Rating: 
Summary: From the view of someone no longer afraid of the dark
Review: I'd first like to warn people that this is my first review of something that wasn't a CD or album, so if I don't come across as a genius like some people consider me in that, don't be surprised. But before I became a hardcore music buyer, movies were what turned me on first. However, I'm not like most movie buffs who would watch only CITIZEN KANE or CASABLANCA, then consider everything else rubbish. I'd be willing to watch a movie that gets the worst reviews possible, simply because it may be more enjoyable to watch at face value than something as overly studied as CITIZEN KANE. So a movie like THE DUNWICH HORROR (1970) definitely fits into this category.THE DUNWICH HORROR is most notable for being Sandra Dee's last movie, as well as her only one with a nude scene. I'll admit that turned me on to it mainly, but being a latent horror movie fan, I thought I'd get to enjoy some great frights as well. While it may be the height of camp & seem rather creaky as opposed to today's more sophisticated thrillers, THE DUNWICH HORROR is still good for seeing what really may have been the stuff of nightmares back when. Former teen idol Sandra Dee stars as Nancy Wagner, a pretty young college student, who is accosted in the university's library by a mild-mannered man interested in a rare book of the occult called "The Necronomicon". This man is Wilbur Whateley (played by Dean Stockwell) & is the great-grandson of a man who was hanged by the people of his town (Dunwich) for occult worship. The Whateley family have been pariahs in Dunwich ever since, so they reasonably think Wilbur is more than a bit creepy. Nancy agrees to give Wilbur a ride home back to his house in Dunwich & is then encouraged by him to stay the night after he dismantles her car. She then takes up Wilbur's request to stay for the weekend, much to her professor Henry Armitage (Ed Begley) & her friend Elizabeth's dismay. Little does Nancy know that Wilbur is the son of Satan, his mother having been impregnated by him & later going insane. Wilbur wants to continue the family name & with Nancy, he has his chance. Just from this plot synopsis, it's clear that THE DUNWICH HORROR may be the granddaddy of just about every horror flick of the last 3 decades & while the plot may have been rehashed numerous times since, DUNWICH has something those others don't: a real fright factor. This being 1970 & with the rating system only 2 years old, what transpired in this movie was enough to warrant its R rating. But with the almost-total absence of any blood, guts or gore (and only flashes of the much-talked about nudity), it may come off with a PG-13 today. For that reason alone, DUNWICH is worth watching to see what might have scandalized audiences back in that new age of permissiveness. Sandra Dee turns in a surprisingly good performance as cute co-ed Nancy, who comes across as overly naive & welcoming to Wilbur's advances. However, maybe that's what the role called for & had she not ended her movie career after this, Sandra could have made it as a serious actress. Her fate at the end of the movie certainly opened up the possibility for a sequel (I'm not divulging any secrets). Dean Stockwell is also a creepy delight as Wilbur, looking genuinely scary as an all-too-gentle young man with a very strange pedigree. Those who've seen him in MARRIED TO THE MOB & the TV series QUANTUM LEAP in later years will realize he still looks almost the same, save for the mustache. The mind may boggle at why a serious, Oscar-winning actor like Ed Begley agreed to star in a genre film like DUNWICH, but he nevertheless gets to shine as Professor Armitage, who won't allow Wilbur to borrow "The Necronomicon" (Wilbur will steal it instead) & as he will soon discover, he may have wished himself lucky. No, THE DUNWICH HORROR is certainly no masterpiece of filmmaking, but for a Roger Corman production, it is definitely more high-quality than most of his other budget productions. Furthermore, it is truly a frightening journey, enhanced by the psychedelic camera trickery that was still at work in movies of the era (particularly in the scene where Elizabeth is literally raped by demons). I'll be the first to say that I'm no student of the occult like Wilbur, nor do I sacrifice small animals in the darkness of my room at night, but THE DUNWICH HORROR is still enough for me to recommend it as a great horror flick to see when one is tired of the gratuitous gore of FRIDAY THE 13TH or others of its ilk.
Rating:
Summary: Look At Me! I'm Sandra DeeeeEEEAAGH!!!!
Review: Long ago, on a dark and stormy night, two brothers were born. One was a normal, multi-tentacled, half human offspring of Yog-Sothoth. The other grew up to become the hideous, poodle-haired creature with titanic sideburns known as Wilbur Whately (Dean Stockwell)! Wilbur sets out to unleash the dreaded "Old Ones" from their millenia of slumber. He needs two things to get started, #1- The Necronomicon (book of the dead). And #2- A female virgin. Wilbur steals the necronomicon from the local college, and snags a young coed (Sandra Dee), by drugging her. He introduces the girl to a group of demoniacs who look more like the cast of HAIR. Psychedelia ensues, and the movie drags on toward it's inevitible climax. What saves the film for me is the escape of Wilbur's brother from his / it's attic room. Many innocent villagers perish as the beast oozes through the countryside! Of course, we don't actually see much of it, but the rampage is still pretty cool. Worth a peek...
Rating:
Summary: enjoyable nonsense
Review: Lovecraft might roll in his grave, but if you can forget it is based on his brilliant works, and just kick back, it's not that bad. Beautifully, though cheaply filmed, and hurt by the poor, monotone performances of Sandra Dee and Dean Stockwell...the movie is still good for a late night horrorfest! Would recommend it for purchase to only ardent horror fans, as others may not want repeat viewing, feeling once is enough. Much better done as Haunted Palace with Price
Rating:
Summary: enjoyable nonsense
Review: Lovecraft might roll in his grave, but if you can forget it is based on his brilliant works, and just kick back, it's not that bad. Beautifully, though cheaply filmed, and hurt by the poor, monotone performances of Sandra Dee and Dean Stockwell...the movie is still good for a late night horrorfest! Would recommend it for purchase to only ardent horror fans, as others may not want repeat viewing, feeling once is enough. Much better done as Haunted Palace with Price
Rating: 
Summary: good (if flawed) Lovecraft adaptation
Review: Probably one of the best Lovecraft-based movies ever made, especially considering the era and (apparent) budget. The opening sequence itself successfully conveys a creepy tone. Overall, stays relatively close to the HPL original. When you finally get a good look at the "horror," you want to laugh, but it's kept invisible through most of the movie. Dean Stockwell's Wilbur projects a sinister cunning, although not quite the total alieness of the original character. I highly recommend it to any HPL fan willing to accept some liberties in cinematic interpretations.
Rating:
Summary: eh, it's ok, just forgetable
Review: read the story instead, and if you want to delve more into it, you can try the movie, but the story is MUCH better
Rating:
Summary: average horror flick
Review: Sandra Dee and Dean Stockwell star in the average horror film THE DUNWICH HORROR, which bombed so bad at the box-office that it ended poor Sandra's movie career. Wilbur Whately (Dean Stockwell - 1945's THE SECRET GARDEN) is a demonic occult warlock looking for the right girl to place on the altar..., and finds her in a wide-eyed college student (Sandra Dee - GIDGET, A SUMMER PLACE). It's not long until the gates of hell open and the demons come forth, and begin their reign of terror over the town of Dunwich. ...How this film has an "R" rating I'll never know. Stockwell looks like a cross between Art Garfunkel and George Segal on a bad-hair day. His acting, too, seems a little stilted. Also featuring Talia Shire (billed here as Talia Coppola), Barboura Morris, Donna Baccala, Joanne Moore-Jordan, Sam Jaffe, Ed Begley and Lloyd Bochner.
Rating: 
Summary: The Dunwich "Horror"
Review: The only horror in this movie is the horror of bad acting. The dialogue is absolutely wretched--Dean Stockwell's lines are completely inane, as are Sandra Dee's.
Rating:
Summary: The Whateleys and Their Friends.
Review: The stories of H. P. Lovecraft are difficult to adapt to film. Nevertheless, this Grade B movie is better than one might expect. Inevitably, there are some differences, but the tale of HPL's famous Cthulu Mythos cycle remains surprisingly intact. New characters appear that are not authentic Lovecraft. Sandra Dee's character introduces a sexual element that is anathema to Lovecraft's rather prissy sexual attitude. A side-view of Dee's bare left thigh and buttock is about it for the proclaimed nude scene. Dean Stockwell is not as monstrously horrific (in spite of his goofy hairstyle) as the Wilbur Whateley of HPL's story. Wilbur displays an obsessive interest in the dread book of evil, "Necronomicon," encased in glass at Miskatonic University. He speaks the incantations in a forgotten language that summon Yog Sothoth and the elder race of ancient beings from beyond time and space. Professor Armitage (Ed Begley) speaks the counter spell and tries to keep Wilbur from the book. Bearded Sam Jaffe is effective in a small role as old Wizard Whateley. In a flashback segment, draped in his dark cloak and carrying the rune staff of unholy sympbols, he summons the "Old One" who mates with his feeble-minded daughter, Lavinia, and spawns Wilbur and one other. In an eerie scene, the whippoorwills' wailing cry seek to capture the expiring Whateley's soul as it leaves the body, another authentic Lovecraft element. The dread Devil's Hop Yard atop Sentinel Hill is a grim setting of terror and sacrifice. When Wilbur's otherworldy brother escapes from his lair, initially invisible, he wreaks havoc on the remote farms in fine monster-on-the-loose fashion. The climax of the film, however, amidst the stone figures and high places lacks the powerful punch needed. Regardless, this is a good attempt to translate Lovecraft on film. Weird as it is, enjoy it. ;-)
Rating:
Summary: Defending a true masterpiece of Gothic Horror!
Review: This film has received more bad reviews than any other horror movie I have ever read about, and after seeing it I can't even begin to understand why! Based on the H.P. Lovecraft short story of the same title, THE DUNWICH HORROR follows warlock Wilbur Whatley's desperate quest to restore his fiendish family to their rightful position as rulers of the universe. However, there are two crucial factors needed in carrying out this mad plan. Firstly and foremost, Whatley must locate a copy of the Necronomicon, an ancient book of evil spells, and the sacrifice of a pure, but still sexually attractive female(that's where beautiful college co-ed Sandra Dee figures into the story). As the wild-eyed Whatley, Dean Stockwell is clearly having a ball, and was obviously warming up for his hammy role in David Lynch's sci-fi opus DUNE. Ed Begley, in his final film role, also seems to be enjoying himself as Stockwell's chief Nemesis, Dr. Armitadge. However, the best and most convincing performance by far is given by lovely young Sandra Dee(of GIDGET fame) who makes an effective SCREAM QUEEN debut. This film has received many negative notices, but it's not bad at all, even by today's standards. The film was made on a noticeably low-budget, but manages to produce some genuine scares and has a menacing air of creepy, Gothic atmosphere throughout. Furthermore, this movie is one of the better attempts to capture literary mastermind H.P. Lovecraft on celluloid. If the film seems rather long(it's 90 minutes), remember that Lovecraft's original story was only about 35-40 pages long. For the most part, the screenwriters have added some genuinely effective touches to flesh out the story. In my opinion, the film is fairly successful at sustaining the viewer's interest for most of its 90 minutes, and most importantly, director Daniel Haller has successfully captured the mood and flavor of Lovecraft's original story. Also, fans of the old DARK SHADOWS/NIGHT GALLERY series will be delighted by this little flick which is similar in tone and style to those early '70's TV horror classics.
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