Paranoico

I understand that Freddie Francis's "Paranoiac" is a loose adaptation of Josephine Tey's "Brat Farrar", of which I had never heard until now. It sounds as though Hammer tried to make a number of movies like "Psycho". This one isn't a bad attempt. It focuses on a man who arrives at an estate on the coast of Dorset, England, claiming to be a brother long thought dead, causing a bunch of family secrets to come out.

Oliver Reed's unctuous, irresponsible brother is the really intense character. He refuses to believe the newcomer and goes to great lengths to keep him out of the family. Reed's evil-looking face made him the perfect man for the role. A lot of the movie has the usual stuff that we see in these movies: screaming, eerie images, etc. I did like the cinematography showing the rocky English coast; the terrain looks as sinister as anything going on in the house. In the end "Paranoiac" isn't a great movie, but worth seeing, if only once.

Freddie Francis has built up an amazing career in cinematography earning multiple prizes and awards thanks to his excellent visual work in movies like "The Elephant Man" (1980) and "The Straight Story" (1999), but he also has a less known (but not less interesting) career as a director that started in 1962 when he co-directed "The Day of the Triffids". Later he would become a regular name in the horror genre, directing films for both Hammer and Amicus, the two most important horror film production companies of the 60s. "Paranoiac" was the first film he did for Hammer, and in many ways ranks as one of his best works.

"Paranoiac" is the tale of the Ashby family, a wealthy clan that has been struck by tragedy twice; first with the death of both parents and later with the suicide of the youngest member of the family, Tony Ashby. The remaining siblings, Simon (Oliver Reed) and Eleanor (Janette Scott) have grown under the care of their Aunt Harriet (Sheila Burrell), but both are emotionally (and psychologically) unstable as Simon is a drunk sociopath who enjoys torturing the weakened Eleanor, who lost the will to live after Tony's death. However, one day a man appears claiming to be Tony (Alexander Davion), and his appearance will shock the Asby's world to its core.

This obscure thriller about death and insanity may not be one of Hammer's best known films, but it's certainly one of the most interesting. Written by Hammer regular Jimmy Sangster (loosely based on Josephine Tey's novel Brat Farrar), the film explores the reactions of the Ashbys when Tony reappears, and it certainly honors its title as the film's theme of Paranoia surrounds every member of the Ashby family. Sangster builds up an interesting tale of mystery and suspense that gets benefited by a well-developed group of characters.

Director Freddie Francis once again excels with the cinematography (by Hammer regular Arthur Grant) of the film and gives the movie a style that mixes British melodrama with old school Gothic horror. The use of black and white (totally against Hammer style) enhances the feeling of paranoia and isolation that surrounds the Ashby family (Francis would return to this in his next film, "Nightmare"), and while it's not what one would expect from a Hammer film, it actually suits the movie better than color.

It's true that Jimmy Sangster's characters carry the film, but a lot of the credit should also go to those who performed them. Oliver Reed gives a tour-de-force performance as Simon, in a brutal, raw and realistic way that one wonders how much of the real Reed was there. Janette Scott gives an appropriate performance, although her over-the-top melodrama at times goes on too much. Alexander Davion is quite effective as the mysterious Tony, and Liliane Brousse adds the film the sensuality and glamor needed. Finally, Sheila Burrell completes the cast with an excellent performance as Aunt Harriet.

This low-key thriller is an excellent example that Hammer was more than Van Helsing and Frankenstein, and has withstood the test of time very well. Hammer fans may miss the typical "Hammer style" elements but the film manages to work very well without them and arguably, is better that way. It has a nice rhythm and pace for the tale, but at times it moves on too fast leaving the feeling that the film is quite short (it has in fact, a runtime of only 80 minutes). The melodrama of the film may turn off viewers expecting a scare-fest, but it gives the film a personality of its own and gives space for the characters to develop.

Francis' career as director may be uneven but "Paranoiac" is a solid thriller that still delivers the chills and along with the superior "Nightmare", is part of a less-known side of Hammer films that explored the horror genre away from Monsters and vampires. Fans of Gothic horror and mystery films will be definitely pleased with this two films. 8/10. Very Recommended.

The wealthy Ashby family grieves the tragedy of the death of the patriarch and matriarch Ashby in an airplane crash and their son Tony, who committed suicide, eleven years ago. Tony jumped off the cliff and his body was never found, only a suicide letter. Presently the dysfunctional Ashby family in composed by the alcoholic and reckless organist Simon Ashby (Oliver Reed); his unbalanced sister Eleanor (Janette Scott); and their overprotective aunt Harriet (Sheila Burrell) and their finances are managed by the accountant John Kossett (Maurice Denham), who tries to keep SImon under control. A couple of weeks before the due date for Simon receiving his inheritance, Tony Ashby (Alexander Davion) surprisingly appears for the joy of Eleanor, but Simon and Harriet believe he is an impostor despite his knowledge about the family.

"Paranoiac" is an intriguing and suspenseful film by Hammer, with great storyline and deceptive conclusion. The screenplay builds tension and mystery with the viewer questioning whether tony is who he says. But unfortunately the rushed and senseless conclusion disappoints. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Paranóico" ("Paranoiac")

Simon Ashby (Oliver Reed) is a psychopath who is trying to scare his sister (Janette Scott) to death to get her share of their inheritance. Then their brother Tony (Alexander Davion) who supposedly committed suicide years before shows up. Then things get strange...

Really odd film--very low key (for Hammer). For one thing it was shot in black and white, not the vivid color they usually used. Also there are no monsters here (unless you count Simon) and this is more of a thriller than a horror film. Still it works! It's beautifully directed by Freddie Francis and the plot itself has plenty of twists and turns to keep you off guard.

The acting is good. Reed especially is fantastic--his violent rages are frightening and you can always see the madness lurking underneath him. Scott and Davion are both good-looking (especially Davion) and as good as they can be...considering they're given nothing to do. This is no masterpiece but a quick (only 80 minutes) and efficient thriller which keeps you entertained and guessing. Recommended.

I'm a big fan of Hammer Horror, and have seen a fair few of the films made by the studio. However, none of my previous viewings could prepare me for this film - it's absolutely nothing like the Hammer Horror we know! And luckily, that isn't a bad thing. Hammer are most famous for producing fun, colourful flicks - and this one is neither of those things. Shot in black and white, and without a slither of humour in sight; Paranoiac is an entirely serious horror-drama. It's a good one too, as Oliver Reed steps into the role of spoilt brat Simon Ashby brilliantly, and you can really believe his every motivation. The plot follows Simon and the rest of the Ashby family, which is thrown into disarray when Simon's long lost brother Tony turns up. Believed to have committed suicide eight years ago, Simon and his Aunt don't believe the man claiming to be Tony and think him to be an impostor. The only member of the family who does believe that it really is Tony is the sister, Eleanor, whom Simon has being trying to drive insane so that he can get his hands on the family fortune.

'Paranoiac' is a great title for this film, as it breathes a very paranoid atmosphere throughout. Oliver Reed's facial expressions and mannerisms help it to achieve this, and Paranoiac wouldn't be the film that it is had it not been for him starring in it. The beautiful Janette Scott stars alongside him, and makes up the rest of the central ensemble along with Alexander Davion and Sheila Burrell. The colours tend to be my favourite thing about most Hammer films, and thus I tend not to like the black and white ones as much. The lack of colour doesn't harm this film, however, as it makes up for it with a suburb atmosphere, much of which comes from the excellent black and white cinematography. The pace of the film can be a little slow at times, but it never becomes boring and Paranoiac always has enough up it's sleeve to compensate for it's less exciting moments. The plot has enough surprises entwined within it, and even though the film only has an eighty-minute running time - there's a lot of development, and the final twist is bound to catch you off guard. While this film isn't very well known - it is very good. I don't hesitate to call Paranoiac one of Hammer Horror's best little-known gems.