Scream And Scream Again (1970) (film review).
Although Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, and Peter Cushing are the headliners, their appearances are mostly brief in this 1970 film, ‘Scream And Scream Again.’ What follows are a variety of settings, each with a high level of horror typical of the time period. In a hospital, a man awakens to find both his legs amputated. A foreign country, and a sadistic captain are torturing two civilians. He discovered two victims suffering from blood loss back in London, which prompted him to pursue them further.
The police are investigating the culprit, and a film from that era features a thrilling car chase involving a suspected vampire. Even after being stunned and handcuffed to a police car, he manages to escape by breaking off his own hand, only to drown himself in a vat of acid in one of the outer buildings owned by scientist Dr. Browning (actor Vincent Price). Indeed, the hand disappears from police custody, but preliminary investigations reveal it’s not a normal hand. After declaring the suspected vampire dead, Detective Super Bellaver (actor Alfred Marks) receives a notification indicating the case’s closure. Dr. David Sorel (actor Christopher Matthews), the police surgeon, goes to check on the acid vat while his girlfriend, a police officer, is looking after the car. He finds the vat empty and his girl and car gone. Someone who came to collect the vampire murderer’s files has also killed Bellaver. Recklessly, Sorel investigates Browning’s house. He bumps into Browning, who reveals much of the plot, but from then on it’s a spoiler.
This is a very odd composite-plotted film, and the elements in a foreign country seem tacked on to give Cushing a place in the film. Don’t believe IMdB; the film gives Price and Cushing more than just a token role. It does make extensive use of the supporting cast, which includes well-known actors from that era.
This is quite a bizarre film. It all makes sense in the end, but it looks like scenes were added to fill in the gaps. There’s also a puzzle about how these new humans seem equipped with a full education. Don’t scream too loudly.
GF Willmetts
December 2024
(pub: MGM. 90 minute film. Price: varies. ASIN: SPAL005)
cast: Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Alfred Marks and a potpourri of supporting cast from that time
