It felt like I was watching the film for the first time again. I pretty much had forgotten how the plot played out. Even to a point, that the seasoned cast of genre actors actually had larger screen time, and scenes together then I remembered. And boy, don't they each make an entrance when they first appear. The wonderful ensemble of Vincent Price, Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, David Carradine and (Walker regular) Sheila Keith really chew up the scenery by providing the lively theatrics to Pete Walker's trope infused, old dark house mystery-horror. Even during the constant back and forth dialogue exchanges, and there's a lot early on. It's the old heads who kept me entrenched with their ghoulish banter.
Murder and mayhem slowly develops, as director Walker pulls you along in many different directions. What it's building towards was fairly contrived and disappointing, but the shadowy atmosphere of a candle lit manor with a lingering thunderstorm outside gave it a cosy tranquility amongst the frantic shrills and macabre spills. I just wish it was more fun than it was, and it mainly fell on Walker, because the old boys kept the pulse beating.
Murder and mayhem slowly develops, as director Walker pulls you along in many different directions. What it's building towards was fairly contrived and disappointing, but the shadowy atmosphere of a candle lit manor with a lingering thunderstorm outside gave it a cosy tranquility amongst the frantic shrills and macabre spills. I just wish it was more fun than it was, and it mainly fell on Walker, because the old boys kept the pulse beating.