Curse of the Crimson Altar (1968)
Genre: Horror
Duration: 89 minuten
Alternative titles: Curse of the Crimson Cult / The Crimson Altar / The Crimson Cult
Country:
United Kingdom
Directed by: Vernon Sewell
Stars: Boris Karloff, Christopher Lee and Barbara Steele
IMDb score:
5,5 (3.629)
Releasedate: 1 December 1968
Curse of the Crimson Altar plot
"Come face to face with naked fear on the altar of evil!"
When his brother mysteriously disappears, Robert Manning pays a visit to the remote mansion where he was last heard from. Despite the apparent welcome of his host and niece, he detects a sense of menace in the air. The legend of Lavinia Morley, the Black Witch of Greymarsh, hangs like a curse over the area.
Actors and actresses
J.D. Morley
Professor John Marsh
Robert Manning
Eve Morley
Lavinia Morley
Elder
Sergeant Tyson (uncredited)
Chauffeur (uncredited)
Esther
Peter Manning (uncredited)
Reviews & comments
Theunissen
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- 12328 messages
- 5536 votes
Because this film came on TV very late last night (2:35 on BBC 2), I recorded it. Since today is a bit of a dreary day anyway, I watched it right away. It is an old-fashioned 60s horror/thriller starring two horror icons from that era and earlier, namely Christopher Lee (primarily known for his Dracula roles at the time) and Boris Karloff (primarily known for his Frankenstein roles at the time). Incidentally, it was more or less Boris Karloff's last role, as he died the following year.
To be honest, the story has very little substance, and the film leans more towards Thriller than Horror. The only thing that even remotely resembles horror are the scenes in the more or less S&M attic (which looked kind of fun). Visually, it looked pretty good (nice 60s vibe including some slutty women), and the story managed to be somewhat engaging (though frequently boring and long-winded). It is certainly not a masterpiece, and I am glad I didn't stay up for that. Fortunately, at 80 minutes, the film isn't long. The cast did a decent job, and Michael Gough's role as "Elder" is noteworthy.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Richard_Voorhees
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- 2311 messages
- 2135 votes
Partly due to the acting, it remains a pretty strong film, but I have to agree with the predecessor regarding the portrayal of Lavinia. The echoing voice makes it a bit cheesy, and her contribution remains quite small, even though there is frequent talk about her witchcraft.
It was once again beautiful to see how Lee managed to impress wordlessly at the end. He certainly has those dark eyes and his tall stature as physical assets, but you also have to be able to project that, and he can do that like no other.
Karloff also manages to portray a convincing character, and Michael Cough and Rupert Davies are also very fine in their supporting roles.
Especially because of the beginning with the text about the medication and the vision with the whip lashes and the murder, I had expected a somewhat cruder piece of work than what it ultimately turned out to be.
Sewell is no masterful creator of atmosphere and his film therefore does not reach the quality of the (better) Hammer films, but otherwise this is still quite watchable. Especially for fans of these 'old country house' horrors or fans of Christopher Lee.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Noodless
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- 10087 messages
- 6205 votes
This one was quite disappointing to me, considering the interesting concept and the star-studded cast. The story is nothing more than a search for the main character's brother and the legend surrounding Lavinia Morley, the Black Witch of Greymarsh. The latter is played by Barbara Steele, although she doesn't appear in the film very often. It is more of a mystery and has little to do with horror, although the theme naturally suggests otherwise. Who could be the villain this time... Boris Karloff in a wheelchair, the mansion host Christopher Lee, or perhaps someone else after all.... 5/10
Translated from Dutch · View original
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