A Scotland Yard Inspector on his honeymoon is called to the rural town of Dark Falls, Wales -in the shadows of ancient Druid ruins- to investigate the slaying of a hedge cutter by hay-fork and bill-hook (a pitchfork and a sword-like tool with a curved end; one was used to kill Brigitte Skay in Mario Bava's BAY OF BLOOD). Another murder soon occurs amidst talk of blighted crops and dead cattle but the superstitious locals seem more interested in the Inspector's new bride than in solving the crimes. Is a serial killer at work or is the town, known to have put suspected witches to death since the time of William the Conqueror, responsible? I've always liked beautiful Audrey Dalton (here playing the Inspector's wife) and quite enjoyed seeing her thrown into a wicker basket and dragged to a sacrificial altar to be set ablaze by the town constable and his mother (Alan "Batman" Napier and former silent screen star Doris Lloyd). There's some good atmospherics, a duel to the death between a pitchfork and a scythe, and some unintentional humor amidst the horror: the Inspector looks a bit like Wilbur, the owner of TV's MR. ED, and one of the Druid stones vaguely resembles a giant penis. Any resemblance to 1973's WICKER MAN is, well ...you figure it out.
9 Reviews
"You cannot fight the powers that fight the powers of darkness!"
classicsoncall28 January 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I rather enjoyed this 'Thriller' entry; it uses ancient superstition and the power of suggestion to good effect creating a sense of dread in the viewer. The whole time we're being set up for Mrs. Roberts (Audrey Dalton) to be revealed as a witch; quite clever the way the story interjects the black dog and the true parentage of Constable Evans (Alan Napier). The opening scene gets the story's title out of the way quickly, with a pitchfork to the chest and a cross carved on the throat of victim Watson by that brush cutting gadget known as a bill-hook. It's actually pronounced as a single word sounding like 'billook' with a silent 'h' which I didn't know when I first saw the title.
As the story goes on we hear a lot of talk about evil spirits and evil people, and hidden, powerful forces dating back to the age of the Druids and human sacrifice. There's also a more recent legend of a black dog turning into a headless woman, a witch as it were. So by the time we see the black dog in Mrs. Roberts' room at the inn, at first as a reflection in the mirror, we're about ready to accept the idea that this is going to be the honeymoon from hell.
However newlywed Inspector Roberts (Kenneth Haigh) has a pretty level head and gets things sorted out on his end rather professionally. He's just in time to make the save for the Mrs. when it looks like she's about to be burned for this witch business, in a wicker basket no less. As for the black dog, I had to chuckle when he made his appearance known to the Inspector - he wasn't the least bit scary looking or ferocious - just your average playful mutt who wanted his share of attention. Could it be he's the one Led Zeppelin sang about?
As the story goes on we hear a lot of talk about evil spirits and evil people, and hidden, powerful forces dating back to the age of the Druids and human sacrifice. There's also a more recent legend of a black dog turning into a headless woman, a witch as it were. So by the time we see the black dog in Mrs. Roberts' room at the inn, at first as a reflection in the mirror, we're about ready to accept the idea that this is going to be the honeymoon from hell.
However newlywed Inspector Roberts (Kenneth Haigh) has a pretty level head and gets things sorted out on his end rather professionally. He's just in time to make the save for the Mrs. when it looks like she's about to be burned for this witch business, in a wicker basket no less. As for the black dog, I had to chuckle when he made his appearance known to the Inspector - he wasn't the least bit scary looking or ferocious - just your average playful mutt who wanted his share of attention. Could it be he's the one Led Zeppelin sang about?
A Bit of the Old Witchcraft
Hitchcoc15 November 2016
This concerns a policeman's travels to a quaint village to investigate a murder. When he arrives with his pretty young wife, he finds that he has travelled back in time to a place where the people buy into the burning of witches. The things is, the folks occasionally kill someone and take them to a kind of Stonehenge, a druidic place where they burn the bodies. Because she is dark and beautiful, the locals think she is a witch and become set on making charcoal out of her. As it turns out, there was a murder years before and the implications of that murder are at the center of everything that went on. One of the traits I've noted concerning the police in these episodes is that they are smug and don't listen. This leads to some last minute heroics that shouldn't have been necessary. The atmosphere is good but there are some red herrings that make this much less than it could have been.
Superstition
AaronCapenBanner30 October 2014
Kenneth Haigh plays Scotland Yard Inspector Harry Roberts, who has arrived in a Welsh border village along with his new wife Nesta(played by Audrey Dalton) to investigate the mysterious murder of a local farmer who was killed with a hay-fork & bill-hook. They are then met by local constable Evans(played by Alan Napier) who tries to assist, but Harry learns that the local villagers are steeped in their superstitious beliefs of witchcraft and devilry, and when Nesta reports seeing a black dog, a supposed omen of death, she becomes the next target for murder. Uneven episode starts out well, with many fine performances and atmosphere, but does sputter a bit in the middle before its bright(if mundane) finish.
Sadly, this is based on a real murder that occurred in 1945!
planktonrules25 October 2018
According to IMDB, this episode was based on a real murder which happened in rural Great Britain. Locals murdered a resident because they were considered a witch!
The story begins with some poor schmuck being murdered in a country village. Soon, Scotland Yard dispatches an investigator and he's shocked to learn that the man was murdered because folks thought he was a witch! And, when the invetigator's wife sees a black dog, folks start wondering if she's a witch too! It all ends with a pitchfork and scythe fight...while an old woman just sits there doing nothing (a terrible cliche).
This is an okay story....but made creepier since folks apparently did such a killing. Worth seeing but definitely NOT a must-see episode of "Thriller".
The story begins with some poor schmuck being murdered in a country village. Soon, Scotland Yard dispatches an investigator and he's shocked to learn that the man was murdered because folks thought he was a witch! And, when the invetigator's wife sees a black dog, folks start wondering if she's a witch too! It all ends with a pitchfork and scythe fight...while an old woman just sits there doing nothing (a terrible cliche).
This is an okay story....but made creepier since folks apparently did such a killing. Worth seeing but definitely NOT a must-see episode of "Thriller".
Witchly horror with a bit of droll comedy attached.
mark.waltz10 October 2019
Warning: Spoilers
At a Stonehenge like rock formation, rumors of supernatural activities have haunted the area for centuries. It becomes a lot more haunting due to several gruesome murders with obvious supernatural motivations behind it, and the investigation goes into overdrive as various clues are presented, Kenneth Haigh and Audrey Dalton are drawn in further and further. Things and people are not what they seem to be, however, making this a thrilling episode.
Fortunately, the droll comedy isn't at all distracting, and some of it is quite funny. The eccentric characterizations (among them J. Pat O'Malley) adds a charm to the mystery with a deliciously melodramatic performance by veteran British character actress Doris Lloyd (as a "MacBeth" like witchy character) and a dignified appearance by Alan Napier of TV's "Batman" fame. The atmospheric sets look like something out of Orson Welles' Mercury Theater. It's too bad that Karloff isn't in this other than hosting.
Fortunately, the droll comedy isn't at all distracting, and some of it is quite funny. The eccentric characterizations (among them J. Pat O'Malley) adds a charm to the mystery with a deliciously melodramatic performance by veteran British character actress Doris Lloyd (as a "MacBeth" like witchy character) and a dignified appearance by Alan Napier of TV's "Batman" fame. The atmospheric sets look like something out of Orson Welles' Mercury Theater. It's too bad that Karloff isn't in this other than hosting.
Clearly inspired Robin Hardy's "The Wicker Man" (1973)
cap-2212831 December 2021
This is one of the better entries in the series with wonderful direction, atmosphere and suspense. Elements of opening scenes (with the grafitti on the wall and some of the script) as well as the one in the Castle were clearly lifted in detail for Robin Hardy's "The Wicker Man".
In the dark heres fear and comfort the fear is for the fools
sol121828 May 2013
Warning: Spoilers
***SPOILERS**** You can see right away as the show's host Boris Karloff, aka Karlofsky, seems to be having trouble keeping a straight face in him explaining the terrifying and shocking tale were about to see in him obviously, after we've seen it, knowing it's about as terrifying and shocking as a Loony Tunes cartoon.
The story has to do with this cult descendant of the ancients Druids who practice human sacrifices at the Stoneheng archaeological site during the different fazes of the moon. Also thrown in for god measures is something about witchcraft that has been part to the town of Black Woods lore since the 8th century that's still going on to this very day!
It's Scotland-Yard Detective Inspector Harry Roberts, Kenneth Haigh, and his pretty Irish Lassie wife Nesta, Audrey Dalton, who are sent to Black Woods to find out who murdered the towns old woodcutter Thomas Watson, Lumsen Hare, in the most unusual and baffling way. Waston was sacrificially murdered ancient Druid style with a hay-fork & Bill-hook rammed through his body. It seemed that the guy knew too much and he had to be silenced before he started spilling the beans.
Right away Inspector Roberts suspects the town constable Evens, Alan Napler, in him having something to do with Watson's murder by his trying to cover it up with all kinds of Mombo-Jombo talk about witches and goblins being behind it. While this is going on another person in town Agnas Wilson disappears and is later found burned to a crisps in a wicker basket outside of Stoneheng.
As Inspt. Roberts interviews one of the towns most prominent citizen Sir Wilfred, Alan Caillou,and Evens's Momma, Doris Llyod, he comes to the conclusion that there's evidence that the two murders, Waston & Wilson, are connected. But what really makes things interesting is Robert's wife Nesta who according to everyone in town is the real person behind the mysterious killings! You see she's a witch were told by everyone in town and witches are known to do these, human sacrifices, kinds of things! Well aren't they?
We never get any real explanation to what exactly is going on but we do get a great slug-fest between Constable Evens and Sir Wilfred, who turned out to be brothers, with scythe & pitchfork at the conclusion of the episode. There's also the mysterious and ghostly "Black Dog" who's supposed to scare and terrify the by now trying to stay awake audience since he's supposed to be in league with the Devil Druids or witches, take your pick, in signifying the death of anyone who could see him. But the dog or mutt instead of frighting us is so cute cuddly and friendly that he seemed to have stepped off the set of a Walt Disney family film instead of looking like a dog from hell which he's supposed to be in this "Thriller" episode.
The story has to do with this cult descendant of the ancients Druids who practice human sacrifices at the Stoneheng archaeological site during the different fazes of the moon. Also thrown in for god measures is something about witchcraft that has been part to the town of Black Woods lore since the 8th century that's still going on to this very day!
It's Scotland-Yard Detective Inspector Harry Roberts, Kenneth Haigh, and his pretty Irish Lassie wife Nesta, Audrey Dalton, who are sent to Black Woods to find out who murdered the towns old woodcutter Thomas Watson, Lumsen Hare, in the most unusual and baffling way. Waston was sacrificially murdered ancient Druid style with a hay-fork & Bill-hook rammed through his body. It seemed that the guy knew too much and he had to be silenced before he started spilling the beans.
Right away Inspector Roberts suspects the town constable Evens, Alan Napler, in him having something to do with Watson's murder by his trying to cover it up with all kinds of Mombo-Jombo talk about witches and goblins being behind it. While this is going on another person in town Agnas Wilson disappears and is later found burned to a crisps in a wicker basket outside of Stoneheng.
As Inspt. Roberts interviews one of the towns most prominent citizen Sir Wilfred, Alan Caillou,and Evens's Momma, Doris Llyod, he comes to the conclusion that there's evidence that the two murders, Waston & Wilson, are connected. But what really makes things interesting is Robert's wife Nesta who according to everyone in town is the real person behind the mysterious killings! You see she's a witch were told by everyone in town and witches are known to do these, human sacrifices, kinds of things! Well aren't they?
We never get any real explanation to what exactly is going on but we do get a great slug-fest between Constable Evens and Sir Wilfred, who turned out to be brothers, with scythe & pitchfork at the conclusion of the episode. There's also the mysterious and ghostly "Black Dog" who's supposed to scare and terrify the by now trying to stay awake audience since he's supposed to be in league with the Devil Druids or witches, take your pick, in signifying the death of anyone who could see him. But the dog or mutt instead of frighting us is so cute cuddly and friendly that he seemed to have stepped off the set of a Walt Disney family film instead of looking like a dog from hell which he's supposed to be in this "Thriller" episode.
Beat the devil at his own game
kevinolzak21 December 2021
"Hay-Fork and Bill-Hook" initially builds up intrigue about witches in modern Wales but quickly bogs down in endless exposition that ultimately leads to a numbingly weak conclusion. Druid stones have stood for 1100 years near the country village of Dark Woods, and the ritual murder of hedge cutter Thomas Watson (Lumsden Hare) has brought Scotland Yard's Harry Roberts (Kenneth Haigh) to investigate with new bride Nesta (Audrey Dalton) in tow. Local authorities like Sir Wilfred (Alan Caillou, here performing double duty as writer and actor) and Constable Evans (Alan Napier) don't seem to be much help, even after the wicker basket burning of an elderly woman in a second killing. Events are discussed rather than seen, the first victim stabbed by pitchfork then a stake driven through his heart and a cross carved on his throat, the locals with a long history of such maniacal doings to dispatch witches (Christopher Lee would enjoy one of his finest screen roles in a Scottish variation on pagan rites, 1973's "The Wicker Man"). Alan Napier and Doris Lloyd make for a frosty mother and son, Audrey Dalton given less to do than in "The Prediction" (her best would be "The Hollow Watcher"), Kenneth Haigh a lackluster lead, soon to share the screen with George Harrison in the Beatles classic "A Hard Day's Night." This was Napier's meatiest part in the series, his lower class characterization at odds with the role of Alfred on TV's BATMAN, a pleasant reminder of his early Hollywood vehicle "The Invisible Man Returns," in which his sniveling colliery foreman was terrorized by Vincent Price's invisible protagonist. He even delivers a choice line with an admirably straight face when Audrey gushes about how well the trees grow: "they have nothin' else to do!" Alan Caillou would go on to script two better entries, "The Terror in Teakwood" and "La Strega," prior to big screen efforts like Bert I. Gordon's "Village of the Giants," George Hamilton's "Evel Knievel," and William Shatner's "Kingdom of the Spiders."
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