Showing posts with label dennis wheatley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dennis wheatley. Show all posts

Friday, September 23, 2022

Hammer Again

 

THE LOST CONTINENT-1968-This begins with a funeral at sea with very unusual mourners then a flashback. On a ship full of fools, the grouchy, weird captain Lansen (Eric Porte; later in THE HANDS OF THE RIPPER) is running illegal explosives that are dangerous when wet. Most of passengers are on the run or have done something illegal including Miss Eva Peters (Hildegard Knef), Harry Tyler (Tony Beckley), Dr. Webster (Nigel Stock) and his daughter Unity (Suzanna Leigh; THE DEADLY BEES one year earlier) and Ricardi (Ben Carruthers).When the first mate leads a mutiny, the idiot passengers decide to stay aboard the volatile vessel and help the bossy unappreciative Lansen. When the ship can't be saved the losers abandon it. They drift at sea, bicker and eventually fight with several deaths occurring. They wind up in a foggy killer seaweed infested area of old abandoned ships. Later they're attacked by some very strange inhabitants, descendants from Spanish galleons and other lost seafarers. They are ruled by a pompous teenager called "El Supremo". Later a giant turtle and scorpion show up. 

Semi-imaginative story hampered by unlikable characters and sub-par SFX. One of Hammer Studios least known films, it was written and directed by head honcho Michael Carreras from a novel by Dennis Wheatley.

Thanks for reading!


Monday, February 28, 2011

The Devil's Bride Rides Out



THE DEVIL'S BRIDE-1968-Excellent black magic tale from Hammer features Christopher Lee as The Duc de Richleau, on the side of good for a change trying to save the soul of his deceased friend's son (Patrick Mower) from the evil Mocata (Charles Gray) and his circle of devil worshippers. Nike Arrighi is Tanith, another would be convert and after she dies Mocata wants to transfer her soul to a little girl. Even a winged angel of death makes an appearance. It's very well made by the great Terence Fisher but some might be disappointed by the very happy ending. Lee's serious tone keeps everything from falling apart but some of the characters act a little to hasty playing right into the villains' hands. Also with Leon Greene and Paul Eddington.

The screenplay is by Richard Matheson and based on an novel by Dennis Wheatley. 1968 was another busy year for Lee who also starred in DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE, CURSE OF THE CRIMSON ALTAR and THE BLOOD OF FU-MANCHU. Also known as THE DEVIL RIDES OUT.

"I shall not be back but something will..tonight..."

Thanks for reading!