Paranoïaque !

I'd never seen this Hammer film before and I finally dug it out from my Universal Hammer Collection. What a pleasant surprise it was. It is so refreshing sometimes to see black and white photography at a time when Hammer was known for its colour, and that moody b&w style really compliments this disturbing tale of a family of oddballs and what happens when one of their clan who drowned himself as a boy returns. Oliver Reed drinks as much as he did in real life here (it ultimately killed Reed) and he's really excitingly over the top. A hidden gem in some ways, PARANOIAC is well-scripted by Jimmy Sangster, and nicely directed by Freddie Francis. The more I think about it, the underrated Francis was often better than Terence Fisher. *** out of ****

... was the above-average British Hammer/Universal production PARANOIAC . This first directorial effort by famed cinematographer Freddie Francis is full of intensely creepy atmosphere, beautifully lit and shot in black and white CinemaScope.

Oliver Reed stars as a faded family's dissolute son trying to drive his sensitive sister insane so he'll inherit the entire fortune, but then a long-lost brother who supposedly had committed suicide years before suddenly shows up. It's a well-done blend of elements from PSYCHO with THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER and THE OLD DARK HOUSE, among others, maintaining an almost Hitchcockian sardonic undercurrent to the gothic thrills. PARANOIAC is a film that deserves to be better-known.

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 presence of a very young Oliver Reed alone should encourage fans of older films to view this one. Reed is very impressive as the spoiled rich kid who never fails to surprise us with what he will do to get his way. He is days away from a large inheritance when his deceased brother shows up at the front door. Nothing is quite what it seems. Is he an imposter or not? Is Reed's sister crazy or not? Does the family have something to hide or not? The ending is not really a surprise but still packs quite a jolt and is a suitable ending to a very fine and underrated film. Available on video.

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.