Trengellick Rising - 2023 - UK

Trengellick Rising - 2023 - 6/10 
AKA - Trengellick ow Sevel

 
Disgraced soldier Pascoe is dispatched to Trengellick, small village on the Cornwall coast.
Assignment: watch for an invasion force.
He immediately discovers the locals are a nefarious lot, brutal and murderous.
Gothic film is rough, rugged, atmospheric (and much too dark).
https://www.trengellickrising.com/

The Haunted Palace - 1963 - USA

The Haunted Palace - 1963 - 6/10 

 
The village of Arkham finally has enough of Curwen, the aristocratic dabbler.
Even dying, he swears vengeance on the Arkham descendants.
100+ years pass and the estate goes to his descendant, Charles Dexter Ward.
A hilltop palace, with two surviving (?) servants and a framed portrait.
Guess whose personality begins to overrule young Ward?
Poe title, Lovecraft setting and characters, Price and Chaney give good performances.

Tomb Of Frankenstein - 1964 - Ireland

Tomb Of Frankenstein - 1964 - 6/10 

 
The creature emerges from the rubble, staggers in bright sunshine.
Is rescued by an alchemist, who works to revive it.
Meantime, two entitled bucks pursue a young lass, ripe for sport.
Modern Silent, pretty faithful to classic Universal themes and look.

The Testament Of Caleb Meeke - 1969 - Ireland

The Testament Of Caleb Meeke - 1969 - 6/10

 
A generous uncle leaves Caleb his mansion (crumbling ruins) and adjoining hills (with buried, restless things).
After exploring a bit, Caleb finds books, including “Account Of The Old Ones” and “Necronomicon”.
Reading draws him deeper into the strange grimoires.
Then the diary from 1756, full of warning about fiends from the bogs and pools and depths of the woods.
Gothic horror from Roy Spence is one of his best efforts.  Well thought and realized.
Like to see the Irish Film Institute give this a full restoration.

Der Spooktrein - 1939 - Netherlands

Der Spooktrein - 1939 - 6/10

 
No, the passengers of Express 429 did not believe in ghosts, either.
Not until that night.
Netherlands remake of the Arnold Ridley play hits the right notes.
Atmospheric Gothic photography, comic elements are playful, not farce.
Stranded passengers this time include a magician and lovely assistant.
Of course, the way station is still haunted, and very dangerous.
Nicely restored version on www.eyefilm.nl
English subs = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3370777

The Plague Of The Zombies - 1966 - UK

The Plague Of The Zombies - 1966 - 6/10

 
Old school, not modern flesh feasters, but mindless drones.
The esteemed surgeon fields a request from his star pupil.
A dozen villagers have died mysteriously, and his own wife is acting strange.
Mischief afoot, and as ever, suspicion upon the local squire.
Solid Hammer outing is good mystery, with handsome production values.
Seems to hark back to Lugosi’s Zombie (1932).

The Sadistic Baron von Klaus - 1962 - Spain

The Sadistic Baron von Klaus - 1962 - 5/10
AKA - Le Sadique Baron von Klaus

 
Every few generations, the village is plagued by the curse upon the von Klaus family.
Mind you, the curse is inflicted upon attractive females of the village.
Despite a Gothic look and atmosphere of menace, the plot meanders.
A few characters look mildly suspicious, yet the whole thing is a muddle.
Early Franco attempt should have been better, a misfire.
English subs = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3370436

The Ghost - 1963 - Italy

The Ghost - 1963 - 5/10
AKA - Lo Spettro

 
“Who’s there?”
Stupid man, he tricked me with that will.  After all I did for him.
“What’s that noise?”
I don’t care if the village is talking, if everyone suspects.
Everyone knew he took poison.  Trying to cure his paralysis.
Lavishly furnished Italian Gothic crawls like a snail in the icebox.
Poorly directed or incompetence, take your pick.

A White Dress for Marialé - 1972 - Italy

A White Dress for Marialé - 1972 - 6/10
AKA - Un Bianco Vestito per Marialé

 
Friends are invited to Marialé and Paolo’s castle.  Yes, castle.
They have not seen them for a few years and are unaware of her condition.
A sumptuous dinner table is laid out and all don costumes - save for Marialé.
Everyone soon seems drugged - save for Marialé - and individuals devolve to their baser instincts.
Then the murders begin.
Opulent style over substance.  In essence, gorgeous to view, yet the plot is tissue thin and barely coherent.
Characters are mere sketches, reasons for deaths vague.
Perverse film, excruciatingly slow, not for all tastes.

La Llorona - 1933 - Mexico

La Llorona - 1933 - 5/10
AKA - The Weeping Woman

 
“No, no,” says the senior doctor to his students, “this man was not slain by a ghost.”
Then he is warned by his father-in-law about the curse that has plagued the family for generations.
Flashbacks show two betrayed women, while a hooded assassin prowls underneath in the present day.
Pacing is slow, half of the acting is melodramatic, hammy.
Flamboyant costumes, brooding Gothic sets.
An opening children's birthday party devours time I wish had been given to the Aztec flashback.
Hailed as the earliest Mexican Horror sound film.  Sure, whatever.
For a better – and earlier – experience, track down Drácula (1931).
English subs = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3369082

The Vampire Of Düsseldorf - 1965 - France

The Vampire Of Düsseldorf - 1965 - 6/10  
AKA - Le Vampire de Düsseldorf

 
There is a serial killer prowling the streets, so the young ladies feel safe with a handsome escort.
Except, after one is safely home, he asks the other female to go to the midnight park.
Where, it turns out, he suffers deadly impulses, and carries a knife.
He is also a steady regular at the Eldorado cabaret, where the sexy Anna arouses his desire.

 
Based on Peter Kürten, this well captures the shaky Weimar era.
Seedy clubs, economic and political strife, casual violence from the SA.
One establishment featured numbered table phones for assignations (similar to Berlin’s Resi).
Moody cinema, with a mannered performance by Robert Hossein that may not suit all tastes.

Escape Dangerous - 1947 - UK

Escape Dangerous - 1947 - 5/10  

 
Height of the French Revolution, the Terror, and aristocrats scramble to save their heads.
Literally.
Several find shelter with a shifty female … for a large fee.
Then there is Doctor Belhomme.  Refugees who sicken either die under his care, or vanish in his hospital.
All the makings of fine Gothic Horror, except this is dismal.
The directing is lackluster.  Static sets, no camera movement, reminiscent of an early talkie.
Best is Beresford Egan (?!!?) as the villainous doctor.
Script by Oswell Blakeston disappoints in every way.

Dr. Jekyll's Mistresses - 1964 - Spain

Dr. Jekyll's Mistresses - 1964 - 6/10
AKA - El Secreto del Dr. Orloff

 
Middling Gothic Horror outing, well composed yet the plot is weak.
On his deathbed, Dr. Orloff shares with his most gifted pupil, Dr. Fisherman, the secret of immortality.
Actually, it Is more like reanimation, which Fisherman employs to revive his murdered brother.
Whom he then controls and sends out to kill some females because … I don’t know.
Side story involves a flirtatious romance between niece Melissa and a cute taxi driver.
Songs, nightclub scenes and police investigations round out a muddled film.

Door With Seven Locks, The - 1940 - UK

The Door With Seven Locks - 1940 - 6/10

 
The dying lord is to be buried in the family vault – with his jewels.
A faithful friend is entrusted with the seven keys.
Ten years later, a distant relative is summoned, a retired detective takes an interest.
While the seven keys are, of course, gone!
Edgar Wallace chamber thriller dashes from the gate and rarely slows down.
Duplicitous servants, hidden panels, death pact, even a monkey.
Leslie Banks, ever flamboyant, with Lillie Palmer, as the distant heir.

Great Expectations - 2013 - UK

Great Expectations - 2013 - 7/10

 
Young boy Pip, barely more than an urchin, aids an escaped convict.
The man does not forget, even after the wiles of Miss Havisham torture the lad.
Pip has aspirations, expectations, far above his social level.
Heady condensation of Dickens’ novel, and stylized to boot.
Saturated in Gothic, most this unrolls like a walking nightmare.
Characters from the deep past resemble cadavers, while cobwebs are everywhere.
Although we read this in grade school, this is not a children’s story.
Adult Pip, reliving his youth, the stuff of nightmares.
English subtitles = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3359934

Cave Of The Living Dead - 1964 - Yugoslavia

Cave Of The Living Dead - 1964 - 5/10
AKA - Der Fluch der Grünen Augen

After death number six, Interpol sends agent Dorin to a small village.
While all the slain women show neck punctures, the local doctor marks heart failure.
Villagers disdain strangers, yet live in fear of the grotto area, as well as the castle.
And – the titled professor who has taken it over.

 
Superstition be damned, Dorin soon finds a cross more effective than a pistol.
Not to mention the local gypsy fortune teller, more attuned than the doctor.

 
Routine storyline from Yugoslavia, with assorted character types, easy to differentiate.
The photography, sharp black and white, deep shadows, cutting and angles, is first rate.
Locations from cave corridors to castle interiors are sheer Gothic, and look authentic.
English subtitles = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3359933

The Black Cat - 1934 - USA

The Black Cat - 1934 - 7/10

 
Following a bus accident, a young American couple and Hungarian psychiatrist are stranded in remote Austria.
Not to worry, nearby is the home of a famous architect, and friend of the psychiatrist.
Actually, the men are old and bitter adversaries.  In war and in love.
The young couple become sideshow pawns, as the long curdling revenge plays out.
Exceptional set design and atmosphere fully support this dark tale.
The leads, Bela and Boris, probably their finest pairing together.
This just ducked under the Production Code, and likely would not have been released afterward.

Double Door - 1934 - USA

Double Door - 1934 - 6/10

 
Even though it was just downstairs, Aunt Victoria disregarded the wedding.
She had hated her nephew’s gold-digging girlfriend from the onset.
Nor was she accustomed to not getting her way.
Victoria was the spiteful, hateful, abusive force in the gloomy family.
Her sister, terrified of her.  The nephew, spineless.
As for the new bride, Victoria bided her time.
Old-fashioned chiller, full bore Gothic.  Fabulous, stark photography.

Vampire Lovers - 1970 - UK

Vampire Lovers - 1970 - 6/10  

 
The new neighbor arrives at the General’s ball only to be summoned away for an emergency.
Nonetheless, could the General take care of her ward, Marcilla?  Of course!
And Marcilla, endears herself to the General’s niece, Laura, who soon weakens and dies.
Jump ahead.
After a coach crash, the hurrying ladyship agrees to entrust her niece, Carmilla, to another family.
And daughter Emma begins to waste away.
Stylish Hammer outing, Gothic settings, period costumes, rampant with lesbian overtones.
Le Fanu’s novella has been filmed numerous times, including a recent version in 2019.

Lust Of The Vampire - 1957 - Italy

Lust Of The Vampire - 1957 - 6/10
AKA - I Vampiri

 
Not what you would anticipate.
Young women are being found in Paris drained of blood and the press dubs the killer.
As the camera tracks showgirls and college debs, you see the targets.
There is an inquiring journalist, a young duchess who flirts with him, and the besieged police.
Not to overlook the stately manor, a Gothic overload better suited to the house of Dracula.
A young Mario Bava is the DP, who makes full use of shadows, cellars, tunnels, and subliminal gems.

 

 

Despite Bava, despite the vampire, despite the gloomy trappings, this is closer to a Krimi.
And this is a lot ongoing.  Mad scientist, grasping aristocrat, kidnappings, murders, even a kitten!