Review of Theatre of Death (1967) by David S — 23 Apr 2012

Directed by American Samuel Gallu (The Man Outside (1967)), and written by Ellis Kadison (who later went on to write for The Banana Splits), this is a creepy and surreal horror film that has a dark and nasty performance from it's star, but it manages to be entertaining while it lasts, despite it going all weird about two thirds of the way through.

Set in Paris at the Theatre of Death, which presents grisly tales of Grand Guignol, it's hot-headed and firey-tempered director Philippe Darvas (Christopher Lee) pitches an idea for his next production involving the Witches of Salem, which will feature the theatres leading actresses Dani Gireaux (Lelia Goldoni) and Nicole Chapelle (Jenny Till), the latter Darvas is able to hypnotise by using a ring.

It ables to turn Nicole into something and someone other-worldly, but Dani's boyfriend, police surgeon Charles Marquis (Julian Glover) is very unnerved by Darvas' way of theatre direction, he's brutal towards his cast members, and when murders start occuring across Paris in ways like out of his plays, the police are soon on Darvas' tail, but then Darvas vanishes without a trace.

It's a weird film, despite good colourful cinematography by Gil Taylor. It's a bit all over the place in parts, and Lee vanishes about half-way through, which is a shame, as it's his performance which holds the film together, but it does have good blood and gore on show when it does come.