Customer Reviews

Black Torment

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Reading the product review on Amazon coupled w/ other reviewer comments, and being familiar w/ Redemption films in general, I figured this one was a no-brainer, and snatched it up immediately, only to be terribly disappointed. A British Gothic masterpiece? Hardly. Plenty of heaving bosoms and swashbuckling swordfights? Please. Impressive and chilling? Wrong again. It IS in the tradition of Hammer and early 60`s Italian horror, though it isn`t as good as most offerings of either. I found it to start out OK, but it was too easy to discern who or what was behind the nasty proceedings, and the film lacked any true chills for my tastes. And I`m a big time fan of Hammer and Italian horror. And the soundtrack sounded like it was from another film entirely, it wasn`t dark, compelling, underlining any of the film`s crucial scenes, and so added nothing to the atmosphere of the movie. Redemption Films needs scolding for this release (AND it`s a re-release of theirs, so they`re twice shamed) and director Robert Hartford-Davis was also responsible for 'Bloodsuckers', another even more dreadful abomination from the early 70`s. The only genuinely disturbing thing here is that the other reviewers praised it as highly as they did - go figure...

This is a Hammer style gothic made by another production company. However many Hammer actors are to found in this film (the blacksmith is the doctor who employs Peter cushing in Hound of the Baskervilles). Great plot that kept us guessing until the very end.
Loaded with Hammer style atmosphere. Any fan of Hammer will want this in their collection. I am suprised I did not hear about this before but this is its first release on DVD. We do not get a 16x9 transfer here. Too bad as this movie deserves the best. Much too our suprise the print used is not too bad at all. It looks like a pretty clean theatrical print. Colors blur a bit and there is grain/minor print damage. The image did not stretch to the point of distraction at all on our 16x9 monitor. Actually I really liked the look of the film. It does not distract. This is how it would have looked on VHS orTV before DVD. We collectors have gotton spoiled on Anchor Bay and Blue Underground DVD releases using orignal negatives and elements on Hammer/horror releases. Hats off to them but Image has put out a solid product using a mid grade source. What is most important is this is a classic gothic story that stands up their with some of Hammers better work.

Sound is quite good in Mono. Clear and powerfull. Extras are some stills nothing of real note.

A welcome addition to our collection. Hammer fans take note.
One star taken off for the lack of anamorphic enhancement and lesser prints used. Total 4 stars..

Sir Richard Fordyce returns to his home after staying in London with his newly married wife. Upon his arrival the people of his estate greet him rather strangely. As it turns out while Fordyce has been away people have sworn that they have seen him at his home, there have also been several young women who have been killed. Fordyce also sees ghostly figures on the grounds of his estate. Is Fordyce slowly going mad or is there something more sinister at play.

This one is a dark drama and doesn't offer any humor. It's still great though and John Turner's character here reminds me quite a bit of the one he played in Behemoth the Sea Monster (1959) (another Compton Films production). If you like the other Robert Hartford-Davis (Incense for the Damned (1970), The Fiend (1972)) adaptations, don't miss this one.

British horror film from 1964. Has an Italian feel t it. Enthusiasts of classic horrror will enjoy. A man returns home and finds himself accused of things he does not remember doing. Ghostly and atmosheric.

I love this film. Reminds me of the classics, "Nightmare Castle" and "Castle of Blood". It has that same eerie feel to it. However, I really hate Redemptions intro to their dvds. It's so cheesy and pointless. That "gothic" chick with contact lenses is so awful!!! I always fwd through her. They picked such a stupid design/logo/mascot for their production company.