Say the name Amicus to horror fans and immediately one word comes to mind…anthology. Anthologies or portmanteau or multi-story films were Amicus’ stock-in-trade. It helped to distinguish them from Hammer Films and from AIP (American International Pictures) who were the primary purveyors of quality low budget horror films during the 1960s and 70s. Movies with outlandish titles like DR. TERROR’S HOUSE OF HORRORS, THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD, and FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE meant that fans of old school or classic horror were in for some stylish cheap thrills. But Amicus was quite capable of putting out good, solid single story horror films like THE SKULL, I, MONSTER, SCREAM & SCREAM AGAIN, & THE BEAST MUST DIE but AND NOW THE SCREAMING STARTS is the pick of the lot.
Originally titled BRIDE OF FENGRIFFIN when it went into production (the less subtle title came from Amicus co-founder Milton Subotsky who specialized in this area) it was meant to be a direct challenge to Hammer by doing a period Gothic piece which was Hammer’s specialty. Director Roy Ward Baker had worked for Hammer and the principal cast members, with the exception of Ian Ogilvy, had all been in Hammer movies. The results are as good as anything Hammer had done. The sets & period costumes are impressive, the script & performances solid, the photography & music suitably atmospheric, in fact it’s everything a Gothic horror film should be. The story of a family curse and the effect it has on a young bride is a classic Gothic scenario. In fact SCREAMING is more pure Gothic than anything Hammer ever made and that’s saying something.
Like the Gothic literature it draws upon, SCREAMING takes a while to get going. First there’s the introduction of the characters, then there’s the story set-up before we can finally get to the action proper. A 18th century landowner (Ian Ogilvy) brings his new bride (Stefanie Beacham) to his family estate where she is soon plagued by strange visions of a disembodied hand and a rotting corpse. A specialist (Peter Cushing) is called in who, at first, thinks it all in her mind but comes to believe otherwise. The sins of the fathers, a favorite theme in Gothic literature, comes into play leading to revelations, and a highly dramatic grave desecration. If you love Gothic horror then there are few films better than this one. It’s not perfect. The pace is slow and the “famous” Amicus hand puts in a sizeable appearance, taking you out of the story whenever it does, but not enough to ruin things.
The Capsule Critic 