A young psychiatric nurse goes to work at a remote asylum following a murder. There, she experiences varying degrees of torment from the patients.A young psychiatric nurse goes to work at a remote asylum following a murder. There, she experiences varying degrees of torment from the patients.A young psychiatric nurse goes to work at a remote asylum following a murder. There, she experiences varying degrees of torment from the patients.
- Sam
- (as William Bill McGhee)
- Dr. Geraldine S. Masters
- (as Anne MacAdams)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe UK cinema version was cut by the BBFC to remove a closeup shot of an axe blow to a woman's body and the film later found itself on the banned list of video nasties. The cut version was released on the UK HHO label in 2005 and the full uncut version (now rated 15) was released on the Stax label later the same year.
- GoofsWhen the doctor gets hit with an axe, it strikes his back, yet the blood effect is shown on top of his shoulder.
- Quotes
[Ray is fixing the asylum's telephone]
Allyson King: You know, I used to live in this place where the phone man was always coming around.
Ray Daniels: That bad, huh?
Allyson King: Uh uh... that good.
Ray Daniels: Oh, I thought that you meant that you'd had a lot of phone trouble.
Allyson King: Hell, I didn't even have a phone!
- Crazy creditsThe characters in the film are shown as the actor's/actress's name appears at the end of the film, including the murdered characters!
- Alternate versionsOnce listed as a video nasty, the UK Stax (Boulevard) and Elstree Hill DVDs are now 15 rated and uncut, restoring the original cinema cut to a shot of an axe hitting a woman's bloody body.
- ConnectionsEdited into III Slices of Life (2010)
This is actually a pretty good, if overly talky, effort from regional filmmaker S.F. Brownrigg. The low, low budget merely enhances the overall atmosphere. This is a grim, gritty film that goes far based on the personalities of the characters and the performances. Holotik is appealing, but it's Ms. Weenick who takes the acting honours. Things get appropriately gory, especially in the disturbing ending. One great scene takes place between Dr. Masters and the Sargeant, as she insists on asserting her authority.
We know early on that we're going to be in for something amusing. Dr. Stephens, who had an unorthodox way of treating mental illness, is just foolish enough to give Judge Oliver W. Cameron (Gene Ross) an axe in order to work through his aggressions. People who saw this film back in the 70s must have gotten a real sense of deja vu if they ended up seeing "Friday the 13th: A New Beginning". One of the major delights is the refrain spoken by the cackling old lady Mrs. Callingham (Rhea MacAdams).
Deliberately paced and very moody, "Don't Look in the Basement" (a.k.a. "The Forgotten") is an affecting exploitation-horror flick.
Seven out of 10.
- Hey_Sweden
- Jan 11, 2015
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Details
Box office
- Budget
- $100,000 (estimated)