Curse of the Crimson Altar ** (1968, Boris Karloff, Christopher Lee, Barbara Steele, Mark Eden, Michael Gough, Virginia Wetherell, Rupert Davies) – Classic Movie Review 2897

Director Vernon Sewell’s 1968 horror movie is the wheelchair-using Boris Karloff’s last British film, and the only time that he, Christopher Lee and Barbara Steele all appeared together. It is a co-production of Tigon and American International Pictures.

The 80-year-old Karloff plays Professor John Marshe, the local witches expert, who helps the young hero Robert Manning (Mark Eden) in his quest to look for his brother who has disappeared. While searching, Manning checks out the remote country house his brother was last heard from.

Then Manning stumbles across the coven led by Morley (Lee), who is planning to avenge the death of his legendary 17th-century witch ancestor Lavinia Morley (Steele). Manning’s host Morley and his niece welcome him at their country house but there’s an air of menace about since he arrives during the annual memorial of the burning at the stake of Lavinia, Black Witch of Greymarsh.

This watchable movie is derived from H P Lovecraft’s short story The Dreams in the Witch House, but the script’s insistence on exploiter scenes (there’s a whipping, torture devices, bodybuilders in leather and an orgy) makes for a crude movie, despite John Coquillon’s innovative Eastmancolor cinematography that suggests an entirely classier film altogether.

It also stars Michael Gough, notable as the unstable Elder, Virginia Wetherell and Rupert Davies.

It is shot in the allegedly haunted house of W S Gilbert (of Gilbert and Sullivan fame): Grim’s Dyke House, Old Redding, Harrow Weald, Middlesex, England.

Also in the cast are Rosemarie Reede, Derek Tansley, Michael Warren, Ron Pember, Denys Peek, Nicholas Head, Nita Lorraine, Carol Anne, Jenny Shaw, Vivienne Carlton and Roger Avon.

Rated R for brief sexuality and brief nudity.

Karloff and Lee appear in their second teaming after Corridors of Blood (1958). Karloff died the following year, on February 2 1969, aged 81.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2897

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