THE SORCERERS

UK, 1967, 85 minutes, Colour.
Boris Karloff, Catherine Lacey, Ian Ogilvy, Elizabeth Ercy, Victor Henry, Susan George, Dani Sheridan, Ivor Dean, Peter Fraser.
Directed by Michael Reeves.

The Sorcerers is one of Boris Karloff’s final films - but he is still excellent in portraying the sinister and compassionate. However, he is matched by Catherine Lacey in a frightening performance of greed and vicarious ugly experience. Ian Ogilvy is the hero and Susan George appears in a small role. The film is sadistic in tone - science fiction about a professor who has a machine which can control the mind and enable old people to enjoy the vicarious experience of the young. The film is directed by Michael Reeves who co-wrote the screenplay. He made The Revenge of the Blood Beast and Witchfinder General before dying at an early age. The film is small budget by quite effective within its limits.

1. An entertaining piece of horror, science fiction?

2. The conventions of the genre - the ageing professor and his wife, the contrast of their old age with the '60s psychedelia? The murder sequences, chase sequences, the professor and his wife? The inter-editing of both strands? The mounting ugliness and horror?

3. The effects of the small budget - washed out colour photography, London locations? The score? The contribution of the special effects?

4. The plausibility of the plot - in reality, in fantasy? The scientist persecuted and his invention? Mind control? The victim performing violent actions without knowing it - becoming truly a victim of the mastermind? The use of a potentially good invention for evil? The diminishing of human freedom? The setting of the story in the real world of the '60s? The blend of reality and contrivance, fantasy?

5. Boris Karloff's style as the professor - his hopes, his resentment against ridicule? His love for his wife? The ordinary domestic sequences as they had their meal., discussed the machine? The control of Mike? Their enjoying the swim? The professor's reaction to Estelle and her wanting the coat? His admitting the enjoyment? His reaction to Estelle's stronger will, the loss of his walking stick? His moving every effort to control Estelle but failing? The horror and ugliness of his death - poetic justice?

6. Estelle as the old lady, the devoted wife? Her resentment, urging on of her husband? The exhilaration of the swim and the way this was communicated from the screen? Her desire to have the coat and her enjoyment of the dangers especially with the policeman and the theft? The high-speed riding on the motorbike? The bashing of Allan? The violence erupting and the murder of the two girls after the terrorising? The loss of control by Estelle? Her fighting her husband? The ugliness of her death?

7. The presentation of the 'bored young things' of the 60s? Mike and his work, the dance, his going to the house and being controlled? The swim with Nicole and the enjoyment? His lapses of memory? The theft and its effect on him? His standing up Nicole and becoming irritable? His being moved further into crime and becoming the victim of Monserrat? Mike and the violence - the encounter with Audrey, with Laura and the terrorising of her? The bashing of Allan - the confrontation in the shop, the escape from the police? The final chase? Mike as the ordinary young man deprived of freedom and becoming victim?

8. Allan and his friendship with Mike, the fight, the worry and concern at the end? Nicole and her love for Mike, concern?

9. The minor characters and their contribution - conventional for this kind of film - Audrey as the girlfriend, Laura as the singer. the police and the investigators?

10. The audience being invited to share in the experience of the two old people - their seeming good intentions, their enjoyment of vicarious experience, the eruption of violence and sensuality, the loss of control?

11. What insight into human nature - and the dark side of human nature? The effectiveness of a horror thriller like this touching this aspect of our behaviour and attitudes?