Horror Hotel is one of those movies I vividly remember watching as a kid. It was shown on Channel 5 WNEW's Creature Feature on Saturday Nights. The movie left me with some indelible images, especially of the man carrying the cross through the graveyard, with the knife sticking out of his back, and the robed witches bursting into flame.
Filmed in black & white the movie features Christopher Lee in a supporting role and the rest of the cast is mostly unknowns. All the actors were British so they had to learn to talk with New England accents. The movie was made entirely indoors on studio sets. The brightly lit interiors of the college rooms were in sharp contrast to the dark forbidding exteriors of the town of Whitewood.
The story follows a young college girl who, on the recommendation of her professor, goes to the obscure village of Whitewood to complete her thesis on witchcraft. But Whitewood is more than it seems and to her own detriment she fails to heed the warnings of those who tell her to leave Whitewood immediately.
It's by far from being a perfect film, there are many horror movie cliches, but the sense of foreboding and danger is palpable. And as I mentioned earlier some of the imagery is unforgettable, making this film a cult classic for the ages.
I am not sure why the producers chose the title Horror Hotel. I would have called it the Thirteenth Hour or something like that.
At the Movie House rating *** 1/2 stars
Other Films of Interest:
Rosemary's Baby
The Devil Rides Out (aka The Devil's Bride)
The Ninth Gate
The Devil's Rain
Salem's Lot
Night Of the Demon
The Wicker Man
Halloween III: Season Of the Witch
Psycho
1 comment:
Horror Hotel is a very good movie...good review...It's been many years but I also seem to remember some sort of spooky scene when they are drivinmg on the dark road and they see the witches
Someday when you have the time, please exdplain the point of view where you do nhot see the gun as a plot device
I would recommend Horror Hotel to anyone seeking to view a movie where they may want to learn about the facts on witchcraft or the poor condiiton of some New England towns.
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