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I've always heard atrocious things about this Hammer imitation, but it wasn't that bad IMO. It may be the only time I've seen Peter Cushing appear that he was walking through a role, though. He just doesn't seem very interested and I've read somewhere that he considered this his "worst horror film". I don't know whether this was his own approach to the material or the spawn of director Vernon Sewell. Maybe it was the part of a police inspector that didn't showcase Cushing to his best ability. I haven't seen THE REPTILE yet, but apparently this film is very derivative of it. I thought that the Deathshead moth creature was reminiscent of THE WASP WOMAN myself, but this wasn't a bad thing; the creature makes some pretty satisfying appearances and killings. The ending is very weak and the whole approach comes off on the superficial side. But one could do much worse for a horror movie. ** out of ****

A Hammer imitation from Tony Tensor's Tigon films, only made on a lower budget and with noticeably less enthusiasm, THE BLOOD BEAST TERROR is actually a lot more entertaining than it really ought to be. The film is obviously made on a lower budget than Hammer had to play around with at the time and this occasionally shows through, particularly in the creature's costume. However, once again a fine British cast are assembled for the job, veteran director Vernon Sewell puts in a solid if unremarkable job, the script is literate, the locations good and the movie well-filmed. THE BLOOD BEAST TERROR manages to be atmospheric in places, especially in the woods at night, and its colourful and enjoyable to look at throughout with adequate production values.

The saving grace of the film is Peter Cushing, who actually considered this his worst movie, but then perhaps he didn't remember NO SECRETS. Cushing is typically cast as the detective who investigates the series of (surprisingly bloody for the time) crimes but unfortunately he doesn't take much of a role in the action. Cushing fans will always remember his strenuous battles with Christopher Lee's Dracula and his surprising agility and strength in the physical scenes in his films, but there's none of that here. Still, Cushing is excellent as usual in his part, investing Quennell with mannerisms and typical quirkiness to make him an appealing character.

The film is rather episodic in nature, with lots of mini-climaxes before the ending, but thankfully its also rather short and doesn't outstay its welcome. There's a definite lull in the action about halfway through involving some amateur dramatics which seem to be out of place in this horror yarn, but otherwise its pretty solid. The scientific explanation behind the monster's creation is very hazy and disguised with lots of paraphernalia and props to make it seem believable and it just about works. As for the creature, it appears laughable rather than scary, with red ping pong ball eyes and a skin-tight costume with wings, but this adds to the unintentional humour rather than detracting too much from the flow of the movie.

Robert Flemyng (best known for his turn as the sleazy necrophiliac in Italy's THE TERRIBLE DR HICHCOCK) is very good in his part as the disturbed doctor who eventually turns his back on his experiments and proves to be an adequate foil for Cushing's hero. The female cast members take more prominent parts than usual, particularly Wanda Ventham as the young temptress. Vanessa Howard (GIRLY) is nice and sweet playing Cushing's daughter, but is a bit underused and isn't menaced enough, whilst Roy Hudd gets some great macabre humour as a morgue assistant who has his lunch at the feet of a corpse (although I was distracted by the "corpse's" feet, which kept twitching). Altogether, the positive points of this film outweigh the bad and fans of British horror may find it quaint and enjoyable, although it definitely could have been spiced up a bit with more action and excitement.

Ignore the most negative of the comments, "The Blood Beast Terror" is not total garbage. It has the Hammer Studio's feel which it was trying to imitate; with a decent imitation of the Hammer Victorian production design and a performance by Peter Cushing (as Police Inspector Quennell). It is also features one of the few available film appearances of Vanessa Howard, unfortunately she has only a supporting scream queen role as Quennell's daughter Meg. Check out "Girly" if you want to see a lot more of this underutilized actress.

"The Blood Beast Terror's" main weakness is its low budget which resulted in some horribly lame special effects, although the budget cannot be entirely blamed as just a little imagination in this area would have resulted in something far more effective. It also suffers from a condensed story that does not supply enough scientific details to make the basic premise interesting.

So instead of a sci-fi/horror picture, it is more of a detective story with some laughable horror elements. But it is a decent detective story with enough misdirection to produce several surprising revelations. Contrary to several other comments, I had no problem with the ending, finding the idea of a moth (even a giant one) being drawn to a flame quite appropriate, although so poorly staged as to be groan inducing.

There is some great comic relief in the underplayed performance of Glynn Edwards (as Sergeant Allen) and the overplayed performance of Roy Hudd, as the jaded morgue attendant who casually eats his meals off the slabs in the morgue (complete with cadavers). There is unintended comic relief in the casting of 30 year-old Wanda Ventham as the mad scientist's on-the-make "teenage" daughter. Nothing exceptional but a cut above much of the 60's cheap sci-fi and horror.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Peter Cushing used to refer to THE BLOOD BEAST TERROR as the worst film of his prolific career, and this was enough to keep me from getting the SE DVD of it on R2 from DD Video when I purchased four more second-tier British horrors from the same outfit last year - namely, ISLAND OF TERROR (1966), NIGHT OF THE BIG HEAT (1967), CURSE OF THE CRIMSON ALTAR (1968) and THE CREEPING FLESH (1973). Eventually, it was shown last Saturday night on an Italian TV channel in its original language with forced Italian subtitles, and I really couldn't let an occasion like that pass me by...

Tigon was always seen as a cut-rate Hammer and this film was clearly inspired by the latter's THE REPTILE (1966; one of the Bray Studio outfit's best of the decade, and which THE BLOOD BEAST TERROR can't hope to match) - where, again, we find a female monster 'created' by her eminent but misguided entomologist father (Robert Flemyng). The monster design (we're dealing with a giant Death's Head Moth here) isn't too bad, actually, and it's thankfully not over-exposed during the course of the film: besides, Wanda Ventham's character is interesting in that she doesn't bemoan her fate as usually happens in such genre efforts - rather, she's single-minded in seeking out her prey among Flemyng's naïve students and rugged helpers around the estate, all of whom are easily swayed by her attractiveness!

Aided by a fine score from resident Tigon composer Paul Ferris, the film creates a reasonable Gothic atmosphere throughout (with, at one point, even an amateur rendition/parody of a typical Grand Guignol performance set up by the students - and also featuring Ventham - in Flemyng's house). The script, incidentally, is by Hammer alumnus Peter Bryan (THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES [1959], THE BRIDES OF Dracula [1960] and THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES [1966]) and, while offering no real surprises, it's quite enjoyable for what it is - certainly better than its reputation would suggest! That said, the monster's come-uppance in an unconvincing and abrupt fiery ending is one of the lamest of its kind I've ever come across...

Cushing - with his customary fastidiousness and dry wit intact - is always a pleasure to watch; Flemyng, too, offers his unhinged medico routine - and it's interesting, to say the least, to witness this clash of Hammer and Italian horror acting styles! Notable among the supporting cast is Roy Hudd as a scurrilous morgue attendant.

At this stage, I don't know whether I'll eventually spring for the R2 DVD - since it contains a 25-minute career overview with Ventham - but, if it's ever discounted again by one of my British retailers of choice (and provided that it hasn't gone out-of-print by then!), it's worth considering. Another DD Video title I've long neglected is THE DEVIL'S MEN (1976), incidentally, also starring Peter Cushing - and, even though it's an equally maligned horror effort, I have to admit that I'm a sucker for such things...

You'll have to agree about one aspect of this movie…these British scriptwriters sure knew how to think up appealing titles! Look at this: blood + beast + terror … Separately, these three words already make every horror lover slaver. Together, they form the title to a seemly indispensable horror film. Sadly, this is a very wrong perception. The Blood Beast Terror is not a vital British horror picture. Especially not compared to so many other titles from that era. Although the plot of this film features a few promising and creative aspects (the still unknown universe of insects!), it develops itself very slow and tediously. The twists near the end don't really offer any surprises or innovative elements. Certainly not if you're familiar with the more famous Hammer monster movies like `The Reptile'. Peter Cushing stars as a cop investigating murders that are seemly committed by a giant death's head moth. Dr. Mallinger (Robert Flamyng) and the stunningly beautiful female resident in his mansion are behaving suspiciously, so Cushing goes undercover in rural Britain. His cute daughter and a bug-worshiping nerd accompany him. There's absolutely no tension to detect in this film. Maybe that's partially due to the far-fetched plot, but I rather blame the tame directing-skills of Vernon Sewell and the truly limited depth of this film. The characters in `Blood Beast Terror' are weak and uninteresting, while the make-up effects are downright ludicrous. The transformation-sequences that turn wench into moth are really, really cheap! And yes, I do keep in mind that the film is over 35 years old now. Even then, the special effects look stupid, mind you! In the same year of 1968, the production company (Tigon Productions) released `The Witchfinder General' starring Vincent Price. That film is at least a dozen times better and one of the most atmospheric movies I ever saw. A proof that the Hammer studios weren't the only ones who were able to create timeless, compelling horror. My advice: skip this one and continue your search for the more essential golden Brit-horrorfilms.

A scientist (Robert Flemyng), working with genetics, creates a creature that is capable of transforming back and forth between a giant Death Head moth and a beautiful woman. The creature masquerades as his daughter when she is in her human incarnation and feeds on the blood of her victims when she is in the moth form.

So, Peter Cushing has allegedly said this was his least favorite role or the film he considered his worst. This is taken from IMDb, and there is no source or exact quote. I can see why he might say that -- this is not the best Cushing role by any means. But it is far from a bad film. Tigon gets a rough break, being treated as the third best British horror studio (behind Hammer and Amicus), but this does not mean their films are awful.

Apparently Basil Rathbone was going to play the part of the scientist. I think the only good that would come from that would be a slight increase in star power. Flemyng handles the role very well, and I am hard-pressed to say Rathbone could have improved upon it in any way.

So do you think that moths are scary? I know someone who does but I doubt even they would find much fright in this anemic slice of British horror hokum. Peter Cushing lends his usual good performance and the period detail is well executed but the blood-sucking moth creature is too silly for words. Fans of creature features may think that the moth beast looks a lot like the bee monster in Roger Corman's THE WASP WOMAN. The destruction of the vampire beast moth creature at the climax is particularly pathetic.

This "Scientist Fooling With Mother Nature" from Tigron, a Third-Tier British Studio, after Hammer and Amicus, is Infested with Cliches and a Very Low Budget.

But Peter Cushing's Unwavering Dedication and Professionalism, No Matter the Material, a Sharp and Colorful Look, and a Twist of a Creature, all make this Worth a Watch Despite its Shortcomings.

The Movie Rises to a "Creature Feature" with some "Cult-Cred".

It Fits Comfortably Among its "Misfit Movie" Double-Feature (remember those) Drive-In and Grind-House Cousins.

Filling a Pre-Digital, Home-Entertainment World where People, a lot of Young People, went "Out" for a Fun-Night at the Movies.

Truth, these Things are mostly as Entertaining as You Imagine them, and Give In to its Initial Intent as a Time-Passer and Divergence from Our Routine and/or Troubles to have some Fun.

Note...The Creature was undoubtedly inspired by the "Real-Life" Mothman sightings in Pt. Pleasant, WV. In 1966-67.

I really see no different from this film and other horror films starring the great Peter Cushing. Nor do I see a difference in shape-shifting to a (were)wolf or a moth or a bat - it's still horror and this one is done tastefully as I would expect from a Peter Cushing film of this time era.

Beautiful Gothic imagery, a good suspenseful inspector/detective story blended in quite well with the horror we see on screen. I love some of the music in this film as well - works quite well - eerie sounding. The acting is good - it's as if the actors really believe they are the characters and this really is happening - just the way it is suppose to be, very convincing.

Good late night film - I quite enjoyed this one.

8.5/10

Pulp, pulp absolute pulp. The story is just as silly as it sounds. The also didn't bother to explain- or make sense to anything. For a monster movie it also doesn't have enough 'monster' in it and the story is not tense or mysterious mainly because it's such a complete mess.

The story is incredible B-movie like. A scientist has created a creature that can transform back and forth between a giant moth (what the...?!?) and a young woman. To stay alive, the moth has to feed itself with fresh blood of innocent victims. This is where Peter Cushing comes in. He plays an inspector who is set to investigate this strange and mysterious murders. An awful few is ever happening in this movie. From start till the finish the movie basically isn't heading anywhere and the movie is filled with dull moments that are distracting from the main plot line of the movie. Yes, it really is a movie about nothing.

The giant moth creature makes the whole even more ridicules. The moth itself is not back looking but the transformation scene's are laughable bad. Even the transformation sequences in "The Wolf Man" from 1941 were more convincing. The moth also gets very little interesting to do in the movie and is only featured in about 3 very short sequences I believe.

The entire movie is also horribly edited together. At times it feels like entire sequences were cut out, or not even filmed. The movie jumps from one sequence to another.

At least Peter Cushing seemed to be enjoying himself during filming. Just look at his face during his sequences with Russell Napier and Vanessa Howard. Also Glynn Edwards was somewhat good and enjoyable in his role. Robert Flemyng and Vanessa Howard were however dreadful most of the time. Also look out for Kenneth Colley (Captain/Admiral Piett from "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back" and "Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi".) and a very young David Griffin (Emmet from "Keeping Up Appearances".) in quite a big role.

The ending of the movie is also a huge letdown. It's very simple and completely unsatisfying. Perphaps almost even laughable.

Guess it's still only a bit good and scary when you are afraid of moths.

3/10

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OK, not one of the better offerings of British horror, that's true. But it does have Peter Cushing who is always fun to watch and I have to give credit for the writers to try to bring a somewhat more original monster to the screen than just another rehash in the Vampire or Frankenstein vein. Well, come to think of it aside from making the monster a moth ,this really is just another rehashed Vampire story with a few elements from the Frankenstein storyline thrown in for good measure.

I cannot help but wonder if the monster was inspired by the legend of the Mothman, the legendary beastie from West Virginia. The resemblance is pretty close. A man sized moth creature with red glowing eyes.

Shame more people have not seen this though, it's not as bad as its reputation. I find it pretty enjoyable.

Is this the worst film Peter Cushing ever made (he seemed to think so) Anything is possible, But I'd have to see the rest of what he's made to see what beats BLOOD BEAST TERROR a not so nifty movie about a giant killer moth.

Yes, a giant killer moth. I can't make this stuff up...I wish I could but I wasn't old enough to be taking the drugs required to make this in 1967.

I picked this up as a USED DVD, I stress USED, or barely used, since I don't know if anyone watched this more than once. Its almost that dull that hospitals will use it instead of gas. Its not entirely bad, but it is dull...

The main problem, and there are many others, is that the makeup is laughable. To say this is a dumb monster is rating it too highly. Think the original Wasp Woman, only worse. Its bad. I was wondering why this wasn't better known until I saw the monster and knew, that was the reason the movie is in the forgotten pile.

Even if the monster was decent there is the problem of the film plodding along at an okay rate for about two thirds of it and then getting stupider, things happen to reach an end not because they would. But what else is new as things happen at the start of a scene and then shift in mid-scene, for example the villain is performing a complicated experiment at one point and is interrupted by a knock...Peter Cushing arrives and hero and villain simply go off with all this equipment running as if nothing was being done...

A mess, a real mess.

A giant moth is taking England by storm and leaving dead blood-soaked male in its wake. Its up to Inspector Quennell (the always excellent Peter Cushing) to investigate and try and solve the crimes. It is the daughter Clare (Wanda Ventham) of the brilliant Dr. Mallinger (Robert Fleyming).

I was expecting more than I got from this late 60s horror film. I found the film to be a little on the boring side. It was dry and underwhelming really. Even the occasional interesting character such as Roy Hudd who plays a morgue attendant can't seem to spice the film up enough.

Despite the presence of (Sir) Peter Cushing - a Hammer legend with an iconic screen persona - this film is truly lamentable. 'The Blood Beast Terror' may have alliterative power but it certainly doesn't possess terror. From the faux genetic science in the clichéd vein of 'tampering with Nature (God's grand design)' to the pace less plotting and hammy acting; to the flimsy sets and appalling special effects, what the audience is ultimately subjected to is a film devoid of atmosphere, tension or 'scares'. And before I am accused of not placing the film into any kind of historical context, there are plenty of British and Non-British thrillers/horror films made during this period which do accomplish thrills and spills, even if purely on a psychological level: Alfred Hitchcock's 'Psycho' (1960) and Robert Wise's 'The Haunting' (1963), for instance, or Polanski's 'Repulsion' (1966). Notably, Polanski returns again with 'Rosemary's Baby' in the same year as 'The Blood Beast Terror' and, again in the same year, the horror film is transformed by the sub-genre defining 'Night of the Living Dead' - with George A. Romero showing us seminally how horror truly acts as social commentary. My advice is stick to films which take the idea of genre filmmaking seriously - including those films which push the boundaries, like 'Repulsion'.

When I was about 8 years old I bought a small paperback book about horror movies, the still of the creature from The Blood Beast Terror really stood out and fascinated me, plus it's a great title. Sadly the film itself does not quite live up to those early impressions. A young woman can change into a blood thirsty giant Death's Head moth, a professor is trying to produce a giant mate for her and Peter Cushing investigates a series of gory deaths. To be brutally honest the plot is pretty daft, the special effects aren't great either (though we are talking 1960's here). However this Hammer looking Tigon Gothic horror movie does look very nice in its Victorian British setting. As mentioned horror legend Cushing stars, giving his usual great and very watchable performance. Roy Hudd gives some small comic relief, though I was never a fan of his, whilst Glynn Edwards, best known as barman Dave from ITV's "Minder", gives a welcome contribution as a policeman. My VHS is a rare tape but the picture is very worn, think I need to upgrade. Certainly a movie that can be watched and enjoyed time and rime again, late at night with the lights out!

A Tigon quickie perfunctorily directed by veteran Vernon Sewell and boasting an absolutely ludicrous monster. Originally intended for Basil Rathbone, the role of the mad entomologist instead (probably on the strength of his earlier role for Riccardo Freda as the horrible Dr Hichcock) instead went to Robert Flemyng; a puzzling fact since Peter Cushing - who here plays the inspector scratching his head at the source of the succession of corpses that keep crossing his path - was by far a more obvious candidate for the role.

The scariest feature of the film is probably the ghoulish comic relief supplied by Roy Hudd; while the beauty of Wanda Ventham provides it with it's reason to exist.