Despite having heard about him for years,I for some reason have never got round to seeing a film from Michael Reeves. Whilst trying to find a Boris Karloff movie to watch for the October Challenge on IMDb's Horror board,I found out that the BBC were airing the title Karloff made with Reeves,which led to me conjuring up a spell.
The plot:
Studying hypnosis for years, Prof. Marcus Monserrat and his wife Estelle invent a machine which they believe will allow them to take control,and feel the experiences of a person under underlying hypnosis.Looking for a test case, Marcus goes to a disco and grabs the attention of Mike Roscoe.Going to the Monserrat's house, Roscoe is put under hypnosis.Quickly letting him leave,the Monserrat's are thrilled to find that they can feel everything he feels,as Roscoe opens up a vicious new sensation.
View on the film:
Splashing Roscoe's face with red and purple disco lights,co- writer/(along with Tom Baker and uncredited John Burke-who tried to sue for the credit) director Michael Reeves & cinematographer/future director Stanley Long set alight the raw violence from the decayed suburb with a quirky psychedelic atmosphere. Controlling Roscoe's every move,Reeves and Long dash into the blood shot eyes of the Monserrat as sparkling reds and greens rain down to Roscoe's murderous beat. Blacking out after each killing,Reeves wakes Roscoe up in a cruel Britain,trampled on with burning red blood and clamped,dusty holes which smash the false brightness from the disco lights.
For Roscoe's first meeting with the Monserrat's,the writers mask the horror with a social drama bringing in man about town Roscoe and his cute bit of arm candy,with sweet elderly couple the Monserrat,whose wry smiles over introducing Roscoe to a new experience,give the kitchen sink scenes a wonderfully sour taste. Sending Roscoe out as the puppet of the Monserrat's,the writers struggle to keep all the strings together due to making Roscoe and everyone he meets paper thin characters,which along with draining the level of threat which should be on offer,also stops Roscoe from being an enticing possessed soul. Joined by a cute Susan George as "It Girl" Audrey Woods, Ian Ogilvy gives a very good performance as Roscoe,whose black slate of rage Ogilvy keeps twitching away under Roscoe's "happening" image. Holding hands with a cackling Catherine Lacey, Boris Karloff gives a wonderful performance as Marcus,thanks to Karloff softening Marcus's eyes,as Roscoe becomes the sorcerer's apprentice.
The plot:
Studying hypnosis for years, Prof. Marcus Monserrat and his wife Estelle invent a machine which they believe will allow them to take control,and feel the experiences of a person under underlying hypnosis.Looking for a test case, Marcus goes to a disco and grabs the attention of Mike Roscoe.Going to the Monserrat's house, Roscoe is put under hypnosis.Quickly letting him leave,the Monserrat's are thrilled to find that they can feel everything he feels,as Roscoe opens up a vicious new sensation.
View on the film:
Splashing Roscoe's face with red and purple disco lights,co- writer/(along with Tom Baker and uncredited John Burke-who tried to sue for the credit) director Michael Reeves & cinematographer/future director Stanley Long set alight the raw violence from the decayed suburb with a quirky psychedelic atmosphere. Controlling Roscoe's every move,Reeves and Long dash into the blood shot eyes of the Monserrat as sparkling reds and greens rain down to Roscoe's murderous beat. Blacking out after each killing,Reeves wakes Roscoe up in a cruel Britain,trampled on with burning red blood and clamped,dusty holes which smash the false brightness from the disco lights.
For Roscoe's first meeting with the Monserrat's,the writers mask the horror with a social drama bringing in man about town Roscoe and his cute bit of arm candy,with sweet elderly couple the Monserrat,whose wry smiles over introducing Roscoe to a new experience,give the kitchen sink scenes a wonderfully sour taste. Sending Roscoe out as the puppet of the Monserrat's,the writers struggle to keep all the strings together due to making Roscoe and everyone he meets paper thin characters,which along with draining the level of threat which should be on offer,also stops Roscoe from being an enticing possessed soul. Joined by a cute Susan George as "It Girl" Audrey Woods, Ian Ogilvy gives a very good performance as Roscoe,whose black slate of rage Ogilvy keeps twitching away under Roscoe's "happening" image. Holding hands with a cackling Catherine Lacey, Boris Karloff gives a wonderful performance as Marcus,thanks to Karloff softening Marcus's eyes,as Roscoe becomes the sorcerer's apprentice.