Customer Reviews

Terror

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

WARNING: If you are looking for a DVD of the Terror, there are some awful copies available! The disc from Master Movies is by FAR the best available. There are no extras to speak of except for some biographical info (some incorrect) but the film looks surprisingly good, especially if you boost the black level on your player. AVOID THE OTHER VERSIONS. The Master Movies version is the one with the non-descript grey cover with a small picture of Nicholson. No extras, blah cover, excellent picture for a public domain film.

WARNING to anyone thinking of purchasing the D-Vision DVD edition of THE TERROR: It is not the letterbox edition touted in Amazon's writeup (my sole reason for ordering it). REPEAT: It is not widescreen; it is in full-screen format, and appears to have been mastered from an EP VHS source.

If you grew up in the sixties you probably husseled off down to the local cinema to chomp popcorn, slurp soda and watch a film like this, I know I did.

Compaired to todays output it is about as terrifing as chocklate ice cream.

You have a very young Jack Nicholson and a very old Boris Karloff performing this little drama on sets you should recognize from a dozen other "B" Horror films.

Nicholeson's preformance forshadows his later success.

For its time, this is an above average film, an excellent example of the type and period which is why I give it a 5.

I found it well worth watching.
I quite enjoyed it, but that is dating myself.

There is a lot to talk about concerning 1963's The Terror, but the most fascinating thing of all is the fact that Roger Corman actually made a creepy, impressive film for once in his life. Of course, I can't help but think he had a little bit of help by a young associate producer named Francis Coppola. As for the film itself, it definitely deserves its cult horror film status. It features Boris Karloff, it maintains a wonderfully gloomy atmosphere throughout, boasts some pretty decent special effects, and it actually features a good story with some surprising twists and turns at the end. It also stars a young Jack Nicholson, which certainly helps its popularity - unfortunately, though, this is probably Nicholson's worst performance ever, as he sometimes rushes through his lines without immersing himself in the character.

Nicholson plays Andre Duvalier, a French soldier who has become separated from his unit. You can tell he's French because he wears a fancy uniform but doesn't seem inclined to actually engage in any sort of battle, is rather rude to those he meets, and basically expects everyone to do whatever he commands of them. Andre meets a young lady named Helene as he is wandering along some coastline and apparently falls in love with her - despite the fact she keeps disappearing and just possibly tries to lead him to his death. He ends up being cared for by a strange old woman, who tells him there is no girl in that area. Still, he persists in finding Helene, eventually tracking her to a spooky old castle. There, he meets Baron von Leppe (Karloff) and learns that the girl he saw is the spitting image of the Baron's wife, who has been dead for twenty years. He eventually learns the story of the Baroness' violent death, but he just doesn't believe that the woman he met is actually a ghost. The Baroness' death all those years ago does stand at the heart of the story, but the truth is more complicated than you might think. The film sort of plods along for awhile, but the final twenty minutes play out wonderfully. You may think you know what is really going on, but odds are that you will meet with a surprise or two before all is said and done - I know I did. There is one plot point that is a little hard to swallow for reasons that will be obvious to the viewer, but overall I would declare this film an unqualified success.

The story behind this movie has become something of a legend. It seems that Corman wrapped up filming The Raven a few days early, and so he decided to make another film on the spot. The rush job origins of the film explain some of the anachronisms that crop up, but it seems obvious to me that Corman did his best work when he didn't have time to really think about what he was doing. Some critics have referred to The Terror as a movie without a plot. Apparently, only a partial script was written on the spot - specifically, those scenes filmed on the set of The Raven. The movie was actually finished a short time later (several individuals, including Francis Ford Coppola, were tasked with the job of putting the patchwork of filmed scenes together and actually finishing the whole thing). Despite its unusual and rushed origins, though, I found The Terror to be an impressive, strongly plot-driven film. The story, even more than the actors (in my opinion, only Karloff gave an impressive performance), makes The Terror a must-see horror film that, in my estimation, is in no way cheesy.

For some reason, I like this film. It had atmosphere, a deserted castle, lightening and thunder, and Boris Karloff. The price of the "Master Movie" edition for this DVD is unbeatable, but then you're not getting wide screen, which is a let down. But as far as I know, there are, at this time, no wide screen editions of "The Terror" on DVD or VHS. However, the picture quality is great, and sound quality is acceptable. I'm really disappointed, though, not to see more of the Poe classic Corman films on DVD, yet, in wide screen, of course. A better buy, though a little more expensive, is "Tales of Terror". Excellent color, wide screen, beautiful sound, and of course, Vincent Price, Basil Rathbone, and Peter Lorre.

The Terror is a 1963 horror film (actually in color!) starring Boris Karloff and Jack Nicholson that hasn't really gained much recognition. And understandably so. Like Bela Lugosi, Karloff seemed to fall into numerous low budget B-movies after his initial fame of the Universal era reached its peak. This is one of those movies. For plot details, here's what the back of the DVD case reads:

"The Terror features two screen legends in a most unlikely pairing, alby directed by horrormeister Roger Corman (with an assist by Francis For Cappola). Jack Nicholson plays Andre Duvalier, a lieutenant in the French Army, who falls in love with Helene (Sandra Knight), a mysterious woman who keeps appearing to him. He eventually follows her to an old creepy castle, where he meets the sinister Baron Von Leppe (Boris Karloff), and is held captive. As it turns out, Helene is the ghost of the Baron's late wife, or so we are led to believe. This atmospheric film is appropraitely moody and drenched with a feeling of dread. Numerous plot twists and surprises will keep you guessing right up to the film's end."

I think that synopsis exaggerates a bit. The story, while slightly clever and intriguing once completely revealed near the end, is a bit draggy and, not surprisingly, doesn't really hold the viewer's attention. Karloff's character isn't very interesting either. For such a star, it seems there should've been a little more substance and style that he could've fooled around with. Strangely enough, most scenes seemed to focus on the other star of the show, which is the only real reason I enjoyed The Terror. For Nicholson. I've long been a fan of Jack and his undeniable sense of charisma and screen presence. So, of course, I just had to see some of his older works. Here, he's in his mid-twenties, basically unknown in the film industry, and doesn't have too much to work with as far as his character goes. Regardless, he is given a lot of screen time, which makes up for what the script lacks. Sure, he's no RP McMurphy or Jack Torrance, but it's still fun to see. And about the whole "French Army" deal, don't worry, he doesn't use an accent. Despite a few changes of grammer and a corny suit, given the story is set in the seventeen/eighteen hundreds, he's still good 'ol Jack Nicholson.

Now to the particular DVD edition I own -- the one from DigiView Productions. In addition to the already tattered age of the film, the transfer is pretty lousy. The color isn't very good at all, especially in the dark scenes. The sound could also use a little polishing, but overall it's still watchable. As far as everything else, well, there is a menu, but really no special features. Still, the price is unbeatable.

All in all, The Terror is a decent film. Nothing beyond the ordinary for that era of horror flicks, but a young Nicholson makes it worth owning anyway. I'd just recommend, depending on your tolerance for transfer quality, that you consider what price you're willing to pay.

The Terror is simply a fun B horror flick. Forget the acting, it's terrible, but that's its charm (it's worth it just to see the early Nicholson). It's the atmosphere that makes this movie a classic. The musical score gives it the true feel of the late night horror genre. Of course it's not scary, but that's beside the point. The ancient castle with its wonderful architecture, the ocean waves crashing on the rocky beach, the "old women" and her shack in the woods, and Stephan (the butler) whose performance is reminiscent of a Mel Brooks movie, make it a treat. For Karloff fans, this is a must see. I've been a fan of Corman's work for quite some time, and I think this is one of his better films. I would also recommend "Die Monster Die," directed by Daniel Haller, for those incurable Karloff fans.

Jack Nicholson plays a french officer in Napoleon's army who ends up at the castle of Baron Von Leppe (Boris Karloff), after wandering around lost for seven months. He's met a mysterious girl who just might be a ghost! Von Leppe is pretty mysterious too! He's been in the castle for 20 years after murdering his adulterous wife, Ilsa. Is Ilsa the same girl that Jack ran into? And what about the strange witch who lives near the castle? And the hawk that seems to possess human intelligence? THE TERROR is one of Roger Corman's better films, leaving his infamous rubber monsters behind, in order to get under our skin with creeping undercurrents of fear and dread. Nicholson is great, actually showing some of the snearing stuff that would one day make him a megastar. Karloff is himself, in one of his better latter-day performances. Also watch for Jonathan Haze (Little Shop Of Horrors) as Gustav, and Dick Miller (Bucket Of Blood) as Von Leppe's faithful servant. Enjoy...

Released in 1964, it was once said that horror films great Boris Karloff owed producer/director Roger Corman,time from the filming of a previous movie and Karloff payed Corman acting in "The Terror" co-starring the then young rookie actor Jack Nicholson as a stranded soldier in Napoleon's invading army in a coastal region of Germany. Co-starring in this thriller are Sandra Knight, Jonathan Haze, Dick Miller and other Corman's regulars. Definitely one of Corman's "B" movies, this film keeps you on the edge of your seat, its atmospheric and a gothic horror classic. This film is definitely on what I call the Roger Corman Hall of Fame, it belongs in the collection of every classic horror movie fan.

The Terror (Roger Corman, 1963)

Corman and his uncredited team of co-directors (among them both Francis Ford Coppola and Jack Nicholson) came up with one of Corman's (relatively) strongest movies here, pitting Nicholson and Boris Karloff against one another over the affections of Sandra Knight. Don't get me wrong, in many ways this movie is as terrible as anything Corman ever churned out, but at least it's jam-packed with atmosphere and scenery-chewing. Filmed just after Corman finished The Raven (he had five free days that had been budgeted for that one), Corman and his principal cast and crew knocked this one out, in Hollywood terms, overnight.

The plot concerns one Andre Duvalier (Nicholson), separated from his regiment, who seeks shelter in a small house for the night after running into a lovely young woman who calls herself Helene (Knight) down by the sea. She drops hints that she can be found at the castle of Baron von Leppe (Karloff), and when Duvalier rides that way, he spies her in a window. Duvalier demands admittance, and the game is on: is Helene really a prisoner in the castle, or is she the ghost of Ilsa, von Leppe's wife, dead twenty years?

While Nicholson and Karloff do the jobs expected of them, the real lynchpin of this movie is Stefan (Dick Miller), von Leppe's servant, who's never quite sure which side he's on in this battle of wills. He doesn't get as much screen time as the starts of the film, but what we see of him makes me wonder how much fun this could have been had he ended up as the main character. Still, he lends an intriguing presence to an otherwise dull film. The rest of it's pretty useless, with nary a scare to be found and very few thrills on top of that, but it's not an awful way to kill eighty minutes if you happen to be in the mood for Corman. **