***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** After searching high and low for this obscure movie I was able to finally locate a copy.This was made in 1962 but not released by Crown International until late 1963 or early 1964.A lot of exposition comes from the dialogue.A shorter version (66 minutes) used to be in general release.The 81 minute version adds a little more depth to the hows and whys of the main characters.
The film has a very spooky opening scene.A black masked maniac is torturing a young man in a graveyard.He's doing this by burying him alive in wet cement.While this is going on there are some very spooky and weird background noises.
We then meet some of the leads.Marge works at a bar as a hostess for Wesley Blake.Marge is with Dave (called Steve in all of the credits I've seen until here at imdb;maybe because he is played by Steve Drexel?). Ken (Rod Lauren)comes in.He is a college student (& one of Marge's boyfriends)and is writing a mid term paper on terror.We also find out that the young man who was buried in cement is not dead,just comatose from shock.But he is Marge's brother Joey.
Marge wants to go out to the ghost town and talk to Wild Bill, the local drunk.Since the graveyard where Joey was assaulted is there she feels that maybe he may know something about it.Dave agrees to go but Ken prefers not to.
When Steve and Marge get out to the very creepy ghost town they feel that they are not alone.And it isn't wild Bill.They do find Bill.But old Bill has been brutally murdered.Ken arrives as the other two are about to head back into town for the sheriff.Ken stubbornly decides to stay.
Ken is menaced by the hooded maniac.He's locked in a room full of
spiders.Then he is tortured by a drowning attempt.The maniac sadistically toys with Ken.Rather than give away too much I'll stop with the plot here.
On the downside admittedly this is one of those early to mid 1960's Psycho wannabes.Some of the lines are pretty stupid but most of the quibbles are minor.
There are a few unconventional things about this movie.The burial in wet cement is pretty brutal.So is another scene of another person being buried alive.The ghost town sets are pretty effective.There are some weird sounds going on in the background to set you on edge.The maniac is pretty twisted and there is a real sense of isolation about this film.
The night photography seems to actually have been shot at night instead of the cheesy day for night method often employed in low budget films.This gives it an added unsettling edge of desolation and helplessness.It moves pretty well and is better than average.
As a side note it is the last film directed by Lew Landers.He also directed pictures from the silent era to the 60's.He directed the 1935 The Raven with Bela Lugosi & Boris Karloff.
Yes this is a minor film.While it is no classic I'm glad to have been able to see it.It is best viewed late at night with the lights low or
off.But it probably won't show upon tv or dvd at all.
The film has a very spooky opening scene.A black masked maniac is torturing a young man in a graveyard.He's doing this by burying him alive in wet cement.While this is going on there are some very spooky and weird background noises.
We then meet some of the leads.Marge works at a bar as a hostess for Wesley Blake.Marge is with Dave (called Steve in all of the credits I've seen until here at imdb;maybe because he is played by Steve Drexel?). Ken (Rod Lauren)comes in.He is a college student (& one of Marge's boyfriends)and is writing a mid term paper on terror.We also find out that the young man who was buried in cement is not dead,just comatose from shock.But he is Marge's brother Joey.
Marge wants to go out to the ghost town and talk to Wild Bill, the local drunk.Since the graveyard where Joey was assaulted is there she feels that maybe he may know something about it.Dave agrees to go but Ken prefers not to.
When Steve and Marge get out to the very creepy ghost town they feel that they are not alone.And it isn't wild Bill.They do find Bill.But old Bill has been brutally murdered.Ken arrives as the other two are about to head back into town for the sheriff.Ken stubbornly decides to stay.
Ken is menaced by the hooded maniac.He's locked in a room full of
spiders.Then he is tortured by a drowning attempt.The maniac sadistically toys with Ken.Rather than give away too much I'll stop with the plot here.
On the downside admittedly this is one of those early to mid 1960's Psycho wannabes.Some of the lines are pretty stupid but most of the quibbles are minor.
There are a few unconventional things about this movie.The burial in wet cement is pretty brutal.So is another scene of another person being buried alive.The ghost town sets are pretty effective.There are some weird sounds going on in the background to set you on edge.The maniac is pretty twisted and there is a real sense of isolation about this film.
The night photography seems to actually have been shot at night instead of the cheesy day for night method often employed in low budget films.This gives it an added unsettling edge of desolation and helplessness.It moves pretty well and is better than average.
As a side note it is the last film directed by Lew Landers.He also directed pictures from the silent era to the 60's.He directed the 1935 The Raven with Bela Lugosi & Boris Karloff.
Yes this is a minor film.While it is no classic I'm glad to have been able to see it.It is best viewed late at night with the lights low or
off.But it probably won't show upon tv or dvd at all.