Scream of Fear (aka Taste of Fear)
Dir: Seth Holt. Cast: Susan Strasberg, Ronald Lewis, Ann Todd, Christopher Lee. 1961.
The best of Hammer Films’ Mini-Hitchcocks, Scream of Fear is a tight, black and white psycho-thriller in which wheelchair-bound Penny returns to her father’s home after years away at school. Of course, all is not right.
The less said about the plot the better, so suffice it to say that it’s got shocks, eerie imagery, terrific performances and a brisk pace. It truly stands out from others of its kind - Nightmare, Hysteria, the much loved Paranoiac (that mask!), et al - in terms of delivering plot and effective twists.
Director Holt would make two more Hammer Horrors - The Nanny starring Bette Davis, and Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb, his final film. Holt collapsed and died on set as shooting neared completion.
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