Rating: C
Dir: Gordon Hessler
Star: Alfred Marks, Christopher Matthews, Michael Gothard, Marshall Jones
You’ll notice no mention in the cast above, of any of the three stars mentioned by name on the poster. This is because Christopher Lee and Vincent Price’s roles are very much a supporting character, and Peter Cushing gets little more than a glorified cameo. There is barely a scene in which any two appear together. Say what you like about House of the Long Shadows, at least it delivered on the star power. However, also like House, and despite the poster, this isn’t the pure horror movie you might expect. It more like a science fiction conspiracy thriller, though it takes a while to achieve coherence. For much of the time, it’s two separate stories, with a third as a side dish.
Someone is abducting women and draining them of blood. London copper Detective Supt. Bellaver (Marks) is investigating, along with forensic pathologist Dr. David Sorel (Matthews), and eventually pin the crimes on Keith (Gothard). Except, arresting him proves more difficult, due to his superhuman strength, pain resistance and willingness to jump into an acid pit. This belongs to scientist Dr. Browning (Price, clearly not having learned anything about the perils of acid pits from House on Haunted Hill), who has protection from government official Fremont (Lee). Meanwhile, in some totalitarian Eurostate, spy Konratz (Jones) is killing people, including Cushing, with a variant of the Vulcan nerve pinch, and torturing refugees. Oh, and the third part? A jogger is abducted and keeps having limbs removed.
It all… just about comes together at the end, though do not expect everything to be tied up neatly, and presented with a bow. [The novel on which it’s based, The Disoriented Man, is clearer in regard to the antagonists and their nature] You’ll need a good deal of patience to reach the point where things start to coagulate towards sense, and the pleasures until then are fairly slim pickings. The best bit might be the chase down of Keith, which is a legitimately well-done, extended sequence of action. Although Marks brings a nicely world-weary sense of cynicism to his character, he’s the only one to create much impact. Let’s face it, Price could play a dubious scientist – albeit one whose security protocols are questionable – in his sleep.
Beyond the Horror Holy Trinity, and Gothard, who was memorably the inquisitor in The Devils, there are other recognizable faces in the supporting cast. Bizarrely, Peter Sallis from Last of the Summer Wine turns up on the totalitarian side, as does Yutte Stensgaard (top, Lust for a Vampire), who plays one of the unfortunate refugees. Music comes from popular sixties beat combo Amen Corner and vocalist Andy Fairweather Low, who provide the theme and pop up in a nightclub scene, filmed not long before the band split up. They’re no Stoneground. Fortunately. It’s all quite odd, and the reveal at the end doesn’t pack enough punch to merit the obscure approach taken up to that point.