THEATRE OF DEATH
UK, 1966, 91 minutes, Colour.
Christopher Lee, Lilia Goldoni, Julian Glover, Jenny Till, Evelyn Laye, Ivor Dean.
Directed by Samuel Gallu.
Theatre of Death is a macabre film, a touch of Grand Guignol.
Christopher Lee, appearing suitably sinister and seemingly humourless, appears as the owner of the Theatre of Death in Paris. He has inherited the plays from his father and tends to outdo him, putting on productions that include scenes from the burning of witches at Salem and executions. With overtones of vampirism, it might appear that he is really his father reincarnate.
The film focuses on the theatre, two aspiring actresses, Nicole who has a chequered history, and Dani who has spent some years in a sanatorium after a breakdown. Julian Glover appears as a doctor helping the police. Glover was to become a strong character actor on the screen and stage over the coming decades, appearing as the King of Thessaly in Troy in 2004.
The film has some grim moments but is also a psychological character study, especially of the sinister Christopher Lee who, unfortunately, disappears from the film too early.
1. The popularity of this kind of macabre horror thriller? From the 1960s? Its style? Impact now?
2. The colour photography and its vividness, the sequences of Paris life? The theatre itself? Apartments? Police precincts? Musical score?
3. The title, the focus on theatre and the discussions about performance, intensity, hooking the audience, suspension of disbelief? The performances – especially the executions, the sequence from Salem 1692, Nicole under hypnosis? The Theatre of Death, the emphasis on death? The popularity of the productions – and the booked-out audiences?
4. Christopher Lee as Philippe Darvas, his father and his heritage, his own character and style? Intense, seeing him observing the guests, the eyes in his own portrait? With Madame Angelique, his running the theatre, directing? His brutality towards his cast in his direction? The plans for the theatre, his hypnotising Nicole, her re-enacting The witches of Salem? His attitude towards Nicole, her moving in? His attitudes towards Dani, humiliating her, his speech against her? The clashes with Charles? His disappearance? The irony that he was murdered by Nicole while trying to help her but using her story for his show?
5. Dani, her background, performance, love for Charles? Rooming with Nicole? The party, Nicole’s hypnotised performance and her danger? Her discussions with Nicole, trying to warn her, Nicole saying she was jealous? The humiliating speech given by Darvas, her continuing to act, her being confronted by Nicole, learning the truth, the hypnotism, about to sign the confession of guilt?
6. Nicole, her background, acting, hypnotised? Not remembering? Her rooming with Dani, accusing Dani of jealousy? Listening to all Darvas’s words? The irony of her story, being fed blood, her craving for blood, the visualising of the murders, her guilt, her attempt to kill Dani? The irony of her being stabbed under the stage?
7. Charles, the accident, his hand, doctor, helping the police? The discussions with the inspector? His reaction to the hypnotism, stopping the performance? The discussions and clash with Darvas, giving him a lift? His being suspected of the murder? His hunch that Darvas was alive? In the park with Dani and Nicole searching for him? The mistaken identity of the man at the pool? The realisation of the truth, reading the manuscript, the discussions with the inspector, rescuing Dani in time?
8. Madame Angelique, the running of the theatre, as producer, her demands on Darvas, his haughty responses?
9. The inspector, the investigations, his observations? The doctor, the explanation of the blood-craving disease?
10. The other members of the cast, the voodoo performance and its provocativeness?
11. The reputation of Theatre of Death in Paris? Audiences enjoying the performance on-screen – with the acting out of a bloodthirsty story concerning Darvas?
