Tower of Evil

TOWER OF EVIL

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Sound format: Mono

Whilst searching for ancient treasure on a lighthouse-island off the British coastline, an archaeological expedition becomes isolated from the mainland and is stalked by a monstrous assassin.

A trash classic from the heyday of British exploitation, TOWER OF EVIL was helmed and written by Jim O'Connolly, a journeyman director whose career peaked several years earlier with THE VALLEY OF GWANGI (1968), one of Ray Harryhausen's best films. Thrown together on a microscopic budget, and based on a script by novelist George Baxt (responsible for such memorable British thrillers as CIRCUS OF HORRORS, THE CITY OF THE DEAD and NIGHT OF THE EAGLE), "Tower..." hedges its commercial bets by emphasizing a couple of high profile cameos (Dennis Price and Anthony Valentine) and foregrounding liberal doses of self-conscious nudity and gore. The opening scenes - in which crusty sea dogs Jack Watson and George Coulouris visit the eponymous lighthouse and stumble on a series of mutilated corpses - sets the tone for much of what follows, and while the main cast are pretty colorless, their mutual antagonism (borne from a convoluted history of infidelity) adds much-needed shading to the basic narrative outline.

Mounted on sparse but effective studio sets (designed by THE Italian JOB's Disley Jones), and photographed by veteran cinematographer Desmond Dickinson - a major player in the glory days of British cinema, whose resumé includes everything from Olivier's HAMLET (1948) to THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST (1952), HORRORS OF THE BLACK MUSEUM (1959) and A STUDY IN TERROR (1965) - the film is cheapened at every turn by amateurish dialogue and threadbare visual effects (no attempt is made to disguise back-projected elements during scenes on the 'open sea', for instance), but these cut-price elements have simply contributed to the film's enduring appeal. Besides, the movie makes few pretensions to 'Art', and O'Connolly stages the major set-pieces with real technical savvy, culminating in a 'twist' ending which seems to have inspired a similar plot development in Tom De Simone's superior HELL NIGHT (1981).

The cast is toplined by Bryant Haliday (a favorite of producer Richard Gordon), former Broadway actress Jill Haworth (THE HAUNTED HOUSE OF HORROR), Mark Edwards (BLOOD FROM THE MUMMY'S TOMB) and Derek Fowlds (TV's "Yes, Minister"), while the younger players include Robin Askwith (already a movie veteran, long before his appearance in the "Confessions..." films), physique model John Hamill (a familiar face in UK exploitation movies of the 1970's, and later the co-writer of Bob Clark's TURK 182!), Candace Glendenning (SATAN'S SLAVE) and the late Anna Palk (in her last screen appearance), all of whom are featured in various states of undress. The film was originally screened in the US as HORROR ON SNAPE ISLAND, and later reissued as BEYOND THE FOG.

NB. Interested viewers should check out Simon Hunter's LIGHTHOUSE (1999) - originally released in the US as DEAD OF NIGHT - an outstanding British shocker which covers the same territory, but to much greater effect.

Sexy vintage British horror tale packed with traditional atmospheric fog, shades of Gothic and hot young flesh. From the firm buttocks of the hunky men to the smooth perky breasts of the women, this film exploits the 70's free love era.

Three interconnected tales revolve around an old lighthouse island purported to be closed but hiding deep secrets. They are . . .

First: A man, his wife and their child escape the near by village to live in isolation. Something happens. Second: Free spirited young Americans who are for the most part naked during their flashback sequences, and we're all happy about that, visit the island for a little hot sex and weed. Surely this movie was made by content bisexuals because both sexes bare enough flesh to make your engine hum. Someone murders three of the hot and horny kids (while they're all naked). Third: A research team is sent to the island because one of the boys was murdered with an antique sword only found in southern Europe. The sword it appears belongs to a cult that worships the God of Orgies, lust and firm male butts. The team is comprised of four young hot archaeologists, and two locals, one in particular is a hungry stud (Gary Hamilton) who is by far the best looking 70's hunk I've ever seen naked on screen. There's a lot of "whose been sleeping in my bed" antics before the truth about the island is uncovered.

The underground worship chamber is by far the funniest horror set I have ever seen.

All in all for film history's sake and a nice slice of 70's nudity mixed with chills and thrills, this is the best of it's kind.

Did I mention hot men and sweet women are starked naked most of the time?

Catch it!

This is a movie for anyone who loves English horror films from the early 70's--and that should mean you!! A fog enshrouded island, a derelict lighthouse, plenty of blood, sex and dated slang--oh yeah it's here in abundance!! Don't listen to the other reviewers when they say this film would have been better if it had been made with today's effects and a larger budget. This film becomes better because it was made on a tighter budget, when the crew had to come up with inventive ways to create atmosphere, menace and a sustained mood. All of these things drip from every frame of this film and the cast is actually very good and even features George Couloris (of Citizen Kane fame) in a short but blood filled cameo at the start of the film and Jill Haworth, who had prior to this film starred in such acclaimed flicks as "Exodus" and the Broadway version of "Cabaret". Forget those films though this is the highlight of her career--everything else was just practice for this baby!! Some might say I'm going too far but that would be wrong. The twists in this film are truly fun and surprising and the musical score adds a real sense of unease to the well directed carnage and misty vistas (hats off to Jim O'Connolly!) So what are you waiting for--this is now out on DVD and looks crisp and vivid. Get it and see how good horror films were not all that long ago!

To me, this seemed like a bloody episode of Scooby Doo-really! It has funky swinging 70s styles, spooky, misty locations, and lots of plot twists. But, the flick is also loaded with gory murders done with a funky type machete. Three teens are found hacked up on Snape Island. Did their friend Penny do it, or did someone else? Some people go to explore the quiet, mysterious island only to be stalked and chopped up one by one. Really scary and sick, with some great surprises. Jill Haworth and Anna Palk are good-looking chicks, and the murderer in this movie was genuinely frightening. Despite cruddy picture and ok sound, this is a definite winner. Too bad I don't own the DVD yet. I only own one of the old video versions. Just hunt this movie down, and see it!

Decent horror movie with chills , thrills , ghastly happenings and naive special effects and nowadays , considered to be an underground classic. The movie opens with a boat cruising throughout heavy fog , at a creepy night . The boat lands on the rocky island Snape and two older seaman go on shore . Soon after , they encounter a severed hand and others gory evidences . After that , they see a male body it was attached too , then they decide to go into the mysterious lighthouse to investigate . Sure enough , they find a female corpse and anything else . They split up and find another killed body . Then they meet a live , young woman , Penny (Candace Glendenning) , hiding in a closet and in state of shock ; she subsequently , stabs her saviours . Next , traumatized to an extreme Penny is being examined by a a team of Doctors who talk about her. Disturbing Penny starts to talk and remember how her and friends arrive in Snape Island , as a night of pleasure became a night of terror. And then she begins screaming as the flashbacks unsettling her . After hearing about this , a group of scientists decide to venture to the Island. They also know that the Island is loaded with gold and Phoenician treasures . Eventually, the team of seven ventures out to sea to investigate the Island, on the Sea Ghost . The group is formed by two women (Jill Haworth , Anna Palk) and four other men (Bryant Haliday , Mark Edwards, Gary Hamilton , Jack Watson) , they are the boat crew . One way in, no way out . They came, they saw, they died!

This chilling terror movie contains heart-pounding horror , suspense, thrills , chills , nudism and lots of blood and gore . Dealing with an old and mystic Phoenician treasure , that's why various characters arrive in a mysterious island , there they attempt to find out what happened , being submitted to extremely brutal attacks and enhanced by means of mind-blowing , terrifying frames . The spooky images are wide-ranging , including as follows : disfigured people , severed heads , slashing , beheading , among others . The picture based on George Baxt's original story takes accent on tension by means of a well-knit script full of twists , turns and an unexpected final . It packs eerie images-shock , slick edition and nail-biting pace . It displays some surprising images , colorful scenarios and foggy atmosphere that seem to be influenced in the successful John Carpenter's hit horror film The Fog (1980). Despite being dismissed critically and really panned by reviewers when it was firstly released , the flick has since gone on to get itself a reputation as a terror cult movie .

Here stands out the gorgeous and brilliant cinematography by Desmond Dickinson . As well as thrilling and suspenseful by Kenneth V. Jones . The motion picture was professionally written and directed Jim O'Connolly and filmed over a 30 day period . Resulting in an acceptable yarn , though originally released in Britain on a double bill with another one . Director Jim O'Connolly was a fine producer , production manager, and filmmaker , known for The Traitors (1962), Mistress Pamela (1973) and Smokescreen (1964) . His greatest successes were Berserk (1967) and Valley of Gwangi (1969) . Rating : 6/10 , worthwhile seeing .