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Pam Grier, the voluptuous queen of blaxploitation movies (and the foxy title character of Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown) reigns supreme in this kick-ass action flick. Bodacious nurse Foxy takes the law into her own hands after her main squeeze is murdered in cold blood. The standard revenge plot of Foxy Brown moves along on fast-forward, and the violence ratio (some of it quite gruesome) is high. Director Jack Hill, a master of the low-budget drive-in movie (Switchblade Sisters), made Coffy with Pam Grier the year before. This one's not quite as much fun, but it is decidedly kinkier, and the parade of 1970s fashion crimes is mind expanding. At one crucial moment Foxy saves herself by pulling a concealed revolver out of her mighty Afro--absolutely one of the high points of blaxploitation cinema. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Beautiful...but deadly!
Ahhh, this movie is a lot of fun. Lots of action, snappy dialog, and loads and loads of funk. All of this and Pam Grier...a beautiful woman who wasn't afraid to show it...this is your basic revenge story, with Foxy going after the drug syndicate that killed her boyfriend and her brother. What's really funny is this syndicate is mainly comprised of a creepy female leader, her pretty boy, philandering, racist boyfriend/number 2 in charge, and two sadistic, incompentent henchmen. Not much of a gang, but they do manage to throw in a few more guys here and there. All in all, a fun movie of this genre, better than most. To miss this one "would be a tragedy of the most diemensional proportions."

A Kick in the Head
Ignore all the blather about "blaxploitation" and "camp", this is two-fisted B-action movie with an involving story, a kickass performance (from Ms. Grier) and joltingly brutal scenes of action violence.
Getting a hoot out of the period costumes and attitudes is great, but anyone who enjoys a fierce action film will probably be blown away by this flick, which plays like an episode of 'Starsky & Hutch' directed by Paul Verhoeven. At times it seems that the sleazier and more violent a scene gets, the more craft and skill writer/director Jack Hill brings to it. What audiences thought about it at the time of its original release can only be imagined, but almost any modern viewer is likely to be stunned as Foxy goes up against a degenerate bunch of sleazoids and realistically (and literally) takes them apart.
Still strong to this day, 'Foxy Brown' makes most modern action flicks look like episodes of 'Matlock'.

Dis movie rox my sox cause dat pam gurl is in it....
i love pam gurl cause she is the hottest black gurl alive and i am black too and i rarley get to see da hot gurls........TARA BANX AND PAM GRIET ARE DA HOTTESTA GURLSA IN DA HOLLA ENTIRA PLANETA! will u marry me kizzol.....i love u gurls......i love da part with dat guy and that part with that other person!!!!..

EAT ROX MAI SOX MAHON!!!1

THE ORIGINAL FOXY BROWN !!!!!!-"SUPERBAD!!!!!!
YES , COMPARED TO TODAY'S FILM STANDARDS , THIS FILM WAS CHEAPLY MADE WITH OVER THE TOP 70'S FASHION-AND POOR ACTING TO ADD-BUT A CLASSIC ! NONETHELESS- IT FEATURED THE SUPERSEXY AND BEAUTIFUL PAM GRIER- THE MOVIE STARTS WITH THE TANTALIZING GRIER DANCING TO THE "THEME FROM FOXY BROWN" AND THEN THE STORY OF REVENGE FOR HER BOYFRIEND AND BROTHER'S DEATH-FOXY GOES UNDERCOVER AS A HIGH PRICE CALL GIRL SERVING JURY DUTY-THE END OF THE FILM IS EXPLOSIVE AS FOXY SPORTS ONE OF THE BIGGEST AFROS EVER SEEN ON FILM! "A PIECE OF THE 70'S IN A TIME CAPSULE CALLED DVD"-A CLASSIC NOW AND AMAZINGLY EFFECTIVE IN IT'S TIME-BEAUTY, ACTION AND COMEDY - WHAT MORE COULD WE ASK FOR?

Bodacious
This movie flat rocks. I love Black explotation movies, and this one is near the top. Pam Grier has so much sex apeal and attitude
she takes over this movie like a run away train. Loads of fun. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

THE Movie That Set the Style of 70s
All of Pam Grier movies in the 70s, "Coffy" is the most famous. She deserves it; watch this movie, and you see what so-called blaxploitation films are all about.

The fast-paced "Coffy" starts with a dynamite opening, in which Pam's character Coffy lures her enemy into a nasty surprise, and she blows away poor fool's head with a shotgun literally. Then, her mission of eradicating drug racket goes on until a very bitter ending. There are actions, fighting, nudity, and battling girls at a party where Pam uses most unexpected weapon -- salad! Frankly they look rather bland by today's standard, but good soundtrack by Roy Ayres is still wonderful.

Probably the most interesting thing about "Coffy" is its gorgeous 70s fashion: music, clothes, and hairstyle. even if you find its story a little stale, you never get tired of watching dresses, glasses, hats, and everything -- they are so big! And surprising thing is that the film to certain extent reflects the political condition of those days (see how a black congressman address a speech about drug issues among Afro-Americans).

"Coffy" is one of the movies that set the style of the 70s. Those who are interested in that period should watch it (and the original "Shaft") once.

Vigilante action with Pam!
Pam Grier is Coffy, an inner-city nurse whose younger sister's life has been destroyed by illicit drugs, and who is now out to avenge her by killing the drug dealers. Her method is to lure the dope pushers by offering them her sexual favors, and then blasting them with a sawed-off shotgun!

And what man can resist such a statuesque beauty? Many a dope pusher meets his Maker after making it with Coffy. Pam Grier has some outstanding nude scenes in this movie, and that alone makes this DVD worth the price, but director Jack Hill's commentary is an interesting bonus. This DVD is a must-have for every Pam Grier fan!

One vengeful mama.
For a blaxploitation movie this one isn't too bad, thanks largely to Pam Grier. She is one tough lady in this interesting retooling of "The Bride that Wore Black," only in this case it is little sister who Coffy is seeking vengeance upon. There is plenty of violence and nudity to thrill, but the movie actually develops a story and posits the moral question whether vengeance is justified if criminals can't be brought to justice. Ultimately, Coffy enters the world of prostitution, posing as a sultry Jamaican bombshell, to get the top crime boss in the city. The movie is vintage 70's with luscious babes lounging around swimming pools, garish interiors and love-inducing fireplaces. Too bad Pam Grier had to wait such a long time to get the plum role of Jackie Brown, building her fame on Jack Hill movies.

Errors and omissions
From the information from other sites I am to believe that this is not an 'Anamorphic/16:9 enhanced' DVD. Foxy Brown is. All Region 2's in the MGM Blaxploitation-series are...

They call her Coffy and she'll cream you!
This was a pretty enjoyable movie, but I have to admit that I enjoyed Foxy Brown just a little more. This movie is basically about Pam Griers' character getting revenge on those who have hurt her and her family. She starts out with lower level pimps and pushers, and workers her way up the power structure to the head sleezebags. The one thing that didn't really sit well with me was the way she portrayed the moments of remorse her character felt about what she was doing. I am not saying that a person who becomes a vigilante wouldn't have these feelings, but I just didn't really buy it coming from her. I know, I know, maybe I am delving too deep into the character, but if they're going to go there...anyway, it didn't make me enjoy the movie any less. And it's always nice to see as much eye candy as there was in this movie. Pam Grier is really hot and made most of the other women in this movie look kinda dumpy. To sum it up, it's a fun movie, some minor slow points, but it kept me interested throughout. If funk with a dash of groovitude is your bag, then this movie is for you. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Director Jack Hill, a protégé of the originalschlockmeister, Roger Corman, knew his way around a low budget and ashocking subject. Women-in-prison films were nothing new in 1971, butThe Big Doll House had it all--sex, violence, nudity, a sadisticguard, and a sexually frustrated warden--and served it up with anabundance of cheapjack energy and tongue-in-cheek humor. The beauty ofHill's movies lay in the way they could appeal not only to the hordeswho would go see them at drive-ins but also to the true trash-cinemafans who could appreciate his offbeat sensibilities. The plot is ratherhoary, with a new inmate discovering the corruption of the prison setup,complete with a drugged-out psycho, a cellmate informer, and a guardwho delights in torturing the women with poisonous snakes. The girlsput their heads together and begin to devise a way out of theirtropical hellhole, but not before disrobing several times and having aknock-down, drag-out fight in the muddy rice paddy where they're forcedto toil all day. The Big Doll House, like some of Hill'sother movies, was shot in the Philippines, with the cast and crew making upplot elements and dialogue in near-guerrilla filmmaking. Though theislands were a cheap place to produce movies in the '70s, the workingconditions were boot camp-like. Where The Big Doll House reallysucceeds is in its mix of titillation and action, a fast-pacedcombination that makes it one heck of a fun exploitation movie towatch. It's also worth noting that this movie gave the great Pam Grierher first real starring role; she would become a Jack Hill regularbefore moving on to more substantial roles. --Jerry Renshaw ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Big Doll House equels Big Fun
Wow....I just finished watching this movie and it is a real jem. Ladies in prison flicks are cool but this one takes the cake as far as campy goes. Here are some of the things you will experience if you watch this flick.
1. Tons of 70's babes with tight skimpy outfits on.
2. More babes with skimpy outfits on.
3. Homosexual prison gaurds
4. Homosexual prison warden
5. A Philipino Revolution
6. More 70's babes with tight outfits on.
7. A woman hanging by her ponytail as punishment for trying to escape
8. Mud wrestling
9. Crazed women inmates imprisoned in an cage with other crazy wild women (they act like animals....funny!)
10. Inmates who want to be "raped" by men, because they haven't "had any sex in a very long time".
11. More sex starved female inmates in tight outfits.....especially one very "hot blond babe" who begs for sex!!
I must admit this is by far the funniest and sickest movie I have seen in a long time. The plot centers around this band of revolutionaries who want to take over thier country by force. They come up with the crazy idea of breaking into an all "womens prison" and freeing the women who will help them with the revolution.(This is the first time I have ever seen anyone break "into" a prison.) Not much of what goes on makes any sence but it sure makes for one hell of a laugh riot. Roger Corman impressed me again. I have only seen one other Roger Corman movie "Bucket of Blood" and I have to admit that this film is stranger and funnier than "Bucket". As I was watching this film I kept asking myself "Is Roger Corman for real?... is he trying to be serious or trying to be funny?"....the script is a zany hoot and the film kept my attention all the way through. I recieved the VHS version and there was 2 spots where the audio did not sync up to the film, this error actually added to the wierdness of the flick. The entire movie had that "made for T.V" feel to it. There is some nudity and bad launguage but the contentnt is so bizzare and offbeat that it deserved a "R" rating. I highly recommned this film for the cinema nut who thinks he has seen it all. You will not be dissapointed!.....the highlight of the film is when halfway thru the movie you find out the prison guards and warden prefer men sexually over women...gay prison guards!!!!.....this twist in the scipt is just TOO FUNNY!!........buy it today....you will thank me!!

Judith Brown & Pam Grier!
What a combo. 'Ladies in Prison' movies is the best idea next to breast implants, and we all know Pammy don't need those. Nudity, violence, one liners, sex, and the great cat-fights. Pam is the star, but Judith don't take no back seat! When farmer man wants to feel Pam's melons through the bars, he get's more than what he bargained for. Talk about plowing. All these characters pop up again and again in the 'Pam Prison' series. SOmetimes she the prisoner, sometimes the warden, and sometimes the revolutionist. Why does every 'woman in prison' film have to have a revolution anyway??? Well no matter, Pam and Judith like I said are a pair that can't be beat!

Scantily Clad...and Behind Bars..!
A CLASSIC. Pam Grier is sublime.

A Fast-paced Exploitation Classic
While not the first or last of the so-called "women in prison" movies, The Big Doll House is certainly one of the best.

A fast-paced exploitation classic from the Lord of the Schlockmeisters, i.e., Roger Corman, The Big Doll House stars Judy Brown, who is taken to a remote island prison and meets fellow jailbirds Pam Grier (!), Brooke Mills and Roberta Collins; Grier and Collins seem to run the entire prison themselves, while Mills plays Harrad, a psycho junkie who makes an art out of hallucinating. Sid Haig is the dominating warden who uses poisonous local snakes to torture the inmates.

All in all, a tongue-in-cheek blend of sex, comedy and violence from a more creative time in American cinema.

The Big Bird Cage was next.

Pam Grier stars in a "Women in Prison" action film.
While any movie starring Pam Grier is worth watching, the Big Doll House is a particularly entertaining entry in the "Women in Prison" film genre. Produced by the great Roger Corman and filmed in the Philippines, this movie features all the violence, mayhem, and nudity one expects in a 70's "Girls Behind Bars" flick. It also has the added bonus of a great scene where Pam Grier and another woman fight it out in the mud of the rice fields (where the women are forced to toil). Don't miss it! ... Read more

Description

The seductive innocence of Lolita, the savage hunger of a Black Widow and a taste for blood! Lon Chaney, Jr. plays the caretaker for a family who is inflicted with a unique genetic disorder--one that causes them to regress mentally to a state of savagery and cannibalism. When distant cousins arrive with the intention of "taking over," an utterly bizarre night of horror follows. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

"It's not nice to hate" this movie!
Imagine if the Addams Family were cannibalistic and really killed people and Wednesday tried to seduce her relatives. That's Spider Baby in a nutshell. Lon Chaney Jr is fantastic as Brunno, the family chauffer and caretaker of the Merrie children, who suffer from Merrie Syndrome, a disease which causes mental deterioration, and consequently killed the Merrie children's parents. It only affects the Merrie family, as it is the product of generations of inbreeding. Anyway, the childrens' Aunt & Uncle stop by unexpectedly with their lawyer so they can take control of the estate and the children. This movie isn't shocking of gory, but it is a sick little gem that no fan of bizarre cinema should be without. This movie will go straight to the top of your favorite movie list! Do yourself a favor and get a copy before it goes out of print!

Yeah Baby, Yeah!
I discovered this DVD a few weeks ago whilst browsing Amazon. I had'nt seen or heard of it before and simply bought it on a whim. It now ranks as one of the most enjoyable movies in my collection. 'Spider Baby' is in a different league to most other B-movies. The production is lifted by excellent direction from Jack Hill and by a very capable and likable cast. The real surprise for me was Lon Chaney's performance as the family chauffeur. I'd half expected to see a washed up old horror star sadly trying to emulate his past glories (a la Bela Lugosi in 'Plan 9 From Outer Space'). Instead, Lon Chaney treats us to one of the best performances of his career (honestly!) and shows what a great professional he was. The movie benefits from a marvellous musical score, including the opening theme which is sung by Mr Chaney himself. It really does have to be heard to be believed. The storyline is surprisingly slow paced and there is little on-screen gore or violence. Most of the horror occurs off camera and the film relies on the weird characters and strange goings on to keep viewers capitivated...and it succeeds brilliantly!

On the technical side, picture quality is fantastic - exceptionally clean and sharp with very little sign of wear and tear. The sound is single channel mono and is also very good. The film is presented in its original widescreen 1.66:1 ratio. This is a good size even if you don't own a widescreen set - the movie looked great on my standard size 1.33:1 TV. The DVD also features an interesting commentary by the film's writer and director Jack Hill. Jack has a very easy going style and gives lots of behind the scenes info on the movie, cast and crew. Spider verdict : a thoroughly enjoyable tongue-in-cheek horror that comes highly recommended.

Catch This One! You'll Eat It Up...
How does one describe SPIDER BABY? Well, take "The Addams Family", add "The People Under the Stairs", toss in "Arsenic And Old Lace", blend in a tablespoon of the attitude of "Little Shop Of Horrors" with just a pinch of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", and stir violently. That comes about as close as I can get to describing it. Jack Hill has created a macabre masterpiece, full of frights and fun from beginning to end! The Merrye family have "Merrye Syndrome", a rotting of the brain, caused by generations of inbreeding. The kids Virginia (Jill Banner), Elizabeth (Beverly Washburn), and Ralph (Sid Haig) are real cut-ups! They've been isolated in a big, secluded house on a hill, watched over by Bruno (Lon Chaney Jr.) for their entire lives. Now teenagers, things are about to change. A pair of distant relatives (played by Quinn Redeker and Carol Ohmart) have come, with sleazy lawyer in tow, to take control and institutionalize the children. Unfortunately for these invaders, they don't know just how crazy the kids really are. They are also ignorant of the fact that these siblings are cannibals! If they had known, they would never have spent the night! SPIDER BABY relies on a cool story, great acting, dark humor, and creepiness to overcome it's microscopic budget (just think of all those mega-budget stinkers over the years). It's an ensemble effort that pays off. Buy it now...

Excellent
I was lucky enough to catch this on a big screen at the Cleveland Cinematheque a while ago. SPIDER BABY is an ominous study of hereditary evil that's not afraid to elicit laughter
along with its frights. Wonderfully warped in every way.

"Ralph's allowed to eat anything that he catches"...
Also known as THE LIVER EATERS, and subtitled THE MADDEST STORY EVER TOLD (a variation on the DeMille movie); this 30th Anniversary DVD of Jack (FOXY BROWN) Hill's horror classic SPIDER BABY is a real treat. For a movie addict like myself, discovering this is like having Xmas come early.
Hill's script deals with an imaginary medical condition known as "Merrye's Syndrome", a "rotting of the brain" a disease so awful many authorities are in denial of its existance. The result of inbreeding, the sufferer experiences age regression, which is to say as the body grows, the mind gets younger. SPIDER BABY tells the story of "that fateful day ten years ago" that Merrye's Syndrome was wiped out forever.
Despite their name, the Merrye family are anything but and make the Addams family look like the Cleavers by comparison.
Horror legend Lon Chaney Jr has one of his best roles as Bruno Schlocker, the Merrye family's new chauffeur- though unknown to him the previous driver was "webbed" by Virginia Merrye (Jill Banner), one of their cute but deranged daughters. As if that wasn't enough the poor chap also had his ears hacked off with a pair of carving knives. What a lovely young lady. The other psychotic daughter is Elizabeth (Beverly Washburn) also cute, but suffering from radical brain rot. And last but not least is Ralph (Sid Haig) an unfortunate fellow who stalks and kills domestic cats, which the Merryes then roast and serve to their guests; who are told they're eating rabbit. Ironically, the Merrye family are all vegans because.... nope. No spoilers.
During dinner one of the guests asks Bruno: "Isn't Ralph a vegetarian too?" to which Bruno replies: "Yes, but Ralph's allowed to eat anything that he catches".
DVD extras include Commentary by Jack Hill: which is actually worth listening to (Unlike some bloated commentaries by Hollywood egoists and talentless film makers); filmographies for Hill and Lon Chaney Jr; plus footage of the 30th Anniversary reunion presented by archivist Johnny Legend as well as an additional 8 minutes of previously unseen footage.
A must have for cult movie buffs; SPIDER BABY is a true original and four decades on it retains its creepy fascination. Buy it and let the SPIDER BABY weave its macabre web on you!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jack Hill's 1975 drive-in opus, Switchblade Sisters, hasall the requisite cheese and then some: girl fights, gun duels, sex-starvedreform school guards, flashes of nudity, and evenAfrican-American-Maoist-revolutionary-butt-kicking chicks who don'ttake nonsense from anyone. The story is a prime example of how the influence of great filmmakers canbe reprocessed into pure exploitation: Maggie (Joanne Nail), a smart, newmember of a distaff gang, presents a threat to the group's established leader(Robbie Lee). The intricacies of their subsequent relationship--love, betrayal,and a battle for control--has numerous echoes of the films of Nicholas Rayand Howard Hawks, and Hill plays it all with a seriousness that underscoresthe heart within this trash classic. No wonder Quentin Tarantino becamethis film's latter-day benefactor, promoting its 1998 theatrical re-release under the auspices of his revival imprint, Rolling Thunder Pictures.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Fun 70s exploitation flick.
"Are they young rebels fighting for survival in a decaying society? Or are they hoodlums taking advantage of their youth?"
Directed by Jack Hill, SWITCHBLADE SISTERS is a cult classic that was sadly overlooked until Quentin Tarantino managed to get it re-released. Cinema snobs (People who think the only films worth watching are arthouse junk that make "statements") will look down on anyone who calls this a movie- but those of us who aren't pretentious geeks (i.e: ME, & hopefully YOU who are reading this) will see merit in this cheesy B grade sex & violence entertainment.
Also known as THE JEZEBELS & PLAYGIRL GANG, the movie centers around two street gangs The Dagger Debs: Lace (Robbie Lee), Patch (Monica Gayle), Donut (Kitty Bruce- Lenny's daughter) & Bunny (Janice Karmen) & their male counterparts the Silver Daggers; who run a drugs & prostitution racket at their high school.
One night at a diner the Dagger Debs try to recruit a customer named Maggie (Joanne Nail) to the gang after she pulls a knife on Patch & nearly cuts out her good eye. Unfortunately the cops sweep the place and Maggie is jailed along with the rest of the gang.
On their release, the gang decide to put Maggie through her first test towards becoming a member. This involves seducing some greasy gimp named Clutch (Paul Lichtman) & stealing his medallion as part of the initiation; but in an act of retaliation Clutch abducts & rapes Bunny, leaving her hospitalised in a critical condition.

This of course leads to an all-out gang war in the movie's latter third- with The Dagger Debs re-christening themselves The Jezebels & joining forces with the Silver Daggers & soon the streets are flowing with blood. There is however, some brief insight into the psychology of the gangs: an explaination one of the Silver Daggers gives for being in a gang is because of his insecurity over having a crooked willy. Now there's a plausible reason to go out and knife people!
SWITCHBLADE SISTERS is a fun explotation flick, but is a bit lacking in the T&A department (that's not to say there isn't any, though)- it's also worth noting that this was made four years before Walter Hill's THE WARRIORS which made this genre hip. Granted, SWITCHBLADE SISTERS isn't up to the standards of director Jack Hill's earlier classic SPIDER BABY; but for its kitschy late night entertainment value, SWITCHBLADE SISTERS is hard to beat. Check it out.

A terrible beauty
This film is top-notch comedy that is terrible on purpose. Kick back with your film student friends and show them this example of film for the fun of it.

Awesomely Bad!
This movie is great, horrible acting, super-low budget, very over-the-top. It's no West Side Story, but definately hilarious after a couple of drinks. Truly Le Bad Cinema!

Great exploitation film
Tarantino's Rolling Thunder Pictures video collection is something for true fans.
From the arthouse masterpiece Chungking Express (also available) to the blaxploitationfilm Detroit 9000 (also available), this series delivers a small collection of different genre classics.

Switchblade sisters even offers exclusive Jack Hill special features including his first film!

Quintessential exploitation, in a good way.
I'm tired of people who consider themselves above the "camp" films they are extolling displaying their sense of superiority to the films they supposedly admire. For example, there is nothing at all "terrible" about the technical aspects of the Evil Dead films (read the other reviews and you'll understand to what I am referring) especially when their budgets are taken into consideration. As for Switchblade Sisters, let me just say that this is one of those quintessential flicks that blur the boundary between "art" and "exploitaiton," much like Jess Franco's better films. In fact, this is precisely what Tarantino did in Pulp Fiction: but since that film had a bigger budget and name actors, mainstream audiences reacted differently. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Pam Grier and Sid Haig stole the show in Jack Hill's Filipino-women-in-prison hit The Big Doll House, and they pretty much power this superior action-packed semi-sequel as a South American Bonnie-and-Clyde team. The revolutionaries with mercenary hearts decide to liberate the inmates of a jungle women's prison at the urging of their lonely army of single men. All the conventions are there--scantily clad women, a deranged warden (so evil he kicks a puppy in his first scene!), catfights, the occasional kinky punishment, and of course all those showers. But Hill softens the usual sadistic formula with tongue-in-cheek humor (Haig infiltrates the all-gay prison-guard squad by shamelessly flirting with the captain) and a zippy pace. Though not quite as empowering as Caged Heat, The Big Bird Cage remains one of the most energized and entertaining women-in-prison films ever made. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Big Classic!!
Wow....I just finished watching this movie and it is a real jem. Ladies in prison flicks are cool but this one takes the cake as far as campy goes. Here are some of the things you will experience if you watch this flick.
1. Tons of 70's babes with tight skimpy outfits on.
2. More babes with skimpy outfits on.
3. Homosexual prison gaurds
4. Homosexual prison warden
5. A Philipino Revolution
6. More 70's babes with tight outfits on.
7. A woman hanging by her ponytail as punishment for trying to escape
8. Mud wrestling
9. Crazed women inmates imprisoned in an cage with other crazy wild women (they act like animals....funny!)
10. Inmates who want to be "raped" by men, because they haven't "had any sex in a very long time".
11. More sex starved female inmates in tight outfits.....especially one very "hot blond babe" who begs for sex!!
I must admit this is by far the funniest and sickest movie I have seen in a long time. The plot centers around this band of revolutionaries who want to take over thier country by force. They come up with the crazy idea of breaking into an all "womens prison" and freeing the women who will help them with the revolution.(This is the first time I have ever seen anyone break "into" a prison.) Not much of what goes on makes any sence but it sure makes for one hell of a laugh riot. Roger Corman impressed me again. I have only seen one other Roger Corman movie "Bucket of Blood" and I have to admit that this film is stranger and funnier than "Bucket". As I was watching this film I kept asking myself "Is Roger Corman for real?... is he trying to be serious or trying to be funny?"....the script is a zany hoot and the film kept my attention all the way through. I recieved the VHS version and there was 2 spots where the audio did not sync up to the film, this error actually added to the wierdness of the flick. The entire movie had that "made for T.V" feel to it. There is some nudity and bad launguage but the contentnt is so bizzare and offbeat that it deserved a "R" rating. I highly recommned this film for the cinema nut who thinks he has seen it all. You will not be dissapointed!.....the highlight of the film is when halfway thru the movie you find out the prison guards and warden prefer men sexually over women...gay prison guards!!!!.....this twist in the scipt is just TOO FUNNY!!........buy it today....you will thank me!!

Saving Stars for Quality Films
This movie was highly enjoyable; one of the highlights for me was the revolutionary humor; a goofball group of wanna-be revolutionaries decide they need chicks from prison to have their revolution. Their leader stays in power by making increasingly dubious promises that the revolution is coming "soon."
I watched this film because I'm a Pam Grier fan. I'm very interested in her progression from 'chicks in chains' films (such as this one) through her 'half badass, half exploited for skin' roles in the 1970s to her legendary performance as the classy, kickass Jackie Brown, possibly the climax of her career.
Indeed, it's hard to believe that this film contains the same Pam as Jackie Brown. I would recommend this film to people who are interested in Pam's career; if you want to watch it for other reasons, that's up to you.

B-movie Splendor
I would have to say this was a brilliant movie. I was highly entertained from this Mr.Corman and Hill flick. Beautiful women getting roughed up, from the somewhat feminine guards. Pam Grier gets your full attention.

Good Movie
There are tons of women in prison films out there. There are so many that often times they seem almost repetitive. However, this film was very unique because it provided a great mix of comedy and action. Pam Grier as a tough revolutionary provided all the action as she ploted to free the mistreated women from prison. The comedy mostly came from the sexually deprived women, who were full of one-liners and crazy notions. But of course the movie still contained all the things that make a good prison explotation film....lots of nudity...violence...bad laguage and did I mention lots of nudity. It's worth seeing! If you like it also check out THE BIG DOLL HOUSE. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Too many cooks?
This movie is a legendary mess - Roger Corman wrapped filming on THE RAVEN early, and not wishing to waste a castle set and the remainder of Boris Karloff's contract, started a gothic movie, then handed this unfinished flick to a series of proteges to complete. Jack Hill, Francis Ford Coppola, and Monte Hellman all took cracks at trying to make sense of an unfinished script. THE TERROR is often referred to as a movie without a plot - there's a plot in there alright, but you've got to be prepared to fight for it. Worth seeing if only for the combination of Karloff and an alarmingly young Jack Nicholson.

Not Really a "Terror", But It's Still Good!
I have watched this movie twice on TV in the past, and I enjoyed it. Even though it's called "The Terror", it doesn't seem like a terror movie, but it is still entertaining. Jack Nicholson starred in this one (he was young then, just like in the original "Little Shop of Horrors" he was in before this one), and he played a Napoleon soldier. His then-wife, Sandra Knight, played Helene who was a "ghost" in the movie, and Boris Karloff, a famous horror movie actor, played the Baron.
This movie is a little phony, like the "witch" in the movie...and how she died. I never dreamed that lightning can burn a witch to a crisp like in this movie, just because she saw the hawk flying in the sky! Same thing at the ending when Nicholson kissed the beautiful Helene, who then melted on the ground, revealing her skeleton. Nice special effects in the 1960s...I give them (and Roger Corman) credit for that.
This is a good movie, although not Oscar-winning, to watch on a rainy day for fun.

Yes, Adult Human Beings Really Got Together and Made This!
The history of the movie is far more interesting than the movie, itself. Corman had three extra days after his prematurely wrapped The Raven shoot, and tossed this thing together off the top of his (and everybody else's) head to end up making two features for the price of one. Considering the circumstances, the thing is a masterpiece.

Of course, the finished product neither knows nor cares about the circumstances, which is why this movie is doubly entertaining. The mix of costuming and acting styles, the endless anachronisms throwing the audience out of suspension of disbelief that they are in Napoleonic era Germany (or is it supposed to be Spain? and if so, why so many German names? and if not, where does one get a seaside cliff in Germany?) - not to mention the genuinely really bad acting from pretty much everyone involved (including Karloff, who almost certainly didn't take it seriously), and the grossly mixed accents of the cast - make this one endlessly entertaining, in that drop-your-jaw, I-can't-believe-adult-human-beings-actually-got-together-and-made-this-thing kind of way.

It actually has a plot, which if you're really attentive and diligent you can pick out in the last five minutes of the movie, and if you do, it's terribly clever and grossly improbable, which just makes it all that much more fun.

But you won't care about that. What you really want to see is Jack Nicholson performing flatter than a block of wood, his then-wife Sandra Knight with an accent and acting style flatter still (though she is quite beautiful), Dorothy Neumann as a cackling revenge-driven old witch, Bronx-accented Dick Miller as a supposedly very German manservant, and Karloff struggling to keep a straight face given all the preceding impediments.

Nicholson happily confesses in interviews that they all had a ball making this wonderfully absurd movie, and it actually shows. Interestingly enough, if you're in the right mood, you can even see the horror movie this almost was, if they'd had more time to make it really work. There are some good gore effects - a man's eyes gouged out by a killer hawk, and an incredibly goopy melting woman, topping the list - and it's pretty handsomely produced, even with a decently eerie musical soundtrack throughout.

Don't watch it because it's good - watch it because it's FUN.

The best B horror movie of its class!
The Terror is simply a fun B horror flick. Forget the acting, it's terrible, but that's its charm (it's worth it just to see the early Nicholson). It's the atmosphere that makes this movie a classic. The musical score gives it the true feel of the late night horror genre. Of course it's not scary, but that's beside the point. The ancient castle with its wonderful architecture, the ocean waves crashing on the rocky beach, the "old women" and her shack in the woods, and Stephan (the butler) whose performance is reminiscent of a Mel Brooks movie, make it a treat. For Karloff fans, this is a must see. I've been a fan of Corman's work for quite some time, and I think this is one of his better films. I would also recommend "Die Monster Die," directed by Daniel Haller, for those incurable Karloff fans.

Low-budget, snail-paced movie...typical Jack Nicholson stuff
This movie moves at a snail's pace as a soldier takes shelter at an old Baron's castle while searching for a mysterious woman he discovered at the beach near the castle. Boris Karlof's performance as the elderly Baron is the only one that makes this movie worth watching for the first half hour, and even then his acting gets lame and overleveled. Just like other typical Jack Nicholson movies, the movie is very slow, and extremely boring. It is not scary, and it is very easy to see that it is fake and stagy...Rent it, don't buy it. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Get a real buzz on.
Quickie-flick exploitation master Roger Corman produced and directed this epic example of schlock cinema. A forty-something cosmetics magnate takes experimental injections derived from royal wasp jelly to look twenty years younger. Impatient to achieve the desired results, she overdoses on the stuff. The massive jolt of wasp juice causes sporadic "insect girl" transformations that lead to murder. We doubt that Corman intended this little sci-fi thriller to be camp entertainment, but that perspective works best in viewing this film. The fright "makeup" consists of a bug-eyed head mask complete with antennae and goofy looking mittens with claws (or is it stingers?) that leave the human wrists conspicuously visible. Regardless of logic, the apparently wingless creature makes an insect wing buzzing sound, raised by several decibels. The acting, dialogue, and production values are typically low budget. The comic relief provided by Maureen "The Princess of Flatbush" is worth the purchase price alone. Die-hard fans of cheesy movies will recognize the slow-witted janitor as Yvette Vickers' slow-witted husband in "Attack of the Giant Leeches." This guy has very bad luck with women in both films. Collectors need this one, regardless. To others out there: get a buzz on. ;-)

A beautiful woman by day - a lusting queen wasp by night.
From Roger Corman, one of the most prolific director/producers in Hollywood, comes The Wasp Woman (1960), a film that was most probably influenced by 1958's The Fly, with Vincent Price. Hey, if Hollywood can turn a man into a fly, why not turn a woman into a wasp? Well, no one ever accused Corman of originality.

The movie opens up with a scientist getting fired from a company the produces honey as he is doing some strange experimentation. Seems the Scientist, Eric Zinthrop, played by Michael Mark, has been exploring the notion of using royal jelly to create a rejuvenation formula. After getting fired, Zinthrop contacts Janice Starlin, played by Susan Cabot, the head of Starlin Cosmetics. Starlin Cosmetics is losing sales due to the fact that Ms. Starlin was the only spokesperson for the cosmetics, and now that she is aging, sales are falling off.

After talking to Zinthrop and seeing his success on turning back time with various animals, she hires him on, sets him up in a lab, and they begin treatments on her. The process appears to be working, but Ms. Starlin becomes impatient, wanting more results quicker, so she secretly starts injecting herself with the formula. What happens? Take a guess...I mean, the movie is titled The Wasp Woman.

The acting wasn't bad, but we didn't even see the wasp woman until almost an hour into this rather talky feature. There are some bloody deaths, and the make up to create the wasp woman isn't all that bad, but the movie would have benefited from not making us wait so long in seeing the creature, filling up the 73 minute run time with nonsensical plot threads that don't develop.

Alpha Video provides an exceptionally poor print here, as the film has all kinds of blemishes and even drops out briefly at a couple of points. The picture appears washed out, and the audio is pretty poor. No special features here in this barebones release, not even a trailer, but for under ten bucks I wasn't expecting much. Now that I've experienced the quality of Alpha Video, I doubt I will buy any more of their releases. I would recommend someone interested in owning this movie on DVD to do a little research, as I have since found out a number of companies have released a version, some even on double bills with other movies. I will say the cover art on the Alpha Video release looks enticing, but, as with most things in life, you get what you pay for here.

Cookieman108

CAMPY HORROR AT IT'S BEST!!!
THE WASP WOMAN, ORIGINALLY RELEASED IN 1959, IS A CLASSIC CAMP HORROR FILM.
IT'S PLOT AND ACTING WERE VERY GOOD.
THE SPECIAL EFFECTS WERE JUST LIKE MANY OTHER FILMS OF IT'S TIME, FOR EXAMPLE, THE FLY, WITH VINCENT PRICE.
VERY TAME BY TODAY'S STANDARDS, BUT FOR SOME GOOD CLASSIC HORROR ENTERTAINMENT, CHECK THIS ONE OUT!!
IT'S VERY GOOD!!

The Leech Woman
"The Leech Woman" with Colleen Gray (also Grant Williams and Gloria Talbot) was the film you saw. In it she plays a woman with a wish to grow younger and finds the answer in the necks of young men! She uses a ring with a sharp point to puncture (I think) the spinal cord and drink the fluid. In "The Wasp Woman" Susan Cabot finds the answer to youth by injecting wasp enzymes into her blood stream thus making her beautiful by day and not so beautiful by night! "The Wasp Woman" was released in 1959.

I was too young to see "The Leech Woman" in 1959/'60 at the theater but I saw it on tv in the late 60s or early 70s, and I loved it! I saw "The Wasp Woman," in the late '60s, on TV as well.

prepubescent horror
Ok, slipstream back almost a half century ago. A coupla boys (me an Donnie) each plunk down our quarters at the Aggieville Campus Theater and enter into the forbidden world of cinema. First stop: the concession stand where I choose the usual Mike & Ike jellys (it was a game to see what flavor you put in your mouth by the shape but really they mostly tasted the same). Donnie (died in 1969 from leukimia) always chose malted milk balls because he knew I hated them. Next stop: the drinking fountains, one for adults and one for kids. I wonder how many chipped teeth was the result of us kids trying to jump up and to hang on just to look grown up to our peers, not to mention getting a good face washing. Third stop: right next to the drinking fountains was an Art Deco statue of a naked lady. Full sized as I recall, black granite carved. I knew I wanted it but not sure why, perhaps it was her smile when she looked at me. Last stop: Wasp Woman, the movie. I was young and the memory fades into the unsure since. But if this "Wasp Woman" movie is about a woman killing people with a special ring and then drinking their blood to achieve youth let me tell you it scared the beejeesus out of me. This movie and "Invaders From Mars" was the reason I was a bedwetter. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

"Porky's" without the benefit of a clever script
For adolescent boys with limited outlets, this may be a chance to get an eyeful of T&A. Anyone looking for a clever comedy, this isn't it. Totally High School, reminiscent of 70's "Mr. Microphone" cruising for "chicks". Were these cheesy tease-movies really necessary? A few episodes of "Charlie's Angels" or "Bay Watch" would be a better time investment. "Swinging Cheerleaders" looks and sounds as though it was "created" as they went along. Devoid of plot or memorable lines, this film is flat as dead Pepsi (or should I say TAB?). Two points only for the camp-quality and the occasional ha-ha scene. Serious or experienced film buffs need not waste their time.**

Kitschy 70's Film from the days of Drive-In Theaters
I saw this film as part of a Cheerleader triple feature with my husband, then boyfriend at the local drive-in theater. It was the only film to have a plot and to hold my interest. In addition, it had a talented cast, my favorites being Colleen Camp and Rainbeaux Smith. The story is not deep, but then again, this movie doesn't pretend to make a big political statement or address social issues. It is just mindless campy fun from the 1970's, with some sex thrown in. It reminds me of an adult cartoon, and has been referred to by Director Jack Hill as a "Disney Sex Comedy." The picture quality is excellent and crisp, which really brings out the cartoonish, artificial look of the sets. (Jack Hill shot this film in 12 days, so you're not looking at a big budget production.) The men's feathered haircuts are especially hilarious, and be sure to check out the psychedelic wallpaper in the Star Jock's apartment. The DVD includes Director's Commentary which is just as interesting as the movie itself, plus the 30-second and 60-second trailers. This film is considered the best of the "B-Movie" cheerleader genre and is a great "cabin fever" movie to watch over and over again. For those of you baby boomers who saw this film in a drive-in, it will be a nostalgic reminder of your teenage years.

Campy Cheerleading Flick
If you like watching cheerleaders, then this might be the ticket for you; however, Bring it On was much more entertaining.

The movie has a weak plot about a girl who infiltrates a cheerleading squad for a newspaper story. This is the kind of movie that you watch at 3:00 a.m. on Cable TV when you can't sleep. I have a sneaking suspecion that this movie did not last long on the screen. The only real star in the movie is Collene Camp, who could be called one of best B movie queens (I think this was one of her first movies). However, even she could not bring life to this bad movie.

Disney-esque sex comedy
In deciding whether or not "The Swinging Cheerleaders" is for you, it might help to know that you won't find anything in the movie resembling the suggestive scene depicted on the front of the video box. Sure, there's some sex and nudity, but not a whole lot of it, and it's pretty tame, relatively speaking. If you're expecting cheap T&A thrills, you'll probably be disappointed, and you'd be better off looking elsewhere. I'm not familiar with any of Jack Hill's other works, nor am I qualified to expound on any cultural or social signifigance behind "The Swinging Cheerleaders." It's commendable that they tried to instill real quality and morals into this movie instead of just churning out some mindless exploitation film. That's probably why this is apparantly considered one of the best films of the genre. In my opinion, it's okay, but definitely not great. It's all kind of wholesome and bland in a Disney sort of way, but with some sex and nudity thrown in. The ending is strangely abrupt and could've benefited from an extra scene or two. Rainbeaux Smith is my favourite part of this movie. She's very sexy and cute and sweet, and I wouldn't mind seeing anything else she's been in. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A great racing movie!!! Classic Drive -In fare!!!
This is one awesome movie from director Jack Hill(Spider Baby,Coffy,Foxy Brown)!!! It's a about the wild and crazy world of figure 8 style racing!!! Plenty of footage of this wild sport is in this flim!!! This DVD revved to the max with oodles of extras and this cult classic deserves every on of them!!! The commentary with Jack Hill and Johnny Legend is ultra cool and very informative!!! The featurette is mega cool too!!! This disc also has many more extras including trailers and more!!! It's also enhanced for 16:9 TVs!!! In Classic Black and White!!! A true 60's classic!!!

"All About Eve" Burns Rubber
Greasy, cowlicked creep gets popped out of jail for street dragging by Brian Donlevy who promises him beer, women and song in demolition derby racing.
Once he gets a taste of the pennzoil and cocaine in his blood stream he stops at nothing to hustle his way to the top, leaving a trail of bloodied and broken racers and lot lizards behind him.
Sid Haig is coolest star in this film, and it's a kick to see a young Ellen Burstyn as a gear-jamming honey, too. One of Jack Hill's best.

cool car flick
If you like old american cars and auto racing this film is a must see.The film is a low budget picture with some cool old racing footage on figure 8 race tracks and stock car tracks.The film has some cool footage of Barris custom car shop and a bunch of his cars appear in the film,theres a cool scene where they show all types of old dune buggies racing in the desert.If you're obsessed with cars like I am, you'll get a kick out of the film its got a lot of cool cars and alot of action. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Back when Jack Nicholson was a Hollywood unknown appearing in Roger Corman quickies such as Crybaby Killer and Little Shop of Horrors, it wasn't unusual for Corman to make a movie in just a few days. That was the case with this nifty little thriller, which was filmed in just three days using the same sets that Corman had used in his Boris Karloff thriller The Raven, which Corman had finished ahead of schedule. In fact, the sets were being torn down almost as fast as Corman could film them, but that hasn't stopped this moody little gem from acquiring a modicum of cult status over the years. Karloff plays the alleged baron of an isolated castle on the Baltic coast, where a Napoleonic officer (played by Nicholson!) appears after becoming intrigued by the presence of a mysterious and beautiful woman.Karloff's baron has a dark history, of course, and creepy atmosphere makes up for the minimal plot, which makes The Terror a vintage treat for horror fans. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Too many cooks?
This movie is a legendary mess - Roger Corman wrapped filming on THE RAVEN early, and not wishing to waste a castle set and the remainder of Boris Karloff's contract, started a gothic movie, then handed this unfinished flick to a series of proteges to complete. Jack Hill, Francis Ford Coppola, and Monte Hellman all took cracks at trying to make sense of an unfinished script. THE TERROR is often referred to as a movie without a plot - there's a plot in there alright, but you've got to be prepared to fight for it. Worth seeing if only for the combination of Karloff and an alarmingly young Jack Nicholson.

Not Really a "Terror", But It's Still Good!
I have watched this movie twice on TV in the past, and I enjoyed it. Even though it's called "The Terror", it doesn't seem like a terror movie, but it is still entertaining. Jack Nicholson starred in this one (he was young then, just like in the original "Little Shop of Horrors" he was in before this one), and he played a Napoleon soldier. His then-wife, Sandra Knight, played Helene who was a "ghost" in the movie, and Boris Karloff, a famous horror movie actor, played the Baron.
This movie is a little phony, like the "witch" in the movie...and how she died. I never dreamed that lightning can burn a witch to a crisp like in this movie, just because she saw the hawk flying in the sky! Same thing at the ending when Nicholson kissed the beautiful Helene, who then melted on the ground, revealing her skeleton. Nice special effects in the 1960s...I give them (and Roger Corman) credit for that.
This is a good movie, although not Oscar-winning, to watch on a rainy day for fun.

Yes, Adult Human Beings Really Got Together and Made This!
The history of the movie is far more interesting than the movie, itself. Corman had three extra days after his prematurely wrapped The Raven shoot, and tossed this thing together off the top of his (and everybody else's) head to end up making two features for the price of one. Considering the circumstances, the thing is a masterpiece.

Of course, the finished product neither knows nor cares about the circumstances, which is why this movie is doubly entertaining. The mix of costuming and acting styles, the endless anachronisms throwing the audience out of suspension of disbelief that they are in Napoleonic era Germany (or is it supposed to be Spain? and if so, why so many German names? and if not, where does one get a seaside cliff in Germany?) - not to mention the genuinely really bad acting from pretty much everyone involved (including Karloff, who almost certainly didn't take it seriously), and the grossly mixed accents of the cast - make this one endlessly entertaining, in that drop-your-jaw, I-can't-believe-adult-human-beings-actually-got-together-and-made-this-thing kind of way.

It actually has a plot, which if you're really attentive and diligent you can pick out in the last five minutes of the movie, and if you do, it's terribly clever and grossly improbable, which just makes it all that much more fun.

But you won't care about that. What you really want to see is Jack Nicholson performing flatter than a block of wood, his then-wife Sandra Knight with an accent and acting style flatter still (though she is quite beautiful), Dorothy Neumann as a cackling revenge-driven old witch, Bronx-accented Dick Miller as a supposedly very German manservant, and Karloff struggling to keep a straight face given all the preceding impediments.

Nicholson happily confesses in interviews that they all had a ball making this wonderfully absurd movie, and it actually shows. Interestingly enough, if you're in the right mood, you can even see the horror movie this almost was, if they'd had more time to make it really work. There are some good gore effects - a man's eyes gouged out by a killer hawk, and an incredibly goopy melting woman, topping the list - and it's pretty handsomely produced, even with a decently eerie musical soundtrack throughout.

Don't watch it because it's good - watch it because it's FUN.

The best B horror movie of its class!
The Terror is simply a fun B horror flick. Forget the acting, it's terrible, but that's its charm (it's worth it just to see the early Nicholson). It's the atmosphere that makes this movie a classic. The musical score gives it the true feel of the late night horror genre. Of course it's not scary, but that's beside the point. The ancient castle with its wonderful architecture, the ocean waves crashing on the rocky beach, the "old women" and her shack in the woods, and Stephan (the butler) whose performance is reminiscent of a Mel Brooks movie, make it a treat. For Karloff fans, this is a must see. I've been a fan of Corman's work for quite some time, and I think this is one of his better films. I would also recommend "Die Monster Die," directed by Daniel Haller, for those incurable Karloff fans.

Low-budget, snail-paced movie...typical Jack Nicholson stuff
This movie moves at a snail's pace as a soldier takes shelter at an old Baron's castle while searching for a mysterious woman he discovered at the beach near the castle. Boris Karlof's performance as the elderly Baron is the only one that makes this movie worth watching for the first half hour, and even then his acting gets lame and overleveled. Just like other typical Jack Nicholson movies, the movie is very slow, and extremely boring. It is not scary, and it is very easy to see that it is fake and stagy...Rent it, don't buy it. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

I Shall Astound the World!
Track of the Vampire is a silly paste job done by AIP and Roger Corman in 1964, but it works on a so-bad-it's-good level. A confusing hodgepodge of witchcraft, vampirism(attacks in broad daylight!), a house of wax, and beatniks(?!). My favorite parts involve interpretive dance (a lot of girls leaping about in a gym) and the origin of quantum painting.
Jack Hill, without really meaning to, made one hell of a hooty cult film here. Recommended.

Nightmare Castle is a suprisingly creepy and effective movie
This review covers Nightmare Castle only, not Track of the Vampire, which is included on the 2 movie dvd.

This is a surprisingly creepy and effective movie. Barbara Steele play two characters to great effect and after watching the movie twice I am calling it one of the best European gothic horrors of the 60's... once you get past the terrible dubbing and grainy print that is. There is a little bit of haunted house, crazy doctor, depraved torture, gorgeous babe and a story that is actually interesting and compelling.

Barbara Steele plays two sisters, Jenny and Muriel. Muriel is married to a scientists, Dr. Arrowsmith (Paul Mueller), and they live in a castle along with a maid, butler and handyman. Muriel is having an affair with the handyman and they are caught by the doctor. He chains them up and tortures them for awhile before Muriel tells him that she has changed her will, and the castle and all of her money have been left to her sister, Jenny, who has been living in an asylum because she is somehow feeble. The doctor then kills both Muriel and her lover and next thing we know he arrives home with Muriel's sister, Jenny, as his new bride.

The maid at at the house, Solange, has a severely scarred face and the doctor is working on some sort of serum based on human blood to restore beauty to her face. They also have plans to get Jenny committed permanently to the asylum so they can take over her newly inherited fortune. They start doing little things to push her over the edge and Jenny starts having strange nightmares.

Jenny's doctor from the asylum, Dr. Joyce, is sent for by her husband to witness how unstable she has become. He arrives at the castle and after a day or two starts figuring out that Dr. Arrowhead and Solange are up to no good. Around this time the dead Muriel and her lover make an appearance at the castle seeking their revenge. Without spoiling the movie too much, I will say that Solange and Dr. Arrowhead start getting what is coming to them.

The movie is 80 minutes long and I read at one review website that apparently there is another version on VHS with more footage. But this dvd version along with Track of The Vampire is barely more money than a rental which makes it a worthwhile purchase, especially because there are no plans at the moment for any company to re-release an longer version of this gem of a movie.

Dark, gothic and eerie
This review covers Nightmare Castle only, not Track of the Vampire, which is included on the 2 movie dvd.

This is a surprisingly creepy and effective movie. Barbara Steele play two characters to great effect and after watching the movie twice I am calling it one of the best European gothic horrors of the 60's... once you get past the terrible dubbing and grainy print that is. There is a little bit of haunted house, crazy doctor, depraved torture, gorgeous babe and a story that is actually interesting and compelling.

Barbara Steele plays two sisters, Jenny and Muriel. Muriel is married to a scientists, Dr. Arrowsmith (Paul Mueller), and they live in a castle along with a maid, butler and handyman. Muriel is having an affair with the handyman and they are caught by the doctor. He chains them up and tortures them for awhile before Muriel tells him that she has changed her will, and the castle and all of her money have been left to her sister, Jenny, who has been living in an asylum because she is somehow feeble. The doctor then kills both Muriel and her lover and next thing we know he arrives home with Muriel's sister, Jenny, as his new bride.

The maid at at the house, Solange, has a severely scarred face and the doctor is working on some sort of serum based on human blood to restore beauty to her face. They also have plans to get Jenny committed permanently to the asylum so they can take over her newly inherited fortune. They start doing little things to push her over the edge and Jenny starts having strange nightmares.

Jenny's doctor from the asylum, Dr. Joyce, is sent for by her husband to witness how unstable she has become. He arrives at the castle and after a day or two starts figuring out that Dr. Arrowhead and Solange are up to no good. Around this time the dead Muriel and her lover make an appearance at the castle seeking their revenge. Without spoiling the movie too much, I will say that Solange and Dr. Arrowhead start getting what is coming to them.

The movie is 80 minutes long and I read at one review website that apparently there is another version on VHS with more footage. But this dvd version along with Track of The Vampire is barely more money than a rental at around[X]which makes it a worthwhile purchase, especially because there are no plans at the moment for any company to re-release an longer version of this gem of a movie.

Glad I read the other reviews...
I have other "drive-in" tapes from Madacy and am quite happy with them. TRACK OF THE VAMPIRE sounded intriguing, and the price was right. I was all set to lambast this film, until I read the other reviews and was informed that there was footage missing. I love 50's trash horror, bad acting, etc., but I wasn't prepared to be as bored as I was. I guess I don't equate bad acting with sleepwalking. And what was with that overlong deal with the dancer on the beach? Suddenly, it was over. On came a Betty Boop cartoon. I thought OH JOY! The cartoon wasn't even that good, though Ms. Boop showed maximum cleavage and overt sexiness, apparently before she ran into trouble with the Hayes code (1932). Surprise! The second film, NIGHTMARE CASTLE was blessedly interesting. Directed by Allan Gruenewald (real name: Mario Caiano) and starring the wonderfully confident Barbara Steele, we have here a film of great style, if not substance. Though poorly dubbed, fans of this genre don't really care. I didn't. Lotsa schlock & silly stuff entertained. Upon further investigation, I was interested to find out that TRACK was actually pasted together with footage from a Yugoslavian film and originally released by AIP as BLOOD BATH. Forget this version of TRACK, but CASTLE is definitely worth a look. Quality of print is also questionable. Madacy did a much better job with BLOOD CREATURE/WEREWOLF IN A GIRLS' DORMITORY. Check 'em out!

At last on DVD but what happened to the negative?
This is one of those atmospheric horror films churned out from AIP during the 60's heyday which made its way to late night TV. It has had a fascinating history being culled from numerous sources and creative hands. (Video Watchdog magazine had an excellent multipart chronology on its making.)That being said, why on earth did Madacy not transfer a complete version of this film to DVD? The rights were available on VHS from Sinister Cinema distributor and that version is complete.

How can the DVD be missing chunks of original footage that was available even on tv? They need to recall the current crop and rerelease it correctly. Dream on.

The film itself is not great or best of vampire films, but it had a dark mood and some chilling scenes that mixed eroticism with suspense. Don't look too closely for the plot and the overall feel of the film does crawl under your skin. I recommend Dementia 13 for folks who like this flick. ... Read more

Description

Boris Karloff (Frankenstein, The Mummy)stars in this classic tale of Voodoo and reptiles. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Too many cooks?
This movie is a legendary mess - Roger Corman wrapped filming on THE RAVEN early, and not wishing to waste a castle set and the remainder of Boris Karloff's contract, started a gothic movie, then handed this unfinished flick to a series of proteges to complete. Jack Hill, Francis Ford Coppola, and Monte Hellman all took cracks at trying to make sense of an unfinished script. THE TERROR is often referred to as a movie without a plot - there's a plot in there alright, but you've got to be prepared to fight for it. Worth seeing if only for the combination of Karloff and an alarmingly young Jack Nicholson.

Not Really a "Terror", But It's Still Good!
I have watched this movie twice on TV in the past, and I enjoyed it. Even though it's called "The Terror", it doesn't seem like a terror movie, but it is still entertaining. Jack Nicholson starred in this one (he was young then, just like in the original "Little Shop of Horrors" he was in before this one), and he played a Napoleon soldier. His then-wife, Sandra Knight, played Helene who was a "ghost" in the movie, and Boris Karloff, a famous horror movie actor, played the Baron.
This movie is a little phony, like the "witch" in the movie...and how she died. I never dreamed that lightning can burn a witch to a crisp like in this movie, just because she saw the hawk flying in the sky! Same thing at the ending when Nicholson kissed the beautiful Helene, who then melted on the ground, revealing her skeleton. Nice special effects in the 1960s...I give them (and Roger Corman) credit for that.
This is a good movie, although not Oscar-winning, to watch on a rainy day for fun.

Yes, Adult Human Beings Really Got Together and Made This!
The history of the movie is far more interesting than the movie, itself. Corman had three extra days after his prematurely wrapped The Raven shoot, and tossed this thing together off the top of his (and everybody else's) head to end up making two features for the price of one. Considering the circumstances, the thing is a masterpiece.

Of course, the finished product neither knows nor cares about the circumstances, which is why this movie is doubly entertaining. The mix of costuming and acting styles, the endless anachronisms throwing the audience out of suspension of disbelief that they are in Napoleonic era Germany (or is it supposed to be Spain? and if so, why so many German names? and if not, where does one get a seaside cliff in Germany?) - not to mention the genuinely really bad acting from pretty much everyone involved (including Karloff, who almost certainly didn't take it seriously), and the grossly mixed accents of the cast - make this one endlessly entertaining, in that drop-your-jaw, I-can't-believe-adult-human-beings-actually-got-together-and-made-this-thing kind of way.

It actually has a plot, which if you're really attentive and diligent you can pick out in the last five minutes of the movie, and if you do, it's terribly clever and grossly improbable, which just makes it all that much more fun.

But you won't care about that. What you really want to see is Jack Nicholson performing flatter than a block of wood, his then-wife Sandra Knight with an accent and acting style flatter still (though she is quite beautiful), Dorothy Neumann as a cackling revenge-driven old witch, Bronx-accented Dick Miller as a supposedly very German manservant, and Karloff struggling to keep a straight face given all the preceding impediments.

Nicholson happily confesses in interviews that they all had a ball making this wonderfully absurd movie, and it actually shows. Interestingly enough, if you're in the right mood, you can even see the horror movie this almost was, if they'd had more time to make it really work. There are some good gore effects - a man's eyes gouged out by a killer hawk, and an incredibly goopy melting woman, topping the list - and it's pretty handsomely produced, even with a decently eerie musical soundtrack throughout.

Don't watch it because it's good - watch it because it's FUN.

The best B horror movie of its class!
The Terror is simply a fun B horror flick. Forget the acting, it's terrible, but that's its charm (it's worth it just to see the early Nicholson). It's the atmosphere that makes this movie a classic. The musical score gives it the true feel of the late night horror genre. Of course it's not scary, but that's beside the point. The ancient castle with its wonderful architecture, the ocean waves crashing on the rocky beach, the "old women" and her shack in the woods, and Stephan (the butler) whose performance is reminiscent of a Mel Brooks movie, make it a treat. For Karloff fans, this is a must see. I've been a fan of Corman's work for quite some time, and I think this is one of his better films. I would also recommend "Die Monster Die," directed by Daniel Haller, for those incurable Karloff fans.

Low-budget, snail-paced movie...typical Jack Nicholson stuff
This movie moves at a snail's pace as a soldier takes shelter at an old Baron's castle while searching for a mysterious woman he discovered at the beach near the castle. Boris Karlof's performance as the elderly Baron is the only one that makes this movie worth watching for the first half hour, and even then his acting gets lame and overleveled. Just like other typical Jack Nicholson movies, the movie is very slow, and extremely boring. It is not scary, and it is v