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Curiously enough, this is only Hammer's second foray into Wolf Man lore after THE CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF (1961); intriguingly, it's mixed here with a VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED (1960)-like brood of evil children while the sinister procreation plot is a clear nod to ROSEMARY'S BABY (1968). An unsettling mood pervades this particular episode (helped by its central location, an English country-house situated deep into the woods) even if, when finally glimpsed, the werewolf make-up is kind of goofy! The bewildered hero is played by Christopher Cazenove, his business partner by Hammer veteran Robert Urquhart, while Diana Dors is the deceptively genial housekeeper of the eerie mansion who, apart from looking after the children by day, has the task of initiating the werewolf's female victims (the latest being Cazenove's wife) into their new 'role'. The final twist concerning a woodsman Cazenove meets when he goes looking for his missing wife is predictable, but nicely handled all the same. As has been the case with some other episodes in the series which, I have to admit, has taken me by surprise overall this presents a far more chilling, and subversive, concept (bestiality) than is usually associated with Hammer Films!
score 7/10
Bunuel1976 27 October 2007
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1753876/ |
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8-11-2020 12:22:05