Nightmare in Wax (1969)

User Rating:

2.3/10   

Director:

Bud Townsend

Writer:

Rex Carlton (writer)

Release Date:

14 May 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Half Human... Trapped In A Bubbling Cauldron Of Terror!

Plot:

The disfigured curator of a wax museum murders his enemies and then uses their bodies as exhibits in his museum. |

Plot Keywords:

Wax Museum | Disfigured Face | Flashback Sequence | Zombie Master | Accident

Cast

Cameron Mitchell	...	Vincent Renard
Anne Helm	...	Marie Morgan
Scott Brady	...	Det. Haskell
Berry Kroeger	...	Max Black
Victoria Carroll	...	Theresa (go-go dancer)
Phillip Baird	...	Tony Deen
John 'Bud' Cardos	...	Det. Sgt. Bud Carver (as Johnny Cardos)
Hollis Morrison	...	Nick (the tour guide)
James Forrest	...	Alfred Herman
Virgil Frye	...	Ralph Tenier
Mercedes Alberti	...	Stella Costello
Barry Donohue	...	Leslie
Ingrid Dittmar	...	Secretary (as Ingrid Dittman)
Maria Polo	...	Nurse (as Marie Polo)
Lucio Pineda	...	Black's chauffeur

Also Known As:

Crimes in the Wax Museum
Monster of the Wax Museum (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

Germany:98 min | USA:91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Sweden:15 | USA:M (original rating) | USA:PG | Canada:AA (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Movieland Wax Museum - 7711 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, California, USA

Company:

Paragon International Pictures

Movie Connections:

References House of Wax (1953)

Hell Hath No Fury Like A Wax Sculptor's Scorn

Definitely not a good film but nowhere as bad as some would paint it to be. Nightmare in Wax tells the story of a man, having had his face disfigured in a typical flashback scene, wreak his vengeance on those directly responsible and those indirectly for the losses in his life - most notably the love and companionship of a beautiful young actress. Cameron Mitchell plays the artist with his typical flair, albeit limited flair. Actually, I thought he gave one of his better performances. What exactly does that mean? Mitchell wears an eye patch, endlessly smokes cigarettes, wears a motley tunic, and talks to his creations in wax. They are not your ordinary wax dummies, but rather people still alive controlled by some serum that makes them lose control of all neurological function. They become zombies in effect. I thought the premise here was inventive if nothing else. It has some ludicrous explanation, but does serve the plot. This is a film of the 60s to be sure with some psychedelic camera-work by Bud Townsend and company. The acting is mediocre but Mitchell, Scott Brady, and Barry Kroeger give interesting turns. The wax figures of Hollywood's bygone era are done very effectively and most of the location shooting was very credible. The end of the film dissipates into something not quite real - either another example of 60s cultural cinema or the end of the scriptwriter's creativity. I'm banking on the latter. Despite its many flaws, I enjoyed the film. The opening scene showing an actor being needled was effectively done as was a police chase on the waterfront.