The Asphyx (1972)

Country of Origin: UK
Year of Production: 1972
Running Times: 99m
Length:
Format: 35mm/Todd-AO 35
Colour Format: colour
Ratio: 2.35:1
Sound:

DIRECTION

Director: Peter Newbrook

CREW

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Glendale
Producer: John Brittany
Associate Producer: Maxine Julius
Production Manager: Ted Sturgis

SCRIPT
Screenplay: Brian Comport
Story: Christina Beers, Laurence Beers

DIRECTION
Assistant Director: Roger Simons
Continuity: Phyllis Crocker

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Freddie Young
Camera Operator: Chris Holden

EDITING
Editor: Maxine Julius

MUSIC
Music: Bill McGuffie

SOUND
Sound Supervisor: John Cox
Sound Recording: John Ritchie
Sound Re-Recording: Bob Jones
Sound Editor: Peter Bond

COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP
Costume Designer: Evelyn Gibbs
Make Up: Jimmy Evans
Hair: Stephanie Kay

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects: Ted Samuels

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: John Stoll
Set Decorator: Arthur Taksen

LOCATIONS
Locations: Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, UK

CAST

Robert Stephens (Sir Hugo Cunningham)
Robert Powell (Giles Cunningham)
Jane Lapotaire (Christina Cunningham)
Alex Scott (Sir Edward Barrett)
Ralph Arliss (Clive Cunningham)
Fiona Walker (Anna Wheatley)
Terry Scully (pauper)
John Lawrence (Mason)
David Grey (vicar)
Tony Caunter (warden)
Paul Bacon (1st member)

At the end of the 18th century, scientist Sir Hugo Cunningham discovers that he can photograph the Asphyx, the spirit of dead, if he photographs a subject at the precise moment of death. He realises that if he can capture his own Asphyx, he will become immortal and sets out to prove his theory... (Full Synopsis)

UK
Theatrical Distributor: Glendale Films
Video Distributor: Intervision; Taste of Fear

USA
Theatrical Distributor: United Entertainment
Video Distributor: Mad Monster Video; Something Weird Video
DVD Distributor: All Day Entertainment

Finland
Rating: K-16

Sweden
Rating: 15

UK
Rating: AA (no cuts)

USA
Rating: PG

1972
July
25: UK - passed by the British Board of Film Censors (rated AA)

1974
August
22: Sweden - theatrical release

1977
January
21: Finland - theatrical release

If it were in your power... would you sacrifice your wife... your children for immortality? This is the story of a man who did!

This circle of light is the difference between life and immortality.

Experiments - German title
Horror of Death - UK re-release title
Spirit of the Dead

PERIODICALS

Cinéma 74 no.188 (June 1974) pp.156-157 (France)
credits, review

Shivers no.58 p.46 (UK)
review

Trauma no.4 p.52
review

NEWSPAPERS

Daily Express 30 March 1973 (UK)
review (by Ian Christie)

Daily Mail 30 March 1973 (UK)
review (by Cecil Wilson)

Daily Mirror 30 March 1973 (UK)
review (by Arthur Thirkell)

Evening Standard 29 March 1973 (UK)
review (by Alexander Walker)

Financial Times 30 March 1973 (UK)
review (by Nigel Andrews)

Guardian, The 5 April 1973 (UK)
review (by Derek Malcolm)

Morning Star 30 March 1973 (UK)
review (by Virginia Dignam)

Observer, The 1 April 1973 (UK)
review (by George Melly)

Sunday Times 1 April 1973 (UK)
review (by Dilys Powell)

Times, The 30 March 1973 (UK)
review (by Philip French)

BOOKS

Elliot's Guide to Films on Video p.37
UK video data

Fantastic Cinema Subject Guide pp.453-454
brief synopsis

Hoffman's Guide to SF, Horror and Fantasy Movies 1991 - 1992 p.27
short review, credits

OTHER SOURCES

screen
credits

immortality, photography, scientists

CONTRIBUTORS

Roger Keightley; Kevin Lyons

Last Updated: 17 March, 2010