''Asylum'' (also known as ''House of Crazies'' in subsequent US releases) is a 1972 British
anthology
In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs or excerpts by different authors.
In genre fiction, the term ''anthology'' typically categ ...
horror film
Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes.
Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...
made by
Amicus Productions
Amicus Productions was a British film production company, based at Shepperton Studios, England, active between 1962 and 1977. It was founded by American producers and screenwriters Milton Subotsky and Max Rosenberg.
Films
Prior to establish ...
. The film was directed by
Roy Ward Baker
Roy Ward Baker (born Roy Horace Baker; 19 December 1916 – 5 October 2010) was an English film director. His best known film is ''A Night to Remember (1958 film), A Night to Remember'' (1958) which won a Golden Globe for Golden Globe Award for ...
and produced by
Milton Subotsky
Milton Subotsky (September 27, 1921 – June 27, 1991) was an American film and television writer and producer. In 1964, he founded Amicus Productions with Max Rosenberg, Max J. Rosenberg. Amicus means "friendship" in Latin. The partnership pro ...
.
Robert Bloch
Robert Albert Bloch (; April 5, 1917September 23, 1994) was an American fiction writer, primarily of crime, psychological horror and fantasy, much of which has been dramatized for radio, cinema and television. He also wrote a relatively small ...
wrote the script, adapting four of his own short stories.
Baker had considerable experience as a director of horror films, as he had tackled '' Quatermass and the Pit'' and ''
Scars of Dracula
''Scars of Dracula'' is a 1970 British horror film directed by Roy Ward Baker for Hammer Films.
It stars Christopher Lee as Count Dracula, along with Dennis Waterman, Jenny Hanley, Patrick Troughton, and Michael Gwynn. Although disparaged by ...
''. Bloch had written the novel '' Psycho'', on which
the film
The Film is a 2005 Indian thriller film directed by Junaid Memon also produced along with Amitabh Bhattacharya. The film stars Mahima Chaudhry, Khalid Siddiqui, Ananya Khare, Chahat Khanna, Ravi Gossain, Vaibhav Jhalani and Vivek Madan in lea ...
directed by
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...
was based.
''Asylum'' is a horror
anthology film
An anthology film (also known as an omnibus film, package film, or portmanteau film) is a single film consisting of several shorter films, each complete in itself and distinguished from the other, though frequently tied together by a single theme ...
, one of several produced by Amicus during the 1960s and 1970s. Others included ''
Dr. Terror's House of Horrors
''Dr Terror's House of Horrors'' is a 1965 British anthology horror film from Amicus Productions, directed by veteran horror director Freddie Francis, written by Milton Subotsky, and starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee.
It was the fi ...
Tales from the Crypt
Tales from the Crypt may refer to:
* ''Tales from the Crypt'' (album), by American rapper C-Bo
* ''Tales from the Crypt'' (comics), published by EC Comics during the 1950s
** ''Tales from the Crypt'' (film), a 1972 Amicus film starring Ralph Ric ...
'', ''
The House That Dripped Blood
''The House That Dripped Blood'' is a 1971 British anthology horror film directed by Peter Duffell and distributed by Amicus Productions. It stars Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Nyree Dawn Porter, Denholm Elliott, and Jon Pertwee. The ...
From Beyond the Grave
''From Beyond the Grave'' is a 1974 British anthology horror film from Amicus Productions, directed by Kevin Connor, produced by Milton Subotsky and based on short stories by R. Chetwynd-Hayes.
It was the last in a series of anthology films ...
''.
Shot in April 1972, the film was edited and set for release 15 weeks after the final day of shooting, premièring in July 1972 in the UK. The film had its North American début on 17 November 1972.
Plot (including cast list)
Framing Story
Dr Martin arrives at a secluded
asylum
Asylum may refer to:
Types of asylum
* Asylum (antiquity), places of refuge in ancient Greece and Rome
* Benevolent Asylum, a 19th-century Australian institution for housing the destitute
* Cities of Refuge, places of refuge in ancient Judea
...
"for the incurably insane". He should begin there a new appointment as doctor, but gets first interviewed by the
authoritarian
Authoritarianism is a political system characterized by the rejection of political plurality, the use of strong central power to preserve the political ''status quo'', and reductions in the rule of law, separation of powers, and democratic votin ...
warden Lionel Rutherford. Rutherford is in a wheelchair and blames this on an attack by a patient. He declares a lack of hope for any improvement in the patients' condition.
As part of the interview, Rutherford challenges Martin to identify, from among the inmates, "Dr B. Starr", former head of the asylum, who underwent a complete mental breakdown. Dr Martin is to interview one by one the few patients. If his deduction is correct, Rutherford will consider him qualified for the post.
On the upper floor, the attendant Max Reynolds admits Dr Martin through the security door to the inmates' solitary confinement cells, and leads him to every patient offering for each a few friendly words of background but no tips.
This story is loosely based on Bloch's short story, ''A Home Away from Home'', first published in ''
Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine
''Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine'' (AHMM) is a bi-monthly digest size fiction magazine specializing in crime and detective fiction. ''AHMM'' is named for Alfred Hitchcock, the famed director of suspense films and television.
History
''AHM ...
'' and adapted for television on ''
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was re ...
''.
*
Robert Powell
Robert Powell (; born 1 June 1944) is an English actor who is known for the title roles in ''Mahler'' (1974) and '' Jesus of Nazareth'' (1977), and for his portrayal of secret agent Richard Hannay in '' The Thirty Nine Steps'' (1978) and its ...
Geoffrey Bayldon
Albert Geoffrey Bayldon (7 January 1924 – 10 May 2017) was an English actor. After playing roles in many stage productions, including the works of William Shakespeare, he became known for portraying the title role of the children's series ''C ...
– Max Reynolds
"Frozen Fear"
Bonnie recounts the plot to murder Ruth, the wealthy and controlling wife of her lover Walter. Some moments before being killed, Ruth explains her recent infatuation for
voodoo
Voodoo may refer to:
Religions
* African or West African Vodun, practiced by Gbe-speaking ethnic groups
* African diaspora religions, a list of related religions sometimes called Vodou/Voodoo
** Candomblé Jejé, also known as Brazilian Vodu ...
and its knowledge of forces "beyond life and death". When her husband hacks into pieces her body and hides the parts in a new freezer in the cellar, the dismembered limbs do not stop moving and begin to attack Walter, until finally killing him.
Bonnie reaches the house and is horrified upon finding her lover in the freezer, rather than the expected cadaver of Ruth. She, too, began to be attacked by the dismembered limbs.
*
Barbara Parkins
Barbara Parkins (born May 22, 1942) is a Canadian-American former actress, singer, dancer and photographer.
Early life
Parkins was born in Vancouver, British Columbia.Sylvia Syms – Ruth
*
Richard Todd
Richard Andrew Palethorpe-Todd (11 June 19193 December 2009) was an Irish-British actor known for his leading man roles of the 1950s. He received a Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Male, and an Academy Award for Best Actor n ...
– Walter
"The Weird Tailor"
Bruno is found quietly sitting and sewing with empty hands in his room. He explains he is a tailor by trade, and recounts how poverty and impending eviction forced him to accept the unusual request of a Mr Smith, to produce an elaborate suit of clothing from a mysterious, scintillating fabric that must be sewn only after midnight.
He proceeds as instructed, hoping to settle his rent with the pricey order. When this is completed, he delivers it in person to Mr Smith. The man, however, is penniless, having spent all his fortune on the book with the instructions for the special suit.
In the resulting altercation, Bruno opens another door and discovers the dead body of Mr Smith's deceased son. Mr Smith explains that the magic suit will bring his son back to life, but he is shot by the horrified tailor in an accident. Fearing both the consequences and the appalling story, Bruno stumbles back home after picking up both the book and his unsold suit. He tells his wife to destroy it, but she instead use it to adorn their store
mannequin
A mannequin (also called a dummy, lay figure, or dress form) is a doll, often articulated, used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, window dressers and others, especially to display or fit clothing and show off different fabrics and textiles. P ...
. The magic powers of the suit appear to animate it.
This story was also earlier adapted as an episode of the
Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film ''Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established h ...
-hosted television series '' Thriller'' ("The Weird Tailor", Season 2, Episode 4).
*
Barry Morse
Herbert Morse (10 June 19182 February 2008), known professionally as Barry Morse, was a British-Canadian actor of stage, screen, and radio, best known for his roles in the ABC television series '' The Fugitive'' and the British sci-fi drama '' ...
– Bruno
*
Peter Cushing
Peter Wilton Cushing (26 May 1913 – 11 August 1994) was an English actor. His acting career spanned over six decades and included appearances in more than 100 films, as well as many television, stage, and radio roles. He achieved recognition ...
John Franklyn-Robbins
John Franklyn-Robbins (14 December 1924 – 21 March 2009) was an English character and voice actor.
A prolific Shakespearean actor, he trained at RADA and proceeded to work at the Manchester Library Theatre and the Bristol Old Vic early i ...
– Stebbins
"Lucy Comes To Stay"
Doctor Martin is introduced to Barbara (Charlotte Rampling), a pretty but vacuous looking and petulant girl in her early twenties. This is the second patient who is far too young to be Dr Starr. Troubled Barbara and her mysterious best friend, Lucy, a decidedly bad influence, Barbara's brother and the nurse he hired to care for Barbara. Lucy doesn't really exist, she's just a mini-skirted maniacal figment of Barbara’s broken brain.
*
Charlotte Rampling
Tessa Charlotte Rampling (born 5 February 1946) is an English actress, known for her work in European arthouse films in English, French, and Italian. An icon of the Swinging Sixties, she began her career as a model.
She was cast in the role ...
– Barbara
*
Britt Ekland
Britt Ekland (; born Britt-Marie Eklund; 6 October 1942) is a Swedish actress, model and singer. She appeared in numerous films in her heyday throughout the 1960s and 1970s, including roles in '' The Double Man'' (1967), ''The Night They Raided ...
– Lucy
*
James Villiers
James Michael Hyde Villiers (29 September 1933 – 18 January 1998) was an English character actor. He was particularly known for his plummy voice and ripe articulation.
He was a great-grandson of the 4th Earl of Clarendon.
Early life
Villie ...
– George
*
Megs Jenkins
Muguette Mary "Megs" Jenkins (21 April 1917 – 5 October 1998) was an English character actress who appeared in British films and television programmes.
Life and career
Jenkins was born in Birkenhead, Cheshire, the daughter of a construction ...
– Miss Higgins
"Mannequins of Horror"
Martin interviews Dr Byron, who declares his mastery of neurology and other branches of the discipline, and appears to hold Rutherford in contempt. Initially elated by the chance to speak with a new colleague, Byron explains that he has become interested in a new direction of research, which involves the assembly of small toy-dolls said to contain all organs and abilities of a human body, and within which claims to be able to infuse his own vital spirit through sheer will and concentration. Witnessing Martin's disconcert, Byron concludes abruptly his interview and sends him away. With this visit, the new doctor has completed his acquaintance of all patients and he returns downstairs, to deliver his judgment to Rutherford.
This story was later loosely adapted for the ''
Monsters
A monster is a type of fictional creature found in horror, fantasy, science fiction, folklore, mythology and religion. Monsters are very often depicted as dangerous and aggressive with a strange, grotesque appearance that causes terror and fe ...
'' episode "Mannequins of Horror".
*
Herbert Lom
Herbert Charles Angelo Kuchačevič ze Schluderpacheru (11 September 1917 – 27 September 2012), known professionally as Herbert Lom (), was a Czech-British actor who moved to the United Kingdom in 1939. In a career lasting more than 60 ye ...
– Dr Byron
*
Frank Forsyth
Frank Forsyth (19 December 1905 – 2 May 1984), sometimes credited as Frank Forsythe, was an English actor, active from the 1930s. He was born on 19 December 1905 in London, England. He appeared in several TV programmes, including '' Department ...
– Asylum gatekeeper
Epilogue
Alone in the room, Byron successfully brings the mannequin to life with his face. The toy evades the room when Max opens the door to bring food, and slowly creeps its way down to Rutherford's office. A few scenes later, it is shown to attack and kill him with a
scalpel
A scalpel, lancet, or bistoury is a small and extremely sharp bladed instrument used for surgery, anatomical dissection, podiatry and various arts and crafts (either called a hobby knife or an X-acto knife.). Scalpels may be single-use disposa ...
during a heated argument between Martin and Rutherford, during which the young doctor accuses him of having neglected his patients. Indeed the murder weapon is the lancet that Rutherford was planning to use for lobotomizing Byron.
Horrified, Martin steps on the toy doll. Its destruction, however, reveals its organic, pulsating content; Dr Byron dies in his room on the spot. Seeking help, Martin runs for the attendant Max, and tries to convince him to call the police. Max, however, seems unfazed. While the two quarrel, another cadaver is found. Dr. Starr's true identity is thus finally revealed: the cadaver is the true "Max Reynolds". Starr lost his mind and murdered the real Reynolds two days before. He attacks Dr Martin and strangles him to death with his stethoscope, then exploding into a maniacal laugh upon hearing no heartbeat.
In the last scene, another new doctor is shown knocking on the institute's doors and again received by "Max". It appears that another cycle of murder and mayhem is about to begin.
Production
Filming
The film was shot at the New Lodge country house just outside of the village of
Winkfield
Winkfield is a village and civil parish in the Bracknell Forest unitary authority of Berkshire, England.
Geography
According to the 2011 Census, the parish had a population of 14,998. The parish includes the hamlets of Winkfield, Maidens Green ...
,
Berkshire
Berkshire ( ; in the 17th century sometimes spelt phonetically as Barkeshire; abbreviated Berks.) is a historic county in South East England. One of the home counties, Berkshire was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II as the Royal County of Berk ...
, England.
Soundtrack
Though
Douglas Gamley
John Douglas Gamley (13 September 19245 February 1998), generally known as Douglas Gamley, was an Australian composer, who worked on orchestral arrangements and on local, British and American films.
Biography
John Douglas Gamley was born on 1 ...
is credited as having composed the music for this film, the majority of the score is drawn from
public domain
The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work
A creative work is a manifestation of creative effort including fine artwork (sculpture, paintings, drawing, sketching, performance art), dance, writing (literature), filmmaking, ...
pieces by
Modest Mussorgsky
Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky ( rus, link=no, Модест Петрович Мусоргский, Modest Petrovich Musorgsky , mɐˈdɛst pʲɪˈtrovʲɪtɕ ˈmusərkskʲɪj, Ru-Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky version.ogg; – ) was a Russian compo ...
, in particular ''
Night on Bald Mountain
''Night on Bald Mountain'' (russian: Ночь на лысой горе, translit=Noch′ na lysoy gore, links=no), also known as ''Night on the Bare Mountain'', is a series of compositions by Modest Mussorgsky (1839–1881). Inspired by Russian ...
'' (heard over the opening and closing credits). Selections from his ''
Pictures at an Exhibition
''Pictures at an Exhibition'', french: Tableaux d'une exposition, link=no is a suite of ten piano pieces, plus a recurring, varied Promenade theme, composed by Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky in 1874. The piece is Mussorgsky's most famous pia ...
'' are also used: "Gnomus" is heard over both an early display of artworks depicting lunatics and past medical practices to deal with the insane, and during the sequence of Byron's mannequin coming to life and making its way downstairs. The booming crescendo of "The Hut on Hen's Legs" is heard over the sequence where the tailor's dummy is animated and rampages in Bruno's shop.
Release
In the UK, ''Asylum'' was one of Amicus' more popular films. Despite this, it was the last movie Bloch would write for the studio.Ed. Allan Bryce, ''Amicus: The Studio That Dripped Blood'', Stray Cat Publishing, 2000 p 94-101
Critical reception
Allmovie
AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne.
History
AllMovie was founded by popular-cult ...
's review of the film is favourable: "''Asylum'' is a textbook example of the skill that Amicus Productions showed for producing entertaining horror anthology films."
Accolades
Home media releases
After years of releases sourced from degraded 35mm and 16mm prints (the 16mm prints were used for television broadcast), the film finally received a deluxe DVD release in 2006, from
Dark Sky Films
MPI Media Group is an American producer, distributor and licensor of theatrical film and home entertainment. MPI's subsidiaries include MPI Pictures, MPI Home Video, Gorgon Video, and the horror film distributor Dark Sky Films. The company is lo ...
. This DVD includes numerous special features, including an
audio commentary
An audio commentary is an additional audio track, usually digital, consisting of a lecture or comments by one or more speakers, that plays in real time with a video. Commentaries can be serious or entertaining in nature, and can add informatio ...
by director Baker and cameraman Neil Binney; "Inside the Fear Factory", a featurette about Amicus Productions; cast and crew bios; liner notes; trailers; and a still photo gallery. The film was remastered from a pristine, 35mm print. In 2017,
Severin Films
Severin Films is an American film production and distribution company known for restoring and releasing cult films on DVD and Blu-ray.
History
The label was created in 2006 in Los Angeles, and other offices were founded in New York City and Lond ...
rereleased ''Asylum'' on video, including many of the extras from the Dark Sky Films DVD. New special features were added as well, including an interview with Fiona Subotsky, the producer's widow, who discusses his life, and the history of Amicus.