, comic relief is better than average, (indeed, almost too good as it almost ruined the horror moments), and the magician's props were used to full advantage. One trick was of a dummy on a wire trundling down a high ceiling to scare Miss Stevens. I wonder if William Castle was a consultant on this film?
But the best and oddest part of the story was when the dead magician's will was read. It was read on-stage by John Hoyt (portraying the attorney) at the Hollywood Bowl in broad daylight! For readers who live in the Los Angeles area, there are some very fine location shots in and around the Hollywood Bowl. One gets an excellent view of what that area looked like 40 years ago.
This is a nice film to watch, I'm just afraid you will not be able to find it. Not even Sinister Cinema offers it, a bad sign for lovers of obscure film.
There is no gore, and the scary moments are hardly that by current standards, so this is one horror film that viewers of all ages and tastes can enjoy. You've not seen me recommend that before and probably will not again, so take advantage. Mom, Dad, kids, friends and relatives can enjoy this one together.
I hope you find it and that you do.
That's the bad news. The good news is that it is probably not worth tracking down, unless you are a hard core collector like me and enjoy the thrill of the hunt.
Two on A Guillotine starred Dean Jones and Connie Stevens, with a small but important role for Caesar Romero and a most unusual cameo by John (Attack of the Puppet People, 1958) Hoyt. More on that a little bit later. Running time was 107 minutes and was done in B & W, at a time when B & W was being phased out.
At best, this is a two star film, but is easy and enjoyable viewing. There is nothing extraordinary about the plot. Old time magician Romero has passed away, leaving his daughter as the sole heir to his estate. The catch is that she has to spend one night in his creepy old mansion. (This plot was worn thin even in 1965). You guessed it, odd things begin to happen, and, thankfully, reporter/boyfriend Dean Jones is usually nearby to save the day. ***SPOILERS BEGIN HERE*** At film's end, he struggles with the not so dead Romero as daughter Stevens is locked into a deadly guillotine set up in one of the mansion's rooms. Seems that Dad had a tragic accident and beheaded his wife accidentally on this same machine years before, and the guilt has ruined his life. Romero wishes to atone for the previous tragedy, so he has promised his daughter that it will work properly "this time."
Does it work properly? Well, I don't want to give the plot away, but I will say that although she was beheaded, the story ends happily.
Two on a Guillotine has somewhat of a House on Haunted Hill (1959) feel to it, probably because it was done in B & W and shared the same era, being done only six years later. Interiors of the creepy house were well done, mood music is adequate, comic relief is better than average, (indeed, almost too good as it almost ruined the horror moments), and the magician's props were used to full advantage. One trick was of a dummy on a wire trundling down a high ceiling to scare Miss Stevens. I wonder if William Castle was a consultant on this film?
But the best and oddest part of the story was when the dead magician's will was read. It was read on-stage by John Hoyt (portraying the attorney) at the Hollywood Bowl in broad daylight! For readers who live in the Los Angeles area, there are some very fine location shots in and around the Hollywood Bowl. One gets an excellent view of what that area looked like 40 years ago.
This is a nice film to watch, I'm just afraid you will not be able to find it. Not even Sinister Cinema offers it, a bad sign for lovers of obscure film.
There is no gore, and the scary moments are hardly that by current standards, so this is one horror film that viewers of all ages and tastes can enjoy. You've not seen me recommend that before and probably will not again, so take advantage. Mom, Dad, kids, friends and relatives can enjoy this one together.
I hope you find it and that you do.