There is nothing new about the old dark house routine...the family members gathering on a stormy night and some hidden treasure in the mix...
The House in Nightmare Park, however, manages to escape the cliché and turns out to be perfect...I wouldn't change anything about the film.
Struggling ham actor and general vain coward Foster Twelvetrees is invited to give some of his "inimitable renditions" (as he calls them) at a remote Gothic country mansion by head of the family Stewart Henderson (Ray Milland)
After being dumped some distance from the house and his bags thrown at him Foster makes his way to the sinister looking mansion. We are shown how well Foster copes with scares when he hears a scream and takes off like a scalded cat. Also note some very good lighting and close ups with the lightning effects as Foster firsts sees the house. Very well done. Ray Milland is faultless in his portrayal of Stuart Henderson. Some of his looks of disbelief at Foster's acting are priceless.
What ensues for the rest of the film is an amazing blend of comedy (sometimes subtle sometimes blatant) superb camera work and lighting and of course first class acting from all concerned. Another star of the film that must be acknowledged is the interior set used. The imposing Oakley court was used for the exterior shots so the interior had to be equally intriguing. The film is set in 1907 and the interior of the Henderson home captures the faded charm of the recently ended Victorian era. The wall paper, carpets, fire places all pay tribute to this era as well as conveying it in a slightly run down format. The well worn look has been very well dealt with. Finishing touches such as damp running down the wall near Foster's bedroom at to the effect. The Henderson family having spent a number of years in India have converted to the Hindu faith and brought back statues of the goddess Kali. This aspect worked very well and added a new dimension.
Things don't get any easier for our cowardly hero Foster as more of the Henderson family turn up in the middle of the night under mysterious circumstances, a bed ridden Henderson is discovered..Or is he? , and to top it all a deranged old lady hidden in the attic offers him tea and then tries to end his ham acting career with a meat clever. Some excellent comic moments are shown between Hugh Burden as Reggie Henderson and Howard. Reggie takes an instant dislike to Foster and a series of mini stand offs come and go. These range from a battle over the last egg at breakfast (complete with antique silver in true mansion style) to Foster being called a swine endlessly. Another attempt on Foster's life comes in the form of a third Henderson brother named Ernest. Ernest and his wife Agnes are more switched on than Reggie and I dare say a lot more murderous. After quickly working out Foster is the key to finding a missing fortune in diamonds they try to bump him off with an injection of poison to the gums! Ernest is posing as a dentist while actually a vet! Kenneth Griffith turns in a top notch performance as Ernest if a bit short on air time.
The Henderson family and their "dance of the dolls" routine is a mix of the bizarre with hilarity and sinister over tones added. The camera work is again top notch and you get the effect like looking in the back of the spoon.
I first taped this film many years ago on VHS late one night. It never seems to be shown on TV so I had a long wait until it was realised on DVD. The wait was worthwhile. The quality is excellent; visually it looks like it was made yesterday. Director Peter Sykes had already directed a hammer horror film prior to The House In Nightmare Park so you get his amazing use of odd camera angles and creepy lighting shown off to the max. I don't believe the horror element would have worked as well if a director with no horror film experience had been hired. Sykes also does another brilliant thing... He keeps Frankie Howard's performance from getting to over the top and too full of ooooo aaaaa's the balance is great. I once read that Howard thought this was his best film. I certainly believe it is.
I hope you enjoy this film as much as I do; it seems to have a timeless charm. Ps, spare a thought for poor Foster Twelvetrees as he's left alone on his newly acquired bleak estate digging for diamonds. I wonder if he ever found them.
The House in Nightmare Park, however, manages to escape the cliché and turns out to be perfect...I wouldn't change anything about the film.
Struggling ham actor and general vain coward Foster Twelvetrees is invited to give some of his "inimitable renditions" (as he calls them) at a remote Gothic country mansion by head of the family Stewart Henderson (Ray Milland)
After being dumped some distance from the house and his bags thrown at him Foster makes his way to the sinister looking mansion. We are shown how well Foster copes with scares when he hears a scream and takes off like a scalded cat. Also note some very good lighting and close ups with the lightning effects as Foster firsts sees the house. Very well done. Ray Milland is faultless in his portrayal of Stuart Henderson. Some of his looks of disbelief at Foster's acting are priceless.
What ensues for the rest of the film is an amazing blend of comedy (sometimes subtle sometimes blatant) superb camera work and lighting and of course first class acting from all concerned. Another star of the film that must be acknowledged is the interior set used. The imposing Oakley court was used for the exterior shots so the interior had to be equally intriguing. The film is set in 1907 and the interior of the Henderson home captures the faded charm of the recently ended Victorian era. The wall paper, carpets, fire places all pay tribute to this era as well as conveying it in a slightly run down format. The well worn look has been very well dealt with. Finishing touches such as damp running down the wall near Foster's bedroom at to the effect. The Henderson family having spent a number of years in India have converted to the Hindu faith and brought back statues of the goddess Kali. This aspect worked very well and added a new dimension.
Things don't get any easier for our cowardly hero Foster as more of the Henderson family turn up in the middle of the night under mysterious circumstances, a bed ridden Henderson is discovered..Or is he? , and to top it all a deranged old lady hidden in the attic offers him tea and then tries to end his ham acting career with a meat clever. Some excellent comic moments are shown between Hugh Burden as Reggie Henderson and Howard. Reggie takes an instant dislike to Foster and a series of mini stand offs come and go. These range from a battle over the last egg at breakfast (complete with antique silver in true mansion style) to Foster being called a swine endlessly. Another attempt on Foster's life comes in the form of a third Henderson brother named Ernest. Ernest and his wife Agnes are more switched on than Reggie and I dare say a lot more murderous. After quickly working out Foster is the key to finding a missing fortune in diamonds they try to bump him off with an injection of poison to the gums! Ernest is posing as a dentist while actually a vet! Kenneth Griffith turns in a top notch performance as Ernest if a bit short on air time.
The Henderson family and their "dance of the dolls" routine is a mix of the bizarre with hilarity and sinister over tones added. The camera work is again top notch and you get the effect like looking in the back of the spoon.
I first taped this film many years ago on VHS late one night. It never seems to be shown on TV so I had a long wait until it was realised on DVD. The wait was worthwhile. The quality is excellent; visually it looks like it was made yesterday. Director Peter Sykes had already directed a hammer horror film prior to The House In Nightmare Park so you get his amazing use of odd camera angles and creepy lighting shown off to the max. I don't believe the horror element would have worked as well if a director with no horror film experience had been hired. Sykes also does another brilliant thing... He keeps Frankie Howard's performance from getting to over the top and too full of ooooo aaaaa's the balance is great. I once read that Howard thought this was his best film. I certainly believe it is.
I hope you enjoy this film as much as I do; it seems to have a timeless charm. Ps, spare a thought for poor Foster Twelvetrees as he's left alone on his newly acquired bleak estate digging for diamonds. I wonder if he ever found them.