Circle of Fear (TV Series) The Phantom of Herald Square (1973) User Reviews

decent finale

[theoctobercountry · 7/10 · 15 July 2012]

This episode provides a decent enough finale for "Ghost Story/Circle of Fear"---though it's a pity the series didn't last longer! We start out with a mystery this time around---who is that old man in the park? And what's the deal with the creepy executive in the office? But very soon the viewer will get a feel for what's going on and where the plot is headed.

I confess I wasn't spot-on in guessing what was going to happen, however. I was thinking that this might be a story about a sort of psychic vampire, feeding off the life-force of the victims (though I couldn't figure how the executive fit into that scenario). But late in the episode it turns out that nope, the fellow in the office is in fact the devil (or perhaps a lesser demon) who grants youth in return for a souls. And once that was revealed, the episode fell flat---it's a tired old chestnut, a clichéd plot device that's been used far too often before. (I prefer the psychic youth-sucking vampire idea---and even that plot is none too fresh.) Oh well... Still, not a terrible episode by any means.

Fun to see several long-time character actors in this one; those viewers of a certain age will most likely recognise many of the players here.

I did like the very pretty guitar-and-vocal arrangement used for the background score in this episode; it gave me a sense of the time and place of this episode (college life in the early 70's). That is---I liked it for the first few times I heard it, but after it was played about ten times throughout the episode it got a bit tiresome!

The Farewell

[AaronCapenBanner · 7/10 · 15 November 2014]

David Soul plays a man named James Barlow who one day sees an attractive woman named Holly Brown(played by Sheila Larken) drawing in the park. He approaches her and they hit it off, with Holly falling madly in love with him. Unfortunately, James has a dark secret that will forever affect their romance, as James in reality needs the life energy of women to maintain his youth, as long ago he made a fool-hardy contract with dark forces to live eternally, at a most high cost indeed. Holly will risk everything to stay with him, but James loves her too much to allow it, leading to an inevitable end... Last episode of the series is an effective if melancholy tale of ruined fates and deep regrets.

Ghost Story: THE PHANTOM OF HERALD SQUARE {TV} (James H. Brown, 1973) **1/2

[Bunuel1976 · 6/10 · 2 May 2014]

After 13 episodes featuring Sebastian Cabot introducing tales of the supernatural from Mansfield House, William Castle's "Ghost Story" not only dropped this device but also saw its title changed to CIRCLE OF FEAR (lasting for a further 9 weeks)!; by then, apart from Richard Matheson, former Hammer Films scribe Jimmy Sangster (now relocated to Hollywood) had been roped in as Story Consultant - and, in fact, he personally co-wrote this particular and rather misleadingly-named entry which effectively brought the enjoyable series to an abrupt close. What we have here is a Dorian Gray-type narrative in which an old man (Victor Jory) sells his soul - to a sinister (albeit fictional) company a' la John Frankenheimer's SECONDS (1966), whose director is continually spying on his clients via a telescope and has goons follow them around to ensure they abide by their contract! - in order to regain a youthful appearance (under the guise of David Soul)only he is able to obtain this 'service' by making a succession of women fall for him and drain their own energy (thus making them old before their time)! The thing is that every night he reverts to his real age - by which time he has become weary of the situation and simply wants to dieso that he deliberately terrorizes his own young self's latest conquest into leaving him and save herself! She obviously does not understand, nor does she suspect the truth (even if he constantly excuses himself so as not to spend the night with her), and is further confused whenever an elderly woman approaches her lover in the street and, vehemently dismissed by him every time, eventually commits suicide! One night, however, he does stay on and 'turns' before her very eyes (effectively rendered in the dark - and it helps that Jory and Soul actually have similar physiognomies); ultimately, he has his contract fixed: apparently harbouring genuine affection for his current girlfriend, the protagonist chooses to end his misery by his own hand and, in this way, averts a cruel and unwitting fate for his art student lover. A definite low-point here, though, is an incongruous and recurring love song employed for the couple's deceptively idyllic meetings.

Solid if somewhat predictable entry in the series

[ebeckstr-1 · 7/10 · 31 October 2021]

David Soul is an appealing actor and he and the rest of the cast does a fine job in this episode of this sadly truncated series. Well the episode is fairly predictable did nonetheless maintains suspense and a strong, ghostly sense of doomed romantic love.

Beautifully done final episode in the series.

[jimbostefano · 9/10 · 28 June 2021]

Very melancholy tale this,but it is well presented( as indeed the whole series is) and it is so atmospheric( the music helps),it really has a eraly 70s vibe,as much as anything i have ever seen i would say. The story involves a man who sells his soul to keep youthful and it moves along at just tge right place. David Soul really brings a sense of sadness to the role( as does Victor Jory) and Sheila Larken is excellent as the flower child, young woman that falls for David Soul. This was the last episode and it certainly left me wanting more.