Le manoir des fantasmes

I mean it.

I investigated systematically on the ghost genre and I can say this is one of the scariest ones. It surprised me, i didn't expected much from it, but it's very skillfully done, the way the flashbacks (or dimensional passages) start and stop are a masterwork.

It's a sort of a cheesy film but somehow, at the same time, is an excellent piece of cinema.

Here's the scariest scene of all my investigation: the one where our hero is knocking on the house's walls to find the place where the money is hidden, as he is tortured by the children voices, and they go "no, no ,no, no , no..."

You should see it if you didn't. And in the case you like it, try "The Haunting", "The Innocents" and "Picture of Jenny".

This film is rather entertaining but the chills are pretty weak. However, it has strong leads by Robert Hardy and Christopher Lee. I bought this video for five bucks at the Reject Shop, so what was I expecting? Not much, obviously.

Plot Summary : A former mental patient inherits the old house of a man who had killed his wife (Jean Marsh) and children and died nut . As he (Robert Hardy) lives in the mansion , but the insane spirit (also Robert Hardy playing a double role) of its previous owner seems to overcome him with a need to repeat the murders . Meanwhile, a scheming couple of brothers (Joan Collins , Christopher Lee) and the manor administrator (Herbert Lom) plot to rob a hidden cache of stolen money from its rightful owner . The only problem is that the house they plan to hide it in is haunted . There is more than death waiting for you in Dark Places.

This is a thrilling film including horror elements taken from Edgar Allan Poe and with plenty of chills , familiar drama , suspense and grisly killings . Filmed in low-budget though starred by an all-star-cast ; it's acceptable but no memorable picture and generally chilly clutch . Director Don Sharp has got other horror films for which has achieved a certain cult following . Good acting by Robert Hardy as a man who masquerading as a hospital administrator inherits a ruined mansion and nice support cast , such as Joan Collins as intriguing as well as seductive woman , Christopher Lee as astute brother ,he worked six times for director Don Sharp , Herbert Lom as a mean business attendant , Jane Marsh as wife and Jane Birkin as a young lover . Average cinematography , being necessary a right remastering because of the film copy is worn-out . Atmospheric and frightening musical score .

The motion picture was professionally adapted and directed by Don Sharp , though with no originality . He was born on the island of Tasmania off of Australia, and began his show-business career there as an actor. After World War II he traveled to England and continued his acting carer . He became a filmmaker in the mid-1950s and turned out some low- and medium-budget musicals, such as the Tommy Steele vehicle ¨It's All Happening¨ (1963). In the mid-1960s he was hired by horror specialist Hammer Films and turned out some well-received thrillers, including ¨Kiss of the vampire¨ (1963), his first for Hammer , this one along with ¨Witchcraft¨ and ¨Psychomania¨ are the best-regarded . He worked on a few films as second-unit director, most notably ¨The Fast Lady¨(1962) and ¨Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris¨ (1965), before returning to directing again, and turned out a string of thrillers such as ¨Callan¨, ¨Hennessy¨, and his version of ¨The thirty nine steps¨ , although much inferior to Hitchcock ; in addition , horror films and comedies . Towards the end of his career he worked in television on mini-series .

"Dark Places" tells of a man who inherits a house that is reputed to contain a stash of money hidden somewhere by the original owner. The new owner moves in, despite warnings from local people that the house is cursed, and enthusiastically begins hunting for the loot. Unfortunately for him, there are other people trying to get to the cash before he does, but worse still, the house really is haunted.

"Dark Places" is a moderately successful film that does a good job of weaving a mystery with it's storyline. The acting is also all pretty good, and with such star names as Christopher Lee and Joan Collins, it's amazing that this isn't one of the major British horror films of the 1970's, but once it gets going you'll soon realise that, as with a lot of other UK horror films of this period, the chances of something significantly exciting happening are pretty slim.

What doesn't help is having the lead character played by Robert Hardy, who, while being an excellent actor and playing the character well, just does not have the "leading man" quality required to carry the entire focus of the film. Joan Collinsd and Christopher Lee look great in their supporting roles, but then again, they always do. What does work well is the way the film starts to move between present day and flashback as Hardy starts to uncover more of the truth about what went on in the house before it's original owner died, and what the truth is behind all the stories of murder. The flashback scenes are great, and they reminded me the great things some 1970's films from the UK could do with a period setting. Look out for a fantastic cameo from Jean Marsh as the wife in the flashbacks, although many men may be more entranced by the young Jane Birkin as the governess, even though she doesn't do very much.

Sadly there's no real meat on this bony story, but it does have a couple of mildly grisly scenes and a kind of surprise ending, so it's fairly enjoyable.

"Dark Places" begins with an elderly man dying in some sort of asylum. Soon Edward (Robert Hardy) moves into the abandoned mansion owned by the dead man, as apparently he willed the place to him. The place is an absolute mess and looks as if it's sat derelict for decades. Supposedly, within the manor is some sort of hidden fortune...and folks who run the asylum ALSO want to get their hands on the money. The problem is that the longer Edward stays there, the longer ghosts from the manor begin to take over the drive him over the edge. How will all this end?

The main story idea isn't bad at all. But the way the story is handled technically is pretty bad. All the 'special effects' that show you Edward is experiencing bad things are more annoying and hard on the brain than anything else. The worst is at the 100 minute mark as well as those ultra-cheesy bats...they just look cheap and stupid. Overall, not a terrible movie but one that also isn't very good and is, surprisingly, a bit dull.