After a sick man dies in his mansion in
Marr Grove, two greedy people named
Edward (Robert Hardy) and Sarah (Joan
Collins) plan to find his hidden stolen
money hidden in the mansion trying to get
rid of one another but the mansion is
haunted and tries to chase Edward away
almost driving him mad but he refuses to
be chased away by these spirits as he is
convinced to get his hands on the stolen
money even if he has to tear open the
place in order to find it.
He is hearing strange sounds of children
laughing in the mansion which puts him in
a trance with what has happened there a
long time before as the mansion tries to
possess him as he goes insane to a ghost
of a lunatic named Andrew who killed his
entire family and ends up killing the
people entering the mansion.
At first this film seems a little too
hokey and not at all scary. Well, it's
not really scary but what do you expect
from a horror film rated PG?
It's still well done made in the UK with
lots of twists and turns making the film
extremely mysterious.
The acting is very
good shape with a known British cast. The
actor who stands out the most is the lead
character actor Robert Hardy as he brings
alot of wit to his role.
Actress Joan Collins also
does incredibly well playing a
deceivingly wicked one.
Cult horror icon Christopher Lee
is the next best one who stands out as
another wicked person trying to ruin Hardy's
character's life.
Jean Marsh is one of the best
performers throughout this film. She was
terrific at acting crazy, obsessive and
forcefully lustful. This would be a great
role for New York supporting character
actress Sylvia Miles. But of
course Marsh can outdo her any
day.
A man is stabbed
in the chest with a pick axe
A woman is stabbed in the chest with a
machette (Neither of these are bloody)
Don Sharp
is wonderful directing this piece even if
the film isn't scary but offers alot of
twists and turns to the plot of the film
on his actors and scenes.
He directs Robert Hardy's
emotions very well but at first it aseems
a little too comedic.
There's an interesting moment when he is
terrorised by bats but the bats look
fake.
We have a great scene in the wooded area
involving Hardy, Christopher
Lee and Herbert Lom when Hardy's
character goes into a trance and hears
echo effects by the other two actors.
This scene was my favourite one to watch.
There's a perfect flashback sequence when
Sharp directs supporting actress
Jean Marsh going intense and
crazy in a dining room scene when she
knocks a bunch of breakables off of
tables and counters.
He coaches another disturbing death scene
between Hardy and Marsh
which is extremely disturbing.
We have yet another effective one with Hardy
and two child actors Jennifer
Thanisch and Michael McVay
with their whole scene together as
Hardy's character is about to slay them
after what he did to his wife.
The music composed
by Wilfred Josephs is talently
done but it doesn't suit the film too
much and doesn't have creepy tones at all
which was a downer.
Jessica: Daddy (Andrew
turns around after he kills his wife and
stares at his children) You don't
have to go away now
Francis: We can stay together
always.
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