SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN

UK, 1970, 95 minutes, Colour.
Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Alfred Marks, Judy Huxtable.
Directed by Gordon Hessler.

The Main Reason for seeing this film about a serial killer, draining his victims for blood, set in London, is the teaming of Vincent Price, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing.

Vincent Price portrays an eccentric scientist who takes in the serial killer. He is involved in experimentations on making superhuman creatures. Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing are not in the film for much of the running time, Cushing being some kind of neo-Nazi. The main focus is on Alfred Marks as the policeman in charge of the investigation. The film and the stars suggest horror. Rather, this is an action melodrama. Director Gordon Hessler made such horror thrillers as The Oblong Box, The Cry of the Banshee and Scream Pretty Peggy.

1. The emphasis and tone of the title, exploitive? Expectations and fulfilment?

2. The British horror conventions and their use here? The use of prominent British and American horror stars? Giving a tone to the film, expectations?

3. The film considered as a police thriller, success, enjoyment and the interest? The police characters, situations, investigations and dangers?

4. The film considered as a political thriller? Fascist overtones, totalitarianism? The drab uniforms and manoeuvres of the political people, political assassinations? Especially that of Major Reinrich? The various situations within the totalitarian country, the influence of England, the race of supermen?

5. The film considered as a modern horror thriller, Dr. Browning as a benevolent Dr. Frankenstoin? The Frankenstoin monster and the supermen? Dr. Browning, his assistants, the victims within those situations?

6. How well did those various ingredients blend, the predominant effects, the predominant response, interest, comparisons of values?

7. The credit sequence and the runner, a strange beginning, the horror of the logo disappearing? The dance and the girls as being victims, other victims?

8. Dr. Browning as portrayed by Vincent Price? His suave sinister nature, his politeness, his experiments, assistants, the acid bath? His being involved in the making of the supermen, his motivation? The inevitability of his death? An interesting science fiction horror character?

9. The importance of the medical backgroundt hospitals, laboratories? An authentic atmosphere for these goings-on?

10. The importance of the introduction of Keith at the dance, the fascination for the girls, his going off, killing with sexual overtones? His being pursued by the police, his wrenching off his wrist, the death?

11. How interesting was the superman concept? For totalitarian purposes, sciance fiction overtones? The control that the humans wanted?

12. Christopher Lee as Fremont? Public Service, polite and suave, yet sinister, his involvement politically, in the police?

13. The police, the Inspector and his investigations, Sorel and his further involvement and investigations, the danger, his being rescued by Fremont but the irony of what was to happen?

14. Expectations of horror style, gore and deaths? Appropriate for this kind of film?