The Amicus Horror Movies

[Wirral Writer]

I used to love watching the Amicus horror portmanteau movies like Tales From The Crypt and Vault of Horror.

Any other fans of Amicus horror here?

[Roxxy]

Re: The Amicus Horror Movies

Not really- personally I found Amicus much inferior to Hammer, although there may well have been exceptions that I wasn't aware of (i.e. I may well have seen a superior Amicus movie and ASSUMED that it was Hammer).
Amicus tended to attract actors who didn't specialise in horror in the way that Peter Cushing, Vincent Price and Christopher Lee did, though I did see Lee in one of them as an unpleasant art critic who is blinded by the severed hand of a modern artist his scathing reviews had forced into suicide. Amicus tended to feature the likes of Alan Freeman, Donald Sutherland, Roy Castle and a plethora of by now forgotten actresses.
There was an extremely memorable film starring Peter Cushing as the owner of a sinister backstreet London antique shop where every item he stocked had some awful supernatural consequence for the purchaser- it came out in '73 and was one of the last of it's genre, also starring David Warner, Donald and Angela Pleasance, and Donald Sinden. Ring any bells? Was THIS one an Amicus? If so it was an unusually high-quality one!!

[ayrshireman]

Re: The Amicus Horror Movies

Yes, I am a fan.

I agree with Roxxy that Hammer was better, but I like the Amicus and Tigon films.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amicus_Productions

[Wirral Writer]

Re: The Amicus Horror Movies

I loved Hammer too, but I also loved Amicus. And going back even further, I loved the old Universal black and white horrors, with Karloff, Chaney Jr. etc.

[DemonEyeX]

Re: The Amicus Horror Movies

The Amicus anthology movies are an awesome slice of classic British horror.

Dr Terror's House of Horrors (1965)
Torture Garden (1967)
The House That Dripped Blood (1971)
Tales from the Crypt (1972)
Asylum (1972)
From Beyond the Grave (1973)
The Vault of Horror (1973)

[Wirral Writer]

Re: The Amicus Horror Movies

The Amicus anthology movies are an awesome slice of classic British horror.

Dr Terror's House of Horrors (1965)
Torture Garden (1967)
The House That Dripped Blood (1971)
Tales from the Crypt (1972)
Asylum (1972)
From Beyond the Grave (1973)
The Vault of Horror (1973)

I totally agree. I love them all and indeed have them all on DVD.

[ayrshireman]

Re: The Amicus Horror Movies

Not really- personally I found Amicus much inferior to Hammer, although there may well have been exceptions that I wasn't aware of (i.e. I may well have seen a superior Amicus movie and ASSUMED that it was Hammer).
Amicus tended to attract actors who didn't specialise in horror in the way that Peter Cushing, Vincent Price and Christopher Lee did, though I did see Lee in one of them as an unpleasant art critic who is blinded by the severed hand of a modern artist his scathing reviews had forced into suicide. Amicus tended to feature the likes of Alan Freeman, Donald Sutherland, Roy Castle and a plethora of by now forgotten actresses.
There was an extremely memorable film starring Peter Cushing as the owner of a sinister backstreet London antique shop where every item he stocked had some awful supernatural consequence for the purchaser- it came out in '73 and was one of the last of it's genre, also starring David Warner, Donald and Angela Pleasance, and Donald Sinden. Ring any bells? Was THIS one an Amicus? If so it was an unusually high-quality one!!

I dont believe they were 'much inferior', some of the Amicus films were excellent. Same with Tigon.

[darren]

Re: The Amicus Horror Movies

great films here.in my opinion these ones are as god anything hammer did.

asylum i love robert powell stars and he visits each room each person has a story to tell.

the best one is where peter cushing wants a strange luminous white suit made for his dead son.

The Amicus anthology movies are an awesome slice of classic British horror.

Dr Terror's House of Horrors (1965)
Torture Garden (1967)
The House That Dripped Blood (1971)
Tales from the Crypt (1972)
Asylum (1972)
From Beyond the Grave (1973)
The Vault of Horror (1973)

[Wirral Writer]

Re: The Amicus Horror Movies

Oh yesss, I LOVE that movie! Have it on DVD and have watched it many times.

[Wirral Writer]

Re: The Amicus Horror Movies

I got a fantastic 2-dvd set from Amazon all about the Amicus movies. It includes two very rare interviews with the great Peter Cushing.

Here is the link if anybody is interested in it:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Amicus-House...=Amicus+Horror

[moonvisage]

Re: The Amicus Horror Movies

I love the Amicus horror films.Some of them are my all time favourites.

[Wirral Writer]

Re: The Amicus Horror Movies

Here, here. Did you know that Brian Murphy (of George and Mildred) has made a new horror portmanteau movie called GRAVE TALES? You can buy it from Hemlock Books for nine quid. It's brilliant, and really evokes the spirit of the old Amicus portmanteau films.

[Sandy Sandwich]

Re: The Amicus Horror Movies

Wot? No mention of Tales That Witness Madness (1973) Freddie Francis would be turning from beyond his grave!

[Shado66]

Re: The Amicus Horror Movies

Ah yes the one with a love triangle between Joan Collins, Michael Jayston and a tree!

[darren]

Re: The Amicus Horror Movies

no where near as big or prolific as hammer but there best matched hammers best for me.
dont think hammer did any anthologies.

I love the Amicus horror films.Some of them are my all time favourites.