Burke & Hare (1972 film)
Burke & Hare | |
---|---|
Directed by | Vernon Sewell |
Screenplay by | Ernle Bradford |
Produced by | Guido Coen |
Starring | Derren Nesbitt Harry Andrews Glynn Edwards Yootha Joyce Françoise Pascal |
Cinematography | Desmond Dickinson |
Edited by | John Colville |
Music by | Roger Webb |
Production companies | Armitage Films Kenneth Shipman Productions |
Distributed by | United Artists Corporation (Theatrical, UK) New World Pictures (Theatrical, USA) |
Release dates |
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Running time | 91 mins |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Burke & Hare, sometimes called Burke and Hare or The Horrors of Burke and Hare, is a 1972 horror film, directed by Vernon Sewell, and starring Derren Nesbitt, Harry Andrews, and Glynn Edwards.[1][2] It is based on the Burke and Hare murders, and was the last film to be directed by Vernon Sewell.[3]
Plot
In Edinburgh, in 1828, surgeon Dr Knox (Harry Andrews) employs graverobbers Burke and Hare (Derren Nesbitt and Glynn Edwards) to supply fresh corpses for his anatomical lectures at the medical academy. When graveyard supplies run low, the industrious pair turn to murder to keep the business going.
Cast
- Derren Nesbitt - Burke
- Harry Andrews - Dr Knox
- Glynn Edwards - Hare
- Yootha Joyce - Mrs Hare
- Françoise Pascal - Marie
- Yutte Stensgaard - Janet
- Robin Hawdon - Lord Angus McPhee
- Alan Tucker - Arbuthnot
- Dee Shenderey - Mrs Burke
- Joan Carol - Madame Thompson
- Paul Greaves - Ferguson
- David Pugh - Daft Jamie
- James Hayter - Dr Selby
- Thomas Heathcote - Paterson
- Duncan Lamont - Dr Saint
Theme Song
The eponymous theme song, which opens and closes the film, was written by Roger Webb with lyrics by Norman Newell, and performed by English comedy/musical trio The Scaffold.
Critical reception
Allmovie wrote, "the producers opted for sexploitation over gruesome horror, but the end result is decidedly dull";[4] and the Radio Times agreed, writing, "the accent is on sleazy sexploitation and bawdy comedy rather than anything truly macabre or frightening. Arguably the worst film adaptation of the exploits of the notorious West Port serial killers";[3] whereas Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings wrote, "I like it well enough, largely due to some interesting dialogue and energetic direction from Vernon Sewell, whose credits include The Blood Beast Terror and Curse of the Crimson Altar...The performances are also fun; in particular, Harry Andrews gives a memorable performance as Dr Knox, who wears an eyepatch and regales his friends with off-color jokes. I was pleasantly surprised by this one, as I wasn't expecting much."[5]
See also
- The Greed of William Hart (1948)
- The Flesh and the Fiends (1960)
- The Doctor and the Devil (1965)
- The Doctor and the Devils (1985)
- Burke & Hare (Comedy, 2010)
References
- ^ "Burke & Hare". 3 February 1972 – via IMDb.
- ^ "Burke & Hare (1972)". Archived from the original on 6 September 2016.
- ^ a b "Burke & Hare - Film from RadioTimes".
- ^ "The Horrors of Burke and Hare (1971) - Vernon Campbell Sewell - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie".
- ^ [1][dead link]
External links
- 1972 films
- 1971 films
- 1971 horror films
- 1970s serial killer films
- British horror films
- British serial killer films
- British films
- English-language films
- Films directed by Vernon Sewell
- Biographical films about serial killers
- Films set in the 1820s
- Films set in Edinburgh
- Cultural depictions of William Burke and Hare