I Watch Films: The Terror (1963)

 

The Terror (1963)

Duvalier (Jack Nicholson) a French soldier of Napoleon is lost on the beach, and is found by Helene (Sandra Knight). Duvalier tries to learn about her; it turns out Helene resembles Ilsa (also Sandra Knight), the 20 years deceased wife of Baron von Leppe (Boris Karloff). It’s generally believed that von Leppe murdered her when she was unfaithful to him.

Ilsa’s ghost has been haunting the Baron, telling him to kill himself for his crimes. Duvalier and the Baron’s faithful servant Stefan stop him, and discover that the ghost is being controlled by local witch Katrina. Eventually it comes out that she believes the Baron killed her son Eric. But in fact the Baron is Eric, who killed the original Baron and Ilsa, and took the Baron’s place. This complex situation resolves tragically and strangely.

Filmed back to back with The Raven, and using many of the sets, this is an original story with the attempt to make it like an Edgar Allan Poe adaption. It sort of succeeds at that – if we assume a poor adaption without any particular wit or humour. Karloff convinces with his moody walks around the deserted castle, hidden from the world, and the twists and turns, though ludicrous, prevent the film being boring.

Watch This: Gloomy, atmospheric horror
Don’t Watch This: Incoherent and ridiculous melodrama