L'esprit de la mort

When The Asphyx was released in 1973, The Exorcist was about to change the landscape of horror forever, moving the genre away from subtlety and into the realm of graphic effects and makeup. That's one of the reasons why The Asphyx was a box-office flop, fondly remembered by a select few who never forgot this quirky little "thinking man's horror film" (as Variety called it), in which a 19th-century British philanthropist and amateur psychic researcher embarks on a fateful quest for immortality. Sir Hugo Cunningham (nicely played by Robert Stephens) has a morbid hobby of taking photographs of dying people, and this leads to his discovery of a nebulous spirit of the dead--known in mythology as the Asphyx--that appears (only visible on photographic plates) at the moment of death. Sir Hugo becomes obsessed with capturing his own Asphyx and thus ensuring that he cannot die, but of course this is an ill-fated ambition that puts Sir Hugo on a ruinous path to destruction and death. With its talky, literate script, well-drawn characters, and fascinating themes, The Asphyx bears closer resemblance to the Hammer horror films that became passé in the early and mid-1970s. The chills are subtle but effective under the direction of Peter Newbrook, and the widescreen cinematography by Freddie Young (whose credits include Lawrence of Arabia) adds polish and elegance to the proceedings. Filled with foreboding atmosphere, this is an intelligently conceived horror film that relies more on story than shocks, although the screeching Asphyx is eerily haunting. Kudos to Allday Entertainment for producing this DVD--The Asphyx has been rescued from obscurity, painstakingly remastered in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio for discerning connoisseurs of high-class horror.

I bought a copy of this thru eBay. It was the old VHS, untouched by digitization. I would recommend that one purchase the newer DVD. I have heard that the color and saturation is much improved.

As for Sir Robert's performance, and Mr. Powell's: Quite extraordinary. Even the effects are quite futurist for the date that this was filmed.

There is a bit of violence, involving two men and a guinea pig, so be aware of some disgust with relation to that. But by far, if you want to be enthralled by Sir Robert, and coo at Powell, you're in for a rare treat. I can't believe this one was out there for so long before I found it! Truly needs to be placed in the "Hall of Horror", since it is nearly on the level of the old Vincent Price works, like "Mask of Red Death" and "The Raven". Get it, and treasure it as one of Sir Robert's few performances still available.

The Asphyx is a 1972 British horror film directed by Peter Newbrook. The film follows a group of scientists in Victorian England who discover a way to capture the asphyx, a mythical creature said to be responsible for death. However, their obsession with capturing the asphyx leads them down a dangerous and deadly path.

One of the most interesting aspects of The Asphyx is its concept. The idea of a mythical creature that is responsible for death is intriguing, and the film explores this concept in a unique and captivating way. The scientists' obsession with capturing the asphyx leads to some truly chilling moments, and the film's exploration of the nature of death is thought-provoking.

The film is also highly entertaining. It's a horror film that manages to be both scary and engaging. The cinematography is well-done, with some truly eerie shots that effectively build tension. The use of practical effects is also impressive, and the film's special effects are still effective today.

However, one of the film's weaknesses is the acting. While some of the performances are strong, others come off as a bit hokey. Some of the dialogue and line delivery can be cheesy and take away from the film's overall impact. This can be especially jarring during some of the more intense moments, which can lose their impact due to the over-the-top acting.

Despite this, The Asphyx is still a highly enjoyable and entertaining horror film. Its concept and execution are strong enough to overcome any acting weaknesses. It's a film that manages to be both intriguing and engaging, with some truly memorable moments. The film's exploration of death and the consequences of human obsession is a theme that still resonates with audiences today, making The Asphyx a horror classic that should not be missed.

Avoiding death and what happens when we die have been recurring themes throughout all art forms since the dawning of time. Despite the fact that there are a lot of films that handle similar themes, The Asphyx stands out for it's original and intriguing exaction. The film hasn't gained itself the best reputation in the three decades since its release, and it was apparently ignored upon its introduction to the general public. This isn't surprising - The Asphyx takes elements from supernatural horror and there's a little bit of sci-fi involved, but selling this film couldn't have been easy as there's no way to pigeon hole it. The plot focuses on Hugo Cunningham - a man who discovers that when we die, what's called an 'Asphyx' appears. After conducting a few experiments, Hugo presupposes that if one were to capture this Asphyx, then that person would never be able to die. He then proceeds to test the procedure on himself, and after becoming immortal decides he wants his young assistant and daughter; who want to get married, to become immortal also…

The Asphyx is a British film set in Victorian times, and director Peter Newbrook does an excellent job of producing the period setting. The film was obviously made on a budget, and as such it doesn't exactly compete with some of the bigger budget films set around the same time; but still the director gets the point across. The special effects are a little hokey, but they work really well. The main standout where the effects are concerned are with the 'Asphyx' itself, and personally I'd much rather the effects shown here than the CGI rubbish we have nowadays. The acting is decent, with Robert Stephens being the main standout in the lead role, and receiving good support from Robert Powell. Jane Lapotaire is something of a weak link in my opinion as she's a little flat, but it's not too important. The film has a great premise, but in order for a premise to work, it needs a good plot too and this film certainly has that. The film is not predictable for most of its duration, and the drama between the central characters is always interesting enough to hold the audience's attention. The ending is both haunting and memorable, and overall; it has to be said that The Asphyx is a film that deserves more wide recognition!

"The Asphyx" a/k/a "The Horror of Death" is one of the most original yet unheralded English horror films. Set in 1870's England, aristocrat Sir Hugo (Robert Stephens) accidentally photographs an entity (mythological name Asphyx) entering a person's body at their death. Sir Hugo theorizes that each person has their own Asphyx and that if the entity can be imprisoned outside the body, the person will be immortal. Can you guess what happens next?

From the physiological standpoint, the concept is not that different from the idea of vampires and zombies; with the same need to suspend disbelief to really enjoy things. Although like the implications of time travel, half the fun is speculating on the ramifications of the idea.

There is a pleasant and very haunting score and the story has a nice touch of irony as Sir Hugo's first experimental subject is his eventual downfall.

The real strength of this film is the production design. Considerable effort went into the meticulously constructed sets and there was much attention to detail in the various scientific apparatus and instruments. While the historical accuracy of these advanced devices is suspect, they are certainly no harder to accept than the basic premise. All looks great on the big screen and is probably fine on the letter boxed DVD, but the VHS tape is of marginal quality and the 4x3 aspect ratio does not do justice to the frame.

Few films from the era that did a better job of filling their frames than "The Asphyx" (credit to Academy award winning cinematographer Freddie Young), but this just magnifies the problems of the full-screen version. It appears that the 1989 Interglobal Home Video trimmed nine minutes from the film and was recorded at the LP speed, so you should avoid that one if possible.

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