Crucible of Horror [The Corpse] ** (1971, Michael Gough, Yvonne Mitchell, Sharon Gurney, Simon Gough) – Classic Movie Review 13,108

Viktors Ritelis’s 1971 horror film Crucible of Horror [The Corpse] stars Michael Gough, Yvonne Mitchell and Sharon Gurney. An abusive husband is not at all pleased when his wife and daughter plot to murder him at his hunting cottage.

Director Viktors Ritelis’s 1971 horror film Crucible of Horror [The Corpse] stars Michael Gough, Yvonne Mitchell and Sharon Gurney. It is produced by Gabrielle Beaumont, and written as an original screenplay by her husband Olaf Pooley. In the story, an abusive husband is not at all pleased when his wife and daughter plot to murder him at his hunting cottage.

It is the only feature film of Viktors Ritelis but he enjoyed a very long, successful career as a TV director. It is a co-production between the British Abacus Productions and the American-based Cannon Group, providing a mere micro budget.

Michael Gough stars as nasty, sadistic patriarch Walter Eastwood, who is murdered by his wife Edith (Yvonne Mitchell) and daughter Jane (Sharon Gurney), only to return as a living corpse understandably out for revenge and a return to his former position at the head of their family.

Engaging displays of over-acting carry this modest chiller idea into the watchable category, though the cheap-looking production and bargain-basement filming are a let-down. You can’t blame the actors and director: it was shot for only £55,000. Obviously credibility is at a premium here.

London-Cannon Films, the British arm of the American film distributor Cannon Films, provided that micro budget, which meant that expenses had to be minimal. So an actual house was used for location filming, with the remainder shot at London’s Merton Park Studios.

Michael Gough’s son in the film is played by his real-life son, Simon Gough, and his daughter by Simon’s fiancée, actress Sharon Gurney. The film was made in 1969, the two married in 1970, and the film was released in 1971.

The film was shot in England in 1969 as The Velvet House, but was released in US cinemas in 1971 as Crucible of Horror and the following year in the UK as The Corpse, probably to avoid confusion with Crucible of Terror (also 1971).

The Corpse [Crucible of Horror] [The Velvet House] is directed by Viktors Ritelis, runs 90 minutes, is made by Abacus Productions and London-Cannon Films, is released by The Cannon Group (US) and Grand National Pictures (UK), is written by Olaf Pooley (original screenplay), is shot by John Mackey, is produced by Gabrielle Beaumont, and is scored by John Hotchkis.

The cast are Michael Gough as Walter Eastwood, Yvonne Mitchell as Edith Eastwood, Sharon Gurney as Jane Eastwood, Simon Gough as Rupert Eastwood, David Butler as Gregson, Olaf Pooley as Reid, Nicholas Jones as Benjy Smith, Mary Hignett as Mrs Roberts, Howard Goorney as Petrol Pump Attendant, and Sam as Sam the Dog.

Filming started on 17 March 1968. It premiered San Antonio, Texas, on 19 July 1971 in a double bill with Cauldron of Blood (1969) starring Boris Karloff, and was released in New York City on 11 November 1971.

In the UK, the BBFC gave it an X certificate on 19 December 1971 after unspecified cuts, and it was released by Grand National Pictures in an X double-bill with Psycho Killer (1970).

Viktors Ritelis was born on December 10, 1937 in Riga, Latvia. He is a director and writer, known for The Corpse (1971), his only movie, and many TV episodes including Dempsey and Makepeace (1985) and Blake’s 7 (1978).

Olaf Pooley (1914-2015) was married to Gabrielle Beaumont (from 1982 to 1993) (divorced, 1 child).

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 13,108

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