I Watch Films: Mr Sardonicus

 

Mr Sardonicus

London doctor Sir Robert Cargrave is invited to Gorslava by an old flame. She is married to Baron Sardonicus. The Baron wears a mask and has his manservant performing leech-related experiments on a maidservant.

As is revealed Baron Sardonicus’s face turned to a permanent rictus after he dug up his father’s corpse to retrieve a winning lottery ticket. He needs Cargrave to cure him. Cargraves initial attempts fail, and when he refuses to try experimental treatment Sardonicus threatens to have his manservant perform surgery on the baroness.

There is a gimmick (the film was directed and produced by William Castle “The King Of Gimmicks”). Audiences were supplied with glow in the dark thumb cards to vote on the ending; supposedly two were filmed but this seems doubtful. A dark, silly and gothic horror film.

Watch This: For a medical-morbid horror film with a nasty villain
Don’t Watch This: It’s very silly, and takes it’s own darkest moments very lightly