Haunts of the Very Rich

Another well honed TV horror production here, in fact possibly my favorite so far of my present quest. Haunts of the Very Rich is one of those films that rather defies reviewers, the climax is all important yet a cliché set in stone even in its own era, to comment on how the film becomes truly effective would spoil it for those who didn't already figure it out, and to say much about the hints and murmurs of chill that come before would spoil those little details for those who guessed what was going on from the outset but still aimed to be surprised by the films smaller mechanisms. Most of the reviews here make the film somewhat to obvious, so I will simply say that the plot sees seven strangers journey to a luxury resort, wherein the luxury soon becomes something else entirely. The film thrives on character and precisely measured tension, taking some two thirds of its runtime to move up through the gears before the final surge. The writing is often melodramatic, but the cast sells it very well, Lloyd Bridges touching as a lothario with an actual heart, slick superficiality slipping away in likable fashion, Cloris Leachman falls in convincing love, Anne Francis pulls off powerful dejected pathos, Edward Asner brings class to what could have been a bland cliché and Moses Gunn hits the right mellow yet subtly devious notes as the resort host. Now all this class goes a good distance towards keeping the film a solid watch, but it has to be said that things really don't get too noteworthy until the 50 minute mark or so. There are creepy vibes but only one or two jolts, things really are pretty subdued and get going just in time to stave off tedium. However when it all does come together the film becomes a rather terrific affair, genuinely chilling and surprisingly emotional, an ideal reward for what has come before. So all in all this one may not be perfect but as far as its kind go its pretty darned spiffing, essential viewing for TV horror fans and just plain pulp enthusiasts (for the classic story and unexpected touches). So a solid 7/10 from me, but will obviously not be to all tastes.

HAUNTS OF THE VERY RICH begins on a charter flight to The Portals Of Eden, which is a secret destination kept from the passengers.

Upon arrival, the group, including a grumpy, bigoted businessman (Ed Asner), a disillusioned priest (Robert Reed), a burned out socialite (Anne Francis), an unfaithfully married playboy (Lloyd Bridges), a newlywed couple (Tony Bill and Donna Mills), and a lonely woman (Cloris Leachman), find themselves in a veritable paradise, where they're met by a mysterious man named Seacrist (Moses Gunn).

At first, everything is like a dream come true. Then, odd things commence- a snake in a bed, a tropical storm, a power / phone outage, etc. In no time, what was a perfect heaven on earth changes into a jungle hell! With the extreme heat and humidity, everyone is on edge. Some, far more than others.

Isolated and growing desperate, nothing goes right. More bizarre, even deadly things take place. What is happening? Where are these people... really?

HOTVR is another wonderful made-for-TV movie from the 1970's. Some have compared it to FANTASY ISLAND and / or the TWILIGHT ZONE. Toss NIGHT GALLERY or CIRCLE OF FEAR into the mix as well, as there's more horror than anything else. Very well-done with a great finale...

Inside a luxury airplane six (presumably rich) people are heading for a wonderful vacation spot which they only know as "The Portals of Eden". They have no idea where it is located and the travel agency has gone to great lengths to keep it a secret. Also on the airplane is a man by the name of "Al Hunsicker" (Edward Asner) who has mistakenly boarded the flight and wants to get to Dallas for an important business meeting. Unfortunately, the flight lands in a very remote part of the world and he has no choice but to wait until the next morning. Yet even though the hotel is quite luxurious there is something strange about it and the guests soon realize that there is more to this place than meets the eye. Anyway, rather than give out any more details and risk spoiling the film for those who haven't seen it I will just say that, considering the limitations placed on a made-for-television movie, this particular one was surprisingly entertaining. Likewise, although I would have preferred to see a bit more of Donna Mills (as "Laurie Dugan") and Ann Francis ("Annette Larrier") I thought both Lloyd Bridges ("Dave Woodrough") and the aforementioned Edward Asner performed quite well in their respective roles. All things considered I rate the film as slightly above average.

Prolific Aaron Spelling produced this TV-movie from 1972 that bore a striking similarity to the Ricardo Montalban hit. Boasting a cast of familiar television performers (Lloyd Bridges, Cloris Leachman, Edward Asner, Robert Reed, Anne Francis, and Donna Mills), the story deals with wealthy vacationers that find themselves stranded at the "resort from hell." With a few plot twists and turns, the movie keeps the viewer gripped until the final seconds, when they learn the "truth," although the audience has been in on the "secret," midway through the telecast.

Moses Gunn plays the mysterious "host" with a mixture of hospitality and menace. His glistening white outfit belies that fact that he may not seem as friendly as he appears.

Though predictable, "Haunts of the Very Rich" is still a cut above the "based on actual events" films that populate television movies of the present.

Well-regarded ABC movie-of-the-week involves a group of seemingly disparate airplane passengers (including a malcontent from the Bronx, a priest, a newlywed couple, and a homely spinster who blossoms after a makeover) who have either responded to an advertisement or were led unawares aboard a flight to a mysterious destination; once they land in a tropical, isolated paradise, the question is why were they chosen to be there--and how will they ever get back home. Familiar cast of faces from TV do satisfactory work, though they bicker endlessly with each other and come up with colorless, vacant characterizations. Writer William Wood, working from T.K. Brown III's original story, steers the melodrama to a 'shocking' conclusion, but much of his dialogue is overwrought. As the island host who mysteriously vanishes, Moses Gunn might have been the template for Ricardo Montalban's future Mr. Roarke, but no fantasies are produced here.