User reviews

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this one; I went in expecting nothing and actually found a more than decent horror movie. The film is directed by Michael Armstrong, a British man who would go on to direct the excellent 'Mark of the Devil' a year later. The title is a bit misleading as it makes the film out to be a haunted house movie, when in fact it's closer to the slasher genre if anything. The film takes place in sixties 'swinging' London and focuses on a group of young friends. They're out one night and looking for a party when one of them suggests that they go to an old house that is supposedly haunted. Their party turns sour when one of the friends gets sliced by an unseen killer and, believing they would be in trouble with the local bobby's if they come forward, they decide to dispose of the body themselves. I have to admit that the film is really quite predictable and even though it's a "whodunit", there's never a great deal of mystery surrounding anything in the film. The film is very well shot, however, and the director does a good job of capturing the swinging sixties feel. It's also a very colourful film, which is nice. The acting is rubbish of course, but that's not too important and it all boils down to a nice little twist at the end. I can't say this is brilliant stuff; but it's not bad and worth a look for horror fans.

When I was about 10 years old me and my friend saw this on TV and the ending really freaked us out! We had never seen so much blood and gore on television before and it stunned us. Well, 30 years later I've finally seen this film again. I've been searching for it ever since. I didn't know the title but I never miss a horror film so I was bound to run into it again. It took 30 years! The film starts slowly with Frankie Avalon playing a rare serious role. The film has two very bloody scenes that you don't expect from an Avalon film during this time. The ending is strange and inconclusive. One of the things that I did enjoy are the real 60's London mod style of clothing. Very interesting to see the style during these times. But the film does have a fatal flaw. There just is to much talking and not enough time spent in the horror house. So after all these years the two bloody scenes still pack a wallop but its still a tedious film. A curio, though.

London "hepcats" grow bored at a party one night and decide to go explore an old nearby estate that's supposedly haunted. Once there one of the gang is brutally knifed to death and the group is left to wonder if one of their own is a killer.

The Haunted House of Horror (also known simply as Horror House) is a swinging 60's British chiller that's a bit of a mixed-bag for horror fans. On the good side there's a couple of effectively shocking (and bloody) murder scenes, a nicely moody music score by Reg Tilsley, and the climax of the film is pleasingly intense. Unfortunately the rest of the film is hampered by a sluggish pacing and a fairly routine setup. The uneven performances from the cast don't help things either.

Still, overall Haunted House of Horror has enough going for it to make it an interesting watch - particularly for fans of British horror from this era or maybe for people who just hate Frankie Avalon.

** out of ****

Wow, how did I manage to go so long without seeing this wonderfully corny '60s title, lost among thousands of other obscure, late-night drive-in classics? I had heard about it many years ago, just a rough plot outline, and always thought it sounded like cheesy fun, but I never had the chance to see it. However, I managed to view the film recently, under its alternate title, "The Haunted House of Horror", and I must say that I enjoyed every minute of it! Where do I begin? Well, first of all, those amazing '60s fashions! Go-go boots and mini-skirts haunt this picture more than the house itself does, and it must be said that throughout the entire movie the curvaceous Jill Haworth looks absolutely stunning (and yes, in many scenes she is wearing mini-skirt). Basically, the plot revolves around this girl Sheila (Haworth), her swinger beau Chris (Frankie Avalon!) and all of their groovin' swinger friends who get bored with the usual Friday night party antics in swinging London and decide to go "ghost-hunting" at an old deserted mansion in the countryside. Well, what follows is that someone ends up dead (in a murder scene which is surprisingly bloody for a PG-rated film) and the kids try to figure out whodunit! I guess one could describe this little number as a more mature, live-action British version of "Scooby Doo"! It's an absolute hoot, and I really enjoyed it. The plot was really nothing special, but from beginning to end I was hooked on this movie, and I was surprised at how ahead of it's time it was, and of course by the bloodiness of the killings. There is one killing at the climax of the film that will surely make your eyes pop out of their sockets - unbelievable! I won't give anything away, you'll have to see for yourself, but this baby is just amazing, from the corny dialogue: "Sheila, the way you dig blood, people'd think you're a vampire!", "You'd better watch out, darling, next time I give you a love bite!", to the swingin' sixties fashions, to the Scooby Doo antics and gory knife murders, plus a very downbeat, disturbing ending and a creepy atmosphere - you can't go wrong with this one. Unfortunately it's pretty hard to find, but it has found a cozy little home on cable, so if you get the chance, give it a look!

It's interesting noting some of the comments of displeasure about this film -- "boring", "dull", "uneventful". What's funny is that this is an early prototype of what became known as the Mad Slasher film where a scarred, dysfunctional wretch goes on a killing spree in some secluded locale, using a flashy means of disposing his victims who more often than not are just getting what they had coming. What is amusing is seeing the fans of the modern day versions of the basic story reacting with a certain amount of glib indifference. I felt the same way about French Impressionism when taking art history; "BOR-RING." Boy, was I wrong.

THE PLOT; A group of perpetually drink-clutching and cigarette puffing modly dressed hipsters who have obviously seen BLOW-UP decide to go have a smashing party at the local supposedly haunted manor out in the middle of nowhere. Some of them have more than one story to tell as far as why they are drawn to their circle of friends, who seem to regard each other with scorn when gathered together & more friendly-like when off on their own. A scruffy Scotland Yard detective (priceless Freddie Jones) and a scruffy, pock-marked, sinister private investigator are both caught unprepared when someone starts slaughtering the kids both during and after their party, and the clues seem to hint that it's either a vengeful poltergeist ... or one of their own.

DON'T ANYBODY GIVE AWAY THE ENDING!! It's not much of a surprise but it then again that's half the fun of these things. What makes this one kind of tick are the hipster trappings which seem unaware that it wasn't 1967 anymore, and how it seems to pattern itself after the "Giallo" films coming out of Italy at about the same time. I wish the supernatural angle had been played up more but found the three rather grisly killings to be quite over-the-top, had fun remembering what it was like to poke around inside of old houses with a candle with your knucklehead buddies on a dare, and it's always great to see Kim Haworth back in her leggy, sexy fox days. If you're looking for shocks this probably isn't a good suggestion but it's a finely made very British film that just banks more on style instead of flying body parts.

It's also kind of too bad that as the "Trivia" section hints at, the then just starting to heat up David Bowie was suggested and then rejected for a key role. If he'd gotten the part this might have retained a certain cult status beyond the sum of it's parts like Roeg's PERFORMANCE ... Frankie Avalon does not a Thin White Duke make. What a lousy decision.

5/10; Neutral. Neither good nor bad, but then again how very British.

England's Tigon films the people behind Witchfinder General produced this boring 1969 effort, an early slasher movie, and Michael Armstrong who directed the entertaining Witchfinder rip off Mark Of The Devil directed. In swinging London, a group of friends are attending Frankie Avalon's dull house party and decide to go to a haunted mansion to hold a seance instead. When one of their group is brutally murdered the others abandon his body and flee the scene knowing that one of them is the killer. Boris Karloff was originally supposed to play the detective investigating the goings but was too ill to appear, so Dennis Price took the role instead. Armstrong wanted Ian Ogilvy to play the lead role, but American backers AIP insisted that the part go to Frankie Avalon (who was nearly 30 at the time and under contract to them). There are a few decent shock sequences and a liberal flow of blood, but this supposedly haunted house is more likely to induce sleep than give you nightmares.

In the highly-alliterative and genre-suggestive Haunted House Of Horror, a group of teenagers, bored with the party they're attending one evening, decide to liven things up by trooping off to a supposedly, and unsurprisingly, haunted house to conduct a seance, wherein deadly consequences soon occur.

Having known little about this film for years other than its title, I found myself expecting a far different tale to the one that actually unfolded. Was there in fact any supernatural activity as the title suggested, or was the horror more conventional, leading to an earthbound whodunnit with B-movie slasher overtones? I must admit I was kept guessing for a while until those answers resolved themselves. All the meanwhile, I found myself reasonably entertained by the look and feel of a contemporary British sixties horror, from the swinging fashions to the unbelievable amount of smoking - actor George Sewell alone gives his best cigarette acting in this film. The musical score is fairly standard for the day and place - a good deal of brass, strings, moody piano and dramatic drum riffs. In fact, there were times when I felt sure this was a Bill ('Daleks: Invasion Earth 2150') McGuffie special, so either Reg Tilsley was familiar with his work, or these musical motifs were in vogue at the time. The lighting too is fairly conventional, though the day-for-night shooting became a little annoying after a while. Murky blue skies do not suggest midnight no matter how you dress them up, and must've been even more obvious on the silver screen.

The acting is competent if restrained - in part due to the lack of any really meaty roles on offer, though there are several luminaries of the period to help breathe life into the whole effort. Besides Sewell, we also have the soon-to-be Man About The House himself, Richard O'Sullivan, frequent TV guest star Jill Hawarth, and Robin Stewart, also soon to become well-known in Bless This House. Why we didn't get to see a lot more of the gorgeous Gina Warwick on the other hand, is a bit of a mystery. She and Hawarth almost make up for what is in the end, a rather pedestrian adventure.

And this in the end is what it is. I give it points for casting, period novelty, and for playing a little with audience expectations to avoid predictable plot trappings, but in the end, there is nothing ultimately remarkable about Haunted House Of Horror that helps it stand out from the competition of the day, like the popular Hammer Horror films. Which is not to say that their offerings are not sometimes prone to character cyphers, uneven pacing and abrupt endings, but more practiced hands on their part tend to make these things less of an issue. Interestingly, Tigon Films did snag horror veterans Karloff, Price, Cushing and Lee on a couple of occasions to produce horror-thrillers better received than what you find here - Scream And Scream Again, anybody? Nonetheless, Haunted House Of Horror should not be summarily dismissed - it's worth a look, but only if you've gotten a ways down through your must-view list.

Likable and very much of it's time. With the Carnaby Street settings, mini-skirts, sexy boots, sizzling interior design it's just a shame the 'kids' are lumbered with such inane dialogue and 'action'. a little unfair perhaps because when things do happen, they are surprisingly vigorous. I'm sure not many UK films of this time had as many multiple stabbings or such a high level of blood gushing. So, not very horrific and with a plot line that's an insult to one's intelligence, it is nevertheless worth watching for it's colourful settings and costumerie and those brutal kills. Also a mention for at least two particularly riotous spells of hysteria from a couple of the young 'chicks'.

i really enjoyed this movie.

why?

because it is FUN to watch. movies don't have to be deeply meaningful or classy or poetic..

more important than all that is that it is fun to watch.

i don't mean comedy-funny, i mean a flow, a structure and a story that doesn't make you snooze. (maybe some actors that actually can act, but thats a dying breed)

this movie is entertaining and fun, sure the story is thin and the middle drags a little, but it really doesn't matter..

you got frankie avalon, a dark old house and some outrageous 6oties hairdos, what more can you want?

Filmed under the much more appropriate title "THE DARK" this movie quite often airs on television in a darkened print. Darkened so that the blood can't be seen so clearly! In a couple of shock sequences, still shocking today, there's an awful lot of it! It has been said that David Bowie was originally cast in this film! Also Peter Cushing was supposed to play the George Sewell part originally. The film opens on location around the definitely in-place of the sixties - Carnaby Street. Despite the slightly silly Scooby Doo "teenage" characters that are introduced early in the film at a swinging sixties house party, the acting gets realistically serious as we enter the haunted house of the title. I've always been intrigued by this early example of teenage serial killer horror film, especially since it subverts the slasher genre quite drastically. Despite all the screaming, it's the men who are the victims - no more pointedly than in the film's finale...

The acting is very good, the plot keeps you guessing and you could cut the atmosphere with a knife!

Ham acting, predictable plot and liberal lashings of ketchup make this a classic 60's British horror film made in the 'Hammer Horror' time honoured way when the country was great at everything. It's a very English treatment of a theme dominated since the '70s by the likes of Wes Craven and other horror American film makers who have since thrown quaint charm out with the bath water (see horror classics like 'The Haunting' 1963 and 'The Legend of Hell House' for horror films which play subtly on the mind). The plot is so predictable these days it would be hard to end with a spoiler. Basically the story revolves around not for long fun-loving,swinging 60s teenagers wandering around a creepy, old, reputedly haunted house and getting bumped off by instalments. Umm. Unlike the unsubtle use of chainsaws in Texas what makes this film for me is the imaginative and atmospheric use of the interior and exterior location shots which give 'The Haunted House of Horror' a very creepy feel and a well deserved regard as a cult classic of it's genre.

I wasn't expecting much from this one, given that I had been let down by the director's subsequent - and signature - film, the notorious MARK OF THE DEVIL (1970); I would still like to watch HOUSE OF THE LONG SHADOWS (1983), however, which Armstrong only scripted (it was directed by Pete Walker and featured genre stalwarts Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, John Carradine and Sheila Keith). Similarly, the fact that the majority of the cast was made up of juveniles (with Frankie Avalon - referred to in the film as "the epitome of Swinging London"! - the most experienced among them!) wasn't exactly enticing; however, at least a couple of the girls - Jill Haworth and Gina Warwick - don't register too badly under the circumstances and, interestingly enough, a pre-stardom David Bowie had originally been slated for the role of the killer! As for Dennis Price, he's wasted as the investigating officer; the role, insignificant as it was, had been intended for Boris Karloff - but he was too ill to appear, and died not long afterwards.

Anyway, the end result is a truly lame film full of obnoxious characters (particularly the couple that's supposed to provide comic relief), wooden acting…and pointless zooms onto the Gothic architecture of the titular house! Surely the best thing about it is the rapid editing of certain sequences (a couple of brutal murders, a suspenseful scene at a gallery), in which the director admits - during the Audio Commentary - to being influenced by the work of Sergei Eisenstein! Reg Tilsley's score - except for a terrible song near the beginning composed by Gerry Levy (more on him later) - is quite good…and the ending offers a couple of surprises as well, but all this isn't enough to salvage the film! It was released in the U.S. as a double-bill with CURSE OF THE CRIMSON ALTAR (1968), which I watched for the very first time only a couple of days prior to this one.

Writer-director Armstrong's Audio Commentary was very interesting, however, because he went into great detail about how the film was taken out of his hands by AIP (it was made in conjunction with Tigon) and changed considerably: a new director - Gerry Levy - stepped in, generally softening the characters and toning down the sex (which became practically non-existent) and violence (one bloodless killing was clearly his work), but also adding a new subplot involving an extra-marital affair between Warwick and George Sewell! It's very probable that the original version made a better film altogether, but there's little to suggest that it would have been anything special - despite Armstrong's vehement, denigrating comments throughout about Levy and AIP's Louis M. 'Deke' Hayward! Ironically, the exact same thing happened to Armstrong on his second film (the intrusion this time around came from producer Adrian Hoven), which basically put him off directing for good - though his bad experience during the making of THE HAUNTED HOUSE OF HORROR did translate into a feature-film script, ESKIMO NELL (1975)!

Interestingly, I followed this with the only film Gerry Levy directed by himself - THE BODY STEALERS (1969) - which, being a Tigon release as well, it ended up as part of the same Box Set with THE HAUNTED HOUSE OF HORROR! Needless to say, Armstrong had no kind remarks about Levy's film (despite the presence in it of one of my favorites, George Sanders) - but I'll comment on that film in its own brief space…

This film is available on disc in the UK from Anchor Bay as part of their Tigon box-set, along with 'The Beast in the cellar', 'Witchfinder General', 'Virgin Witch', and 'The Body Stealers'.

'Haunted House' was available on the late lamented Vampix video label in the early 1980's in the UK. That release was notable mostly for the dark, drabness of the print. It looks considerably improved here, with lustrous, bright colors and correct aspect ratio. The film itself is not up to much, but remains watchable for its late 60's period frills and a couple of effectively nasty murders.

What makes this incarnation of the film interesting is the director's commentary supplied as an audio extra. Michael Armstrong's career had unfortunate beginnings: He shot this flick, his first, when he was 24 and the experience was painful, with the film taken away from him and his original cut undone by studio re-writes and re-shoots. The following year he went to Germany to make 'Mark of the Devil' and suffered exactly the same fate. The financial success of both titles (especially 'Mark', which was a huge exploitation hit) was little consolation to the tyro film-maker and he vowed to stay away from movies until he was guaranteed complete creative control.

Armstrong here explains the changes made to his original concept in great detail, pointing out exactly which scenes he shot and how they would/should have fitted into his scheme of things. The film he wanted to make - 'The Dark' - certainly sounds pretty interesting the way he tells it, and the most frustrating thing about the whole episode is that it seemed to boil down to a personality clash between him and Louis 'Deke' Hayward, AIP'S man-in-London at the time.

Hayward tried to shoehorn Boris Karloff (who owed AIP one film as part of a contract) into the plot at various junctures, a ploy which Armstrong vigorously resisted, resulting in a war of wills that Hayward was destined to win. Hayward went on to extensively re-write the script, inserting Dennis Price as a policeman and George Sewell as a lurking spurned suitor, and employed a technician called Gerry Levy to shoot the necessary patch-up sequences. It's fascinating to watch the film whilst Armstrong indicates continuity errors in the insert sequences and identifies the various loose ends that commemorate the residue of his original script.

Its no surprise, then, that 'The Haunted House of Horror' is a bit of a mess. Its perhaps remarkable that it plays as well as it does. But I recommend this release for the commentary, yet another that uncovers machinations and interference undreamed of by the casual viewer. As an education in the unseen political wranglings of film-making it is most enlightening.

The Haunted House of Horror is one of those time capsule movies that was probably out of date before they finished editing it.

I first saw it when I was 4 or 5 years old, It was one of the first colour horror movies that I remember seeing. Now 35 years later I can now give it a review. Lets put it this way, Haunted House of Horror is not a good film. But that doesn't mean its not interesting. The story concerns a bunch of young groovy British teenagers lead by the not so young, not so groovy, American Frankie Avalon. Anyway after a party they decide to go to the so called haunted house for kicks? After exploring the house for a bit, One of the teens is brutally murdered. Anyway, after lots of hysterical screaming, mainly by the females of the group. The group lead by Mr Avalon decide to hide there murdered friends body and leave the house.

Why would they do this. Well.. Your guess is as good as mine. Anyway after a few plot contrivances and another bloody murder the teens decide to go back to the house, where guess what.. More Murders. As you can probably tell Haunted house of horror is a bit lame. The direction by Michael Armstrong is very amateurish. The plot and Script are also pretty dire even the music is really rubbish.

The acting is mostly OK. When I say mostly I mean there is one terrible performance in there. ( Its very noticeable). So what, may you ask makes Haunted House of Horror so interesting. Well.. All these wrongs make this little film quite unique and strangely watch-able. It has child like quality that strangely reminded me of Scooby Doo. Like Fred in the cartoon, Frankie Avalon is the leader of the gang, Directing everyone what to do. I should also say that he is the only American in the movie. Actually he's quite good in it. I should also mention the Lovely Jill Haworth and her mini skirts. This is also another plus for the movie. At worst Haunted House of Horror can be seen as a bit of a Spring time for Hitler. "So bad its good. At best it can be seen as true British cult horror. I'd just call it harmless fun.

Right. Where to begin? Let's start with the title. Although it's not possible to prove the house wasn't haunted, there is no evidence to suggest that it might be, either in the script or actually on screen. But that's not the only thing that makes no sense. Not by a long chalk. Sure there are continuity errors, such as the outside shots filmed in daylight supposed to take place during the pitch dark night, but the worst incongruities are in the plotting. Nothing anybody does or says makes any sense whatsoever. From discussing complicity in a covered up murder while standing outside a police station, to the clichéd girl who "just can't stand to be in this old house" with all her friends, who therefore elects instead to walk alone across a dark forest and hitchhike from the road while dressed as a sci-fi hooker. All that said, if you're the sort of person who reacts to the sight of a policeman saying "I know we're supposed to be ogres, but I assure you we're not biting today" by thinking "WTF? Since when are ogres famed for biting?" you might just enjoy it on as many levels as I did.

Plus we're spared Frankie baby from singing a song for us. What a relief.

A Tigron UK import that AIP licensed out back in the early 70s. Of course it helps to have chief AIP stable mate Frankie Avalon star in it. I'm sure that pleased Nicholson & Arkoff et. al.

Frankie baby and his English pals get bored at a party so they go explore a 'haunted' house one of his friends knows about. When one of the group is slashed to death with a Gurka blade, the others cover it up by dumping the body somewhere so they won't have to get involved with the police.

When they go back a few weeks later to look for more clues, another one of them is stabbed to death and then the police acting on a tip, are about to swoop down on the house. But it's too late for Frankie baby because he gets the shaft, too. The culprit is one of the group but I won't say which one because that would give it all away.

It's actually not bad and since it looks like it was filmed in an actual run-down English house, it's got some good atmosphere to it.

Hey it's a long way from Southern California & the beach, now isn't it?

4 out of 10

OK years before Halloween, the UK was the setting for a haunted house film run by a cast of "teenagers". Having said that I actually liked most of it. On the plus side is the late sixties setting, especially the fashions and decor, some of the acting, O'Sullivan, Sewell and Gina Warwick as Sylvia put in decent performance. On the minus side is Avalon, who can't act much, would've been far better if his part had been played by someone like Cliff Richard. That would've been quite subversive. All in all a nice slice of late sixties 60's kitsche.

Showtime aired this howling dog of a flick Monday afternoon, and like a car accident, I knew I shouldn't look, but I couldn't turn away. It aired under it's alternate title "Haunted House of Horror", yet the house itself doesn't seem haunted, and the horrors (both of them) are not very horrifying. Despite some other comments about this movie, these characters are NOT teenagers! Frankie Avalon is already fighting middle age spread as the sole American in a cast of British never-heard-of's who split from a groovy mod party to a dusty deserted old house where naturally, a murder happens. And later another, and another...ending with a resolution that feels like the writer thought it up on the last day of filming.

The spookiest things in this movie don't even happen at the old house, and most involve the female cast. At the party, glum, chubby, bucktoothed Madge dances around with a feather boa, nicely displaying a big bruise (or birthmark) on her arm. Grim Suzanne, who's ended an affair with a strange older man, can't stay at the old house because she simply must go for coffee, and spends the entire movie looking disinterested (or perhaps constipated). Dorothy, the blonde with the panda eye makeup, and Sheila, the blonde with the massive hair are respectively the sweet waif and the cunning minx. Both are horribly miscast, although both Dorothy and Madge get nice little breakdown scenes. Madge's is especially moving. In a move that I'm sure won her a few supporting actress votes that year, she weeps, gnashes her teeth, lets her stringy hair fall into her face, and nearly rends the fringed hem of her blue party dress. Despite this glut of talented ladies, most of the supporting male cast are interchangable, in their staggering assortment of mismatched clothes, the exception being Gary, who forgets what movie he's in and seems to be auditioning for the road company of "Equus".

And then there's Frankie. What on earth possessed Frankie Avalon to ditch Annette on the beach and journey to England for this film? He even brought his 'Beach Party' hair with him. He sticks out like a sort thumb, and there's never a reason given for why these cool Brits hang out with this goon. I kept waiting for one of them (preferably Madge) to accidentally call him 'The Big Kahuna'.

The set designer for this film deserves a special honor for the sequential throw pillows that appear in Sheila's apartment. Each has a different design on it and when placed beside each other, they form a lovely image.

This movie is laugh-out-loud funny...too bad it's supposed to be a suspenseful horror film.

Watched this on Amazon prime. The basic plot is a group of twenty-somethings get bored at a party and decide to explore a deserted mansion (amazingly, horror plots haven't changed much in 50 years). I would best describe this as a horror whodunit movie, although the horror is milder than some Hammer House productions. Typical for a 'B' horror flick, you always find famous actors either at the beginning or end of their careers. The Police Detective is played by Dennis Price, who gained fame for the Ealing Comedy 'Kind Hearts and Coronets' alongside Obi-Wan Kenobi and two of the explorers are Frankie Avalon and Richard O'Sullivan who became a big UK TV star. The movie starts incredibly slowly but gets a lot better, the plot has a couple of twists and the ending might surprise you. Good for a horror fest.

You've got to watch this - if only for the wonderfully flowery clothing (particularly the boys) that is worn. Otherwise, it's a relatively run of the mill horror-flick featuring Frankie Avalon and Richard Barnes in a gang of young trendies who head to an abandoned country house for a séance. One of them is brutally murdered, they bury the body and head back to normality. Once the police (Dennis Price) start to investigate the missing man our gang of party-goers get spooked and head back to the scene of the crime and our slasher strikes again. It's quite tautly directed but the writing is terrible - it's really just a showcase for some good looking people with little substance and certainly no menace.