From Beyond the Grave **** (1974, Peter Cushing, David Warner, Ian Bannen, Diana Dors, Margaret Leighton, Ian Carmichael, Donald Pleasence, Nyree Dawn Porter, Ian Ogilvy) – Classic Movie Review 3987

Director Kevin Connor’s 1973 spooky, lively and satisfying Amicus horror anthology movie of chilling stories is set round a London antiques shop called Temptations Limited. There its mysterious owner, The Proprietor (Peter Cushing), puts his customers through hellishly horrific hoops, especially those who try to cheat him.

A surprisingly classy Seventies cast does well by the material, giving involving performances, while an effectively gruesome tone pervades the four nimble and nifty short stories, and Kevin Connor directs imaginatively.

Star Donald Pleasence finds a role for his daughter Angela Pleasence, and also in the cast are David Warner, Ian Bannen, Diana Dors, Margaret Leighton, Ian Carmichael, Nyree Dawn Porter, Ian Ogilvy, Lesley Anne-Down, Jack Watson and Rosalind Ayres.

David Warner stars as Edward Charlton who frees an evil entity from an antique mirror in segment 1 The Gate Crasher, Donald Pleasence, Ian Bannen and Diana Dors star in segment 2 An Act of Kindness, Margaret Leighton, Ian Carmichael and Nyree Dawn Porter star in segment 3 The Elemental and Ian Ogilvy, Lesley Anne-Down and Jack Watson star in segment 4 The Door.

The screenplay by Robin Clarke and Raymond Christodoulou is based on short stories by R Chetwynd-Hayes.

See also Torture Garden (1967), The House That Dripped Blood (1971), Dr Terror’s House of Horrors (1965), Asylum, The Vault of Horror, Tales That Witness Madness and Tales from the Crypt (1972).

The one-time X certificate is now a PG.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3987

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