Year:  1970
Rating: 4.0

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So this is the fourth AIP/ Vincent Price film that I have seen in a row but at least they make no pretense of this being based on Edgar Allen Poe. In fact, it was a bit of culture shock after seeing three period horror pieces, as this opens on Swinging London in the 1960's. Much to its detriment as it turns out. This is a mess of a film that makes less sense than a Donald Trump press conference. For quite a while I thought I was in fact watching two films that had been clumsily stitched together like a poor orphan's sweater. But at around the 75 minute mark (of a 94 minute film) they make a connection however absurd it is. The filmmakers throw in a vampire motif, a bit of Frankenstein, cold war shenanigans, a super race, a chase that must have taken up a quarter of the film and three major horror stars of the time.


How can you pass up a film that boasts of Vincent Price, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee all in one place? It is like hitting a trifecta. In this case a crooked one. Cushing is in the film for perhaps five minutes, Lee a bit longer and Price gets the most screen time of the three but still probably measures in at 15 minutes - but they are good minutes. He is asked "So you want to make a super race?" "Yes, but not an evil super race". Is there any other kind. Not sure what was going on behind the scenes of this film that also involved Amicus, but clearly they went off formula and got lost in the process.