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House Of The Long Shadows
1983
Until 10 minutes from the end, House Of The Long Shadows is a
fantastic film - and not just because of the awesome cast. Unfortunately
the ludicrous ending, followed by another ending, followed by another
one, ruin the previous 90 minutes utterly. I'd suggest that when you get
to the point where Christopher Lee asks Desi Arnaz Jr if he's learned
anything, you switch it off, take it out of the VCR, lock it in a lead-lined
cupboard and throw away the key - trust me. Suffice to say that 90 minutes
of Cushing, Lee, Price, some bloke called Carradine, some terrific gory
deaths, tons of atmosphere and a gripping storyline are wiped from the
memory by what can only be described as a sub-Murder She Wrote
finale. You have been warned.
But enough about that - here are the good points...
House Of The Long Shadows was the last genre film Pete Walker made,
which is a shame. Apparently he's reduced to directing the occasional
episode of Emmerdale these days. Oh, the horror. The legacy he's
left behind - Flesh And Blood Show,
House Of Whipcord, Frightmare,
House Of Mortal Sin, The Comeback, Schizo,
speaks for itself. Long Shadows could have been a fitting finale
to a run of fantastic films. Not only did he get big bucks to spend on
it, but a cast to dream of. Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Vincent
Price - all looking old, but all on top form. And it's also got Walker
favourite Sheila Keith in it, who, much like a female Cushing, seems to
have never put in a bad performance. It's got a lot going for it script-wise
as well - young writer makes a bet with his publisher that he can't write
a blockbuster in 24 hours, disappears off to a dodgy old manor in the
heart of Wales, and comes across strange goings-on there.
Walker, as he weaves the different story strands, appears to be in his
element. The tension is actually palpable as strange noises are heard,
and what exactly are Keith and Carradine up to? There aren't supposed
to be any caretakers there...
The three big stars are given the chance to shine, too, all get marvellous
lightning-lit entrances, the flamboyant Price announcing "I have
returned..."
Cushing's performance is brilliant as ever as the lisping drunk, Lee actually
bothers to act in this one rather than just looking menacing, and Price
is mellower and more reserved than usual, but still a force to be reckoned
with.
Considering the PG rating, the film is a typical Walker-esque gore-fest,
too. There's throat cuttings, eye gougings, hangings, axe batterings and
even a gruelling acid-in-the-face scene. In fact, it's far more brutal
than supposedly X-rated shite like Crucible Of Blood. The less said about
Arnaz and "love interest" Julie (Emmerdale, again) Peasgood
the better.
House Of The Long Shadows could have been the last great creation
of the ailing British horror film industry, a grand bowing-out by Walker
and the three names synonymous with the genre. Unfortunately, something
more horrific than anything else on this site happened to it - is there
anything worse than something that almost literally ends with "...and
it was all a dream"...? I think not.
House of the Long Shadows (1983)
Director: Pete Walker Writer(s): Michael Armstrong, George M.
Cohan (play Seven Keys to Baldpate)
Cast: Vincent Price - Lionel Grisbane, Christopher Lee - Corrigan/Roderick
Grisbane, Peter Cushing - Sebastian Grisbane, Desi Arnaz Jr - . Kenneth Magee,
John Carradine - Lord Grisbane, Sheila Keith - Victoria, Julie Peasgood - Mary
Norton, Richard Todd - Sam Allyson, Louise English - Diana, Richard Hunter -
Andrew, Norman Rossington - Stationmaster
Cast photo | Original
video box cover
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Click on the picture to see a bigger photo
of the 3 stars
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