A Victorian-age scientist returns to London with his paleontological bag-of-bones discovery from Papua New Guinea. Unfortunately, when exposed to water, flesh returns to the bones unleashing... Read allA Victorian-age scientist returns to London with his paleontological bag-of-bones discovery from Papua New Guinea. Unfortunately, when exposed to water, flesh returns to the bones unleashing a malevolent being on the scientist's family and friends.A Victorian-age scientist returns to London with his paleontological bag-of-bones discovery from Papua New Guinea. Unfortunately, when exposed to water, flesh returns to the bones unleashing a malevolent being on the scientist's family and friends.
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- TriviaLike certain films from other producers, this is often mistaken for a "Hammer" production. This was caused by the participation of "Hammer" veteran lead actors Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, supporting players Duncan Lamont and Michael Ripper, make-up artist Roy Ashton, and cinematographer turned director Freddie Francis.
- GoofsTowards the end of the film, when the creature is approaching Emmanuel Hildern's house, the creature's shadow is cast on the front of the house, meaning the creature is between the house and a source of light. However, its shadow grows larger as the creature moves, which suggests that the creature is actually walking towards the source of light and away from the house, rather than the other way round.
- Quotes
James Hildern: I've got to get hold of that skeleton somehow.
Doctor Perry: Oh I don't know... There is the question of professional ethics.
James Hildern: Oh indeed, indeed... that is why I shall have to employ someone for whom ethics have no significance.
- Alternate versionsEarly UK cinema versions were cut by the BBFC to remove a shot of a sailor's slashed throat. All later releases were uncut.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Cinemacabre TV Trailers (1993)
Cushing isn't alone in this picture; he gets support from fellow horror icon Christopher Lee. Lee plays Cushing's half brother who operates an asylum--the very asylum Cushing had his whore of a wife sent to when Penelope was just a child. Lee serves as a nemesis for Cushing because he is seeking to win the same science award Cushing is with his research on electroshock therapy. The two men use science as a method of explaining the perverse things they do, culminating, for Cushing, in injecting Lorna Heilbron with an experimental serum he has concocted in order to keep her from the nuthouse. But the serum has the reverse effect: it speeds up her route to wearing strait-jackets.
This is a wonderful horror film, the likes of which aren't made anymore, as the genre has descended into revolting displays of gore that test an audience's gag reflex. This is story and character driven--not blood and guts driven--with Cushing carrying the piece. Both horror icons, Cushing and Lee, are in splendid form and Lorna Heilbron, as the female lead, is equal to the task of sharing the screen with them. She does a marvelous job as Penelope, beginning the film as a meek do-as-your-told daughter before transforming into a depraved nutcase that dances in the courtyard in her nighty to the music that only plays in her head.
There are enough Darwin principles and theories used in this film to sustain interest of science aficionados. Even with all the science talk, this is a quite a splendid film. Keep in mind, this is nothing like modern horror films. The monster has a fifteen minute screen time and the lone "gore scene" is tepid at best when Lorna Heilbron slits the throat of a sailor trying to rape her.
- BloodTheTelepathicDog
- Jan 17, 2010
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- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Nachts, wenn das Skelett erwacht
- Filming locations
- Thorpe House, Coldharbour Lane, Thorpe, Egham, Surrey, England, UK(Emmanuel Hildern's house)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 32 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1