The Creeping Flesh (1973)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Freddie Francis

Writers:

Peter Spenceley (writer) &
Jonathan Rumbold (writer)

Release Date:

1973 (UK)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

A terrifying journey through the nightmare worlds of evil, insanity and terrible revenge.

Plot:

A Victorian-age scientist returns to London with his paleontological bag-of-bones discovery from Papua New Guinea...

Plot Keywords:

Scientist | Skeleton | Blood | Discovery | Reincarnation

Cast

Christopher Lee	...	James Hildern
Peter Cushing	...	Emmanuel Hildern
Lorna Heilbron	...	Penelope Hildern
George Benson	...	Waterlow
Kenneth J. Warren	...	Charles Lenny
Duncan Lamont	...	Inspector
Harry Locke	...	Barman
Hedger Wallace	...	Doctor Perry
Michael Ripper	...	Carter Wearing Derby
Catherine Finn	...	Emily
Robert Swann	...	Young Aristocrat
David Bailie	...	Young Doctor
Maurice Bush	...	Karl
Tony Wright	...	Sailor
Marianne Stone	...	Female Assistant

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Australia:R | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Tigon Pictures

Trivia:

The last film of George Benson.

Quotes:

James Hildern: I've got to get hold of that skeleton somehow.
Doctor Perry: Oh I don't know... There is the question of professional ethics.
James Hildern: Oh indeed, indeed... that is why I shall have to employ someone for whom ethics have no significance.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Nightmare Theatre's Late Night Chill-o-Rama Horror Show Vol. 1 (1996) (V)

One of the most fascinating Peter Cushing/Christopher Lee collaborations.

How can this image possibly be bad? Peter Cushing (star and protagonist of an endless list of horror classics) as a dedicated scientist on the verge of unraveling an entirely new evolution theory in which the existence of evil plays a crucial role. And Christopher Lee (once again, star and protagonist of an endless list of horror classics) as the over-ambitious president of an asylum, trying to steel Cushing's ideas to add them to his book about ‘the origin of insanity'. These actors, along with their character's vicious professions pretty much guarantee a dazzling horror premise already. If you then add a tight gothic atmosphere, overall decent special effects and loads of emotional intrigues, you've got yourself an authentic British horror highlight! And The Creeping Flesh isn't even a Hammer production! Responsible for this film is Tigon Productions, who also brought us overlooked milestones such as `The Witchfinder General' and `Blood on Satan's Claw'. Cushing's character (Dr. Hildern) is the discoverer of an ancient skeleton that might carry the secret of evil! When exposed to water, flesh immediately grows on the creature. Hildern develops an anti-evil vaccine, but has to use this same antidote on his lovely daughter Penelope when she finds out her beloved mother spend years in an asylum when she thought she was actually deceased already. Asylum keeper Lee – who's also Dr. Hildern's half brother – takes notice of the bizarre events going on in the Dr.'s mansion and hires somebody to steal the skeleton to increase his own success as an authority in the field of mental illnesses.

The only negative comment you could give on this film is that it actually contains TOO much ideas and horrific aspects. Regretfully, this sometimes results in underdeveloped plot-twists and a lack of continuity. There are enough horror-elements in The Creeping Flesh to fill 3 movies, really! But, despite these little flaws, this is one of the purest and most entertaining Cushing/Lee collaborations, brilliantly directed by the talented Freddie Francis (`Torture Garden', `Tales from the Crypt…) The main actors, as well as the stunning Lorna Heilbron, are a joy to observe and the film is pretty darn suspenseful, too. All in one, a must see for the true horror fans.