Tales That Witness Madness
| Tales That Witness Madness | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Freddie Francis |
| Produced by | Norman Priggen |
| Written by | Jennifer Jayne (as Jay Fairbank) |
| Starring | Donald Pleasence Joan Collins Kim Novak Jack Hawkins |
| Music by | Bernard Ebbinghouse |
| Cinematography | Norman Warwick |
| Editing by | Bernard Gribble |
| Studio | World Film Services |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
| Release date(s) | October 31, 1973 |
| Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Tales That Witness Madness is a 1973 British horror film produced by Norman Priggen, directed by veteran horror director Freddie Francis, and written by actress Jennifer Jayne.
It was one of several in a series of portmanteau films made during the 1960s and 1970s which included Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965), Torture Garden (1967), The House That Dripped Blood (1970), Asylum (1972), Tales from the Crypt (1972), The Vault of Horror (film) (1973), and From Beyond the Grave (1973).
This is similar to the Amicus portmanteau horror films of the time, but was not an Amicus production. It was produced by World Film Services.
The Encyclopedia of Horror says the film "avoids farce and develops a nicely deadpan style of humour which is ably sustained by the excellent cast in which only Novak appears unable to hit the right note."[1]
Contents |
[edit] Plot
In the Framing Story, a psychiatrist in a high tech modern mental asylum, Dr. Tremayne (Donald Pleasence), discusses a bold new psychiatric theory with colleague Dr. Nicholas (Jack Hawkins). Tremayne uses four patients who went insane - Paul, Timothy, Brian and Auriol - to illustrate the theory, presenting each in turn to Nicholas:
In Mr. Tiger, Paul (Russell Lewis) is the sensitive and introverted young son of constantly bickering parents Sam (Donald Houston) and Fay Patterson (Georgia Brown). Amid the unhappy domestic situation he befriends an "imaginary" tiger. Features David Wood as Paul's tutor Phillipe.
In Penny Farthing, Timothy (Peter McEnery) an antique store owner, stocks a strange portrait of "Uncle Albert" (Frank Forsyth) and a penny farthing bicycle. In a series of episodes Uncle Arthur compels Timothy to mount the bicycle and he is transported to an earlier era where he observes the apparently mourning Polly (Beth Morris). These travels place Timothy's wife Ann (Suzy Kendall) in peril. Features Neil Kennedy and Richard Connaught as the removal men.
In Mel, Brian Thompson (Michael Jayston) brings home an old dead tree, which he lovingly calls Mel, mounting it in his modern home as a bizarre piece of objet d'art. He increasingly shows unusual attention to Mel angering his jealous wife Bella (Joan Collins).
In Luau literary agent Auriol Pageant (Kim Novak) lasciviously courts a new client Kimo (Michael Petrovich), however he shows more interest in her beautiful young daughter Ginny (Mary Tamm). Auriol organises a sumptuous luau for him as per the detailed instructions of Kimo's associate Keoki (Leon Lissek). However it is actually a ceremony to reincarnate Kimo's deceased mother Malia (Zohra Segal), and a requirement is that he and his hostess consume the flesh of a virgin: Ginny. Features Leslie Nunnerley as Vera.
In the Epilogue, Nicholas has Tremayne himself declared insane, apparently for believing the patients' bizarre accounts (e.g. the four segments), but manifestations of the patients' histories materialize, and "Mr. Tiger" kills Nicholas.
[edit] Production
Filmed at Shepperton Studios on 35 mm with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1. This was the last film of Frank Forsyth who appears as Uncle Albert. Jack Hawkins died shortly after his scenes were filmed. Hawkins had had his larynx removed in an operation in 1966 and here his voice was dubbed by Charles Gray in post-production. (Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide)[2] This was Hawkins' final film appearance.[1]
Kim Novak broke a four year hiatus from films with her appearance in this film. She replaced Rita Hayworth shortly after production started.[1]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Allmovie
- Tales That Witness Madness at the Internet Movie Database
- http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tales_that_witness_madness at Rotten Tomatoes
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