Famous for being the only film that brought together the quartet of horror legends, Peter Cushing, Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, and John Carradine, House of the Long Shadows succeeds in being an affectionate homage to the old dark house movies of yesteryear. The final film from exploitation director Pete Walker (House of Whipcord) takes a completely different route from what we expect from him. Michael Armstrong (Mark of the Devil) provides the script, adding to the renowned credentials.
A young American writer (Desi Arnaz, Jr) claims that he could knock out a novel in the vein of Wuthering Heights in 24 hours. His publisher (Richard Todd) takes him up on this and suggests the Gothic surroundings of a mansion in Wales, which is owned by a friend. When he gets there, he finds he isn’t alone as not only has an attractive woman (Julie Peasgood) turned up but so have a group of ageing characters who claim they imprisoned their sibling in a room 40 years previous and plan to release him.
Although the film wasn’t particularly received particularly well on its original release, time has actually been very kind to House of the Long Shadows. This is largely due to the stellar cast – which is bolstered by Walker regular Sheila Keith as well as top character actors Richard Todd and Norman Rossington. The story is based on Seven Keys to Baldpate, and the familiarity of the scenario – the tale has been adapted many times over the years – means many of the ‘shocks’ are old hat. However, that’s probably the point since the film is an affectionate homage to the movies of yesteryear and a fitting tribute to the legendary cast. It’s played as a creepy comedy rather than straight horror (although not a spoof), and as the love for the renowned horror stars has increased over the years, House of the Long Shadows plays less creaky now. The film came out when the British video nasty scandal was in full swing, so audiences weren’t ready for a throwback to the golden age of horror.
It’s interesting seeing Julie Peasgood in a leading role in a horror picture (even one that leans into comedy), and former Benny Hill ‘Angel’ Louise English has a supporting role. These odd casting choices add to its retro Gothic style and make the movie feel more like an Amicus production than a Pete Walker film. The horror legends play up to their personal characteristics perfectly, Price, in particular, gives the scenery a good ol’ chomp. Every cliché is ramped up a notch, with thunder crashes and shadows aplenty.
The new release from Fabulous Films – on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK – contains a feature-length documentary that revisits the location of the film with the director, actor Peasgood, and D.P. Norman Langley. There are also on-camera interviews with more of the cast and crew, and it’s an entertaining watch even though some of the footage is crudely filmed. Walker also has another interview section in a shorter extra, as well as the audio commentary, so some stories are repeated but it’s a small issue that certainly doesn’t spoil the enjoyment. It’s the perfect excuse to reacquaint yourself with this British classic.
House of the Long Shadows is released on Blu-ray and DVD on March 28th.
