Taste of Fear (1961)

Country of Origin: UK
Year of Production: 1961
Running Times: 77 mins 82 mins (UK - theatrical)
Format: black and white     35mm
Ratio:
Sound: mono

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Hammer Films
Executive Producer: Michael Carreras
Producer: Jimmy Sangster
Production Manager: Bill Hill

SCRIPT
Script: Jimmy Sangster

DIRECTION
Director: Seth Holt
Assistant Director: David Tomblin

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Douglas Slocombe
Camera Operator: Desmond Davis
Underwater Camera Operators: John Jordan, Egil S. Woxholt (both uncredited)

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Supervising Editor: James Needs
Editor: Eric Boyd-Perkins

MUSIC
Musical Supervisor: John Hollingsworth
Music: Clifton Parker

SOUND
Sound Recording: Leslie Hammond, E. Mason, Len Shilton
Sound Editor: James Groom
Sound System: RCA Sound Recording

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Make Up: Basil Newall
Hair: Eileen Bates
Wardrobe Mistress: Dora Lloyd

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Bernard Robinson

MISCELLANEOUS
Continuity: Pamela Mann

LOCATIONS
Locations: Associated British Elstree Studios, England, UK

CASTING
Casting: Stuart Lyons

CAST
Susan Strasberg (Penny Appleby)
Ronald Lewis (Bob)
Ann Todd (Jane Appleby)
Christopher Lee (Dr Gerard)
Leonard Sachs (Spratt)
Anne Blake (Marie)
John Serret (Inspector Legrand)
Fred Johnson (Mr Appleby)
Bernard Browne (gendarme)
Richard Klee (plainclothes sergeant)
Heinz Bernard, Brian Jackson, Frederick Schrecker (plainclothes officers - all uncredited)
Rodney Burke, Gordon Sterne (policemen - both uncredited)
Madame Lobegue (Swiss Air hostess - uncredited)
Frederick Rawlings (plainclothes sergeant - uncredited)

PLOT SUMMARY

Wheelchair-bound Penny Appleby visits her father in the South of France only to be told by her stepmother that he has unexpectedly left town on business. She later finds her father's body stashed in a summer-house, a body which then disappears leaving Penny and all around her to doubt her sanity. As more strange things happen to Penny, she turns to Bob the chauffeur for help - but is he really who he seems to be. And come to that, is Penny really who she seems?

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Columbia Pictures

Finland
Rating: K-16

Sweden
Rating: 15

UK
Rating: X (1961)

1961
January
25: UK - rated X by the BBFC (for theatrical release)

April
Day Unknown: UK - theatrical release

July
10: Sweden - theatrical release

August
4: Finland - theatrical release
22: USA - theatrical release

September
5: Denmark - theatrical release

This is positively the only photograph we are allowed to show you. Under no circumstances may we give away any of the startling secrets of the Great Screen Thriller. FOR YOUR MAXIMUM ENJOYMENT WE RECOMMEND YOU SEE IT FROM THE START - THE MANAGEMENT.

This is positively the only photograph we can show you!... Because we refuse to reveal the story's shocking qualities!

Important! For maximum thrill... we earnestly urge you to see this motion picture from the start!

La casa del terrore - Italian title
Hurler de peur - French title
Krzyk strachu - Polish title
Pelon tunne - Finnish title
El sabor del miedo - Spanish title
Scream of Fear - US title
Ein Toter spielt Klavier - German title

SEE ALSO
Crescendo (1970)
Fanatic (1965)
Hysteria (1965)
Maniac (1963)
Nightmare (1964)
Paranoiac (1963)
Psycho (1960)

MAGAZINES

Daily Cinema no.8439 (29 March 1961) p.14 (UK)
review

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

The House That Hammer Built no.3 (June 1997) pp.145-148 (UK)
illustrated credits, synopsis, review

Monthy Film Bulletin vol.28 no.328 (May 1961) p.63 (UK)
credits, symopsis, review

Kine Weekly no.2792 (6 April 1961) p.19 (UK)
review

Motion Picture Herald vol.224 no.7 (12 August 1961) p.236 (USA)
review

Variety 12 April 1961 (USA)
credits, review

KEYWORDS

insanity, disability, psychological thriller, france, paranoia

Last Updated: 1 January, 2009