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The Dunwich Horror (1970) -- Wilbur Whateley pops over to the Arkham Miskatonic University to borrow the legendary Necronomicon and Sandra Dee. But little does anyone know, Whateley isn't quite human...

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Overview

User Rating:
5.1/10   1,146 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 6% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
H.P. Lovecraft (short story)
Curtis Hanson (writer) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for The Dunwich Horror on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
14 January 1970 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
A few years ago in Dunwich a half-witted girl bore illegitimate twins. One of them was almost human! more
Plot:
Wilbur Whateley pops over to the Arkham Miskatonic University to borrow the legendary Necronomicon and Sandra Dee. But little does anyone know, Whateley isn't quite human... full summary | add synopsis
NewsDesk:
(6 articles)
The Dunwich Horror - Preview Review
 (From Monsters and Critics. 27 March 2009, 9:13 AM, PDT)

Trailer for the New 'Dunwich Horror'
 (From ESplatter. 23 February 2009, 6:18 AM, PST)

User Comments:
Hippie Horror more (51 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)
Sandra Dee ... Nancy Wagner
Dean Stockwell ... Wilbur Whateley

Ed Begley ... Dr. Henry Armitage
Lloyd Bochner ... Dr. Cory
Sam Jaffe ... Old Whateley
Joanne Moore Jordan ... Lavinia Whateley (as Joanna Moore Jordan)
Donna Baccala ... Elizabeth Hamilton

Talia Shire ... Nurse Cora (as Talia Coppola)
Michael Fox ... Dr. Raskin (as Mike Fox)
Jason Wingreen ... Sheriff Harrison
Barboura Morris ... Mrs. Cole
Beach Dickerson ... Mr. Cole
Michael Haynes ... Guard
Toby Russ ... Librarian
Jack Pierce ... Reeger
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Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for some sexuality/nudity.
Runtime:
90 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
USA:R | UK:18 (video rating) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:M (original rating)
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The odd symbol that appears again and again - on Wilbur's ring, on his grandfather's staff, in the design on the main floor, etc. - is actually an ancient Native American symbol commonly termed "Thunderbird in sun". more
Goofs:
Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Every person in the movie pronounces the town's name as "Dun-witch"; in fact, it is pronounced "Dun-itch", with a silent 'W' as in "Greenwich village". more
Movie Connections:

FAQ

Who is the Yog-Sothoth of Wilbur's chants?
What are some ways that the movie deviates from Lovecraft's story?
A Note Regarding Spoilers
more
21 out of 24 people found the following comment useful.
Hippie Horror, 24 April 2004
Author: Gafke from United States

Dean Stockwell (sporting a 'fro and looking like a sinister disco king) visits Miskatonic University in hopes of "borrowing" the original Necronomicon. It seems that Dean is the grandson of a powerful wizard, and the illegitimate son of a woman who is finishing her days in the padded room of an insane asylum. Sandra Dee and her huge helmet of blond hair accompany Dean back to his isolated farmhouse where she is quickly drugged, talking about sex, having orgasms on altars and dreaming about strange beings (who rather resemble Manson Family members) who chase her along the misty sea cliffs. Suspicious friends arrive to help the stoned Miss Dee, who has no desire to be rescued from her creepy new boyfriend or his awful perm. But the well meaning friends learn some shocking truths about Dean anyway: he has a twin brother, and if looks are anything to go by, then their Daddy was a mutant sushi dinner.

There's some pretty decent creepy moments to be found in this film. The mood is nice and eerie, the atmosphere as thick and creepy as the fog that lies thick along the coastline beside Dean's house. We don't get to see much of the Twin Brother, but the POV shots are nice, done in blood red negatives. Dean Stockwell delivers a truly icky performance as the not-quite-human Wilbur who succeeds in seducing virginal Sandy, whose Good Girl image goes bye-bye here pretty quickly. The ending is a tad rushed and somewhat silly, but everything leading up to it is nice and tense, with minimal gore and some haunting sound effects. I give it a fat 8 on a scale of 10.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Dunwich Horror (1970)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Sadra Dee Nude Scene? pumpkinking-4
So this is Curtis Hanson's first screenplay ! Monsieur_Smith
It looked like Sandra Dee was high on something damileebender-1
Fell apart at the end... hannahp1
Cars yourauntgussie
Anyone think this movie is in bad need of a remake? happy_gurl_2003
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