The Ghoul (1975)
Directed by Freddie Francis
Genres - Mystery |
Sub-Genres - Costume Horror |
Run Time - 88 min. |
Countries - United Kingdom |
MPAA Rating - R
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Synopsis by Cavett Binion
England's Tigon studios produced fairly sophisticated period horror films in the 1970s, including this drawing-room horror-mystery directed by Hammer stalwart Freddie Francis. Peter Cushing stars as a former priest who harbors a dark and horrible secret in his attic. The locked room serves as a prison cell for his crazed, cannibalistic adult son, who acquired his savage tastes in India during his father's missionary work there. Cushing fears that his son will escape to prey upon the effete guests at his rural English estate during a cross-country auto race... though there may be more to fear from one of his guests than from his monstrous son. Far too stuffy to generate any real suspense until the violent, blood-soaked climax, this is definitely one of Tigon's lesser efforts, benefiting mainly from the presence of Cushing and John Hurt as an unbalanced young gardener. Not to be confused with the 1933 horror classic of the same name.
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Keywords
bishop, cannibal, flesh-eating, attic, family-secrets, maniac, son, auto-racing, savage