Sometimes a film just captivates your imagination. I first saw The Beast In The Cellar when I recorded it off late-night British TV, in 1992. I've since watched it in it's Odeon DVD incarnation, and it still resonates.
It may not be shocking, surprising or horrific, but I just 'enjoy' this film. The interplay between Beryl Reid, who was only 51 at the time but playing much older, and Flora Robson, represents the ending era of traditional British actresses in traditional British films.
This film has spectacular photography. The credits shot of a crepuscular sunset is unsurpassed, combined with the evocatively non-lyrical theme. It is the best shot of a sunset over British countryside that I have ever seen.
The story is admittedly weak once we find out that the sisters know what they know. However, their resolve to try and keep up their 'secret' is humanistic and done well.
The 'inserts' of gore are very brief and very effectively vivid. I think for once it doesn't harm a film.
The finale of 'the monster' coming up the stairs for the sisters, largely done in 'Nosferatu' style until a last shot, is very creepy.
In short, this isn't a great film, and impatient 'Netflix' viewers will find there's a lot of talk and little 'action'. However, the drama confined to the house between the two sisters is fascinating in itself; uncovering the mystery of the dynamics between them almost becomes the thing to 'solve' rather than the 'Beast' issue.
A film I could watch again and again, albeit leave a few years between each viewing.
