Der Ghul

At a party in the 1920s, two dizzy couples challenge each other to a car race to Land's End. But the race ends in fog near a lonely, dark mansion where Peter Cushing offers hospitality at a gruesome price!

A seriously underrated horror film that boasts some great atmosphere, swirling mists across the moor, the dread and an engaging story, but the pace can be slow at times. However, generally this is a good chiller that also features some gory moments, if only towards the end. Loved the 1920's setting. Peter Cushing acts superbly, like usual, and looks quite melancholic. His wife had died recently. In the scene the woman in the photo is his wife.

"The Ghoul" was produced by Tyburn Films - one of the British Horror Companies that spurted up in response to Hammer Studio's worldwide Gothic horror movie success. This one should be of immediate interest to anyone who likes those films as it stars Hammer veteran Peter Cushing, Hammer starlet Veronica Carlson and is written and directed by Hammer stalwarts Anthony Hinds and Freddie Francis.

Ghoul begins at a roaring 1920's party where four bored guests decide to go drag racing and wind up at a strange mansion in the forest where a former priest (Cushing) resides with his creepy Indian housekeeper (brilliantly portrayed by Gwen Watford), and sadistic groundskeeper (a very early role by John Hurt). Now, I'm sure some of you may be raising your eyebrow and thinking "that tired story again?" - but as anyone who likes these kinds of movies knows, its all about the execution and this one's got it nailed down perfectly.

There are some gory surprises, nice Gothic stylings, and excellent performances nestled inside of this very vague, very familiar story. Alexandra Bastedo, is particularly wonderful as one of the feisty teenagers, ethereally beautiful Carlson is always a joy to watch and Cushing gives one of his finest turns ever here. Anyone who likes Hammer movies or Gothic horror in general would be well-advised in seeking out this lost treasure that for some reason, in spite of its stellar cast and production crew, has escaped a genuine DVD release in any country.

I have noticed a lot of rubbish written about this movie: its NOT a Hammer production (it's from Tyburn) although a lot of Hammer-regulars are involved in it; director Freddie Francis is NOT the brother of producer Kevin Francis, but his father; the only similarities between Alfred Hitchock's Psycho and this movie are a female lead-actress (Veronica Carlson of Hammer's Dracula Has Risen from the Grave and Frankenstein Must be Destroyed-fame) who is killed halfway through the movie after we have become to root for her and who's disappearance is investigated by people who knew her, and an atmospheric house which contains a supposedly hideous secret. Peter Cushing gives a great performance, mixing real-life emotions with acting (his sadness about his departed wife of which he show photographs to Veronica Carlson and which are photographs of his real wife who had died in 1971, is really hard to watch if you are familiar with the background-information); John Hurt is also great although his character is nothing more then a red herring; Gwen Watford gives a nice performance of a Hindu-housekeeper which is not sinister in herself but treated as sinister because Hindoes were considered sinister in the time-period the movie is set in. The Ghoul himself will be undoubtedly a let-down for gore-seekers; although he is cannibalistic, he turns out to be more of a sad retard than a monster. The element which makes this film a cult-classic is the sadness which pervades every scene once we have made entrance to the house; not any other movie, to my knowledge, makes the same impact of sadness and doom which are presented here through characterizations, surroundings and even time-period. It's a gem, worthy to seek out, but be warned: only one viewing may not be enough to appreciate it ! You have to take your time for it and watch it several times (with intervals)... It may haunt you...

This is the first film from Tyburn Productions (a supposed latter-day successor to Hammer and Amicus; they also had Peter Cushing starring in Legend of the Werewolf(1975) and Masks of Death(1984)).

This has to rank as one of Peter Cushing's most memorable performances - his role is portrayed with such dedicated nervousness and emotion, that the viewer immediately gets his sympathy.

The female photographs used in the movie are of his real wife Helen, who had passed away in 1971. The tears that Peter Cushing sheds in this film are for real and it did affect the rest of the cast quite deeply.

Aside from this, the plot stumbles along with yawning gaps of pointless dialogue and actionless scenes, until the Ghoul is revealed at the end. It's not really worth the wait!

Watch it only for a dedicated professional at work who steals all the scenes and makes a poor film seem passable.

I sort of liked this one, but mainly because of the performances of Peter Cushing and John Hurt. Also, Ian McCullough is rather good in it too. However, if you have seen the movie "The Oblong Box" and "The Dunwich Horror" you will know where this one is going. No surprises are in store for you and there really are few murders so it is not exactly a gore fest. So the only thing this one really has going is the actors I have already mentioned and if you do not really care for them I would have to suggest you skip this one. The ending to this one is also very much like the ending to "The Oblong Box" where you wait to see the face of the killer and in the end it is really not all that big a deal. Still though, the movie manages to not to be to boring, well to me anyway and if you are a big Peter Cushing fan you may want to check it out.