THE
TERROR (1963)Director: Roger Corman
Platinum Disc Corporation
THE
TERROR (1963)Directed, Produced and Written by Roger Corman + Produced by Francis Ford Coppola + Screenwriters Leo V. Gordon & Jack Hill + Cinematography by John M. Nicholas, Jr. & Alfred Taylor + Musical Score by Ronald Stein + Art Direction by Daniel Haller + Set Designer Harry Reif + Costume Designer Marjorie D. Corso + In Pathecolor & VistaVision + A Filmgroup Presentation + An American-International Pictures Release. Released in September 1963 + Running Time: 81 minutes
Cast: Boris Karloff (Baron
Frederick von Leppe), Sandra Knight (Helene/Ghost of Baroness Ilse Von Leppe),
Jack Nicholson (Lt. Andre Duvalier), Richard Miller (Stefan), Dorothy Neumann
(Old Crone Katrina/Eric's Mother) & Jonathan Haze (Gustaf)
The tale begins on a rocky shoreline with a castle hovering over the Baltic Sea. A handsome French lieutenant knocks on the large oaken door of imposing fortress. The constant pounding and ricocheting through foreboding halls summons the lord of the manor, Baron Frederick Eric von Leppe. The young man faces the daunting task of attempting to find the spectral raven beauty he spied on the coast, a woman who introduced herself as Helene. Much as Ulysses of Greek mythology the soldier is bewitched with the siren's song.
The elder, reclusive Baron von Leppe suffers also from the curse of a woman, in fact the woman he had loved as a young man. Through an unexpected rendezvous with a sorceress near the coastline (the queen of old crones Dorothy Neumann) we learn the REAL mystery of the plot which is not revealed here. AIP veterans Jonathan Haze and Dick Miller have small but showy moments in this undervalued achievement. The climactic moment is an aquatic treat which must have sent the crew home shivering.
Five
great personalities cut their teeth on this project along with Corman and all
are names this readership will be familiar with: Francis Ford Coppola, Monte
Hellman, Jack Hill, Dennis Jakob and Jack Nicholson. There are numerous great
quotes from these gentlemen within the text of HOW I MADE A HUNDRED MOVIES IN
HOLLYWOOD AND NEVER LOST A DIME (by Corman with Jim Jerome). Nicholson even
directed portions of the film which starred his then-pregnant wife Sandra Knight
(of FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER fame!) At this particular time Master Jack was getting
his start and just beginning to find his million-dollar talent and voice in
the business many of us never knew he would ever have.
As Hollywood legend goes, Corman
had just finished filming THE RAVEN and had a couple or three days left over
with Karloff. For an additional fee Corman utilized the actor's services in
which he shot most of the interiors as the sets were being rolled up and
returned to storage. The director then called in the aforementioned personalities
to breathe life into the project which concluded within three months. Considering
the fact each friend brought in his own vision to the making of THE TERROR,
many critics of the time thought the project a total disaster and dismissed
it. Fortunately the test of time has proven those individuals wrong. THE TERROR
is top-flight AIP at its very best.
The print quality itself is mostly very good, with some scratches and speckling during the anticipated reel changes. The color is splendid and the mono sound phenomenal in its presentation of one of Ronald Stein's trance-like and most celebrated scores (nearly the equal in majesty to his compositions for THE HAUNTED PALACE). The credits themselves are a treat, the ethereal artwork of Paul Julian with landscapes of bone, chambers of torture and nightmarish visions of falcons gliding through tenebrous archways. The inspired lensing of John M. Nicholas, Jr. and Alfred Taylor incorporates trees, water and beams of sunlight throughout the film's actual Big Sur locations.
A
number of video and DVD prints exist of this apparently public domain title.
Not a single available copy on any format takes advantage of its VistaVision
aspect presentation which is a pity, as THE TERROR is lush and at times is a
virtual painting come-to-life. Beach scenes and fogbound ancient cemeteries
are particularly breathtaking.
To quote Jack Nicholson, "They don't make movies like THE TERROR anymore."
More than paying the rent and a few other essentials, how many great living actors can say they worked with Karloff and had so much fun doing it?
The definitive version of THE TERROR is still awaited. But Platinum Disc Corporation is the best this scribe has seen thus far, and at a mere $7.95 won't break one's budget or heart. (Christopher Dietrich)