With its title a parody of a well-known Julie Andrews musical, SOUND OF HORROR is an engaging film – and an odd one too. There's just some combination between Spain and monster flicks that make for distinctly distinctive movies; see, for instance, later '70s fare like THE LORELEY'S GRASP for another example. SOUND OF HORROR recalls the classic '50s monster movies popular around the world and it reminded me of BEAST FROM HOLLOW MOUNTAIN, although there's no obvious similarity between the two flicks.
The cast is an engaging bunch and for a change the dubbing doesn't affect the performances too badly. The male characters are typically stern and bluff, but the focus is on the two female characters, played by Soledad Miranda and Ingrid Pitt. Both found fame in the 1970s, the former in Jess Franco skinflicks and the latter in Hammer horror skinflicks, and both lend equal glamour to the proceedings. They seem to spend an inordinate amount of time either dancing, wandering around in loose-fitting nightwear, or sunbathing, which I guess is the point.
Of course, the main gimmick of this flick is that the monster is invisible. This is an effective idea; not only does it cut down on the budget, it also makes things that little bit creepier, as there's no rubber-suited or back-projected menace to date the film; instead, the viewer's imagination supplies the effects. The monster's cries are seriously spooky, although they do sound a little like a guy suffering from stomach pains on occasion; they had a shiver or two going up my spine. The script, written by an American, is better than most and focuses on stuff the viewers want to see, i.e. conflict between the group and encounters with the sinister terror. Director Jose Antonio Nieves Conde never really worked on any famous productions but he does an admirable job here, keeping things tight and never letting the pace flag too much.
A spooky soundtrack adds to the atmosphere and the film's also surprisingly gory for its age – we see victims slashed to pieces by the monster. Perhaps they got away with it because it's black and white, but even so these moments are mildly shocking today. The climax, a variation on the classic house-under-attack format seen in THE BIRDS as well as about a hundred other horror movies, is effective, utilising clever scenes with flour and floating hatchets, and there's a good ending involving a twist with the car. Sure, SOUND OF HORROR is a B-movie through and through, but it's an effective, mildly scary one that's both well-made and well-directed.
The cast is an engaging bunch and for a change the dubbing doesn't affect the performances too badly. The male characters are typically stern and bluff, but the focus is on the two female characters, played by Soledad Miranda and Ingrid Pitt. Both found fame in the 1970s, the former in Jess Franco skinflicks and the latter in Hammer horror skinflicks, and both lend equal glamour to the proceedings. They seem to spend an inordinate amount of time either dancing, wandering around in loose-fitting nightwear, or sunbathing, which I guess is the point.
Of course, the main gimmick of this flick is that the monster is invisible. This is an effective idea; not only does it cut down on the budget, it also makes things that little bit creepier, as there's no rubber-suited or back-projected menace to date the film; instead, the viewer's imagination supplies the effects. The monster's cries are seriously spooky, although they do sound a little like a guy suffering from stomach pains on occasion; they had a shiver or two going up my spine. The script, written by an American, is better than most and focuses on stuff the viewers want to see, i.e. conflict between the group and encounters with the sinister terror. Director Jose Antonio Nieves Conde never really worked on any famous productions but he does an admirable job here, keeping things tight and never letting the pace flag too much.
A spooky soundtrack adds to the atmosphere and the film's also surprisingly gory for its age – we see victims slashed to pieces by the monster. Perhaps they got away with it because it's black and white, but even so these moments are mildly shocking today. The climax, a variation on the classic house-under-attack format seen in THE BIRDS as well as about a hundred other horror movies, is effective, utilising clever scenes with flour and floating hatchets, and there's a good ending involving a twist with the car. Sure, SOUND OF HORROR is a B-movie through and through, but it's an effective, mildly scary one that's both well-made and well-directed.