Historian Julian White (Vincent Price), whose niece has just been executed, tells a reporter about four tales of grisly murder in the small town of Oldfield, Tennessee.
This film is not as well known as the "Creepshow" films, and it is not as good, either. But it does have Price, and horror favorite Clu Gulager as the memorable necrophiliac Stanley Burnside. And there is even a pretty decent amount of gore and impressive special effects from a film that is not widely praised.
Director Jeff Burr was young and fresh when he made this one, but he caught the attention of the right people. He would be handed many horror franchises, going on to make "Stepfather 2", "Pumpkinhead 2", "Puppetmaster 4" (and 5), "Texax Chainsaw Massacre 3"... and many others. If you want to see his debut, this is the film to see.
Apparently, Vincent Price disliked the movie. In a letter to German actor and puppeteer Gerd J. Pohl, Price wrote: "You're right about 'From a Whisper to a Scream' -- terrible! My agent misrepresented it and I was trapped in it." I think that is a bit harsh. While not as good as some of Price's work, it is far from his worst.
The Civil War story is a bit of a letdown. The backwoods man is also a letdown, at least until the gore effects. The carnival story is average, but again with great effects. The best story is probably the first, with Gulager. As a whole ,the film is just above average, but has the 80s feel to it that gives it a little bump if you like the 80s horror style.
The film could also be improved with a decent DVD recent. I watched the film streaming on Netflix, and it was full frame and with a VHS quality. I assume the DVD is the same. Get a decent transfer, make it widescreen, add Jeff Burr commentary, and this film could enjoy a resurgence of interest, especially if done now while the Vincent Price fandom is hot.
This film is not as well known as the "Creepshow" films, and it is not as good, either. But it does have Price, and horror favorite Clu Gulager as the memorable necrophiliac Stanley Burnside. And there is even a pretty decent amount of gore and impressive special effects from a film that is not widely praised.
Director Jeff Burr was young and fresh when he made this one, but he caught the attention of the right people. He would be handed many horror franchises, going on to make "Stepfather 2", "Pumpkinhead 2", "Puppetmaster 4" (and 5), "Texax Chainsaw Massacre 3"... and many others. If you want to see his debut, this is the film to see.
Apparently, Vincent Price disliked the movie. In a letter to German actor and puppeteer Gerd J. Pohl, Price wrote: "You're right about 'From a Whisper to a Scream' -- terrible! My agent misrepresented it and I was trapped in it." I think that is a bit harsh. While not as good as some of Price's work, it is far from his worst.
The Civil War story is a bit of a letdown. The backwoods man is also a letdown, at least until the gore effects. The carnival story is average, but again with great effects. The best story is probably the first, with Gulager. As a whole ,the film is just above average, but has the 80s feel to it that gives it a little bump if you like the 80s horror style.
The film could also be improved with a decent DVD recent. I watched the film streaming on Netflix, and it was full frame and with a VHS quality. I assume the DVD is the same. Get a decent transfer, make it widescreen, add Jeff Burr commentary, and this film could enjoy a resurgence of interest, especially if done now while the Vincent Price fandom is hot.