For anyone that cares, heres a thing I did about my ten favourite British Horror movies: 1) Theatre of Blood (1973) For me this is Vincent Price in his greatest ever role, even better than Dr.Phibes! Price plays Edward Lionheart, a Shakespearean actor that takes revenge on his critics with a series of grizzly murders. It’s camp, it’s over the top and it’s everything that was great about British horror cinema at the time. Featuring a cast that also includes Robert Morley, Arthur Lowe and Diana Dors, this is an underrated classic of the genre. 2) Psychomania (1973) This is the ultimate horror/biker movie! It revolves around a young rebellious teen and his biker gang and is obviously influenced by A Clockwork Orange. After dabbling with witchcraft with his mother the leader of the gang makes a deal with the devil so that he is immortal and can return from the dead, over and over again. It’s got everything from séances to bikers causing mayhem, crazy scenes of hippies singing folk ballads to corpses on motorcycles in their open graves and it also has an awesome soundtrack by Frog. 3) The Devil Rides Out (1968) For me this is Christopher Lee at his very best, getting involved to try and save his friend from dabbling in the occult. It’s based on a Dennis Wheatley novel so has many, typically British traits. Charles Grey is also awesome in this movie as Mocata, the Satanic priest and I think this film features the greatest Baphomet in cinema history. The scene where the devil himself finally appears is just mind-blowing. 4) Frenzy (1972) I think his is Hitchcock’s greatest movie. He’s obviously better known for stuff like Psycho, The Birds, Vertigo etc but for me, this 1972 film that he made after returning to London is his best. It’s based on a serial killer that’s murdering women with a necktie. Some of the suspense and cinematography is amazing and it’s a classic depiction of the sleaziness of London in 1972. 5) Fright (1971) This is arguably the very first ‘slasher’ movie of this kind. The classic babysitter left alone in a big house kind of movie. It’s so well put together though and genuinely creepy from start to finish. Susan George, better known for her role in Straw Dogs, is fantastic in it too and again, it features a cast of loads of other classic British actors and actresses. 6) The Wicker Man (1973) Another masterclass from Christopher Lee as the eccentric Lord Summerisle. This film is dark and disturbing from the start as Edward Woodward is sent to a remote Scottish island to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. He soon discovers that the locals are hiding some dark secrets and he isn’t very welcome there! Another great soundtrack courtesy of Paul Giovanni and Magnet and some unforgettable scenes in what is considered one of the greatest horror films of all time. 7) The Living Dead At The Manchester Morgue (1974) A brilliant zombie movie set in the Northern English countryside and starring Ray Lovelock. Lovelock plays a cocky, Londoner who travels to the North of England and ends up being framed for murders that are actually being committed by the Living Dead. There are some classic scenes and some classic dialogue and alongside ‘Plague of the Zombies’ is probably the best of all Brit zombie films. 8) Vampire Circus (1972) Vampire Circus is yet another hammer classic full of schlocky colour, camp dramatics and awesome sets. It’s also really dark in that it’s based on a vampire that preys on children who is killed by the villagers. A few years later a macabre circus arrives in the village and people start dying, believing that it’s the curse of the Count coming back to haunt them. I won’t give it all away but it’s brilliantly sinister and a film I could watch over and over again. 9) Dracula AD 1972 (1972) Hammer does it again. Another Dracula story but this one is set in swinging London in 1972. This stars both Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. It’s star is a character named Johnny Alucard (Get it? Dracula backwards!), a typical London hipster, playboy who raises Count Dracula to kill descendants of Van Helsing. It’s also worth watching as it stars both Stephanie Beacham AND Caroline Munro! 10) House of The Long Shadows (1983) I may be wrong but I believe that this Pete Walker film is the only movie ever to star Christopher Lee, Vincent Price AND Peter Cushing in the same movie. Pete Walker has actually made better films (Frightmare, The Flesh & Blood Show etc) but this one gets the nod as it’s the only one to feature the (un)holy trinity together. It’s also a great film, similar to House On Haunted Hill in that its based on a concept where a writer has to spend a night in a spooky house to earn £20,000, Upon his arrival he realises he is not alone and the whole thing is really quite bizarre.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Dec 2014 04:52:39 +0000
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