The House That Dripped Blood (1971)

[McCrutchy]

For anyone interested in the score:



http://www.kritzerland.com/house_blood.htm

Originally Posted by Kritzerland

Kritzerland is proud to present a world premiere soundtrack release:

THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD

Composed and Conducted by Michael Dress

TERROR WAITS FOR YOU IN EVERY ROOM IN THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD!

The House that Dripped Blood was one of the most entertaining of the Amicus anthology horror film series. The four tales were all based on short stories by Robert Bloch (Psycho), who also wrote the screenplay. In the director’s chair was Peter Duffell, whose first major film it was (he’d done one low-budget film a decade prior).

They assembled a first-rate cast, including horror icons Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, as well as Denholm Elliott, Joss Ackland, Jon Pertwee, and Ingrid Pitt. The film received some decent reviews: Kevin Thomas in the Los Angeles Times said, “Richly atmospheric settings, muted color photography, an outstanding cast and competent direction (by Peter Duffell) do justice to Bloch’s fine script, which deals with psychological terror rather than relying on the typical blood-and-guts formula,” while Variety called it “one of the most entertaining of its genre to come along in several years.”

One of the most interesting choices the filmmakers made was the composer, Michael Dress. Not a lot is known about Dress, but his very short filmography does include some very interesting films and scores, including Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx, which starred a very young Gene Wilder, and an interesting sci-fi film, The Mind of Mr. Soames, as well as A Touch of Love, starring Sandy Dennis (called Take a Girl Like You in the United States).

For The House that Dripped Blood, Dress created a wonderfully atmospheric score – some of it lives in the world of Humphrey Searle’s The Haunting, but Dress’s music is his own and it really gives the stories in the film an interesting texture and feel. There’s a lot of percussion and weird effects, organ, a solo female voice floating in the air, harpsichord, vibes, strings – it’s all very hallucinogenic and off-kilter and really wonderful.

This is the premiere release of The House that Dripped Blood. The transfers were made from the 35mm magnetic music-only mixing elements and the mono sound is crisp and clear and really excellent.

THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD is limited to 500 copies only and priced at $19.98, plus shipping. CDs will ship by the by the final week of February, but never fear, we’ve actually been averaging three to five weeks early in terms of shipping ahead of the official ship date.

Emphasis mine.

[Richard--W]

Bought. Thanks for posting the news.

[DenOfEarth]

From Beyond the Grave i found disappointing.

[Michael24]

Originally Posted by Trekkie313

So the screencaps are going to stay uncorrected?

It appears so. Seven months later and the same botched ones are still up.

[u2popmofo]

I just saw this for the first time this weekend, streaming on Amazon Prime. I liked it a lot, the SF disc has shot onto my wanted list.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

How does this film rank as a blind buy? I LOVE horror anthology films but admittedly I'm not the biggest Amicus anthology fan. I enjoyed a couple stories from their Tales from the Crypt film but I was pretty disappointed by From Beyond the Grave. Is this better than those films or am I better off renting it first before a purchase?

[oddbox83]

Rent it, I mean if you don't like From Beyond the Grave and this is probably closer to that than Tales From the Crypt.

[Richard--W]

Originally Posted by MassiveMovieBuff

How does this film rank as a blind buy? I LOVE horror anthology films but admittedly I'm not the biggest Amicus anthology fan. I enjoyed a couple stories from their Tales from the Crypt film but I was pretty disappointed by From Beyond the Grave. Is this better than those films or am I better off renting it first before a purchase?

I think it's much better than the two films you mention although I look those,
too, very much. I recommend The House That Dripped Blood with enthusiasm.
It's not a gore film nor an action film, so if that's what you're looking for, pass.
As an exercise in suspense and horror I think it's Amicus' best film, equal in
every way to The City of the Dead (1960 aka Horror Hotel). I saw it when it
was new, so I have an affection for it.

[Cruel Angel]

House That Dripped Blood was their first anthology I ever came across. Even after the other the ones Ive seen (Tales from Crypt, Vault of Horror, Asylum) it is still far and away my favorite.

[ravenus]

It's one of my favorites too, although that's partially a bias from it being the first Amicus anthology I ever watched.

[oddbox83]

I love it too but I can’t recommend it to someone who didn’t like From Beyond the Grave (which is a favourite along with House That Dripped Blood).

[ditcin]

When I recently showed a friend FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE I was surprised how they never got how Peter Cushing character was blocked from leaving the store by the church mass cross in the window. How his character is there to test and judge those who come in.
The film is extremely subtle on that note.

[happydood]

I'm not precious about these things and I know that From Beyond The Grave is an OLD with a capital 'O'movie, but it's the one Amicus I've never seen for whatever reason and I just ordered it and I kinda wish I didn't know that. No worries, but everything is new to somebody- even a middle-aged nerd like me.

[Mystic]

Originally Posted by Richard--W

I think it's much better than the two films you mention although I look those,
too, very much. I recommend The House That Dripped Blood with enthusiasm.
It's not a gore film nor an action film, so if that's what you're looking for, pass.
As an exercise in suspense and horror I think it's Amicus' best film, equal in
every way to The City of the Dead (1960 aka Horror Hotel). I saw it when it
was new, so I have an affection for it.

I share your opinion about the House That Dripped Blood, it's the movie that I return to the most often among the Amicus anthology films.

I would also recommend the Monster Club which was the final film from Milton Subotsky who was best known for his work with Amicus Productions.

[Werdsniper2]

I was checking this out, figured it was another 80's gore fest based on the title. "The House That Dripped Blood? Whoa, this must be a crazy slashe-"

RATING: PG

Made me cackle.