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City Of The Dead

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Realistic Satanism
Review: Christianity = power, an energy clearly depicted at movie's end, as the shadow of the cross literally burns witches to ashes. Reality is less dramatic: the sign of the cross will remove evil from your midst. The actors subtly, effectively portrayed their characters' 100% dedication to Satanism. When a Satanist and takes their role seriously, grave consequences are the net result, for all (as in 'the ninth gate' with the beautiful frank langella). "Part-time" Christians, those not dedicated 100% to the corporation of the church, were depicted herein. When they despaired, they ran to the Reverend; yet earlier said he was a fool. Want to see classy stars in action, and to experience what satanists do? Look no further than in this beat-up, black and white film.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A CAMPY B&W BUDGET B-MOVIE THATS SPOOKY
Review: I have not seen Horror Hotel in years, I saw it back in the early 70's on the Chiller theater show out of New York. This movie gave me the creeps when I was a teenager. Although a low budget, campy B&W film with a witchcraft theme. With a guest appearance by the classic horror man himself, Christopher Lee, the film is dark and shadowy, set in a spooky Salem Mass. town filled with dreary fog, and strange looking town folk. But the real spooker is a woman (Witch)by the name of Elizabeth Sullivan - she has a face of pure evil, without any makeup ! The kind of person you might have trust in, but when your not looking, she'll put a knife in your back ! The best scene is when the deaf mute 'Lottie' is found in the hidden catacomb just before the climax of the film - a satanic sacrifice. But beware of the shadow of the cross !

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Good Story about Witches
Review: When I was little around(12-14)this movie scared me. It was one of those sleep over,scare the girls movies, we enjoyed it. Which is why I love this movie for the memories it gave me.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: "Dig that crazy beat."
Review: It's 1960 with a jazzy score. Christopher Lee is professor of history at an eastern college trying to get through to these teenagers that witchcraft in New England in the late seventeenth century is an important subject.

Only beautiful, blonde, virginal Nan takes the professor seriously. So she's the one he sends to do research in the town of Whitewood, where three hundred years ago a witch named Selwyn was burned at the stake for congress with Satan.

Bad things happen to Nan when she gets to Whitewood, and to another young woman new in town. It's interesting which virgin is saved and which one isn't. (Notice it's "is saved," not "survives" or "saves herself" like the Final Girl in the slasher movies that Carol J. Clover writes about.)

Spoilers ahead.

The one who dies is the one who puts her own studies ahead of the convenience of the men in her life (her older brother, another professor, and her airhead boyfriend). She spends the first half of the movie investigating and taking action. The cut from the witches' sacrifice to the jazzy, hi-fi birthday party leaves the audience expecting to find this young woman miraculously safe at the end too, but no. We never see her again and it's disappointing. (This comes from watching a movie made in 1960 from a post-Halloween perspective.)

The woman who is saved is not the one preparing for a career of her own, but the one who works at an unpleasant job in an unpleasant town while caring for her grandfather out of duty. (The self-sacrificing one tells her soon-to-be savior, "I'm glad your're here now," while the active female character tells her disappointed boyfriend that she's made up her mind to go to Whitewood and that he should go to a party they had planned to attend by himself. She'll meet him there.)

I would rather know the curious, confident one.

The acting in Horror Hotel (especially the older British character actors and above all Patricia Jessel as the witch Selwyn) is typically excellent.

It turns out Christopher Lee's professor was right. The seventeenth century really does reach out and touch the twentieth.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Surprisingly good film, with nice extras
Review: First, this IS a review of the VCI version -- different versions may have different merits, but I believe the VCI version is very good, and the extras included make it worthwhile. I put this on the backburner for a while, and when I watched it last night I was pleasantly surprised. This probably won't appeal to modern/younger audiences, but those who collect and appreciate Hammer films or the classic horror films will find this of interest.

The film transfer is excellent, as is the sound. The plot is different than you might expect and I'm afraid other reviewers have told you too much. However I do agree with the reviewer who said perhaps this will put off people from "investigating" satanism! Another film in rather the same vein is "The Devil Rides Out."

There is an interview with Christopher Lee that is dated after his role in the Lord of the Rings movies and it is fascinating. He lambasts the British film industry and I think the interviewer was kind of stunned by his amazing anecdotes (and his powerful indictment of British film-making). I'm sure if you enjoy classic horror this will be a worthy addition.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One Of The Greatest Films Of All Time
Review: This is a true classic. Like Psycho the low budget only made it a better movie because the director was able to capture the idea of people who were in their own private hells.

This is a good movie to have kids watch to inform and educate them about the dangers of satanism and the occult. Once kids watch this movie they won't want to get involved with witchcraft or anything like this.

Jeff Marzano


Rating: 4 stars
Summary: "Dig that crazy beat."
Review: It's 1960 with a jazzy score. Christopher Lee is professor of history at an eastern college trying to get through to these teenagers that witchcraft in New England in the late seventeenth century is an important subject.

Only beautiful, blonde, virginal Nan takes the professor seriously. So she's the one he sends to do research in the town of Whitewood, where three hundred years ago a witch named Selwyn was burned at the stake for congress with Satan.

Bad things happen to Nan when she gets to Whitewood, and to another young woman new in town. It's interesting which virgin is saved and which one isn't. (Notice it's "is saved," not "survives" or "saves herself" like the Final Girl in the slasher movies that Carol J. Clover writes about.)

Spoilers ahead.

The one who dies is the one who puts her own studies ahead of the convenience of the men in her life (her older brother, another professor, and her airhead boyfriend). She spends the first half of the movie investigating and taking action. The cut from the witches' sacrifice to the jazzy, hi-fi birthday party leaves the audience expecting to find this young woman miraculously safe at the end too, but no. We never see her again and it's disappointing. (This comes from watching a movie made in 1960 from a post-Halloween perspective.)

The woman who is saved is not the one preparing for a career of her own, but the one who works at an unpleasant job in an unpleasant town while caring for her grandfather out of duty. (The self-sacrificing one tells her soon-to-be savior, "I'm glad you're here now," while the active female character tells her disappointed boyfriend that she's made up her mind to go to Whitewood and that he should go to a party they had planned to attend by himself. She'll meet him there.)

I would rather know the curious, confident one.

The acting in Horror Hotel (especially the older British character actors and above all Patricia Jessel as the witch Selwyn) is typically excellent.

It turns out Christopher Lee's professor was right. The seventeenth century really does reach out and touch the twentieth.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Not Sure If I Like It Or Not
Review: A young coed uses her winter vacation to research a paper on witch craft in new england. while staying at the village inn she finds herself marked for sacrifice by the undead coven of witches that have gathered for candolmas eve! The only reason why i dont like this movie is because its in black and white! but its still good!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Chris Lee Gem!
Review: Christopher Lee has been an amazing actor, and in the twilight of this career at over 80 years old he is still doing fine work in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and Star Wars II and III(coming). However, most of us grew to love his body of work back in the period of Hammer Studios heyday. Hammer, to lovers of horror, gave us some of the greatest film. Cheap on budget, high on quality, they gave you fun from vampires, to outer-space monster to witches. Directed by the marvelous John Llewellyn Moxey, Horror Hotel was it's alternative title.

Chris Lee is Professor Alan Driscole, in Massachusetts in the US, and he is teaching a course on the witchcraft burnings 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 and sends her to stay at an inn there on her winter vacation. Raven's Inn is run by Mrs. Neils, a friend of Driscole, and she welcomes Nan though says the hotel is closing. Nan learns a witch, Elizabeth Sewlyn. was burned on the spot where the inn stands. Newlis is a strange woman and it quickly becomes apparent there are dark doings at Raven's Inn. Nan is welcome for reasons Nan knows nothing about, and quickly finds herself marked for sacrifice.

When Nan fails to return, her brother 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!). Nan is not to be found and Mrs. Newlis claims Nan left after only a few days stay. However, the woman who runs the bookstore believes something happened to Nan and helps him in trying to find out what.

A eerie Black and White film that is super for a late Saturday night horror fest! The Quality of the transfer is super crisp!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Creepy
Review: I have just recieved my copy of "Horror Hotel" I have not seen it in 30 years. I watched it at 9:30 in the am. It still scares the living daylights out of me. It was great. The movie was very dark and foggy. The music was great. They don't make Horror movies like this anymore. "Freddy Kruger" is nothing compared to this movie.


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