The Beast in the Cellar (1970)

[Jack Gurney]

I'm glad I've found someone else who actually likes that film- most of my friends tell me it's shit, but I've enjoyed it since I was about 8 and saw it on 'Appointment With Fear'.



The Beast isn't as scary as I thought he was as a kid though. He just looks like Michael Palin's "Its Man".

[Bilmo]

For a British "horror" film, set in the aftermath of the '60s, I think it's quite good. I have watched it only once, though, so perhaps it needs closer scrutiny.



I like the settings; very bleak and rustic. However, the situation lacks a little credibility and has a tendency to be a tad humourous, rather than scary. I mean, a plot about a young man being locked in the cellar of a house for many years.... At least, when we finally saw the poor blighter, he didn't turn out to be some hideous "blob" or a plastic alien! However, somehow I couldn't quite see an emmaciated, half starved man being quite so agile and able to savage what were probably quite "fit" army personnel. He was hardly a "beast" in the cellar; he looked more like a Belsen victim with hair. (With due reverence to those who were real Belsen victims).



Flora Robson dressing up as "daddy" was a bit too surreal for me.



I'm glad I have it in the collection and your discussion has prompted me to view it again, perhaps a little closer.

[Dr Karswell]

When a young soldier is brutally murdered on the Lancashire moors, the local constabulary assumes it's a wild cat but daffy spinster sisters Ellie and Joyce Ballantyne (Reid and Robson) have another theory.

[pelam123]

Quite a poor film really (even with Flora Robson and Beryl Reid (both of whom were probably wondering how they had ended up in this!)

Funniest part was how the writers clearly ran out of story after an hour and had to fill the rest with a lengthy and tedious background plot exposition by Reid and then an abrupt ending, with the "beast" revealed as looking like the "It's.." guy from Monty Python!

[Windthrop]

Quite a poor film really (even with Flora Robson and Beryl Reid (both of whom were probably wondering how they had ended up in this!)

Funniest part was how the writers clearly ran out of story after an hour and had to fill the rest with a lengthy and tedious background plot exposition by Reid and then an abrupt ending, with the "beast" revealed as looking like the "It's.." guy from Monty Python!

It could have been a much better movie in other hands. A waste

[darrenburnfan]

It was originally released in 1971, as the lower half of a double-bill with Blood On Satan's Claw, starring Patrick Wymark (his last film before his untimely death) and Linda Hayden.

[wearysloth]

The Beast in the Cellar was suitably scary for someone up past their bedtime on its initial TV airing the first time around though AND Tessa Wyatt too!

[HIPPIEDAVE]

By comparison I like this film, bought it on NTSC years ago and transferred it to dvd, as wasn't available at the time here

[m35541]

Quite a poor film really (even with Flora Robson and Beryl Reid (both of whom were probably wondering how they had ended up in this!)

Money I would guess - and leading credits (must have been Robson's first for some decades). Additionally, Robson had previously played a virtually identical role to this a few years before in The Shuttered Room so playing women who keep psycho relatives hidden away was becoming her cinematic speciality. Possibly they also aimed to resurrect their careers in this genre like Bette Davis and Joan crawford had done with some success.



Reid turns up in several low budget Brit horrors around this time including a major role in the "classic" Psychomania. She also has a cameo in Dr Phibes Rises Again as, i think, Hugh Griffith's mum.

[Trevor]

'The Beast in the Cellar' was probably the first horror film I ever saw, in the early 80s (on Betamax). I've always loved it.



"A Leopard, in Lancashire!".

[robotoid97]

I enjoyed this movie as a child and was pleased to find it not too long ago on DVD, it had good atmosphere and fine acting for a lower budget film.

I first saw it in the very early 70s on our local channel 5 WNEW , the station had a horror show called "Creature Features" that played vintage 30s - 70s horror movies from the US , UK , Italy & Japan during the 60s to the mid 80s.

In the 70s they also started showing horror films on Sunday 6pm but mostly all British which is where I saw this film , it was a great source for watching films every week from the UK and the week before this played we were treated to "Blood on Satans Claw"

[darrenburnfan]

Originally, in 1971, The Beast In The Cellar was released in the UK as the lower half of a double-bill with Blood On Satan's Claw.

[robotoid97]

ah... now that's interesting and thank you for the info as a couple of other features I had seen back then were part of a cinema release double bill.

[lllIIlllIIlllIIl]

Quite a poor film really (even with Flora Robson ...

She says in her authorised biography that the first 30 years of her career was spent battling to get good roles but that in her latter years she just gave up and appeared in some VERY undignified roles in dross.

She had invited her family to live with her in the Brighton house and she had to pay all those doctors bills. It was all contrast to the forties when she had a chauffeur and house in London. She must have rued the day in 1940 when she turned down Jack L Warner and his seven-year contract to stay in sunny Los Angeles!

[Joe Fraguela]

From my film poster collection here is the Tigon UK quad double bill poster alongside Blood on Satan's Claw

Blood on Satan's Claw_The Beast in The Cellar_Quad Poster_1971.jpg

[darrenburnfan]

A great poster there, Joe. I remember it being in the Plaza, Fenton, foyer from when I ran the programme there 43 years ago.