Tonight I watched "The House That Dripped Blood" (1971), starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, and unlike last night's cinematic debacle, it really did star Cushing and Lee, instead of falsely promoting them as stars. The movie is a horror anthology featuring four separate stories that all revolve around the House of the title. Something bad happens to everyone who moves in there, and now a detective from Scotland Yard is on the case. As the movie opens, we see him in the office of a real estate agent - a "Mr. Stoker", haha - who is in charge of leasing the house to prospective tenants.
The Scotland Yard guy doesn't buy any of the supernatural crap that Mr. Stoker suggests to him. "Just give me the facts", he says in true Jack Webbian style. The detective is interested primarily in the most recent death that has occurred in connection to the house, but because he wants all the details, Mr. Stoker fills him in on the strange demise of each of three previous residents before relating the particulars of the fourth. Stoker is trying to show the skeptical detective that there is something alive about the house, but will he listen? Probably not. He's a no-nonsense British Copper (and you already know how to pronounce "British") who would haul you to the clink for looking at him sideways, and besides that, he looks like Count Dracula, if Drac worked for Scotland Yard. With facts in hand, he sets out to investigate the latest death at The House.
I'll not describe to you every plot point of the four stories contained in this film, for it would take me too long. Tonight is a Church Night and I must get something resembling a few hours sleep before the morning service. But I'll try to provide you with an overview, so that you will have a sense of the movies' appeal.
The first story concerns a writer (Denholm Elliott) and his wife. Elliott specializes in horror stories (who would've guessed?), and tells his wife that The House would be the perfect place for him to break his writer's block and complete his latest novel. They move in, and as Elliott begins to write, he starts having visions of the murderous character he has created for his book. The character finally shows up inside The House, but is he real or only fictional?
The second story stars Peter Cushing (hooray! Finally...see yesterday's blog) as a retired civil employee who wishes to live in the house long term. Just a sec while I turn off the italics. Yes, Cushing wants to spend his time gardening, reading books and listening to music. He plays a Beethoven symphony on his stereo as soon as he moves in. All in all, he's a man after my own heart. for I too would like to retire to the countryside to garden, read books and listen to music. Cushing also likes to walk down to the village on occasion, which I do too when I need chips or avocados, but he visits a local wax museum, and becomes fascinated with a figure of Salome, the beautiful daughter of Herod who in the Bible demanded the head of John the Baptist. In the wax museum, she stands holding his head on a silver platter. The thing that weirds Peter Cushing out is that she looks exactly like an old girlfriend of his. Later, a friend of Cushing's arrives at The House unexpectedly. He too visits the museum and becomes fascinated with Salome. Something tells me that this situation isn't gonna turn out well for the two gents. I mean, a chick who demands heads on a platter? Aren't there any other nice ladies in the area?
The third story stars Christopher Lee and is the best of the bunch. He moves into The House with his little daughter following a nasty separation from his wife. He won't talk about it, or her, and he is very strict with his daughter, for whom he hires a tutor because he won't allow her to attend school or play with any of the local children. When the tutor questions Lee's cruel treatment of the young girl, he snaps at her, telling her "there's a reason for it, which you shall come to see for yourself in good time"! The daughter seems like such a sweet child. She comes out of her shell with the help of the tutor, and we are rooting for her happiness and self-confidence to increase. But one day she takes a strange book off the shelf and begins to study it, keeping it well hidden from her father. A set of candles goes missing, and.........oh man, maybe we should've given Christopher Lee a fair hearing. Could it be that his daughter is a wi..........um, er.....a wi.......Oh, I can't bring myself to say it. Let's just say that she takes after her mother.
The fourth story is somewhat comedic, the tale of a pompous actor and his buxom co-star who are renting The House while they work on their latest horror epic at nearby Shepperton Studios (where the actual film was made, haha). The actor demands realism, and he is appalled at the cheap sets of the production. Most of all, he is offended at the lousy, non-scary vampire cape he is given to wear. So he sets out to locate a better one, and happens upon an Antique Shoppe, run by a gaunt old gentleman who resembles.........well, you can guess. He's a bit on the cadaverous side, but is very helpful to the actor. In fact, he does happen to have an authentic cape in stock, and he will be happy to sell it for a nominal fee, for by selling the cape he will finally be able to close his shoppe for good and retire to his basement. The actor is pleased to acquire the cape, and he returns to the studio to continue the production. Let's just say that, from this point on, his performance will be much more realistic. :)
So there you have it, your four stories from The House That Dripped Blood. I originally saw this movie in 1971 or 72 with my late, great friend Mike B. We saw it at the Parthenia Theater as part of a double feature with "Tales From The Crypt". Talk about getting the bejeezus scared out of you! Mike would've been 13, I was 11 or 12. We must've bought tickets for a PG film and then snuck in to the horror show. I never forgot it, and have been meaning to see "House" again for a long time. There was something about that title that always got me. I think it was the fact that The House "Dripped Blood". I mean, if it would have "poured blood", or "leaked blood" or even if it was just called "The Bloody House", I don't think it would've had the same effect. But Good Lordy Moses, to be 11 years old and hear that it "Dripped Blood".......the key word being "Dripped"......now, man-oh-man that's really scary!
I'm still scared!
Two Big Thumbs Up for "The House That Dripped Blood". A classic of English Horror. /////
That's all for now. The fire seems to be mostly overwith from my vantage point here in Northridge. The air is still a little smoky but hopefully I can get in a little mileage tonight. We had good singing in church, and also some very big news that has to do with our choir. I have to leave for the store right now, but I will relate it to you tonight at the Usual Time.
See you then!
Tons of love. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
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