Mad doctor feeds prostitutes to a sentient tree in his basement in order to obtain a serum that brings the dead back to life. You know, Nobel Prize stuff.
Odd minor horror film, much akin to the Michael Gough mad doctor films made for producer Herman Cohen about the same time. Suffers from some choppy editing that muddles things, but the performances are decent, and it is generally successful in surpassing the ludicrousness of its premise. Certainly better than its reputation suggests, with a memorable ending. It does seem as though someone decided to base an entire film around the famous Freudian drumming sequence in Phantom Lady, though. Worth the price of admission for the vérité sequence of Coulouris stalking Joy Webster through Soho - all of London's nightlife gawking in amazement at the camera.
-Dave W. |