Horrores del museo negro

The Horrors of the Black Museum is a diabolical film. I was not more than eleven or twelve when I saw it. Dropped at the curb to enjoy Quarter Saturday at the Movies.It left me so traumatized that I was sitting in the lobby when my mother came, uncharacteristically silent. I had spent most of the time after the "binocular" murder, trembling alone with the thought, " What grown-up dreamed this stuff up for a child to watch? What are grown-ups really like?" I knew some of them didn't care what they exposed kids to to make a quarter! I remember trudging to the lobby as if in a fugue state, afraid to turn my back on that abomination.

I know there are folks who love this genre, and as long as they are grown-ups, they can do the backstroke in ketchup blood and wallow in sadism. Free country. But this movie gave me nightmares into adulthood. It's probably still lurking in my psyche today. It is why I know that children must be sheltered from material adults can handle.

I guess it was effectively gruesome and twisted for the fans of the genre.

It was only after looking at the director of "Fiend without a face" that I realised that 'Fiend' and "Horrors of the Black Museum" were directed by the same person. Both movies are very good British horror movies (though it's a pity that it's so difficult to find 'Fiend' and it doesn't look like the BBC will show it again - maybe this prayer will work). Because it's so hard to find 'Fiend", I chose to review 'Horrors' because you should get the chance to watch a Crabtree movie. Apart from the plot of "Horrors of the Black Museum" (which I won't go into here - if you're interested, you can always read the plot summary) the movie has a special feature (Hypnovista) which probably is one of the reasons why it's still around now. Hypnovista was a gimmick like the ones William Castle liked to use (think of the color scene and the moving theatre seats in 'The Tingler' or the Fright Break which paused 'Homicidal'), but certainly not the only reason to see the movie (unless, of course you are totally into hypnotised people). I agree that some of the stunts could have been better (I never believed the skeleton), but the movie was made in 1959. Indeed, they don't make them like they used to do... "Horrors of the Black Museum" is one of the movies which make you add "...unfortunately". (the same goes for 'Fiend')

I caught an interesting horror flick on TV the other night called "Horrors of the Black Museum" (1959) and all I could ask was WHERE IS VINCENT PRICE? Why? Starting with first things first, let's examine the opening of the movie. A gimmick called "Hypnovista" is employed. Hynovista? Yes, Hypnovista. Before the film starts, a "psychologist" with a specialty of Hypnotism appears. He leads the audience through numerous hypnotic suggestions. Starting out by demonstrating just how contagious a yawn can be, he goes on to "Hypnotize" the audience with the power of suggestion that they are feeling cold ( blue tinted screen / sound of an icy storm) and feeling hot (orange tinted screen / sound of flames). Guess what? It works! OK, well kinda. Ok It doesn't! Presto chango, he announces you are hypnotized and will experience the movie as though you are actually there! Gee, why does this remind me of a William Castle film gimmick? (William Castle is the same guy who devised those amazing movie house gimmicks for Vincent Price films "House on Haunted Hill" and "The Tingler").

Ok kiddies, hang on, that's not all! Now let's consider "The Phibes Factor" NOTE: The Abominable Doc doesn't make the movie scene till 1971. The plot of this movie has a demented crime writer hypnotizing an assistant and sending him out to kill people with torturous and bizarre methods, just to prove he can. Death by binoculars with spikes NOTE: This particular device was inspired by an actual device that exists in a Scotland Yard Museum, Ice tongs through the neck, guillotine, knife in the heart whilst in the tunnel of love, electrocution ray and last but not least, death via vat of acid. What kind of a hill did you say that house was on?

Finally, let us examine the mad crime writer's hobby. Can you guess what it might be? He just happens to be the curator of a very private museum of wax figures, the figures of famous murderers!

Not to discount Michael Gough as mad writer, Edmond Bancroft. Gough, who has appeared in numerous horror films, such as: "Horror of Dracula (1958), The Phantom of the Opera (1962), Black Zoo (1963), Berserk (1967), Horror Hospital (1972) and in a series of mad-scientist roles, Konga (1961), The Skull (1965), and They Came From Beyond Space (1967) and many more, does a marvelous job in the role. But there is no denying it would have been wonderful fun to see Vincent Price as the mad Edmond Bancroft. Upon viewing this film, it becomes obvious why he was so wonderful in roles with similar themes like "House of Wax", "The Abominable Dr. Phibes" and "House on Haunted Hill". Woulda, coulda, shoulda considered, "Horrors of the Black Museum" is a wonderful film. It should NOT be missed by any fan of this type film.

Part time crime novelist, Edmond Bancroft (Michael Gough) uses a unique method to research his latest book. He secures implements of death, then hypnotizes a rube (Graham Curnow) to use these weapons to commit actual murders.

HORRORS OF THE BLACK MUSEUM opens with the most wickedly ingenious of these setups, that will force the viewer to think twice before ever using a pair of binoculars again! Scotland Yard is baffled as usual, even while Bancroft almost begs to be arrested.

Gough is his normal, exquisitely histrionic self, at times hitting near the "Tod Slaughter level" of mania. An entertaining romp for all involved...

'Horrors Of The Black Museum' is a dated but still entertaining Brit chiller that will most appeal to fans of William Castle's gimmick filled movies from the same era ('The House On Haunted Hill', 'The Tingler', '13 Ghosts', 'Homicidal',etc.) The late Michael Gough plays Edmund Bancroft, an eccentric writer and amateur crime expert, who irritates local police baffled at a spate of brutal and sensationalistic crimes, apparently without motive. Bancroft actually knows a lot more than the police suspect, and his meek protege Rick (Graham Curnow) is also involved, but not in the most straightforward way. The movie was originally released in "Hypnovision" but the reason to watch it today is Gough's larger than life performance, and the inventive killing methods, which include the much talked about binoculars-with-needles-in-the-eyepieces. Not a great movie by any means, but an amusing one.