Asylum

12/30/2015

One of the better anthology films from England's other house of horror, Amicus. The framing story that leads into the final story with Herbert Lom and a really creepy (if a bit slow) robot doll is crazy and the basic idea I think holds up for a series. The other stories are a mixed bag. The first one is quite grisly, but it's unclear how the narrator knows all the details she tells. The second scores points for featuring Peter Cushing and a really bizarre story, but the ending is a bit confused. The penultimate story is unique only for it's casting, the idea of seeing Britt Ekland as Charlotte Rampling's murderous alter-ego seems like it should be reversed. Some of the music is overdone to the point of absurdity, cue the robot Herbert Lom slowing making his way to a dumbwaiter accompanied

10/2/2018

Creaky, funny and rather unsettling. The house of Amicus productions brings to us a horror anthology directed by Roy Ward Baker and written by "Psycho" scribe Robert Bloch. The four stories center around Robert Powell's job seeking Dr. Martin. Whom upon arriving at the classy, yet foreboding looking Asylum (New Lodge, Winkfield, Berkshire, England), is required to interview the four patients up on the top floor so as to prove his credentials for the position. As with all anthology horror pictures, the stories vary in quality, but what is consistent though is that the atmosphere and mystery element to it all never flags. Atmosphere that is somewhat boosted by Douglas Gamley's impacting construction of Modest Mussorgsky's music. 'Frozen Fear' sees a murdered wife come back to reek reve

5/28/2023

Robert Powell (never the strongest character actor) is a young psychiatrist tricked into interviewing four patients in an asylum in order to get a job. Each have a fairly fantastic tale to recount that might explain their current predicament - or, maybe - just maybe, their recollections are true!? My favourite of the four stories features Peter Cushing as a tailor tasked with making a suit from a particularly pliable material, but the others are interesting too with their fair share of voodoo, nasty dolls and some good old family enmity. The narrative is structured well, with each story engagingly self-contained within the asylum environment. Keep an eye out for Charlotte Rampling, and an ear on the rather effective Douglas Gamley score that does much of the heavy lifting required to compe