The Confessional aka House of Mortal Sin 76'

Directed by British Thriller Veteran Pete Walker (Frightmare, Flesh and Blood Show)

Young Jenny Welch (Susan Pehaligon) succumbs to the taunts of a manipulative and murderous catholic priest (played perfectly by Anthony Sharp) but has no one to turn to. The priests victims, who are morally askew, suffer his religious wrath through taped confessions and even a few of the fragile flock end up dead through poison communion wafers and Rosary Bead strangulations. The priests invalid and mute mother desperately tries to let someone know of his madness but her attempts are blocked by a disfigured Miss Brabazon (Sheila Kiethalso from Walker's Frightmare)

The Confessional is moderately paced and holds great restraint like all Peter Walker films and feels very 70's by film quality and UK location. However the forlorn score and scenes of surprising violence and bleak ending add enough tension to go head to head with even some of Hammer's best horror.

8/10

Raw Meat aka Deathline 73'

Gary Sherman (Dead and Buried) churned out this gory, slower paced Brit-Mystery Horror at the early part of the 70's, about the legendary subway killer.

Two college hipsters find an unconscious British politician on a set of subway stairs. They argue wether to get involved and telling the authorities, upon returning to the knocked out/possibly drunk politician they find he is gone. Enter Inspector Calhoun (Donald Pleasance aka Dr. Loomis), half comedian half rule breaking detective, the couple's complaint creates more questions concerning other "missing" cases related to the underground subway tunnels. Brief (and I mean brief) cameo by the always pleasant Christopher as an opposing agent to Dr. Calhoun adds little to the detective part of the story, but if you are a Lee fan, he is still cool as shit.



The films pacing is undiliberatley slow and slightly off putting from mildly warm scenes between Pleasance and others within his office to the overly gritty subway cannibal family and their grimy way of life. Sharon Gurney, the love interest of the films protagonist played by David Ladd, is easy on the eyes in contrast to the grotesque and convincing make-up of the main, constant drooling, Cannibal (Hugh Armstrong) and his relentless rephrashing of "Mind the Doors!"





One particular stand out long, long, long camera shot reveals the interior of the Cannibal's dwelling and the tunnels connecting to the busy subway, adding needed tension and showing Gary Sherman's early eye for suspenseful layout's.

I would only recommend this for Pleasance/Lee or Sherman completists. The film is at best, a mediocre gross-out detective story. Similar plots can be found in the much superior Frightmare by Pete Walker.

Twins of Evil 71'

A third Hammer entry in the blood thirsty and lust-flled Carmilla Karnstein story. Starring the always impressive Peter Cushing as a Witch Hunting Puritan who takes in his occult curious nieces (playboy playmates Mary Collinson and Madeleine Collinson)who live under his strict guidelines.

Fandom always appreciates Hammer productions for being moody, Gothic period pieces, some varying in budget from impressive to unconvincing. Twins of Evil,however shot in the 70's was way past Hammer's prime, yet comes out strong, more evil and showing more skin usual in a Hammer production.

Hammer's previous Karnstein entries,Vampire Lovers and Lust for a Vampire, were also showing more blood and skin than , adapting to the change of cinematic times, lesbian vampires could bring in more revenue then another Christopher Lee Dracula sequel.

With the Collinson twins upping the ante for sex appeal, and the atmospheric directing of John Hough (Legend of Hell House) Twins is a pleasing and strong third entry. As of 2012 Synapse release a gorgeous Blu Ray/DVD combo and fandom was finally satisfied. Prior viewing would have to be seen on VHS or a rough VHS to DVD transfer.

Horror Hotel aka City of the Dead 60'

Directed by John Moxey (Circus of Fear)

The always screen captivating Christopher Lee stars as an occult savvy Professor who leads a young student, Nan Barlow, into a haunted Massachusetts town called Whitewood, for the furthering of her knowledge in Witchcraft. Little does she know that she is the now a target for a virgin sacrifice.

Horror Hotel is ranked among classic horror films that are recognized for its dreadful atmosphere along with Wicker Man (also starring Lee), Blood on Satan's Claw and Witchfinder General.

Spoiler Alert. Similar to Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho of the same year, the main female (and blonde of course) protagonist is stabbed within the first act of them film leading into a mystery of her whereabouts.

Pete Walker's Frightmare

 

After watching hundreds of horror films you become desensitized to well, just about everything, the only good that could come out of horror desensitization is when you see a good horror film, that actually IS good you say, "well dammit, I should tell someone about this one." Frightmare was a treat. Any film about cannibalism should either not take it self seriously or freak the hell out of you but Frightmare was directed, with a bit more finesse and written and acted so well that not only was it taking the subject matter very seriously but it had a simmering tension that came to a conclusive ferocious boil at the end. I have become a recent fan of British horror director Pete Walker, with The Confessional, House of the Whipcord and the wonderfully disturbing Schizo and I love all of his films. 8 out of 10.

 
Pete Walker is a criminally underrated master of horror or better yet, horror-dramas. His films usually are lengthy, a bit wordy and are shot with a by the numbers standard but the way he tells his stories with editing and how the actors flesh out the complex scripts mixed with great scores make each and every one of his films something to be sought after. Frightmare is a great start to his catalog but another gem to be held on par is his psycho-thriller masterpiece Schizo.