UK, 1973
104m
35mm film, colour, 1.66:1
mono, English
A British horror film deirected by Douglas Hickox.
Plot Summary
After being snubbed by a prestigious theatrical Critics Circle, Shakespearian actor Edward Lionheart attempts to take his own life by leaping from their offices into the Thames. But he’s rescued by a gang of meths drinking tramps and, teaming up with his adoring daughter Edwina, starts to plot a suitable revenge – soon, members of the Circle are dying in decidedly Shakespearian manner…
Credits
Crew
Directed by: Douglas Hickox
© Harbour Productions, Inc., MCMLXXIII [1973]
Sam Jaffe and Harbour Productions, Inc. present. Filmed entirely on location by Cineman Films Limited
Executive Producers: Gustave Berne and Sam Jaffe
Produced by: John Kohn and Stanley Mann
Production Manager: David Anderson
Screenplay by: Anthony Greville-Bell
Based on an Idea by: Stanley Mann and John Kohn
Assistant Director: Dominic Fulford
Continuity: Angela Allen
Director of Photography: Wolfgang Suschitzky
Camera Operator: Ronnie Taylor
Editor: Malcolm Cooke
Assistant Editor: Chris Kelly
Colour by: DeLuxe
Music Composed and Conducted by: Michael J. Lewis
Sound Mixer: Simon Kaye
Sound Editor: Les Wiggins
Dubbing Mixer: Douglas Turner
Costume Designer: Michael Baldwin
Wardrobe Assistant: Terry Smith
Make-Up: George Blackler
Hairdresser: Pearl Tipaldi
Special Effects: John Stears
Production Designer: Michael Seymour
Set Decorator: Ann Mollo
Construction Manager: Peter Verrard
Assistant to the Producers: Sara Romilly
Choreographer of Meths Drinkers: Tutte Lemkow
Filmed entirely on location in London, England
Locations: Kensall Green Cemetary, London, England, UK [uncredited]; 93 Albert Embankment, Vauxhall, London, England, UK [uncredited]
Stunt Arranged by: Terry York
Cast
Vincent Price (Edward Lionheart)
Diana Rigg (Edwina Lionheart)
Ian Hendry (Peregrine Devlin)
Harry Andrews (Trevor Dickman)
Coral Browne (Chloe Moon)
Robert Coote (Oliver Larding)
Jack Hawkins (Solomon Psaltery)
Michael Hordern (George Maxwell)
Arthur Lowe (Horace Sprout)
Robert Morley (Meredith Merridew)
Dennis Price (Hector Snipe)
Diana Dors (Maisie Psaltry)
Madeline Smith (Rosemary)
Joan Hickson (Mrs Sprout)
Renee Asherson (Mrs Maxwell)
Milo O’Shea as Inspector Boot
Eric Sykes as Sergeant Dogge
Bunny Reed, Peter Thornton (policemen)
Charles Sinnickson (vicar)
Brigid Erin Bates (maid)
Tutte Lemkow, Stanley Bates, Eric Francis, Sally Gilmore, John Gilpin, Joyce Graeme, Jack Maguire, Declan Mulholland (the meths drinkers)
Tony Calvin [police photographer – uncredited]
Alternative Titles
Much Ado about Murder – working title
Theater of Blood – US title
Links
Extracts included in
Vincent Price (1988)
See also
The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)
House of Wax (1953)
Se7en (1995)
Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978)
References
Periodicals
- Castle of Frankenstein no.20 pp.23-25
- Cinefantastique vol.3 no.1 (Autumn 1973) p.27
- Cinema TV Today no.10034 (2 June 1973) p.16
- Cinema TV Today no.9988 (8 July 1972) p.17
- Cinema TV Today no.9992 (5 August 1972) p.9
- Empire no.161 (November 2002) p.158 – illustrated DVD review (Rwd by [AM])
- Fangoria no.221 (April 2003) pp.66-69 – illustrated interview with Anthony Greville-Bell (Theater of Blood: To behead or not to behead by M.J. Simpson)
- Film Review no.624 (November 2002) pp.91-92 – DVD review (Theatre of Blood by Gareth Wigmore)
- Filmfacts vol.16 no.1 (1973) pp.12-14
- Flesh and Blood no.3 (1994) p.40 – credits, review (1973)
- Flesh and Blood no.5 September (1995) p.10 – illustrated note (Video by Andy Waller)
- The Hollywood Reporter vol.222 no.34 (18 August 1972) p.13 – credits
- The Hollywood Reporter vol.225 no.50 (18 April 1973) p.3
- Literature/Film Quarterly vol.29 no.2 (2001) pp. 135-146 – illustrated article (What [?] Price[?] Shakespeare [?] by Thomas A. Pendleton); 147-164 – illustrated article (Backstage with the Bard: or Building a Better Mousetrap by John C. Tibbetts)
- Monthly Film Bulletin vol.40 no.473 (June 1973) p.132
- Shakespeare on Film Newsletter vol.15 no.2 (April 1991) p.9 – review
- Shivers no.46 (October 1997) pp.16-20 – illustrated article by Cleaver Patterson
- Sight and Sound vol.5 no.8 (August 1995) p.59 – illustrated review (Video by Mark Kermode and Geoffrey Macnab)
- Variety 25 April 1973 p.18
Books
- The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror by Phil Hardy (ed.) p.284
- British Gothic Cinema by Barry Forshaw pp.24, 102
- Caligari’s Children: The Film as Tale of Terror by Siegbert Solomon Prawer p.200
- Comedy-Horror Films: A Chronological History, 1914-2008 by Bruce G. Hallenbeck pp.98-101; 216 – illustrated review; credits
- English Gothic: A Century of Horror Cinema by Jonathan Rigby pp.5, 15, 210, 235-36, 236, 247, 248, 294, 307
- Film Review 1974-75 by F. Maurice Speed (ed) p.209
- The Films of Vincent Price by Iain F. McAsh pp.30-32; 45
- Horror! 333 Films to Scare You to Death by James Marriott & Kim Newman p.175
- Horror and Science Fiction Films II by Donald C. Willis p.393
- Horror Films of the 1970s by John Kenneth Muir pp.304-306 – credits, synopsis, review
- Horrorshows: The A-Z of Horror in Film, TV, Radio and Theatre by Gene Wright pp.33-34 – credits, review
- Merchant of Menace: The Life and Films of Vincent Price by Denis Meikle pp.298-307; 377
- Reference Guide to Fantastic Films by Walt Lee p.485 – credits
- Shakespeare on Screen by Daniel Rosenthal pp.180-181 – illustrated article
- Uneasy Dreams: The Golden Age of British Horror Films, 1956-1976 by Gary A. Smith pp.211-212
- Vincent Price: The Art of Fear by Denis Meikle pp.184-191; 232
- Vincent Price Unmasked by James Robert Parish and Steven Whitney pp.134-135; 241-242
- Walking Shadows: Shakespeare in the National Film and Television Archive by Luke McKernan and Olwen Terris (eds.) pp.44, 58, 74, 80, 85, 107, 128, 139, 152, 172, 173, 194-195 – illustrated credits, notes
- Women in the Horror Films of Vincent Price by Jonathan Malcolm Lampley pp.162-169; 192
- X-Cert 2: The British Independent Horror Film 1971-1983 pp.95-103; 279
