Haunted House Of Horror Review (88 Films Blu-ray Release)

While not as iconic as Hammer or Amicus, Tigon Films were responsible for some of the most iconic and interesting British horror films of the 1970s. Despite some subversive ideas, The Haunted House of Horror is not one of their finest. Compared to Witchfinder General and The Blood on Satan’s Claw, it feels hastily thrown together, with a fraught production contributing to a pretty ramshackle storyline. 

A clear rip-off of Psycho, it occupies a strange place in horror cinema – the traditional Hammer horror style was beginning to become outdated, while the Giallo hadn’t fully emerged yet. As such The Haunted House Of Horror feels a little awkward – not quite one thing or the other. Given the film’s fraught production history though, it’s a wonder the film is as coherent as it is. Michael Armstrong, who wrote the script, was fired as director early on, leading to multiple reshoots with new actors and hastily added scenes. The result is a film lacking clear authorship and direction. It just about pulls things together in the final scenes, but even then, the resolution is tangled and unsatisfying.

The plot follows an assortment of spritely young Londoners who decide to spend the night in a supposedly haunted mansion. When one of their group is brutally murdered, paranoia sets in, and after more sinister goings on, they return to the scene of the crime to uncover the truth.

Despite the creepy subject matter, there’s something strangely chaste about this one. Compared to the sleazier horror films of the era – Corruption, Twisted Nerve – it feels surprisingly restrained. Still, it excels in capturing the swinging sixties, with vibrant cinematography and a vivid color palette. It also delivers at least one genuine shock. The central murder consciously emulates Psycho – it’s unexpected, jarring, and a refreshing disruption of the narrative. The gore effects are appropriately nasty, and the unsettling image of the corpse staring at the other partygoers lingers in the memory. However, it’s not particularly bloodthirsty, with a surprisingly low body count. Even in the final sequence in the house – the optimum time to thin out the cast a bit – the main group simply leaves, which might make sense realistically but is a strange choice for a horror film.

Learning about behind-the-scenes shenanigans can be a double-edged sword – while the messy production history helps to excuse some of the messier problems with the film, it also highlights what might have been. It’s difficult to fully enjoy the film knowing that David Bowie was initially set to play a key role. He reportedly dropped out when Frankie Avalon was cast, and honestly, it’s a poor trade-off. Avalon isn’t a bad actor but he sticks out like a sore thumb amongst the much more natural acting style of the British cast, and it’s unclear whether his standoffishness is a character choice or a limitation of his performance.

Among the younger actors, Richard O’Sullivan exudes charm and irony, making his character one of the few with a real personality, while Julian Barnes, in the role intended for Bowie, underplays his part well. In the early scenes, he’s a little awkward but comes into his own in the atmospheric final scenes, where his vulnerability feels authentic. Jill Haworth is comfortably the most impressive of the young cast, giving a natural, compelling performance that makes you wonder why her film career wasn’t bigger. She originated the role of Sally Bowles on Broadway and was proclaimed the next big thing by Otto Preminger, but pretty much left the film industry after this, which is a shame, given she 

As the detective on the case, the usually brilliant Dennis Price seems content to just pick up a paycheque. Unlike a similar role, like Donald Pleasence in Death Line, who manages to deliver a Pinteresque performance, Price is given little to work with. You get the sense that he’s game but hampered by a film that has no interest in him at all. Both Price and George Sewell were brought in to patch up narrative gaps rather than give memorable performances. Sewell, however, does bring a welcome touch of menace as the possessive older boyfriend of one of the main groups.

Plot-wise, it’s a bit of a mess. There are huge continuity errors, and for a proto-slasher, it’s surprisingly tame. That being said, it has a real sense of unease all through it, and a few wonderfully atmospheric sequences. All the scenes set in the house have a nicely gothic creepiness, enhanced by moody cinematography. The ending is also a neat subversion on the usual final confrontation, brimming with dread, with a discomfiting closing shot that benefits from a lack of resolution.

In the newly recorded commentary on this release, Kim Newman sums up The Haunted House of Horror best when he calls it “a whodunnit that doesn’t register as a whodunnit until you know who did it.”  It’s an interesting curio – often frustrating, with a confused narrative, but stylishly shot, with an undeniable subversive streak that makes it oddly enticing, despite its shortcomings. 
SPECIAL FEATURES:
• Newly recorded commentary by Kim Newman and Sean Hogan
• Newly recorded commentary by Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson
• The Making Of The Haunted House of Horror
• House of Horrors – Michael Armstrong on The Haunted House of Horror
• Helping to cut The Haunted House of Horror
• A Party to The Haunted House of Horror
• Haunted House of Horror Trailer
• Horror House Trailer
• Stills Gallery

★★★

The Haunted House Of Horror is out now from 88 Films / Frankie Avalon, Jill Haworth, Julian Barnes, Dennis Price / Dir. Michael Armstrong / Tigon Films / 15