Corruption (1967)

Country of Origin: UK
Year of Production: 1967
Running Times:
Length:
Format: 35mm
Colour Format: Technicolor
Ratio:
Sound: mono

PRODUCTION
Made by: Titan Film Distributors Ltd.  A Peter Newbrook  Robert Hartford-Davis production
Copyright: © MCMLXVII  Titan Film Distributors Ltd. in association with the Oakshire Company Ltd.
In Charge of Production: Robert Sterne
Produced by: Peter Newbrook

SCRIPT
Screenplay by: Donald and Derek Ford for Dorak Productions Ltd.

DIRECTION
Directed by: Robert Hartford-Davis
Assistant Director: Ken Softley
Continuity: Splinters Deason

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Peter Newbrook
Camera Operator: Norman Jones

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Don Deacon
Assistant Editor: Maxine Julius

MUSIC
Music Composed & Conducted by: Bill McGuffie

SOUND
Sound Supervisor: Cyril Collick
Dubbing Mixers: Peter Gilpin, George Willows

COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP
Make Up: John O'Gorman
Hairdresser: Biddy Chrystal

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects: Michael Albrechtson

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designed by: Bruce Grimes

LOCATIONS
Made on location and at Isleworth Studios, London, England

CASTING
Casting Director: James Liggat

CAST
Peter Cushing (Sir John Rowan)
&
Sue Lloyd (Lynn Nolan)

Also Starring
David Lodge (Groper)
Noel Trevarthen (Steve Harris)
Anthony Booth (Mike Orme)
Kate O'Mara (Val Nolan)

With
Wendy Varnals (Terry)
Billy Murray (Rik)

Vanessa Howard (Kate)
Jan Waters (girl in the flat)
Phillip Manikum (Georgie)
Alexandra Dane (Sandy)
Valerie Van Ost (girl in the train)
Diana Ashley (Claire)
Victor Baring (mortuary attendant)
Shirley Stelfox (girl at the party)

PLOT SUMMARY

Dr John Rowan attends a party with his young fiancée Lynn who is disfigured when a light falls on her. Rowan has developed a revolutionary technique to manipulate the body's endocrine system into promoting fresh tissue growth. Using this technique, he begins to murder young women, stealing their pituitary glands for use in his experiments, urged on by an increasingly distressed Lynn.

Hartford-Davis was on good form when he made Corruption, ensuring that far less blood is actually spilt on-screen than one actually imagines. The Fords wrote probably their best horror script for Corruption, giving Peter Cushing some remarkable material to work with, resulting in a truly magnificent performance. To this day, fans are shocked by Cushing's ferocity, his deeply disturbing portrayal of a man so obsessed that he loses touch with reality. (Full Review)

France
Video Distributor: G.I.F.M. Colombus

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Columbia Pictures

Sweden
Rating: 15

UK
Rating: X

USA
Rating: R

1967
July
10: UK - shooting begins

1968
November
21: UK - theatrical premiere at The Metropole, London

December
4: USA - theatrical release in New York City, New York
8: UK - theatrical release

1969
September
29: Sweden - theatrical release

This is not a woman's picture! No women will be allowed in alone!

"Corruption" Is Not A Woman's Picture! Therefore: No Woman Will Be Admitted Alone To See This Super-Shock Film!

where will the bodies turn up next? ...under a car seat? ...in a valise? ...or in a deep-freeze?

Die Bestie mit dem Skalpell - German title
Carnage
Corrupción - Spanish title
Korupcja - Polish title
Laser Killer - French video title/US longer version title
Ett liv i skräck - Swedish title
L'ossessione del mostro - Italian title

LINKS

SEE ALSO
Faceless (1988)
Les yeux sans visage (1959)

MAGAZINES

Daily Cinema no.9601 (18 November 1968) p.4 (UK)
review

Hammer Horror no.6 pp.34-37 (UK)
review

Kine Weekly no.3187 (9 November 1968) p.10
review

Monthly Film Bulletin vol.35 no.419 (December 1968) p.199 (UK)
credits, synopsis, review

Shivers no.41 (May 1997) pp.20-21 (UK)
illustrated article (Bloody Murder in Swinging London by Jonathan Rigby)

Sight and Sound vol.16 no.3 (March 2006) p.87
illustrated dvd review (Nozone: The bad old days by Tim Lucas (as part of a review of the movie trailer compilation 42nd Street Forever Volume 1))

Variety 11 December 1968 p.6 (USA)
credits, synopsis, review

BOOKS

Hoffman's Guide to SF, Horror and Fantasy Movies 1991 - 1992 p.79
credits, review

OTHER SOURCES

British National Film Catalogue vol.6 (1968)
credits

screen
credits

decapitations, doctors, scars, lasers, severed heads, surgeons

Last Updated: 1 January, 2009