La mansión de los crímenes

In the English countryside there stands a house, a seemingly benign, ramshackle abode nestled amid the undergrowth and enveloped in mystery. Unfortunate incidents occur to those who stay at the place, as a detective finds out while investigating the disappearance of its' latest dweller. While on the case, he hears of four separate tales of woe that befell those who rented the house, each more macabre and chilling than the last, in Peter Duffell's marvelous horror-comedy 'The House That Dripped Blood.'

An anthology film consisting of four separate stories concerning the titular homestead, 'The House That Dripped Blood' is vintage British horror. Written by Robert Bloch (and an uncredited Russ Jones), the tales within the film are each and all entertaining, full of suspense and chills. The segments vary both in tone and in quality, with the Christopher Lee led "Sweets To The Sweet" impressing and frightening the most, and Jon Pertwee's camp parody "The Cloak" being the weakest offering of the bunch. The other two, "Method For Murder" and 'Waxworks" have their moments, but don't match the sinister atmosphere and psychological terror of Lee's segment and seem unfortunately rushed to market.

In anthology films, it's not uncommon for segments to vary in length, but the first two seem far shorter than the last ones, and this imbalance produces jarring effects. "Method For Murder" and 'Waxworks" breeze by- and while the lengthy, penultimate "Sweets To The Sweet" works brilliantly- the final episode, "The Cloak," feels like it's dragging on in comparison to what came before it. Its considerably lighter tone also means that it feels somewhat inconsequential and pointless. The three preceding stories are full of dark, seedy horror that sometimes drifts into humorous territory; while "The Cloak" fully embraces the comedic and comes across as rather silly and facile.

Though still entertaining, as the whole film is overall- not to mention being technically polished. Ray Parslow's cinematography is striking, and while this isn't exactly a Dario Argento film; it's got an assured visual style that's most impressive. Credit for the film's look must also go to Tony Curtis, whose work as art director has produced distinct results. Additionally, the score from Michael Dress is atmospheric and foreboding, and Peter Tanner's editing is swift and seamless. For a relatively low-budget affair, 'The House That Dripped Blood' has a lot to offer viewers.

Including some fine performances from a large cast of talented actors. Denholm Elliott and Joanna Dunham do good work in "Method For Murder," with Elliott's portrayal of a man descending into madness being especially notable. Peter Cushing is terrific as a lonely man inexplicably drawn to a waxwork figure in "Waxworks," and is on screen for far too short a time. Christopher Lee dominates the film as an austere father in "Sweets To The Sweet," giving a performance both restrained and intense that lingers in the mind long after the credits have rolled. From "The Cloak," Ingrid Pitt does memorable work, though is underutilized and overshadowed by her screen partner; the miscast Jon Pertwee (in a role, one might add, tailored for Vincent Price, who would have been perfect).

'The House That Dripped Blood' is a highly enjoyable anthology film that will thrill and chill in equal measure. Well written by Robert Bloch and featuring stylish visuals and an emotive Michael Dress score, the film readily impresses. Though the segments vary in quality, all are entertaining and one- "Sweets To The Sweet"- is nothing short of brilliant. Boasting a cast of stars performing strongly and deft direction from Peter Duffell, 'The House That Dripped Blood' is a fantastic voyage of fun and fear that is sure to frighten, please and amuse.

The script of this ghoulish horror anthology is Robert Bloch at his diabolical best. I only saw this recently; I've wanted to see it for quite some time, but circumstances conspired, and I had to wait for the DVD release. But it was worth it!

This film is cartoonish throughout and constantly winks at the audience, but it also has an unwavering serious side. It's very sparing on special effects (and saves most of what little there is for the last segment), and is much more dependent on its actors. From the beginning, there is an outrageous over-the-top quality that is very reassuring--it's confident that it will deliver the horror its audience wants to see. Even the funniest segment (starring John Pertwee) manages to be rather disturbing. The box says "Rated PG - For Scary Images," and I must say, the sight of a vampiric Ingrid Pitt floating magically through the air towards one of her victims is a very scary image.

One of the things I like most about this movie is the way the humor and horror COEXIST in the film. The humor doesn't "negate" the horror or turn it into a joke. The horror doesn't "spoil" the humor or make it unfunny. Both elements are able to be taken seriously. Many horror comedies, especially modern ones, can't demonstrate such deft handling of their own elements. But this one moves in a sure-footed way, and that's all Robert Bloch. It's clear to me at least that he enjoyed his work, because such clear thinking is a sign the writer is having fun.

A surprisingly effective horror film from the early 70's that still packs a punch today. I have seen the other Amicus anthology films, and they're good, but this, for some reason, is the instant favorite.

Don't let the title fool you, there is no blood in this film. THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD is a rather tame, four part anthology film about an old manor, and the untimely deaths of its occupants.

First, Denholm Elliot is a horror writer who moves into the house seeking inspiration for his next book. He no sooner dreams up a creepy character, than it appears to have come alive!

Next, Peter Cushing visits a wax museum, only to find something quite unexpected concerning one of the figures.

In the third segment, Christopher Lee is either a heartless father to his young daughter, or she is far more than she appears to be.

Finally, John Pertwee is a jaded horror actor, who stumbles upon a certain, very familiar cape in an occult shop. Lighthearted terror and mirth ensue. Co-stars Ingrid Pitt!

The wraparound story has a Scotland Yard detective trying to solve these cases. Entertaining, though not very frightening, it's still good to see Cushing and Lee in anything!...

*contains very minor spoilers* (I'm sure the back of the box gives away more!)

Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Joss Ackland, Jon Pertwee...hey, this is one heck of a B-movie cast! All my British friends, together in the same horror anthology. Bliss. Mind you, I'm generally not too crazy about Amicus films; they're more screwed-up and cynical than their charming Hammer counterparts. But this time, Amicus got it just about right. The quality of the stories is uneven, but each has merit.

Story #1 is a pretty dull tale about a horror writer (played by Indiana Jones' buddy Denholm Elliot) who is haunted by one of his fictional creations, a strangler called Dominick. There are some interesting twists, yeah, but the characters are such stereotypes that it's hard to care much about them. And there's really nothing more tedious than writers writing about themselves! Stick with it, though, there's better stuff to come.

Story #2 is probably my favorite. The newly-retired Peter Cushing is haunted by a waxwork figure in a horror museum; it bears a striking resemblance to the late love of his life. An old friend, played by Joss Ackland (a very natural and likable performance), arrives and also falls under the wax girl's spell. I didn't really understand this story when I was ten, probably because I had not yet learned to pine for inaccessible women. However, since then I've been convinced that a wooden figure in a playground was modeled on an ex of mine, so suddenly this really resonates! A wonderfully sad, lonely tale.

Story #3 is also great. Christopher Lee gets to play a sort-of good guy, a rare treat for his fans; his daughter, as it turns out, is a little sorceress. The contrast between her sweet appearance and evil aims works rather well.

Story #4 is...ahem...rather silly, actually. It stars Jon "Doctor Who" Pertwee as a flamboyant horror film star. There's a lot of metahumor in this one; for example, Pertwee's character complains about having to star in cheap horror movies within the context of...a cheap horror movie called "The House that Dripped Blood"! "Doctor Who" was cheap, too, so one wonders if Pertwee was secretly complaining about his own career. But, apparently, he was actually spoofing Christopher Lee. The humor is this segment works, but it's strange to end such a dark movie with a goofy installment. I also don't know quite how to feel about seeing Jon get hoisted up on clearly visible wires during a "flying" segment.

After a somewhat dodgy epilogue with more Pertwee facing-making, the whole thing wraps up nicely with some cryptic remarks from an estate agent. On to the next British horror cheapie!

By their very nature, these anthology movies are mixed bags, but this is definitely one of the strongest. It's worth a look for the cast alone, and the middle two installments are definitely superior horror shorts.

Peter Duffel directed this anthology film that stars John Bennett as a Scotland Yard Investigator looking into the disappearance of two films stars(played by "Doctor Who" star Jon Pertwee, and Ingrid Pitt) who were last seen in an old house they had let while filming a new movie. The real estate agent tells him four tales about the mysterious house: 'Method For Murder' - A writer comes to believe his character(a mad strangler) has come to life. 'Waxworks' - Peter Cushing plays a retired man who becomes fascinated with a waxwork version of Salome, much to his regret; 'Sweets For The Sweet' - A man(played by Christopher Lee) treats his young daughter harshly out of fear, bringing an ironic fate upon himself. 'The Cloak' - The film star buys a cloak that turns him into a vampire. Good set of tales here, with fine direction and music score; Last tale is best, a real treat.