This was the very first episode of Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense shown (in my ITV region anyway) back in 1984, and was a great way to start this eagerly awaited new series.
I remember noticing that the writer was Brian Clemens - giving a good indication that this should be a well-plotted and entertaining story, most likely with a bit of a twist in the tale.
The story concerns Frank Rowlett - a man who's clearly living slightly above his station, but hoping to come good by soon marrying his fiancee, who comes from a very wealthy family. He runs into trouble though when a local gangster calls in the money he owes him - threatening that it must be paid in 24 hours... or else. In a fit of panic to get off the hook, Frank accidentally murders Chinese tattooist and 'fence' Hai Lee at his parlor - making off with Hai Lee's hidden fortune of bank notes in the process.
Thinking he's now debt-free and unconnected to Hai Lee's death, little does Frank know that when Lee pricked him with his tattoo needle during the scuffle, he was cursed with a voodoo-type spell which will cause an incriminating tattoo to quickly spread all over his body...
This is another of the more 'supernatural' stories of the series, and a highly-original and entertaining one. Frank's plight becomes increasingly desperate as his big wedding day approaches, and is compelled to incriminate himself even further in an effort to rid himself of the tattoo.
It's good to see Bond veteran Burt Kwouk in the role of Lee, and also Dirk Benedict as Frank - who clearly managed to find some time off the 'A-Team' as 'Faceman' to come to the UK and make this film. Also good to see George Sewell dependably cast as the cop who tries to solve this slightly improbable mystery!
There are some good locations around the Docklands area of London, not long before it became gentrified. Here, it still has a slightly seedy quality that makes a good atmosphere, especially at night time.
All in all, a good start to the series, complete with a nice neat ending that wraps the story up in an unexpected fashion.
The story concerns Frank Rowlett - a man who's clearly living slightly above his station, but hoping to come good by soon marrying his fiancee, who comes from a very wealthy family. He runs into trouble though when a local gangster calls in the money he owes him - threatening that it must be paid in 24 hours... or else. In a fit of panic to get off the hook, Frank accidentally murders Chinese tattooist and 'fence' Hai Lee at his parlor - making off with Hai Lee's hidden fortune of bank notes in the process.
Thinking he's now debt-free and unconnected to Hai Lee's death, little does Frank know that when Lee pricked him with his tattoo needle during the scuffle, he was cursed with a voodoo-type spell which will cause an incriminating tattoo to quickly spread all over his body...
This is another of the more 'supernatural' stories of the series, and a highly-original and entertaining one. Frank's plight becomes increasingly desperate as his big wedding day approaches, and is compelled to incriminate himself even further in an effort to rid himself of the tattoo.
It's good to see Bond veteran Burt Kwouk in the role of Lee, and also Dirk Benedict as Frank - who clearly managed to find some time off the 'A-Team' as 'Faceman' to come to the UK and make this film. Also good to see George Sewell dependably cast as the cop who tries to solve this slightly improbable mystery!
There are some good locations around the Docklands area of London, not long before it became gentrified. Here, it still has a slightly seedy quality that makes a good atmosphere, especially at night time.
All in all, a good start to the series, complete with a nice neat ending that wraps the story up in an unexpected fashion.