Spectre definitely isn't the type of film that'll be featured on Svengoolie. They often show horror movies that are quite lame by today's standards. It's ideal for people who like to go down memory lane and revisit the silly creature features they watched in the theater for the first time as a teen, or just to laugh at, but not if they want something that's actually frightening. I'm not big on paranormal stuff, but I thought Robert Culp was brilliant in Columbo, and that made me curious enough to check this out, despite it's spooky storyline.
He plays occult criminologist William Sebastian, who develops a heart condition after a supernatural experiment. He wants his friend, Dr. "Ham" Hamilton (Gig Young), to help him with a case that involves traveling to London and investigating a wealthy businessman, Geoffrey Cyon (Majel Barrett), partaking in the dark arts. It's funny to watch them together. I don't know about anyone else, but I got the impression they don't like each other because they both have an elevated IQ. It was humorous how in the midst of the plane having mechanical problems on their way to London, William is having a discussion on philosophical and psychological reasoning, while Ham is looking worried and nauseous. Once they arrive, they stay in Cyon's house, which is also occupied by his other family members. William and Ham encounter a demon, along with other terrifying occurrences.
Honestly, I haven't finished the movie. I managed to get about 10 to 15 minutes to the end, so I've watched enough of it to have an opinion. I wasn't scared, but I found aspects of the content to be unsettling. Demons, monsters, BDSM, possessions. It just seemed wrong to be watching as a Christian. I know people say it's only entertainment, but it's more than that to me. Anything you take in through your eyes and ears can have a powerful influence on you. It had become quite disturbing, so I'm hesitant to see what the ending is like. I think it had a negative affect on my brain, honestly. I watched it on a Tuesday night, and woke up the next day thinking it was Saturday. That probably came from me being tired, but I doubt this helped. It's a weird movie. Not appropriate for family night, so if you have kids, I'd stick with Svengoolie. Unless you don't mind taking a chance on having unsettling dreams, then by all means, check this out, but otherwise, I would skip it and go with something that doesn't have so much creepiness.
