Sudden Terror (1970) aka Eyewitness

3 / 5 Jan '11
Tagline: Pins you to the edge of your seat.
Directed by: John Hough
Written by: Ronald Harwood
Actors include: Mark Lester, Susan George, Lionel Jeffries
Genre: Thriller, Drama, Crime, Horror
Length: 92 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Well this is a rather clean thriller that hasn't many thrills but it has a few interesting ideas at least. Our story is about a boy named Ziggy (played by Mark Lester of Oliver! fame) who is a chronic liar, storyteller and brat. His sister takes him to go see the President drive by, only he takes off and ends up witnessing the assassination of this President. Of course he's seen, and he's chased and blah blah blah, boy who cries wolf story of course. Of course nobody believes him until it's almost too late, and Sister (Susan George) meets a stranger who is very resourceful and together with their Grandfather they all must try and stay alive. It's just not as action packed and violent as I'd have liked, and Ziggy was just such an obnoxious character I was rooting for the bad guys to get him. Oh well, I sat through it without too much struggle, I just expected a fair bit more out of this.

Availability:  On DVD

Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? (1971) aka Who Slew Auntie Roo?

4 / 5 July '10
Tagline: She's Taking A STAB At Motherhood!
Directed by: Curtis Harrington
Written by: Robert Blees, David D. Osborn
Actors include: Mark Lester, Shelley Winters, Chloe Franks
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Length: 91 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Now this is rather like a Hammer telling of Hansel & Gretel, only of course it isn't really from the Hammer company. It's got a rather lavish production set in England in the '20s. Shelley Winters hams it up as Mrs. Forrest, a rather rich Woman who lives in a gingerbread house (not literally but it looks that way). She torments herself with visions of her daughter's freak accident that killed her because she loves children so. She loves them so much that every year she invites a group of orphans to her house to celebrate and extravagant Christmas. This year two orphans Christopher (Mark Lester...yes Oliver!) and Katy (Chloe Franks) sneak into the party, and when Mrs. Forrest sees how much Katy reminds her of her deceased daughter well trouble brews. It's kind of a slow start, but stick with it will more than pay off, it really does pick up steam. The actors are awesome and fun to watch, the story has a bit of humor in it plus it's a camp lovers dream!

Availability:  On DVD as part of a 2fer with What's The Matter With Helen?