Dark Places

As far as I know, director Don Sharp, from the same genetation as Terence Fisher, Freddie Francis, Val Guest and Sidney Hayers, did not direct any horror films, except KISS OF THE VAMPIRE, CURSE OF THE FLY, and this one, an haunted mansion scheme film, his first. Don Sharp was a damn good and efficient film maker, very professional, and he had no proper style. He also made some AVENGERS series episodes, as John Hough, who also made a good haunted mansion mystery yarrn: LEGEND OF HELL, same year as this one. Nothing to do, concerning this one - DARK PLACES - with the today THE CONJURING or SINISTER US films series. It remains British but so efficient without being really horrific. It remains more a psychological drama than a pure horror film.

This 1973 UK thriller sees Robert Hardy (who had previously starred in Hammer's "Demons of the Mind") play Edward Foster, the former Head of an Asylum who gets called to a patient's - Andrew Marr's - death bed, and ends up inheriting his house where a significant amount of money is hidden. This prompts certain interested parties to become part of Foster's life, namely a scheming brother and sister and the estate's solicitor; however, the house's murderous past comes back to haunt them all....

Despite some clichéd elements to the script (cynical townsfolk; noises reverberating around the house etc.) this is a film which clearly had a lot of potential on paper but it really doesn't get out of first gear until the last half hour when the central themes of the plot become clearer. The interweaving of past and present with Hardy interchanging between both Foster (present) and Marr (from the past) in certain sequences is hardly seamless and is patchily handled.

On reflection, the supporting cast don't really get that much to do considering that the 3 of them (played by Christopher Lee, Joan Collins and Herbert Lom) are all hell-bent on finding the money. Lee in particular seems to be more of peripheral figure than you would have expected.

Perhaps another thing to undermine it's psychologically thrilling aspirations is the script-writers' under-appreciation and under-usage of the story's more substantial "horror" or "thriller" elements occurring at night. It clearly dilutes the central thrills of the film.

Hardy does a decent job of portraying the gradual decline in sanity of his characterisation; and due to its little-known status this film might well be worth a look at, but to my mind, it could have been handled and executed a lot better.

"Dark Places" begins with an elderly man dying in some sort of asylum. Soon Edward (Robert Hardy) moves into the abandoned mansion owned by the dead man, as apparently he willed the place to him. The place is an absolute mess and looks as if it's sat derelict for decades. Supposedly, within the manor is some sort of hidden fortune...and folks who run the asylum ALSO want to get their hands on the money. The problem is that the longer Edward stays there, the longer ghosts from the manor begin to take over the drive him over the edge. How will all this end?

The main story idea isn't bad at all. But the way the story is handled technically is pretty bad. All the 'special effects' that show you Edward is experiencing bad things are more annoying and hard on the brain than anything else. The worst is at the 100 minute mark as well as those ultra-cheesy bats...they just look cheap and stupid. Overall, not a terrible movie but one that also isn't very good and is, surprisingly, a bit dull.

Plot Summary : A former mental patient inherits the old house of a man who had killed his wife (Jean Marsh) and children and died nut . As he (Robert Hardy) lives in the mansion , but the insane spirit (also Robert Hardy playing a double role) of its previous owner seems to overcome him with a need to repeat the murders . Meanwhile, a scheming couple of brothers (Joan Collins , Christopher Lee) and the manor administrator (Herbert Lom) plot to rob a hidden cache of stolen money from its rightful owner . The only problem is that the house they plan to hide it in is haunted . There is more than death waiting for you in Dark Places.

This is a thrilling film including horror elements taken from Edgar Allan Poe and with plenty of chills , familiar drama , suspense and grisly killings . Filmed in low-budget though starred by an all-star-cast ; it's acceptable but no memorable picture and generally chilly clutch . Director Don Sharp has got other horror films for which has achieved a certain cult following . Good acting by Robert Hardy as a man who masquerading as a hospital administrator inherits a ruined mansion and nice support cast , such as Joan Collins as intriguing as well as seductive woman , Christopher Lee as astute brother ,he worked six times for director Don Sharp , Herbert Lom as a mean business attendant , Jane Marsh as wife and Jane Birkin as a young lover . Average cinematography , being necessary a right remastering because of the film copy is worn-out . Atmospheric and frightening musical score .

The motion picture was professionally adapted and directed by Don Sharp , though with no originality . He was born on the island of Tasmania off of Australia, and began his show-business career there as an actor. After World War II he traveled to England and continued his acting carer . He became a filmmaker in the mid-1950s and turned out some low- and medium-budget musicals, such as the Tommy Steele vehicle ¨It's All Happening¨ (1963). In the mid-1960s he was hired by horror specialist Hammer Films and turned out some well-received thrillers, including ¨Kiss of the vampire¨ (1963), his first for Hammer , this one along with ¨Witchcraft¨ and ¨Psychomania¨ are the best-regarded . He worked on a few films as second-unit director, most notably ¨The Fast Lady¨(1962) and ¨Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris¨ (1965), before returning to directing again, and turned out a string of thrillers such as ¨Callan¨, ¨Hennessy¨, and his version of ¨The thirty nine steps¨ , although much inferior to Hitchcock ; in addition , horror films and comedies . Towards the end of his career he worked in television on mini-series .

Unmemorable by-the-numbers haunted house flick with a great cast (Joan Collins, Christopher Lee, Herbert Lom, Jean Marsh, Jane Birkin) and decent story that could and should have been better. But unfortunately it is bogged down by its less than stellar direction, uncharismatic camera work and lame main actor Robert Hardy, who is about as interesting as a Saltine cracker...without the salt, of course. Lee & Collins play an unscrupulous couple trying to manipulate their hands onto the money that is hidden somewhere inside of the Marr Estate mansion which has just been willed to Robert Foster (played by Hardy) by its original tenant Andrew Marr (also played by Hardy) whose family was killed inside of the house and now is haunting it. Herbert Lom is the next door neighbor who is sort of helpful, but also wouldn't mind getting the cash into his pockets. If you didn't know better, you'd think this was a made-for-TV film, virtually wasting its great locations by filming the goings on as you would a family reunion. And again, there is too much Hardy and not enough Lee, Collins or Lom. But if you are a fan of haunted house films or British horror, there are certainly worse options out there. Then again, there are much better.