The House in Nightmare Park
| The House in Nightmare Park | |
|---|---|
.jpg)
UK theatrical poster
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| Directed by | Peter Sykes |
| Produced by |
Clive Exton Terry Nation |
| Screenplay by | Clive Exton Terry Nation |
| Starring |
Frankie Howerd Ray Milland Hugh Burden Kenneth Griffith |
| Music by | Harry Robinson |
| Cinematography | Ian Wilson |
| Edited by | Bill Blunden |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | Anglo-EMI |
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Release date
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1973 |
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Running time
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100 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The House in Nightmare Park (known as "Crazy House" in the U.S.) is a 1973 British comedy horror film directed by Peter Sykes and starring Frankie Howerd, Ray Milland and Hugh Burden. It was one of a number of British comedy films which parodied the successful British horror genre, closely associated with the Hammer Horror films. Its plot follows that of a traditional "Old Dark House" story.
Struggling actor Foster Twelvetrees (Frankie Howerd) is invited to a large country home by Stewart Henderson (Ray Milland) to perform a dramatic reading for his family. Outwardly, Stewart is complimentary and enthusiastic, but his more sinister intentions were made clear when earlier he secretly sliced a poster of Twelvetrees. Whilst they chat, Stewart's sister Jessica (Rosalie Crutchley) and their Indian servant Patel (John Bennett) begin searching through Twelvetrees' luggage. Twelvetrees nevertheless responds with an unintentional wit and bumbling characteristic throughout the rest of the film.
After they send him to bed, Stewart and Jessica talk cryptically about not being able to find something in his luggage and concluding he must have it elsewhere. Later on Twelvetrees is chided by Stewart for nearly walking in on a restricted room – Stewart explains his ill brother Victor is in there. Then during his sleep Twelvetrees is woken to a commotion downstairs: Stewart's other brother Reggie (Hugh Burden) and his daughter Verity (Elizabeth MacLennan) have arrived with Reggie demanding his regular allowance from Victor. Spying on the proceedings Twelvetrees spots Stewart going elsewhere to see his mother. The next day, after being introduced to a snake house underground, Twelvetrees secretly goes upstairs to see Stewart's mother: though kept behind a locked door she initially seems extremely polite and explains her family's history of theatrics in India. Suddenly, she tries to kill Twelvetrees with a knife but he is saved by Patel – the servant explains her presence there is secret lest she be taken away. Though very unnerved, Stewart persuades Twelvetrees to stay to perform that evening.
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Wikipedia