Asylum

One of the better anthology films from England's other house of horror, Amicus. The framing story that leads into the final story with Herbert Lom and a really creepy (if a bit slow) robot doll is crazy and the basic idea I think holds up for a series. The other stories are a mixed bag. The first one is quite grisly, but it's unclear how the narrator knows all the details she tells. The second scores points for featuring Peter Cushing and a really bizarre story, but the ending is a bit confused. The penultimate story is unique only for it's casting, the idea of seeing Britt Ekland as Charlotte Rampling's murderous alter-ego seems like it should be reversed. Some of the music is overdone to the point of absurdity, cue the robot Herbert Lom slowing making his way to a dumbwaiter accompanied by a bombastic score that makes every inch it travels like a knife in the ear.

Creaky, funny and rather unsettling. The house of Amicus productions brings to us a horror anthology directed by Roy Ward Baker and written by "Psycho" scribe Robert Bloch. The four stories center around Robert Powell's job seeking Dr. Martin. Whom upon arriving at the classy, yet foreboding looking Asylum (New Lodge, Winkfield, Berkshire, England), is required to interview the four patients up on the top floor so as to prove his credentials for the position. As with all anthology horror pictures, the stories vary in quality, but what is consistent though is that the atmosphere and mystery element to it all never flags. Atmosphere that is somewhat boosted by Douglas Gamley's impacting construction of Modest Mussorgsky's music. 'Frozen Fear' sees a murdered wife come back to reek revenge on her husband and his lover. Not a bad trick since she was dismembered!. 'The Weird Taylor' has Peter Cushing as a grieving father who will do anything to bring his deceased son back to life. 'Lucy Comes to Stay' features Charlotte Rampling and Britt Eckland in a murderous spin on the "imaginary friend" angle. 'Manikins of Horror' is the last story which stars Herbert Lom as a maker of little robotic dolls that have worryingly realistic faces. All of which leads us to the finale where we get a nice and rewarding twist. It's a good production is this, the direction and writing is fluid and there are some genuinely creepy and unsettling moments. Perhaps not one to rush out for if you want to be scared on Halloween, but certainly a picture that achieves a high level of genre entertainment. 7/10