The Beast Must Die (1974)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Paul Annett

Writers:

Michael Winder (screenplay) and
James Blish (story)
(more)

Release Date:

April 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Action | Mystery

Tagline:

One of these eight people will turn into a werewolf. Can you guess who it is when we stop the film for the WEREWOLF BREAK? See it ... solve it ... but don't tell!

Plot:

Eight people are shrouded with the mystery behind the werewolf, and only one of them is! It's up to the viewer to find out!

Plot Keywords:

Werewolf | Guest | Hunt | Surveillance | Helicopter

Cast

Calvin Lockhart	...	Tom Newcliffe
Peter Cushing	...	Dr. Christopher Lundgren
Marlene Clark	...	Caroline Newcliffe
Anton Diffring	...	Pavel
Charles Gray	...	Arthur Bennington
Ciaran Madden	...	Davina Gilmore
Tom Chadbon	...	Paul Foote
Michael Gambon	...	Jan Jarmokowski
Sam Mansary	...	Butler
Andrew Lodge	...	Pilot
Eric Carte	...	2nd Hunter
Carl Bohen	...	1st Hunter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Valentine Dyall	...	Narrator of the werewolf Break (uncredited)
Bill Mitchell	...	Narrator (uncredited)
Annie Ross	...	Caroline (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Paul Annett

Writing credits
Michael Winder		(screenplay)
Paul Annett		uncredited
James Blish		story "There Shall Be No Darkness"
Scott Finch		uncredited

Produced by
John Dark	....	associate producer
Robert H. Greenberg	....	executive producer
Max Rosenberg	....	producer
Milton Subotsky	....	producer

Original Music by
Douglas Gamley

Cinematography by
Jack Hildyard

Film Editing by
Peter Tanner

Casting by
Thelma Graves

Art Direction by
John Stoll

Set Decoration by
Herbert Westbrook

Makeup Department
Paul Rabiger	....	makeup artist
Bobbie Smith	....	hair stylist

Production Management
John Davis	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard Jenkins	....	assistant director
Vic Smith	....	third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Herbert Westbrook	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Richard Langford	....	dubbing mixer
Ken Ritchie	....	sound mixer
Ean Wood	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Ted Samuels	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Derek V. Browne	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
John Hilling	....	wardrobe supervisor

Other crew
Phyllis Townshend	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Amicus Productions
• British Lion Film Corporation

Distributors

• Cinerama Releasing Corporation (1974) (USA) (theatrical)
• Nostalgia Merchant, The (1981) (USA) (VHS) (Beta)
• Impulse Productions (1989) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD) (Austrailia)
• Dark Sky Films (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Optimum Home Entertainment (2007) (UK) (DVD)
• Cinefear (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Black Werewolf (USA) (video title)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:G (Quebec) | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Amicus Productions

Trivia:

According to director Paul Annett the role of Caroline Newcliffe was intended for Shirley Bassey. However she proved unavailable and Marlene Clark was hired at the suggestion of Calvin Lockhart.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Directing the Beast (2003) (V)

Entertaining, Enjoyable Schlock!

A millionaire brings an assortment of characters to his heavily secured home and plenty of acreage around it. He then tells each that they were brought for a reason...that one of them is a werewolf. The rest of the story goes through the paces of finding out who the beast is and what must be done with it. I did not have the version with the game on it...my copy was called Black Werewolf(a poor job in renaming the film and it added awful title cards as well). This is the 70s film all around. The outfits, the hairstyles, and that awful-yet-appropriate soundtrack are all signs of the times. The movie is cheesy and yet fun to watch. Calvin Lockhart, as the lead, is like George Jefferson on steroids. The supporting cast is filled with stalwarts from the British stage and screen, amongst them Charles Gray, Anton Diffring, and the ever-affable Peter Cushing as the dispenser of knowledge dealing with lycanthropy. A pleasant diversion to watch!