Horror Hotel
Country: USA
Year: 1960
Director: John Llewellyn Moxey
Stars: Christopher Lee (Professor Driscoll), Venetia Stephenson (Nan Barlow), Patricia Jessel (Elizabeth Selwyn / Mrs. Newless).
Horror Hotel (aka. The City of the Dead)
A young college student decides to spend her holidays researching witchcraft in the small town of Whitewood, Massachussets where 300 years previously Elizabeth Selwyn was burned at the stake on charges of witchcraft. On the recommendation of her Professor (played by Christopher Lee with a dreadful semi-American accent happening) she books in to stay at the Ravens Inn, where she finds herself amid a witches coven on Candlemas Eve...
Have to admit that this isn't Christopher Lee's finest moment - tho in my mind he still retains his god-like status as ever (everyone makes mistakes!). It's a bit dull and slow paced. Even tho it only lasts 76 minutes, I still felt the time draaaaaagged (could it be because I was watching it at work on a Friday afternoon or is it just a bit dull?). Some of the acting is really stilted and completely unemotional - most guilty being Venetia Stevenson as Nan Barlow whose face is completely blank for 95% of her screen time suggesting that she's learned the script phonetically and has no idea what's going on or what she's talking about. I wouldn't make time to sit down and watch this but it might be a good one to have on in the background while you're cleaning or reading a magazine or something.
Reviewer - @helen_of_horror
Movie Spoiler - If you want to know the ending of the film.
