Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Welles Meets Mr. Big




NECROMANCY-1972-Laurie (Pamela Franklin) and Frank (Michael Ontkean) Brandon decide to move to the country to forget about their stillborn child. On their drive to the town called Lilith they are almost in a collision but manage to avoid the other car which plummets off a cliff and explodes. While Frank goes for the police Laurie checks out the fiery crash. She finds a doll and takes it with her. When their car runs out of gas (?), Frank leaves Laurie alone to get some. She hears a voice and wanders around until she comes to some kind of funeral for a young boy. But she looks closer she sees herself in the coffin. Then the scene vanishes and she's alone in front of a tombstone. 

Finally they meet Frank’s new boss Mr. Cato (Orson Welles with glasses & fake nose) a toy manufacturer who likes “the black arts”. Laurie takes an immediate dislike to Cato and the town. His assistant Priscilla (Lee Purcell) tells Laurie that Cato’s son is dead and Cato won't accept it. She also says Cato not only owns the town, he owns the people too. At party, the people talk about astrology and use tarot cards while Cato smiles and drinks wine. Laurie has some weird visions. Later Cato reveals to Laurie that he believes she has a power to bring back the dead and wants her to bring back his son! After refusing to join the local coven and seeing a young boy no one else can see, she gets locked in the basement and is terrorized by rats. But it all seems to be an illusion and hubby is a witch too. In the end Laurie kills herself and is brought back to life. Somehow Cato’s son comes back to life and Laurie is put in his coffin and buried alive. But it all seems to be a dream with the happy couple getting ready to go to Lilith and disaster. 



This modern day supernatural nonsense was the product of Mr. BIG himself Bert I. Gordon who also co-wrote the script.

Thanks for reading!

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