User reviews

There was something of a vogue for horror films in Britain during the sixties and early seventies, probably because there was a market for material of this nature but censorship meant that it could not be shown on television. Hammer were the best-known film production company of the British horror boom, but they had a number of rivals, and this film was made by one of these, Amicus Productions. Amicus were best known for "portmanteau" films like "Tales from the Crypt", generally with a contemporary rather than a period setting, which meant lower production costs. "And Now the Screaming Starts!" is one of their few attempts to invade the Hammer territory of a single feature-length story set in the past. It even features one of Hammer's best-known stars, Peter Cushing.

Despite the rather jokey title, complete with exclamation mark, this is not a horror spoof along the lines of "Carry On Screaming". Nor, despite the presence of Cushing in the cast, is it a Transylvanian tale of vampires and werewolves. It is rather a Gothic ghost story reminiscent of the work of M R James, although more sexually explicit than anything James would have been allowed to write. The action takes place in the year 1795. A young married couple, Charles and Catherine Fengriffen, move into the stately home of the Fengriffen family. At first the marriage seems a happy one, but soon Catherine is troubled by strange dreams and visions, all of which seem to be connected with Silas, the mysterious and sinister woodcutter who lives in a cottage on the estate, and a portrait of Charles's grandfather, Sir Henry. She comes to believe that the house is haunted and that there is a curse on the Fengriffen family. Several people who try to help her meet mysterious deaths. Eventually Charles admits to Catherine, who is by now pregnant, that there is a legend of a family curse, connected to a terrible crime committed by Sir Henry.

Despite his being the most established star among the cast, Cushing's part is a relatively small one; he plays a doctor brought in to try and cure Catherine of what her husband believes is a mental illness and fulfils that common role in horror films, the rationalist sceptic whose scepticism is inevitably proved wrong by events. Cushing is, however, very good in his role, and there is also a good performance from Herbert Lom as the cruel and debauched Henry, whose crime is seen in flashback. Stephanie Beacham was previously best known to me as Sable in that "Dynasty" spin-of "The Colbys", but here we get to see just how strikingly beautiful she was as a young woman.

Some of the productions of the British horror cycle could be awful, and Cushing, although a talented actor, often found himself cast in the worst of them. ("The Blood Beast Terror" from 1967 and "The Satanic Rites of Dracula", also from 1973, are two particularly dire examples). "And Now the Screaming Starts!", however, is one of the better ones. Its plot may be far-fetched, but all films in this particular genre require a large amount of suspension of disbelief on the part of the viewer, and director Roy Ward Baker, who in the latter part of his career tended to specialise in horror, is able at times to conjure up a quite genuine sense of terror. Moreover, some of the most powerful scenes are those seen in flashback, and here no suspension of disbelief is needed. Ghosts may or may not exist; men as depraved as Sir Henry undoubtedly do, which from my point of view makes them far more frightening than any ghost. This is a highly watchable film, especially when seen late at night. 7/10

A goof. The Fengriffen mansion is built in the Victorian Gothic style, quite anachronistic for a film set in the late 18th century. The actual house used, Oakley Court in Berkshire, was in fact not built until 1859. The film-makers, however, clearly felt that Gothic architecture was much more in keeping with the mood of a horror film than Georgian classicism would have been.

This little-seen film blends together a myriad of classic horror themes, such as ghosts, crawling hands, wrong doings and curses. It's a classic example of British horror, set in a standard haunted house (there's even a graveyard nearby). Early '70s fashions are sadly non-existent here, as it's a period piece and all the costumes are of the historical variety, although there's nothing wrong with that. While the plot for the film is a typical (and dare I say clichéd) one, it has plenty of incident to keep it moving and loads of different ingredients to make it enjoyable. However, the winning formula for this film is the cast.

Ian Ogilvy (WITCHFINDER GENERAL), Stephanie Beacham (INSEMINOID), Patrick Magee (DEMENTIA 13), and Herbert Lom (ASYLUM) all act convincingly and enjoyably in their roles. Ogilvy doesn't get to do much but look haunted as the husband, but Beacham is on top form here, giving it her all as the screaming victim. Magee is fine as usual, while the fantastic Lom adds yet another cruel character to his resumé. As soon as Peter Cushing arrives, playing a doctor with a dodgy toupee, the fun really begins and things get even better. Cushing's performance is as usual, excellent, but all performances from a cast well familiar to the horror fan are varied and good.

The sheer diversity of different ingredients in this film make it work, and I advise you to sit it through in order to witness a most amusing moment at the end, when Ian Ogilvy dashes Herbert Lom's skeleton apart against his tomb - serve him right, the nasty old man. You also get the classic "crawling hand" prop, which was reused by various studios throughout the 60's and 70's - spotting it is half the fun! AND NOW THE SCREAMING STARTS may not break any new boundaries in the horror genre but it's a good, solid, old-fashioned ghost story and it's very entertaining, with exactly the same quaint and brooding atmosphere as a quality Hammer horror piece.

Odd film, this. Not being the biggest fan of Hammer, I always felt Amicus a more competent stable (neither really produced a film that was actually frightening, but they could be entertaining, and Amicus were glossy and lurid.) This one is a little-known piece that always gets bad reviews but I happen to like it. Firstly, it has a splendid cast. Secondly, the camerawork is something to behold, the sickly lurid colours blending in with the gorgeous period costumes and attractive, dramatic locations. There is also a little more going on here than meets the eye. Perhaps a subtle nod to the Glamis Castle story...? There's a little bit of class war going on, and despite its vivid rape scene I can't help feeling this isn't quite the exploitation movie it appears. For an early 70s movie it does at least treat the issue seriously; the effect it has on the victim and the fact that no measures can atone for it are believable.

A word to the excellent music, beautiful but interspersed with a spooky zither. And Geoffrey Whitehead is very good. The graveyard climax is pretty powerful too, and the closing shot as a camera wanders an empty room to the Bible is a cut above what one expects from this genre. The bad points are the tacky severed hand, the occasional Grand Guignol hamminess and the fact that the film does rather overplay it's hand...it spends so long building up to its revelation that by then it will always be a let down.

And one other criticism...Catherine recovers from her wedding night ordeal ridiculously quickly, which totally contradicts the film's central premise. Still, the open window symbolism and the Malleus Mallificarum references are neat, as is the wonderful scene of Charles standing by the window as the snow falls and reading the lines from Milton's Comus. This film honestly isn't as bad as you may think and you could certainly do alot worse on a dark winter evening!

Even in 1973, there was not much new about a haunted mansion with a curse placed on the family who owns it, but this take on the genre still has a few things going for it. Beacham (stunningly appointed in a dazzling array of ornate hairpieces, hats and gowns with her bosom taking center stage) is a bride arriving at her groom's estate for the first time. On her wedding night (to Ogilvy), she is menaced by a ghastly figure with a stump for a hand and two blown out eyes. Or is she imagining the whole thing. She can't get anyone to tell her any details about the history of the house, chiefly during the time that Ogilvy's grandfather ran it, and any time someone relents and decides to fill her in, they are struck dead. Amazingly, Ogilvy is more concerned about his wife's mental state than the fact that people keep turning up dead at an alarming rate! Family physician Magee sends for noted psychologist Cushing, who tries his best to sort through the rubble of the mystery (while a hilarious severed hand watches ominously from under tables and behind boxes. Shouldn't this fella be at the Addams' house?) A lot of the film is a rehash of the, by now tiresome, "now it's there, now it's not" sort of thing and the standby, "But I can't tell you" line of dialogue. The pace is a little too leisurely to support such commonly seen material and storyline. However, the acting is excellent all around, so that, along with some creative direction and decent music, helps to keep the viewer interested for the most part. There are several striking bits of camera work in this movie. Cushing doesn't appear until halfway through the film at least. He gives his customarily strong performance, lending class and distinction to the film. Lom really should have had one of those cameo billings with his character name listed after as he only appears briefly (but effectively) near the very end of the film. Magee is appropriately musty as the old family doctor. Beacham is ravishing and gives a very solid performance. Though fourth-billed, it is really her story and she rises to the occasion beautifully with moments of radiance and terror. She has one memorably amusing faint and some riotously fun reactions to all the creepy goings-on. Ogilvy does well in a very underwritten and sketchy role. He and Beacham scarcely share any meaningful scenes together. The rest of the cast is made up of decent British character actors who give their roles a nice air of dread and flavor. The story isn't quite unique enough and the result isn't quite memorable enough for this to count as a horror classic, but it has plenty of merit nonetheless and isn't a bad way to while away a little time.

This eerie film is developed in an ancient and isolated castle and it takes place in 1795. . A just married couple goes home their grandparents during wedding night . As young Catherine just married Charles Fengriffen and moves into his castle . She becomes victim of an old curse that lays on the family . On her wedding night she's raped by a ghost and gets pregnant . The fiancé Charles Fengriffen (Ian Ogilvy) and his fiancée (Stephanie Beacham) aren't aware about the curse by terrible events occurred in past times and mysterious deeds are actually happening . In 1795 Silas , a young man who worked in stables attempts to avoid the violation of his young wife by the noble Fengriffen (Herbert Lom , he is second-billed as one of the main stars , though only appears in an extended flashback sequence). During the taking off between the noble landowner and the flunky is severed the hand of Silas . One time dead the noble , the vengeful spirit returns the castle , the revenge will be with the successors of tyrant Fengriffin . The severed hand goes back to torment the young couple , they are caught up by an ominous ghost and become inextricably involved in weird killings with several corpses . They will confront the mysterious evil force and legacy of horror of the Frengriffen family . Then the great Peter Cushing shows up to investigate at whatever risk .

This Amicus production (Max Rosenberg and Milton Subotsky) is a good terror film with malevolent spectres and family curses and with amazing final surprise . The movie is plenty of grisly murders , tension , terror , genuine screaming , horrible chills and a little bit of blood and gore . The picture packs a creepy atmosphere and strange color by the fine cinematographer Dennis Cop . The casting is frankly well , there appears various awesome British actors , the always excellent Peter Cushing , Patrick McGee , Guy Rolfe and the habitual villain Herbert Lom who does not appear at all until the last quarter of the film . The tale was rightly directed by Roy War Baker who realized magnificent terror films (Quatermass and the pit) . Motion picture will appeal to British horror enthusiasts .

British film company Amicus were the masters of the horror anthology, but they also produced single plot movies, this being one. Here we have a delightfully Gothic tale about a curse, haunted paintings and a crawling, severed hand. The film is very well shot, has lovely sets and boasts a very fine cast. However it is not the "gory horror" that the newspaper TV guide described back in the 1980's when I first watched it, it is also slow at times. Perhaps this was a short story that has been stretched to 90 minutes, it sometimes feels like it. But is does have some effective horror moments, plus there is a rape scene which I found to be the most shocking part, so not suitable for kids. Many years ago when I was attending college one of the bus drivers was a spitting image of Silas the woodsman, we did chuckle about that! Certainly not one of the best Amicus movies but still an enjoyable late night horror.

Amicus and Hammer studios were very much in the same market, even to the point of competing for the same stars and directors. A quick glance at the cast, crew and plot summary of `And Now the Screaming Starts' could mislead one to believe it was a Hammer production: Roy Ward Baker, Peter Cushing, Herbert Lom and Patrick Magee were all known for their contributions to Hammer history, and the Gothic premise of a late 18th century ghost story fits their profile well. Nevertheless, certain elements tag this as distinctive from the Hammer cycle, and make it of note to horror completists, although perhaps of less interest to general audiences.

The film was originally based on an obscure novella entitled `Fengriffin,' after the name of the cursed family line around which the story centers. Of course, a movie called `Fengriffin' would have been a weak seller in any market, particularly the lurid horror market of the early 1970's, (`Texas Chainsaw Massacre' came out only two years after), so it was inevitable that a splashier title would be selected. In choosing `And Now the Screaming Starts', the producers assured their film cult status and greatly embarrassed most of the actors, who had thought they were working on a more `serious' film. The title seems to fit well, however, as lovely Stephanie Beacham demonstrates her lung capacity often, particularly in the first third of the film.

The story follows a standard plot of Gothic decadence: a noble family is cursed for the libertine debauches of an ancestor, and the young generation pays the price. This is typical of a period in literature in which wistful nostalgia for the aristocracy was combined with growing class resentment and a sense that the nobility had `failed' in their responsibilities as leaders. Amicus updates this by including an axe murder, a rotten corpse-ghost with no eyes, a severed hand, and a somewhat overly subtle rape scene by said ghost. The rape is particularly typical of Amicus' approach to the genre, as compared to Hammer's. At the time, Hammer was doling out overt doses of sex alongside their blood, and frontal nudity was not uncommon. Amicus, however, shied away from nudity or sex almost prudishly, and refused to allow its stars to be seen as compromised. Why they would select a story that hinges on a rape they refused to show (or even imply effectively) is perhaps the greatest mystery.

The true star of this movie is the female victim, often the case in well produced Gothic drama. Top-billed Peter Cushing appears 47 minutes into the movie as her doctor, an `ahead-of-his-time' psychiatrist who wants to prove that the supernatural elements are all in her head. The filmmakers have given us a few too many clues at this point for there to be any real doubt, but watching him methodically seek a rational answer (and his excellent downplayed performance) gives the plot a new lease on life after it begins to drag a bit. Patrick Magee as the eccentric country doctor and Herbert Lom as the decadent ancestor are also excellent. A bit less convincing are Ian Ogilvy as the concerned husband and Geoffrey Whitehead as the outraged peasant.

Overall, the film is directed well, nicely photographed, and has beautiful sets and good effects, considering the low budget. Nevertheless, it seems to lack `something' that would make it worthy of repeat viewings. The sense of dread one associates with the best of Gothic drama is undermined somewhat by the romantic, upbeat score. Perhaps there are too many scenes shot in daylight, or the castle isn't quite gloomy and decrepit enough to transmit the sense of the curse. Whatever it may be, I recommend this more as a curiosity than a great film.

-- And Now the Screaming Starts! Was an attempt by Amicus Productions to move away from the Portmantaeu movies that was their stock in trade, to make a horror movie of only one story. The reason is not to compete with Hammer Films, since there really was no rivalry between the two companies, but just to show that they could if they so chose to go that route as well. What is evident is that their inexperience in this department shows greatly, making the film an enjoyable misfire, if ultimately a frustrating experience.

Story is set in the late 18th century and newlyweds Charles and Catherine Fengriffen move into Charles' family estate. Almost immediately Catherine starts to have terrifying visions, even experiencing what she feels is definite contact with something not of the natural world. Is she going mad? Or is there something seriously malevolent lurking around the dark corridors of Fengriffen Mansion?

What follows is a number of fun and creepy horror sequences very poorly glued together by a minimalist back story and thin characterisations, the Amicus production team just hurtling as quick as possible to the next scene involving Stephanie Beacham being freaked out and screaming. And of course for us to observe her quite magnificent heaving bosom. On reflection it's a collage of more famous and better movies, so a portmanteau movie that's not actually a portmanteau movie!

The cast list features Peter Cushing, Herbert Lom and Patrick Magee. Cushing doesn't show up until late in the day, and as classy as he was as an actor, he is phoning it in here. Lom only appears in an extended cameo flashback, which is annoying since the character is deliciously warped, sort of what Emeric Belasco was for Legend of Hell House. While I'm still not sure what Magee's purpose in the film was? Seriously!

Beacham and Ian Ogilvy's new marriage just sort of sits there without rhyme or reason, interesting threads such as Cushing taking an interest in sexual relations with demons never get expanded upon, and really there's no big finale to crown the story; though skeleton abuse does hold some macabre enjoyment value. Yet in spite of all its problems, it's still a fun night in with the lights off. Beacham's bosom, severed limbs and a vengeful curse from the past ensure it's worth watching for sure. 6/10

A Peter Cushing marathon was on in TV, in honor of Halloween here in America, and I confess that I tuned in to watch this film strictly based on it's title alone. "And now the screaming starts!" has to be one of the best titles that I have ever heard for a horror movie...so props for the title alone.

And now for my review...this was a pleasant surprise. I read a review of the film after we watched it in which a reader commented on the fact that Stephanie Beacham, the lead actress, should have been given higher billing along with her bosoms, as they were the real star of the show. I laughed so hard at the review I had to give it a thumbs up! I commented to my husband while we were watching about the over abundance of Stephanie's bosoms myself. I am not sure her wardrobe was the most accurate for a lady of the peerage (isn't that what the Brits would call her?). Bosoms aside, this film starts out slowly as a real historic drama in which the head of the Fengriffen family marries and brings his new bride back to his family's estate. Right from the first night the new bride starts to see things, from things outside her window to eyes in a painting following her. She is sure that things aren't right at the estate...and fairly quickly thinks the local woodsman who lives on the estate is to blame. But what she doesn't know is the house and the family have a curse on them brought about by the current head of the family's grandfather...who took advantage as his right as land owner to sleep with his then woodsman's virgin bride.

There is a creepy hand and lots of ample bosoms, but this was a surprisingly well done horror story with emphasis on the story. Not for the light of heart as there are some graphic scenes including a dismemberment.

Catherine (Stephanie Beacham) the new blushing bride of Charles Fengriffen (Ian Ogilvy) comes to live at his old family estate. On their first night together a family curse rears it's ugly head when a ghost rapes and impregnates her. Dr. Pope (Peter Cushing) is brought into the mix to figure the mess and solve the riddle of the curse.

'…And Now The Screaming Starts' is a solid tale from the Amicus Studios. The acting is on par with this type of film, slightly over the top and hammy but that's to be expected for this fare. While the production value is close to the grand productions of Hammer Studios (Amicus' chief competitor) the film lacks the lovely atmosphere of the Gothic Hammer films.

Oh My God! I'm putting Stephanie Beacham up for Queen of The Scream. This woman can sure sustain. This film must have one of the longest and shrillest screams in movie history. It was so piercing and unyielding I had to turn down the volume on my soundbase. WOW!

I can vaguely remember not thinking too highly of this film when I watched it in my youth. However, now some years have passed and my tastes have matured - along with my age - I find I appreciate the hell out of this movie.

For one thing, the "future ghosts" that Catherine Fengriffen sees aren't as confusing for my old nogging as they once were. Truthfully, the entire story is superb. I love tales about ghosts and curses, and this is probably the best of its kind.

Roger Marshall wrote the screenplay, which was based on a novel by David Case - which I'm keeping a sharp eye peeled for; the film's so good I want to read the book. It's a wonderfully constructed tale of the supernatural and revenge. I won't go into too much detail as I don't want to spoil the picture for you, especially as Marshall does a beautiful job of peeling back the layers.

Marshall's screenplay is interesting and entertaining and will keep the audience's attention locked to the screen. Thankfully, Roy Baker's direction strengthens the story and adds to its drawing potential. He has a creative eye for composition and atmosphere and is happy to combine both to achieve some outstanding results. Two of which stood out for me.

One is when Catherine is cautiously examining the portrait of Henry Fengriffen. Baker uses a slow closeup zoom to draw you into the painting. He cuts to Catherine: She's looking worried and more than a tad apprehensive. Back to the slow zoom. Back to Catherine. Back to the painting... and... POW! You must watch the film (no spoilers here) to find out how the scene concludes. Bakers composition of the sequence and his use of the slow zoom and cuts builds the tension of the scene. You know something is coming though you won't expect what does... I didn't.

The second being the vision of the ghost through the leaded light window. This works on so many levels. We can see the fear on Catherine's face and know she's seen something unpleasant. Baker flips the camera lens onto the stained glass window. The darkened hues of purples and greens in the window's leaded design are visible... but behind that, there's a blurred image. The colours and shades are so similar that you can't discern what you're looking at. Until Baker uses the slow zoom again. This time it draws you towards the window. However, your attention's fixed on what stands beyond. As we draw nearer the blurred vision sharpens until we can see the empty eye sockets and the missing right hand. This is a beautiful and disturbing shot. I loved it.

Luckily for us, the audience, the entire movie's filled with the same excellent camerawork. "Screaming" is one hell of a lush, plush, and classy film. A stunning piece of eye candy.

However, if neither the acting nor the special effects had possessed the same attention to detail, the entire film would be a lot worse. Thankfully, they did. In all truth, this flick has the best eyeless make-up and severed hand I've seen. The FX people were artists.

Stephanie Beacham is superb in the role of Catherine Fengriffen. Catherine's a determined youthful woman who is wholly interested in her husband, his ancestry, and his estate. Beacham uses her full acting range to reflect Catherine's emotions. She does this, not only through her dialogue but by using facial features and body language, especially to show Catherine's fear and worry. Baker uses this talent to inject most of the eeriness into the film. This combination of Baker's direction and Beacham's acting hooks and holds the audiences' attention. Based on this performance, Beacham deserved the top billing in this film.

However, it's the heavy hitters and crowd-pleasers who take pole position.

As always, Peter Cushing is impeccable in his role as Dr Pope. Though it's easy to understand since there are elements of Baron Von-Frankenstein and Dr Van-Helsing in this character. Therefore, Dr Pope is a snug fit for Cushing and he wears him as he would his favourite smoking jacket.

Herbert Lom, though, extends his repertoire with the nasty piece of work that is Henry Fengriffen. Lom comes across as weighty, strong and indignant to the thoughts of others. He is the lord of the manor and that puts him second only to God. I wouldn't want to cross Henry.

Then we have Patrick Magee. Who's at his dithering, doubtful, and hesitant best as Dr Whittle... and whittle he does.

Ian Ogilvy plays Charles Fengriffen, husband to Catherine. He's the doubter of the pack. He doesn't fully trust in the family curse or that his beloved has visions of ghosts. He fears for her mind and her sanity. Ogilvy gives a splendid performance as the worried and concerned hubby. It would have been nice to have Charles Fengriffen in a few more scenes, especially with his missus - they have just wed, after all. I felt Charlie to be slightly under-used. It would also enhance Catherine's character more.

Geoffrey Whitehead is outstanding as the woodsman Silas. He carries himself with an air of confidence. Silas is a sturdy man. He possesses a keen mind and has a pragmatic sense of right and wrong. This persona gives him a palpable ominousness, which makes it clear why people are wary of, and even fear, him.

All horror fans, all lovers of films and filmmaking, and anybody looking for a great waste of time gather around and lend me your ear. Get off your chairs and find yourself a copy. "Screaming" should be on all your watch lists. If it isn't, then scribble it down... now!

I won't say this is a must-watch film, but it's one you should think twice about before missing it.

Ratings: Story 1.5 : Direction 1.5 : Pace 1.5 : Acting 1.5 : Enjoyment 1.5 Total 7.5 out of 10

Now jump in your horse and trap and take a jaunt over to my Absolute Horror list and see where the bloody hand crawled into my charts.

Take Care and Stay Well.

Virginal newlywed Catherine Fengriffen (Stephanie Beacham) moves into her husband's ancestral home where she suffers from horrific visions of a man with a severed hand and bloody eye sockets. Catherine thinks she's losing the plot, but hubby Charles (Ian Ogilvy) knows better: his family is under a curse brought about decades earlier by his wicked, hedonistic grandfather Henry (Herbert Lom) who violated a woodsman's wife on her wedding night. Psychologist Dr. Pope (Peter Cushing), who has been brought in to treat Catherine, slowly begins to unravel the mystery...

And Now The Screaming Starts sets out to do two things—jangle the nerves, and stir the loins of its male viewers—both of which it does well. Seasoned horror director Roy Ward Baker expertly handles his spooky material, carefully crafting a creepy atmosphere that keeps the viewer on edge throughout, and peppers proceedings with a few effective jump scares for good measure; meanwhile, gorgeous star Beacham sets the pulses pounding, her heaving bosom barely restrained by her long line of cleavage enhancing outfits.

Admittedly Beacham's incessant histrionics can get a little irritating at times, and the pacing is perhaps a little too slow for some, but there's enough good stuff here to keep most fans of Gothic '70s British horror more than happy, including a cool crawling hand (a nifty 'clockwork' special effects creation), Cushing in a foppish wig, Lom being utterly despicable as horrid Henry (the actor delivering his debauched dialogue with relish), and Ogilvy desecrating a grave with an axe, pulling the mouldy corpse out and giving it a damn good kicking!

Based on the trio of name actors present, I decided to give "And Now the Screaming Starts" a shot. I had also read that the movie had some gory scenes, which led me to believe that the print I saw had some footage removed (it's practically goreless). I've never had a fondness for Victorian-era horror films, but I do admire the talents of Peter Cushing, Herbert Lom, and Patrick Magee, and thought they'd make this worth my while. The latter two have extended cameos, while Cushing plays the lead (unfortunately, we have to wait 47 minutes until he makes his grand entrance) and, god bless him, shows not a single hint of the boredom I was feeling in his refined, ultra-classy performance. The plot revolves around a newlywed couple honeymooning at a castle inherited by the husband; soon enough, strange happenings start to plague the wife, and the story drags insufferably, as the central plot point hinges on a secret everyone wants to avoid. If you're a fan of any of the actors (particularly Cushing), give this a shot, but I found myself mostly bored by this effort.

3/10

In 1795, in England, the young woman Catherine (Stephanie Beacham) moves to the house of her fiancé Charles Fengriffen (Ian Ogilvy) in the country to get married with him. When she arrives, she feels interest in the portraits of the Fengriffen family, particularly in the one of Charle's grandfather Henry Fengriffen (Herbert Lom), which seems to have a sort of evil entity possessing it. While admiring Henry's face, a severed hand attacks Catherine through the picture on the wall. Later, she gets married with Charles, beginning her journey of mystery, eerie apparitions, secrets and deaths, and having her days filled with fear and the nights with horrors in a cursed family.

"And Now the Screaming Starts" is a good movie from Amicus, the greatest competitor studio in England in the 60's and 70's of the famous and cult Hammer. This is a low-budget production (as usual), supported by an interesting low-paced story, and highly recommended for fans like me of British horror movies of the seventies. When I was a teenager, I usually went to all Hammer and Amicus movies in the theaters, and now I feel like in a time machine to my youth when I revisit a movie like "And Now the Screaming Starts". However, this ghost story is not recommended for fans of gore and explicitly violent horror movies.

The locations and costumes are great; the cast has good performances, highlighting the lungs of Stephanie Beacham; and the atmosphere and photography fits perfectly to the story, although being sometimes too dark on the VHS and having a bad edition, with abrupt cuts. I found, in some moments and angles, the resemblance of Stephanie Beacham with Rachael Leigh Cook amazing. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Os Gritos Que Aterrorizam" ("The Screams That Terrify")

Note: On 16 July 2019 I saw this film again.

And Now the Screaming Stars! (1973)

*** (out of 4)

Charles Fengriffen (Ian Ogilvy) brings his new bride Catherine (Stephanie Beacham) back to his family's estate and it doesn't take long for her to begin seeing strange things. This continues and she starts to think that she's losing her mind so her husband brings in Dr. Pope (Peter Cushing) who quickly uncover some dark secrets.

Amicus' AND NOW THE SCREAM STARTS! is a pretty interesting movie for the company as it breaks into the Gothic horror tale, which is something that their rival Hammer often did. Not only does this break into the Gothic side of things but there's also a very ugly and dark sequence towards the end that ranks among the best moments in anything that the studio did but more on that in a bit.

What's so impressive with this film was the direction of Roy Ward Baker. He really does a terrific job here as there's quite a bit going on in the screenplay. The first hour of the picture is where we get your typical horror trappings, which includes the bride seeing a variety of "scary" things including a face with no eyes as well as an arm missing a hand. All of this is handled quite well but Baker really comes to life during the final half hour, which includes a rather ugly rape sequence. This sequence here is so well-acted and well-directed that you can certainly feel the evilness in the scene and it really packs a punch.

The film also benefits from having some really great performances. Cushing gets the top-billing but he doesn't show up until the final half of the picture. As you'd expect, he's excellent here and turns in another great performance. Herbert Lom turns in one of his finest performances as he is truly evil and sadistic. Then you've got Beacham and Ogilvy who are very good in their roles and there's no question that Beacham lives up to the "scream" in the title as she has a strong pair of lungs. Then you've got Geoffrey Whitehead who steals the picture in his dual role.

AND NOW THE SCREAMING STARTS! is a bit darker than a lot of their films but it actually works quite well and is very effective.

Catherine Teneriffe (Stephanie Beacham) a mistress of a country household is haunted by a curse from the past, where she keeps on seeing a demented ghost and it's wandering head, but is it hallucinations. Her husband Charles Teneriffe (Ian Ogilvy) and everyone else know about the curse, but the mistress is kept in the dark about it. Anyone who tries to inform her to what's happening is suddenly killed off.

What a real mixed bag this film is. It has its fair share of good and bad elements, but the bad stands out more. Its hardly scary stuff or that particularly exciting as a whole, but there are some enjoyable moments thrown into the mix. The look of the film is rather stylish, but still it's a hysterically formulaic piece that overplays itself.

The direction lacked strong execution, slowly paced and was rather patchy. There are some rather humorous sequences rather than frightening because of some badly staged scenes. Though, the plot didn't entirely help either. The story had its interesting aspects, but the whole mystery surrounding the curse isn't entirely enticing. The plot was hardly convincing and rather flawed. While the script was mostly bearable.

A thrilling opening 15-minutes is never recaptured in the film, well maybe with the exception of the scenes with Cushing's character. The idea and some repetitious scenarios get a bit tedious, as it feels like the story is going nowhere. With strange happenings at night that you come to expect from the usual haunted or cursed house tales. With windows opening, a subtle breeze or gust of wind in the house and figures looking into the window. Some conversations were dragged out in long and lacklustre scenes. Though, that's the problem as the few enjoyable scenes are amongst many dull ones. The suspense seemed to fade away and it was let down by a slow midsection, that truly bogs down the film.

A persistent music score that sometimes was effective, but most times quite annoying. At times the score sometimes over-killed certain scenes by keeping such an upbeat mood that it mostly overpowers many of the sequences.

The atmosphere is truly impressive and it's incredibly well shot. Great production, costumes and set designs. The grand house has an imposing nature, with its menacing shadows, dim lighting, creaking windows and doors. The scenery on the property is quite exquisite. The make-up effects are fairly good and there are some bloody moments. The creeping severed hand looks quite good and as well the make-up of the horrific ghost.

It has a good cast, but most of the performances are rather bleak and stilted. Herbert Lom is solid in a small cameo and Peter Cushing's first-rate performance added class, though he doesn't appear until halfway through the film, but his lone performance couldn't elevate the film from being below average.

Just like Catherine Fengriffen, we are kept in the dark about the curse until virtually towards the finale. The end result of the curse is hardly satisfying. It just felt like a rushed anti-climax. The predictable outcome took way long to get into it and overall it was kind of a disappointment and rather overwrought. You just see it coming.

It's a pedestrian film that has small pockets of excitement and thrills. Expect to hear a lot of screaming, but only on the screen.

I have to admit that as this film began, I wasn't very impressed at all. It seemed to be throwing all of the usual "quick scare" tricks at me...and I've seen them done better elsewhere. But, then, the story line picked up considerably, and I found myself trying to piece together the clues. The ending is as inevitable as a Biblical punishment, and just as fascinating. This one is definitely worth a look.

A young virginal bride, an old haunted castle, and a twisted sexual curse! Sounds good? Don't bet on it. There are a few scares in this ponderous adaptation of the novel FENGRIFFEN, but they are very few and far between. By the time the family secret was revealed I had lost all interest.

One more thing.What does the title 'And Now the Screaming Starts' have to do with the movie?

You've got me.

'And Now the Screaming Starts' is a gruesome, bizarre and pretty entertaining British supernatural horror film from Amicus Productions that features an absurd plot, some cool gothic visuals and a strong cast. Despite it's potential the movie falls rather short in quite a few ways such as the wonky storytelling which was down to the weak script which see everything pushed aside in favour of the horror elements which aren't all that effective.

The Plot = Set in England 1795 a newlywed couple Charles and Catherine Fengriffen (played by Ian Ogilvy and Stephanie Beacham respectively) arrive at the family estate to begin a new life together, but in doing so they inadvertently awaken an old family curse which leads to the young bride being terrorized by an evil spirit.

This felt like an attempt on Amicus's part to copy that winning Hammer horror formula by using that classic period piece setting which was starting to feel a bit stale by this point and this flick isn't nowhere near up with their best work. The first half of the film was pretty slow and rarely conveyed any sense of tension or dread with the same tacky scare sequences being repeated over and over again. Thankfully once Peter Cushing shows up the film does kick into gear, but it wasn't quite enough to save it from being a mere average viewing experience.

Now there are some positive aspects such as the strong production values and the film makes great use of its locations and is ripe with melodramatic gothic atmosphere and there are some interesting story elements here including some fun twists and turns even if they were pushed aside which was a shame as there was some great potential to be had here that could have elevated this above the standard genre fare.

The performances were solid for the most part with Stephanie Beacham giving a strong performance in her role as the damsel in distress, even if her character wasn't given much to do. Ian Ogilvy gives a decent performance as the husband. Peter Cushing gives the best performance here despite not appearing until halfway through, he more than makes up for the movie's short comings with his engaging screen presence alone. Herbert Lom gives an enjoyable performance in his short screen time while Patrick Magee was another solid addition to the cast even if he wasn't given much to do.

Overall 'And Now the Screaming Starts' isn't the best of Amicus horror output but it's a somewhat decent flick that does manage some entertainment value.