UK, 1973
35mm film, Eastmancolor
mono, English
A British anthology horror film directed by Freddie Francis.
Plot Summary
Nicholas visits his old friend, psychiatrist Tremayne who claims to have cured four of the inmates of his asylum. In the first story, Mr Tiger, Paul, a depressed six year old with the most appalling parents who do nothing but argue, escapes his dreadful existence by befriending Mr Tiger, an invisible – but apparently real – feline friend. In Penny Farthing, antique dealer Timothy is left a huge pile of bric-a-brac by his late Aunt Kate. Included in the haul are an old penny farthing cycle and a photograph of the sinister Uncle Albert, a portrait that appears to have a life of its own. It also has ill-defined magical powers – when Timothy sits aboard the cycle and pedals, he rides straight into Victorian London where he falls in love with Beatrice, the spitting image of his girlfriend Ann. He's also stalked by his disfigured Uncle Albert. Story three, Mel, features Bryan, a young man who discovers a strange tree with a vaguely human shape to it and brings it home to decorate the front room. His wife Bella is less than impressed and with good cause as the tree is alive and seems determined to kill her. In the final tale, Luau, Auriol, an American literary agent in London, represents top selling author Kimo, a secret member of a Hawaiian devil worshiping sect. While Auriol plans an extravagant celebration, a traditional Hawaiian luau, Kimo is planning to sacrifice her precocious teenage daughter Ginny in a ceremony to revive his recently deceased mother.
Credits
Crew
Director: Freddie Francis
© World Film Services MCMLXXIII [1973]
World Film Services present
Producer: Norman Priggen
An original screenplay by Jay Fairbank [real name: Jennifer Jayne]
Director of Photography: Norman Warwick
Editor: Bernard Gribble
Music Composed and Conducted by: Bernard Ebbinghouse
Sound Recordists: Ken Ritchie, Nolan Roberts
Wardrobe Supervisor: Bridget Sellers
Make Up: Eric Allwright
Hairdresser: Barbara Ritchie
Art Director: Roy Walker
Cast
Clinic Link Episodes
Jack Hawkins (Nicholas)
Donald Pleasence (Tremayne)
Mr Tiger
Georgia Brown (Fay [Patterson])
Donald Houston (Sam [Patterson])
Russell Lewis (Paul [Patterson])
David Wood (tutor [Phillipe])
Penny Farthing
Suzy Kendall (Ann, Beatrice)
Peter McEnery (Timothy)
Neil Kennedy (1st removal man)
Richard Connaught (2nd removal man)
Beth Morris (Polly)
Frank Forsyth (Uncle Albert)
Mel
Joan Collins (Bella)
Michael Jayston (Brian)
Luau
Kim Novak (Auriol [Pageant])
Michael Petrovitch (Kimo)
Mary Tamm (Virginia [Pageant])
Lesley Nunnerley (Vera)
Leon Lissek (Keoki)
Zohra Segal (Malia)
Alternative Titles
Delirious – Italian title
Delirious: il baratro della follia – Italian title
Geschichten, die zum Wahnsinn führen – West German title
La orgías de la locura – Spanish title
Witness Madness – working title
References
Periodicals
Box Office 5 November 1973 – review
CinemaTV Today no.10006 (11 November 1972) p.18 – credits
The Hollywood Reporter 8 December 1972 p.12 – credits, review
Little Shop of Horrors no.2 p.56 – review
Photoplay January 1984 p.53 – review
Variety 31 October 1973 – article
Variety 20 December 1972 – review
Video World February 1984 p.27 – review
Newspapers
The Village Voice 22 November 1973 – review (by Michael McKegney)
Books
Elliot's Guide to Films on Video p.784 – credits, review
Horror Film Handbook by Alan Frank p.126 – credits, review
Reference Guide to Fantastic Films by Walt Lee p.474 – credits
