Amicus Productions

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Amicus Productions was a British film production company, based at Shepperton Studios, England, [1] active between 1962 and 1977. It was founded by American producers and screenwriters Milton Subotsky and Max Rosenberg. [2]

Contents

Films

Prior to establishing Amicus, its two producers collaborated on the successful horror film The City of the Dead (1960). Amicus's first two films were low-budget musicals for the teenage market, It's Trad, Dad! (1962) and Just for Fun (1963). Amicus is best remembered for making a series of portmanteau horror anthologies, inspired by the Ealing Studios film Dead of Night (1945). [3] They also made some straight thriller films, often based on a gimmick. [4]

Amicus's horror and thriller films are sometimes mistaken for the output of the better-known Hammer Film Productions, due to the two companies' similar visual style and use of some of the same actors, including Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. Unlike the period gothic Hammer films, Amicus productions were usually set in the present day. [5]

Although not an Amicus Productions film, a film version of Harold Pinter's play The Birthday Party (1968), directed by William Friedkin, was produced by the team of Subotsky and Rosenberg for Palomar Pictures International

Portmanteau horror films

Amicus released seven portmanteau films; Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965), Torture Garden (1967), The House That Dripped Blood (1971), Tales from the Crypt (1972), Asylum (1972), Vault of Horror (1973) and From Beyond the Grave (1974). These films typically feature four or sometimes five short horror stories, linked by an overarching plot featuring a narrator and those listening to his story. [6]

The casts of these films are invariably composed of name actors, each of whom play a main part in one of the stories—-a small proportion of the film as a whole. Along with genre stars like Cushing, Lee and Herbert Lom, Amicus also drew its actors from the classical British stage (Patrick Magee, Margaret Leighton and Ralph Richardson), rising younger actors (Donald Sutherland, Robert Powell and Tom Baker), or former stars in decline (Richard Greene, Robert Hutton, and Terry-Thomas). Some, such as Joan Collins, were in their mid-career doldrums when they worked with Amicus, while others such as Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker (later the third and fourth incarnations of the Doctor in the science-fiction series, Doctor Who ) were at the height of their careers. [7]

Torture Garden, The House That Dripped Blood and Asylum were written by Robert Bloch, based upon his own stories. An exception was the "Waxworks" segment of The House That Dripped Blood, which was scripted (uncredited) by Russ Jones, based on Bloch's story. Tales from the Crypt and The Vault of Horror were based on stories from EC horror comics from the 1950s. [7] [8]

Other horror films

Amicus also produced some conventional chillers, such as The Skull (1965), The Psychopath (1966), Scream and Scream Again (1970), I, Monster (1971), And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973), and The Beast Must Die (1974). The Skull was also based on a Bloch story (though scripted by Milton Subotsky). Bloch was also the screenwriter of The Psychopath (1966), and wrote the original adaptation of The Deadly Bees (based upon H. F. Heard's A Taste for Honey). [1] [9] [10]

Science fiction, espionage, drama

In the mid-1960s, Amicus also produced two films based on Doctor Who which had debuted on television in 1963. The films, Dr. Who and the Daleks (1965) and Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. (1966), are the only theatrical film adaptations of the series. In these films, Peter Cushing played "Dr. Who", a human scientist rather than an alien, with Who as his actual surname, disregarding the backstory of the TV series. [11] [12]

Amicus also funded and produced films of other genres. Danger Route (1967) was a film version of Christopher Nicole's (writing as Andrew York) 1966 spy novel The Eliminator, directed by Seth Holt, the only film of the Jonas Wilde series of novels to have been filmed.

Margaret Drabble's adaptation of her novel The Millstone (1965) was filmed as A Touch of Love (1969), and Laurence Moody's novel The Ruthless Ones (1969) was filmed as What Became of Jack and Jill? (1972) [2] [7] [13]

Amicus Productions produced a few science fiction films, including a 1967 double bill of The Terrornauts and They Came from Beyond Space that were produced when Joseph E. Levine, who Rosenberg had previously worked with, told Rosenberg that if Amicus could produce two films for £200,000, Embassy Pictures would finance and release both of them. [14]

Amicus later produced a trilogy of adaptations of the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs, including The Land That Time Forgot (1974), At the Earth's Core (1976), and The People That Time Forgot (1977). [15]

2000s

In 2003, Anchor Bay Entertainment released a five disc DVD box-set of Amicus films in a coffin-shaped container in the UK. [16] In 2005, Amicus was revived to produce homages to the old titles as well as original horror fare. Their first production was Stuart Gordon's Stuck (2007). [7]

Resurrection of Amicus

In 2023 it was announced that Amicus would recommence film production, led by Lawrie Brewster, Sarah Daly and Megan Tremethick, with support from the Subotsky family. Amicus would produce the upcoming film In the Grip of Terror [17] Variety reported "The filmmaker (Brewster) and his team are also starting a crowdfunding campaign to facilitate the initial stages of the project. Their goal is far more ambitious than just one film. 'Our aim is to re-establish Amicus Productions as a beacon of independent British horror', Brewster said." [18]

Filmography

Related Research Articles

Hammer Film Productions Ltd. is a British film production company based in London. Founded in 1934, the company is best known for a series of Gothic horror and fantasy films made from the mid-1950s until the 1970s. Many of these involve classic horror characters such as Baron Victor Frankenstein, Count Dracula, and the Mummy, which Hammer reintroduced to audiences by filming them in vivid colour for the first time. Hammer also produced science fiction, thrillers, film noir and comedies, as well as, in later years, television series.

<i>Dr. Who and the Daleks</i> 1965 British science fiction film by Gordon Flemyng

Dr. Who and the Daleks is a 1965 British science fiction film directed by Gordon Flemyng and written by Milton Subotsky, and the first of two films based on the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who. It stars Peter Cushing as Dr. Who, Roberta Tovey as Susan, Jennie Linden as Barbara, and Roy Castle as Ian. It was followed by Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. (1966).

Max J. Rosenberg was an American film producer, whose career spanned six decades. He was particularly known for his horror or supernatural films, and found much of his success while working in England.

<i>The Curse of Frankenstein</i> 1957 horror film by Hammer Film Productions

The Curse of Frankenstein is a 1957 British horror film by Hammer Film Productions, loosely based on the 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley. It was Hammer's first colour horror film, and the first of their Frankenstein series. Its worldwide success led to several sequels, and it was also followed by new versions of Dracula (1958) and The Mummy (1959), establishing "Hammer Horror" as a distinctive brand of Gothic cinema.

<i>Dr. Terrors House of Horrors</i> 1965 British film

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.

<i>At the Earths Core</i> (film) 1976 science-fiction adventure movie directed by Kevin Connor

At the Earth's Core is a 1976 fantasy-science fiction film produced by Britain's Amicus Productions. A British-American co-production, the film was directed by Kevin Connor and stars Doug McClure, Peter Cushing and Caroline Munro. It was filmed in Technicolor, and is based on the 1914 fantasy novel At the Earth's Core by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the first book of his Pellucidar series, in token of which the film is also known as Edgar Rice Burroughs' At the Earth's Core.

<i>The House That Dripped Blood</i> 1971 British film by Peter Duffell

The House That Dripped Blood is a 1971 British anthology horror film directed by Peter Duffell and made by Amicus Productions. It stars Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Nyree Dawn Porter, Denholm Elliott, and Jon Pertwee. The film is a collection of four short stories concerning a series of inhabitants of the eponymous building. All of the stories were originally written, and subsequently scripted, by Robert Bloch.

<i>Torture Garden</i> (film) 1967 British film by Freddie Francis

Torture Garden is a 1967 British horror film directed by Freddie Francis and starring Burgess Meredith, Jack Palance, Michael Ripper, Beverly Adams, Peter Cushing, Maurice Denham, Ursula Howells, Michael Bryant and Barbara Ewing. The score was a collaboration between Hammer horror regulars James Bernard and Don Banks.

<i>I, Monster</i> 1971 British horror film by Stephen Weeks

I, Monster is a 1971 British horror film directed by Stephen Weeks and starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. It was written by MIlton Subotsky, adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 novella Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, with the main characters' names changed to Dr. Charles Marlowe and Mr. Edward Blake. It was produced by Amicus.

<i>The Deadly Bees</i> 1967 British film by Freddie Francis

The Deadly Bees is a 1967 British horror film based on H. F. Heard's 1941 novel A Taste for Honey. It was directed by Freddie Francis, and stars Suzanna Leigh, Guy Doleman, and Frank Finlay. The original screenplay was by Robert Bloch but was rewritten by Anthony Marriott. The film was released theatrically in the United States in 1967 and was featured in a 1998 episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000.

<i>The Skull</i> (film) 1965 British film

The Skull is a 1965 British horror film directed by Freddie Francis for Amicus Productions, and starring the frequently paired horror actors Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, alongside Patrick Wymark, Jill Bennett, Nigel Green, Patrick Magee and Peter Woodthorpe.

<i>Asylum</i> (1972 horror film) 1972 British film

Asylum is a 1972 British anthology horror film made by Amicus Productions. The film was directed by Roy Ward Baker and produced by Milton Subotsky. Robert Bloch wrote the script, adapting four of his own short stories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milton Subotsky</span> American film and television producer and writer

Milton Subotsky was an American film and television writer and producer. In 1964, he founded Amicus Productions with Max J. Rosenberg. Amicus means "friend" in Latin. The partnership produced low-budget science fiction and horror films in the United Kingdom.

<i>The Terrornauts</i> 1967 British film by Montgomery Tully

The Terrornauts is a 1967 British science fiction film directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Simon Oates and Zena Marshall. It was produced by Amicus Productions and based on the 1960 novel The Wailing Asteroid by Murray Leinster, adapted for screen by John Brunner. Space scientists foil an alien invasion of Earth.

<i>From Beyond the Grave</i> 1974 British film

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.

<i>Scream and Scream Again</i> 1970 British film

Scream and Scream Again is a 1970 British science-fiction film directed by Gordon Hessler for Amicus Productions, and starring Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, Alfred Marks, Michael Gothard, and Peter Cushing. It is based on the novel The Disorientated Man (1967) attributed to 'Peter Saxon', a house pseudonym used by various authors in the 1960's and 1970's.

<i>Tales That Witness Madness</i> 1973 British film

Tales That Witness Madness is a 1973 British anthology horror film produced by Norman Priggen, directed by veteran horror director Freddie Francis, written by actress Jennifer Jayne.

<i>The Uncanny</i> (film) 1977 film

The Uncanny is a 1977 British-Canadian anthology horror film directed by Denis Héroux, written by Michel Parry, and starring Peter Cushing, Donald Pleasence, Ray Milland, Joan Greenwood, Donald Pilon, Samantha Eggar, and John Vernon.

<i>The Psychopath</i> (1966 film) 1966 British film by Freddie Francis

The Psychopath is a 1966 British horror film directed by Freddie Francis and starring Patrick Wymark and Margaret Johnston. It was written by Robert Bloch and was an Amicus production.

Frankenstein is a British horror-adventure film series produced by Hammer Film Productions. The films, loosely based on the 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley, are centered on Baron Victor Frankenstein, who experiments in creating a creature beyond human. The series is part of the larger Hammer horror oeuvre.

References

  1. 1 2 "Amicus Productions". BFI. Archived from the original on 16 July 2012.
  2. 1 2 "BFI Screenonline: Film Studios and Industry Bodies > Amicus Productions". screenonline.org.uk.
  3. ↑ Pirie 2008, p. 133.
  4. ↑ "Amicus Productions – film production company - HORRORPEDIA". HORRORPEDIA. 23 September 2013.
  5. ↑ "Amicus Films". classichorrorfilmsguide.co.uk.
  6. ↑ Chibnall, Steve; Petley, Julian (2002). British Horror Cinema. ISBN   9780415230032.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Hodgkinson, Will (13 February 2009). "Blood and gutsiness". The Guardian.
  8. ↑ "The House That Dripped Blood - 1970". britishhorrorfilms.co.uk.
  9. ↑ "The Skull". BFI. Archived from the original on 4 August 2012.
  10. ↑ "H.F. Heard". BFI. Archived from the original on 6 August 2012.
  11. ↑ "BFI Screenonline: Dr. Who and the Daleks (1965)". screenonline.org.uk.
  12. ↑ "THE HISTORY OF THE DR". petercushing.co.uk.
  13. ↑ "What Became of Jack and Jill - Britmovie - Home of British Films". britmovie.co.uk. Archived from the original on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  14. ↑ p. 292 Senn, Bryan “Twice the Thrills! Twice the Chills!”: Horror and Science Fiction Double Features, 1955–1974 McFarland; Illustrated edition (30 April 2019)
  15. ↑ "Amicus and the art of the film poster". British Film Institute.
  16. ↑ "The Amicus Collection". Film @ The Digital Fix.
  17. ↑ Heritage, Stuart (16 August 2023). "Short sharp shocks: the glorious return of the Amicus portmanteau horror film". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  18. ↑ Ramachandran, Naman (15 August 2023). "British Horror Label Amicus Resurrects With Anthology Film 'In the Grip of Terror'". Variety. Retrieved 18 October 2023.

Notes

Further reading

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