Based on the famous story written by W.W. Jacobs, The Monkey's Paw is directed by Norman Lee who also co-adapts the screenplay with Barbara Toy. It stars Milton Rosmer, Megs Jenkins, Michael Martin Harvey, Eric Micklewood and Brenda Hogan. Filmed out of Kay Carlton Studio, music is by Stanley Black and cinematography by Bryan Langley.
Story finds the Trelawne family purchasing a fabled Monkey's Paw from a peddler, it is said to be an item that can grant three wishes, but many believe that those wishes come at a cost. The Trelawne family is about to find out if the tale of The Monkey's Paw is fact or fiction...
It's such a strong premise in story it has been mined many a time over the decades, in film, radio and television. Here we go back to a time of British cinema of minimal budgets, straight backed delivery of scripts and economical running times of just an hour. Norman Lee's film is a splendid piece of atmospheric unease that makes the most of some sparse but effective sets, however, that is on proviso you can allow for its obvious limitations. It's safe to say this will not terrify anybody, but it has the capacity to tingle the spine as the story builds to a finale played out in the flashes and bangs of a thunder storm. Right there, before a cheeky coda, suggestion is everything, proof once more that quite often what you don't see is more frightening...
It's no must see lost British Chiller Classic, and the best available print from Renown Pictures Ltd (paired with The House in Marsh Road) is still scratchy and has the odd reel jump and unintentional patches of blackness, but it's still a watchable print and of interest to those with a bent for really old British chillers. 6.5/10
Story finds the Trelawne family purchasing a fabled Monkey's Paw from a peddler, it is said to be an item that can grant three wishes, but many believe that those wishes come at a cost. The Trelawne family is about to find out if the tale of The Monkey's Paw is fact or fiction...
It's such a strong premise in story it has been mined many a time over the decades, in film, radio and television. Here we go back to a time of British cinema of minimal budgets, straight backed delivery of scripts and economical running times of just an hour. Norman Lee's film is a splendid piece of atmospheric unease that makes the most of some sparse but effective sets, however, that is on proviso you can allow for its obvious limitations. It's safe to say this will not terrify anybody, but it has the capacity to tingle the spine as the story builds to a finale played out in the flashes and bangs of a thunder storm. Right there, before a cheeky coda, suggestion is everything, proof once more that quite often what you don't see is more frightening...
It's no must see lost British Chiller Classic, and the best available print from Renown Pictures Ltd (paired with The House in Marsh Road) is still scratchy and has the odd reel jump and unintentional patches of blackness, but it's still a watchable print and of interest to those with a bent for really old British chillers. 6.5/10