Craze (film)

Last updated

Craze
Craze (film).jpg
Directed by Freddie Francis
Written by Herman Cohen
Aben Kandel
Based onnovel The Infernal Idol by Henry Seymour
Produced byHerman Cohen
Starring Jack Palance
Diana Dors
Julie Ege
Cinematography John Wilcox
Edited by Henry Richardson
Music by John Scott
Production
company
Harbour Productions
Distributed by
Release dates
  • May 16, 1974 (1974-05-16)(United Kingdom)
  • June 5, 1974 (1974-06-05)(United States)
Running time
96 minutes
Countries
  • United Kingdom
  • United States [1]
LanguageEnglish

Craze is a 1974 horror film directed by Freddie Francis and starring Jack Palance, Diana Dors, Julie Ege and Edith Evans. [2] It was written by Herman Cohen and Aben Kandel, based on the 1967 novel The Infernal Idol by Henry Seymour. A psychotic antiques dealer sacrifices women to the statue of Chuku, an African idol. It was the last film produced by Herman Cohen. [3]

Contents

Cast

Production

The film was based on the 1967 novel The Infernal Idol by Henry Seymour. In 1972 it was reported Herman Cohen had the rights and a script was being written. [4]

In March 1972 it was announced Jack Palance would star in a film version, which would be a co production between Herman Cohen and Joe Solomon. [5]

Freddie Francis had made a number of horror movies for Amicus and other producers, including Herman Cohen for whom he directed Trog (1970).

Francis wrote in his memoir: "No sooner had I started it than I realised I was flogging a dead horse." He stated that there were "only four good things about" the movie – Palance, Trevor Howard, Edith Evans and Hugh Griffith – adding "Jack lost interest in it almost straight away, Hugh and Trevor were both heavily on the bottle and dear Edith thought we were making a 'proper' film and therefore had all the time in the world." Francis says because the cast included Howard and Griffith, Evans thought there was plenty of time to block scenes, when Francis only had a six week schedule. [6]

Palance arrived in London to make the film which began filming in March 1973. [7] Cohen says he got along with Palance but "everyone else was afraid of Jack – he has that aura about him. Freddie Francis was scared stiff of him." [8]

Francis later said, "Even Jack couldn’t help that one. I thought we could’ve made something of it with Jack, but once again Herman had this old Aben Kandel writing the scripts and I think Abe would do anything Herman told him.” [9]

Francis said the film was "not that good." [10]

Reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Tepid, predictable British thriller in which Jack Palance and a team of comic policemen play cat and mouse with each other through an assortment of studio sets which belong to another era of film-making. ... The performances, however, are uniformly good; although, ironically, it is the large cast of distinguished supporting players who manage their aggressively American dialogue with aplomb, and Palance – struggling to make more of his lines than they will permit – who is at sea." [11]

Variety wrote: "Craze is a silly, lightweight horror film that may lure more than its fair share of customers by dint of an unusually strong cast for such piffle. ...Herman Cohen production's only distinction lies in providing Edith Evans. Hugh Griffith, Trevor Howard, Michael Jayston and several other worthy performers with their most inconsequential screen roles to date." [12]

The Radio Times Guide to Films gave the film 1/5 stars, writing: "Jack Palance gives his eye-rolling all as a mad antique collector who plans to increase his wealth by sacrificing London dolly birds to his favourite African idol. Trashy, endless rubbish from producer Herman Cohen, with an amazingly eclectic cast, this infernal nonsense even defeats veteran horror director Freddie Francis." [13]

Leslie Halliwell said: "Crude shocker from the bottom of even this producer's barrel, notable for the star cast which was surprisingly roped in." [14]

Cohen says the film "did very well" financially but was hurt because the producer had sold the film to National General in the US, who were bought about by Warner Brothers; this caused a delay in the film's release in the US. [15]

Notes

Related Research Articles

<i>Trog</i> 1970 British science fiction horror film by Freddie Francis

Trog is a 1970 British science fiction horror film directed by Freddie Francis and starring Joan Crawford, Michael Gough and Bernard Kay. The screenplay was by Peter Bryan, John Gilling and Aben Kandel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herman Cohen</span> American film producer (1925–2002)

Herman Cohen was an American producer of B-movies during the 1950s, and helped to popularize the teen horror movie genre with films like the cult classic I Was a Teenage Werewolf.

<i>A Study in Terror</i> 1965 British film by James Hill

A Study in Terror is a 1965 British thriller film directed by James Hill and starring John Neville as Sherlock Holmes and Donald Houston as Dr. Watson. It was filmed at Shepperton Studios, London, with some location work at Osterley House in Middlesex.

<i>Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla</i> 1952 film by William Beaudine

Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla is a 1952 American comedy horror science fiction film, directed by William Beaudine and starring horror veteran Bela Lugosi with nightclub performers Duke Mitchell and Sammy Petrillo in roles approximating the then-popular duo of Martin and Lewis.

<i>Berserk!</i> 1967 British film by Jim OConnolly

Berserk! is a 1967 British horror-thriller film directed by Jim O'Connolly and starring Joan Crawford, Ty Hardin, Diana Dors and Judy Geeson. The screenplay was written by Herman Cohen and Aben Kandel.

<i>Horrors of the Black Museum</i> 1959 British film by Arthur Crabtree

Horrors of the Black Museum is a 1959 British horror film directed by Arthur Crabtree and starring Michael Gough, June Cunningham, Graham Curnow and Shirley Anne Field.

<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>Sons and Lovers</i> (film) 1960 British film by Jack Cardiff

Sons and Lovers is a 1960 British period drama film directed by Jack Cardiff and adapted by Gavin Lambert and T. E. B. Clarke from the semi-autobiographical 1913 novel of the same name by D. H. Lawrence. It stars Trevor Howard, Dean Stockwell, Wendy Hiller, Mary Ure, and Heather Sears.

<i>Black Zoo</i> 1963 film by Robert Gordon

Black Zoo is a 1963 American horror film directed by Robert Gordon and starring Michael Gough, Jeanne Cooper, Rod Lauren, Virginia Grey, Jerome Cowan, and Elisha Cook, Jr. It was produced by Herman Cohen and written by Cohen and Aben Kandel.

<i>The Queen of Spades</i> (1949 film) 1949 British film by Thorold Dickinson

The Queen of Spades is a 1949 British fantasy-horror film directed by Thorold Dickinson and starring Anton Walbrook, Edith Evans and Yvonne Mitchell. It is based on the 1834 short story of the same name by Alexander Pushkin.

Aben Kandel was an American screenwriter, novelist, and boxer. He was screenwriter on such classic B movies as I Was A Teenage Werewolf, Joan Crawford's final movie Trog, and one of Leonard Nimoy's first starring vehicles, Kid Monk Baroni. He is the father of poet Lenore Kandel and screenwriter Stephen Kandel.

<i>Konga</i> (film) 1961 British film by John Lemont

Konga is a 1961 Eastmancolor monster film directed by John Lemont and starring Michael Gough, Margo Johns and Austin Trevor. It was written by Herman Cohen and Aben Kandel.

<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>Up Pompeii</i> (film) 1971 British comedy film by Bob Kellett

Up Pompeii is a 1971 British sex comedy film directed by Bob Kellett and starring Frankie Howerd and Michael Hordern. It was written by Sid Colin based on an idea by Talbot Rothwell.

<i>Manuela</i> (1957 film) 1957 British film by Guy Hamilton

Manuela is a 1957 British drama film directed by Guy Hamilton, starring Trevor Howard and Elsa Martinelli.

<i>Two and Two Make Six</i> 1962 British film by Freddie Francis

Two and Two Make Six is a 1962 black and white British romantic comedy film directed by Freddie Francis and starring George Chakiris and Janette Scott.

<i>The Brain</i> (1962 film) 1962 British-German film by Freddie Francis

The Brain, also known as Vengeance and Ein Toter sucht seinen Mörder, is a 1962 UK-West German co-production science fiction thriller film directed by Freddie Francis and starring Anne Heywood and Peter van Eyck. It was written by Robert Banks Stewart and Philip Mackie adapted from the 1942 Curt Siodmak novel Donovan's Brain. In this film, differing from earlier adaptations, the dead man seeks his murderer through hypnotic contact with the doctor keeping his brain alive.

<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.

<i>Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly</i> 1970 British film by Freddie Francis

Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny, and Girly, released as Girly outside the United Kingdom, is a 1970 British horror-comedy film directed by Freddie Francis and starring Michael Bryant and Ursula Howells.

Holiday Lovers is a 1932 romantic comedy film from the United Kingdom. It is written by notable screenwriter and director Leslie Arliss, directed by Jack Harrison and stars Margery Pickard, George Vollaire, Pamela Carme and George Benson in his debut role. Filming took place at Wembley Studios under the supervision of Hugh Perceval, the head of Fox productions U.K, with production design by J. Elder Wills. It is the first film of Harry Cohen Productions and marks the return of film making to Wembley Studios after a major fire.

References

  1. 1 2 "Craze (1974)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films . Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  2. ↑ "Craze". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  3. ↑ Herman Cohen: [Final 1 Edition] The Times; London (UK) [London (UK)]11 June 2002: 31.
  4. ↑ "Coming". Cinefantastique . Winter 1971. p. 42.
  5. ↑ MOVIE CALL SHEET: Juliet Mills Set for 'Avanti' Murphy, Mary. Los Angeles Times 4 Mar 1972: b8.
  6. ↑ Francis, Freddie (2013). Freddie Francis: The Straight Story from Moby Dick to Glory, a Memoir. Scarecrow Press. p. 165. ISBN   9780810892064.
  7. ↑ MOVIE CALL SHEET: Cicely to Portray Shirley Chisholm Murphy, Mary. Los Angeles Times 24 Mar 1973: b8.
  8. ↑ Weaver p 84
  9. ↑ Koetting, Christopher (1995). "Tales from the Script". Hammer Horror. No. 6. p. 12.
  10. ↑ "Interview with Freddie Francis". British Entertainment History Project. 1993–1994.
  11. ↑ "Craze" . The Monthly Film Bulletin . 41 (480): 123. 1 January 1974 – via ProQuest.
  12. ↑ "Craze" . Variety . 275 (5): 18. 12 June 1974 – via ProQuest.
  13. ↑ Radio Times Guide to Films (18th ed.). London: Immediate Media Company. 2017. p. 207. ISBN   9780992936440.
  14. ↑ Halliwell, Leslie (1989). Halliwell's Film Guide (7th ed.). London: Paladin. p. 228. ISBN   0586088946.
  15. ↑ Weaver p 85
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.