The Blood Beast Terror (1967)

Country of Origin: UK
Year of Production: 1967
Running Times: 88 mins
Length: 7879 ft
Format:
Colour Format: Eastmancolor
Ratio:
Sound:

DIRECTION

Directed by: Vernon Sewell

PRODUCTION
Copyright: © Tigon British Films MCMLXVII [1967]
Production Company: Tony Tenser presents
Executive Producer: Tony Tenser
Produced by: Arnold L. Miller
Production Manager: Ricky Howard

SCRIPT
Screenplay by: Peter Bryan

DIRECTION
Assistant Director: George Pollard
Continuity: Eve Wilson

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Stanley A. Long
Camera Operator: Norman Jones
Focus Puller: Jim Alloway
Color by Movielab [on US prints only]

EDITING
Editor: Howard Lanning

MUSIC
Music Composed & Conducted by: Paul Ferris

SOUND
Sound Mixer: Alan Hogben
Boom Operator: Mike Tucker
Dubbing Editor: Dennis Lanning

COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP
Wardrobe: Marie Feldwick
Make-up Artist: Rosemarie McDonald Peattie
Hairdresser: Henry Montsash

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects: Roger Dicken

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Art Director: Wilfred Woods
Set Dresser: Freda Pearson
Construction Manager: Len Harvey

OTHER CREW
Production Secretary: Pat O'Donnell

LOCATIONS
Studio: Goldhawk Studios, Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK

CAST

Peter Cushing (Inspector Quennell)
Robert Flemyng (Dr Mallinger)
Wanda Ventham (Clare Mallinger)

co starring
Vanessa Howard (Meg Quennell)
David Griffin (William)
Glynn Edwards (Sergeant Allen)

featuring
William Wilde (Britewell)
Kevin Stoney (Granger)
John Paul (Warrender)
Russell Napier (landlord)

guest star
Roy Hudd (morgue attendant)

Leslie Anderson (coachman)
Simon Cain (gardener)
Robert Cawdron (Chief Constable)
Kenneth Colley (James)
Beryl Cooke (housekeeper)
Roy Evans (second porter)
Joan Ingram (cook)
David Lyell (second student)
John Scott Martin (Snaflebum)
William Maxwell (first porter)
Mike Mundell (first student)
Norman Pitt (police doctor)
Malcolm Rogers (Dr Elliott)
Drew Russell (PC Smith)
Honor Shepherd (senior housemaid)
Robin Wentworth (Starkadder)

PLOT SUMMARY

A scientist uses a rare African Deathshead moth to create and female human / moth hybrid that he passes off as his daughter. But the creature needs blood to survive and is soon working its way through the local population.

CAPSULE REVIEW

A ludicrous idea is given ham-fisted treatment from the once interesting Vernon Sewell with awful results. Cushing gives his usual sterling performance but the material ultimately defeats him and the plodding direction ruins every nuance in his - and everyone elses - performance. Cushing himself dismissed the film as the worst of his career - he wan't wrong. (Full Review)

UK
Theatrical Distributors: Tigon

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Pacemaker
Video Distributor: Monterey; Mad Monster Video
DVD Distributors: Image Entertainment

Sweden
Rating: 15

UK
Rating: X

1967
August
7: UK - filming begins

1968
February
Day Unknown: UK - theatrical release
13: UK - trade show at the Anglo Preview Theatre, London

1969
March
10: Sweden theatrical release

May
16: USA theatrical release

1986
July
1: UK - television broadcast (on Thames)

1993
January
Day Unknown: UK - television broadcast (on Bravo)

1994
September
Day Unknown: UK - television broadcast (on Channel 4)

1995
November
Day Unknown: UK - television broadcast (on Channel 4)

1996
August
Day Unknown: UK - television broadcast (on Channel 4)

2002
May
25: UK - television broadcast (on BBC1)

2004
June
27: UK - television broadcast (on BBC1)

Blood Beast From Hell - shooting title
Deathshead Vampire - shooting title
Vampire-Beast Craves Blood, The - US title

PERIODICALS

Daily Cinema no.9400 (26 July 1967) p.3 (UK)
note

Daily Cinema no.9485 (16 February 1968) p.6 (UK)
credits, review (by Marjorie Bilbow)

Kine Weekly no.3150 (24 Febraury 1968) p.8 (UK)
review

Monthly Film Bulletin vol.35 no.414 (July 1968) p.101 (UK)
credits, synopsis, review

BOOKS

British National Film Catalogue vol.6 (1968) p.136
credits

Creature Features Strikes Back p.48
credits, review (by John Stanley)

Fragments of Fear: an illustrated history of British horror films by Andy Boot (London (1996): Creation Books)

Hoffman's Guide to SF, Horror and Fantasy Movies 1991 - 1992 p.48
credits, review

The Illustrated Frankenstein Movie Guide p.61
credits, review (by Stephen Jones)

The Illustrated Vampire Movie Guide p.42
credits, review (by Stephen Jones)

Reference Guide to Fantastic Films p.518
credits

OTHER SOURCES

screen
credits

actors, africa, genetics, gothic, human experiments, hypnotism, moths, police, scientists, students, vampires

Last Updated: 8 March, 2009