Hysteria (1965)

Country of Origin: UK
Year of Production: 1964
Running Times: 85 mins
Format: black and white     35mm
Ratio:
Sound:

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Hammer Films
Producer: Jimmy Sangster
Production Manager: Don Weeks

SCRIPT
Script: Jimmy Sangster

DIRECTION
Director: Freddie Francis
Assistant Director: Basil Rayburn

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: John Wilcox
Camera Operator: David Harcourt

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Supervising Editor: James Needs

MUSIC
Musical Supervisor: Philip Martell
Music: Don Banks

SOUND
Sound Recording: Cyril Swern
Sound Editor: Roy Hyde
Sound System: Westrex Recording System

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Make Up: Alec Garfath
Hair: Alice Holmes
Wardrobe Mistress: Maude Churchill

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Titles: Chambers and Partners

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Edward Carrick

MISCELLANEOUS
Continuity: Yvonne Axworthy

LOCATIONS
Locations: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer British Studios, Elstree, England

CAST
Robert Webber (Chris Smith)
Lelia Goldoni (Denise James)
Anthony Newlands (Dr Keller)
Jennifer Jayne (Gina McConnell)
Maurice Denham (Hemmings)
Peter Woodthorpe (Marcus Allen)
Sue Lloyd (French girl)
Kiwi Kingston (husband)
Marianne Stone (Allen's secretary)
John Arnatt (driver)
Sandra Boize (English girl)
Irene Richmond
Kiwi Kingston

PLOT SUMMARY

The amnesiac Chris Smith turns to psychiatrist Dr Keller for help in restoring his memory. But the manipulative Keller sees Smith as the perfect fall guy for his planned murder of his wife.

Hammer had signed a new production deal with Seven Arts in 1965 and their "psycho chiller" sub genre obviously didn't sit well with the US money men. This would the only attempt in the four year deal to continue this trend and it is easy to see why. A dull talky melodrama. Seven Arts as ever insisted on a name recognisable to US audiences, this time regular TV guest star Webber. A couple of faces from Francis' previous Evil of Frankenstein (1964) reappear here, including the monster from that movie without appalling make up.

UK
Theatrical Release: MGM

USA
Theatrical Release: MGM

1965
April
Day Unknown: USA - theatrical release

June
27: UK - theatrical release

2001
November
16: UK - television broadcast (on TCM)

December
7: UK - television broadcast (on TCM)
31: UK - television broadcast (on TCM)

MAGAZINES

British National Film Catalogue vol.3 (1965) (UK)
credits, synopsis

Daily Cinema no.9069 (26 May 1965) p.4 (UK)
review

Dark Terrors no.9 (November 1994) pp.18-21 (UK)
illustrated article

Film and TV Technician vol.32 no.256 (July / August 1966) (UK)
credits

Kine Weekly no.3008 (27 May 1965) p.9 (UK)
review

Monthly Film Bulletin vol.32 no.378 (July 1965) p.110 (UK)
credits, synopsis, review

Variety 8 September 1965 (USA)
credits, review

KEYWORDS

amnesia, psychiatrists, paranoia

Last Updated: 1 January, 2009