Horror Hotel

Rating:
Summary: Come & Join The WWC! The Whitewood Witches Coven!
Review: "Horror Hotel", also known by its alternate, albeit, irrelevent British title, "City of the Dead", stars a very young and sexy Christopher Lee as the seemingly benevolent College professor Alan Driscoll, who sends his eager student Nan Barlow (Venetia
Stevenson) on her summer vacation to the small, New England town of Whitewood, Massachussetts write her thesis on THE local legend of witchcraft, Elizabeth Selwyn (Patricia Jessel), who, in "Old Salem", was burned at the stake on Candlemass Eve, invoked the spirit of Satan and was saved from the flames of eternal damnation. In a coincidental parallel to "Psycho" Nan is killed off VERY early in the film when she is used as a human sacrifice by a present-day coven of witches led by Lee himself. Nocturnal rituals in the local graveyards, blind priests, zombies, demons, and Satan, himself are featured.

This movie, although badly titled (TWICE, NO LESS) is a perfect film for a Halloween perennial view.

Happy Watching & Unpleasant Dreams!

Rating:
Summary: Atmospheric!
Review: A eerie Black and White film that is super for a late Saturday night horror fest! The Quality of the transfer is super crisp! I have have seen some complain about the quality. The film was always in poor quality. The transfer is a mint editions, just always 'rough'. This only adds to the spooky feel.

Rating:
Summary: Atmospheric!
Review: A eerie Black and White film that is super for a late Saturday night horror fest! The Quality of the transfer is super crisp! I have have seen some complain about the quality. The film was always in poor quality. The transfer is a mint editions, just always 'rough'. This only adds to the spooky feel.

Rating:
Summary: WITCHY WOMAN
Review: When this movie first came out, I was a blithely easily terrified 10 year old. In watching it some 40 years later, it still has a certain smarmy, campy thrill to it. And some effectively scary scenes. The plot is fairly simple: an all too eager college student, interested in witchcraft (the delightfully demure Venetia Stevenson), is encouraged by her professor (the one and only Christopher Lee), to investigate an old town where the evil Margaret Selwyn (a deliciously evil Patricia Jessel) was burned at the stake in the 1600s. Her prissy scientist brother (Dennis Lotis) is against this trip but Stevenson is adamant in going, so off she goes. Of course when she gets there, little does she realize the witchcraft is still going on.
Like Hitchcock's "Psycho", the heroine meets a ghastly fate early in the movie; the atmospheric fog and lighting are quite effective in enhancing the movie's chill factor. Low budget and a little over the top at times, HORROR HOTEL still manages to scare up a few screams. Director John Llewellyn Moxey went on to become one of the directors for the cult classic soap, DARK SHADOWS.
This is a great horror film if you're tired of all the screaming teenagers and gore.
RECOMMENDED.

Rating:
Summary: WITCHY WOMAN
Review: When this movie first came out, I was a blithely easily terrified 10 year old. In watching it some 40 years later, it still has a certain smarmy, campy thrill to it. And some effectively scary scenes. The plot is fairly simple: an all too eager college student, interested in witchcraft (the delightfully demure Venetia Stevenson), is encouraged by her professor (the one and only Christopher Lee), to investigate an old town where the evil Margaret Selwyn (a deliciously evil Patricia Jessel) was burned at the stake in the 1600s. Her prissy scientist brother (Dennis Lotis) is against this trip but Stevenson is adamant in going, so off she goes. Of course when she gets there, little does she realize the witchcraft is still going on.
Like Hitchcock's "Psycho", the heroine meets a ghastly fate early in the movie; the atmospheric fog and lighting are quite effective in enhancing the movie's chill factor. Low budget and a little over the top at times, HORROR HOTEL still manages to scare up a few screams. Director John Llewellyn Moxey went on to become one of the directors for the cult classic soap, DARK SHADOWS.
This is a great horror film if you're tired of all the screaming teenagers and gore.
RECOMMENDED.

Rating:
Summary: dark, moody B&W classic Lee horror film
Review: With over 225 films to his credit, Christopher Lee is likely the most prolific actor of all time. At 82, this coming May, he is in the twilight of this career, but shows no signs of slowing down. He did fine work in "The Lord of the Rings" Trilogy as the Wizard Saruman and "Star Wars" II and III as Count Dooku (postproduction) and has several upcoming projects, including the announced "May Day", which has fans hoping this is the long awaited sequel to the Wicker Man.

However, most of us grew to love his wonderful talent back in the period of Hammer Studios heyday. Hammer produced some of the greatest films horror films. Cheap on budget, high on quality, they gave you fun from vampires, to outer-space monster to witches. City of the Dead was the alternative title for this movie, directed by the marvelous John Llewellyn Moxey.

Chris Lee is Professor Alan Driscole, in Massachusetts in the US, and he teaches a course on the Burning Times and singles out one burning of a near by town called Whitewater - similar to the Salem hysteria. A student, Nan Driscole, is looking to do more in-depth research, so Driscole suggests she travel to Whitewater. He sends her to stay at an inn there on her winter vacation. Raven's Inn is run by Mrs. Newlys, a friend of Driscole. She says she will be closing the town soon, but welcomes Nan. Doing research Nan visits a near by abandoned Church and a bookstore. She finds an excellent book about the Selwyn execution for witchcraft, but cannot afford it. Patricia Russell owns the books store, so she gives Nan permission to borrow the book. Nan learns a witch, Elizabeth Sewlyn. was burnt on the very spot where Raven's Inn stands. Newlys is a strange woman, and it quickly becomes apparent there are dark doings at Inn. Nan is welcomed for reasons Nan knows nothing about and quickly finds herself marked for sacrifice.

When Nan fails to return, her brother, Richard, and her boyfriend, Bill, grow concerned. This disquiet is increased when Patricia pays him a visit and returns a bracelet belonging to Nan, mentioning Nan never returned the book she borrowed. Richard travels to the strange village that seems trapped in time. It is dark, brooding and literally reeks atmosphere (as only good Black and White horror films can!). No trace of Nan is to be found. Mrs. Newlys claims Nan left after only a days stay. However, as the time of for another sacrifice approaches, Patricia suddenly finds herself marked and the next victim and turns to Richard for help.

Rating:
Summary: dark, moody B&W classic Lee horror film
Review: With over 225 films to his credit, Christopher Lee is likely the most prolific actor of all time. At 82, this coming May, he is in the twilight of this career, but shows no signs of slowing down. He did fine work in "The Lord of the Rings" Trilogy as the Wizard Saruman and "Star Wars" II and III as Count Dooku (postproduction) and has several upcoming projects, including the announced "May Day", which has fans hoping this is the long awaited sequel to the Wicker Man.

However, most of us grew to love his wonderful talent back in the period of Hammer Studios heyday. Hammer produced some of the greatest films horror films. Cheap on budget, high on quality, they gave you fun from vampires, to outer-space monster to witches. City of the Dead was the alternative title for this movie, directed by the marvelous John Llewellyn Moxey.

Chris Lee is Professor Alan Driscole, in Massachusetts in the US, and he teaches a course on the Burning Times and singles out one burning of a near by town called Whitewater - similar to the Salem hysteria. A student, Nan Driscole, is looking to do more in-depth research, so Driscole suggests she travel to Whitewater. He sends her to stay at an inn there on her winter vacation. Raven's Inn is run by Mrs. Newlys, a friend of Driscole. She says she will be closing the town soon, but welcomes Nan. Doing research Nan visits a near by abandoned Church and a bookstore. She finds an excellent book about the Selwyn execution for witchcraft, but cannot afford it. Patricia Russell owns the books store, so she gives Nan permission to borrow the book. Nan learns a witch, Elizabeth Sewlyn. was burnt on the very spot where Raven's Inn stands. Newlys is a strange woman, and it quickly becomes apparent there are dark doings at Inn. Nan is welcomed for reasons Nan knows nothing about and quickly finds herself marked for sacrifice.

When Nan fails to return, her brother, Richard, and her boyfriend, Bill, grow concerned. This disquiet is increased when Patricia pays him a visit and returns a bracelet belonging to Nan, mentioning Nan never returned the book she borrowed. Richard travels to the strange village that seems trapped in time. It is dark, brooding and literally reeks atmosphere (as only good Black and White horror films can!). No trace of Nan is to be found. Mrs. Newlys claims Nan left after only a days stay. However, as the time of for another sacrifice approaches, Patricia suddenly finds herself marked and the next victim and turns to Richard for help.