acidburn-10 I must say that "Frightmare" is yet another highlight in Pete Walker's directing career, and this is the third movie of his I have viewed and enjoyed. With yet again another interesting storyline and upon seeing the trailer, well I just had to seek this little gem out.From the beginning we see Dorothy Yates (played brilliantly by Sheila Keith) give out a Tarot reading to an unsuspecting victim and then kill them and feed on their brains. Her husband Edmund covers up her nasty deeds, but then they are found out and then sent to an insane asylum. Flash forward 15 years later and they are seemingly cured, or are they.As I have already said that "Frightmare" is highly enjoyable and given it's time must have been pretty gruesome, although nowhere near as gory as today's standards, but none the less this movie still packs one hell of a punch. There are some scenes where we do get too see some blood and brains and they do look pretty realistic and cool, and despite the pretty low body count, they are in no way tame at all. The farmhouse is also a very good setting, very eerie and unsettling which is perfect for the tone of this movie. Sheila Keith of course steals the show as nutty Dorothy Yates as she is spine chillingly convincing, as she comes across all sweet natured and kind, and then wide eyed and psychotic at the drop of a hat, she really gives it her all especially in the murder scenes, where she does send shivers down your spine. Rupert Davis gives a very sympathetic performance as the husband, so very tragic but his loyalty to her is very admirable. Deborah Fairfax was also very good at being bad and gets better during the final scenes. Kim Butcher is pretty good as the good daughter Jackie but given the situation she just doesn't give her character the intense or emotional as she should be.All in all "Frightmare" is yet another prime example that the British can do great horror, with a great cast, creepy setting "Frightmare" is a must see for every horror collectors collection.

lost-in-limbo I see it quite often tagged to British filmmaker Pete Walker. Controversial, shocking and gory… and "Frightmare" copped that shtick. From what I have seen of Walker's work, "Frightmare" would be right up there as one of his best, if not his best. Although I don't get its notorious reputation, as it's not as explicit as I though it might be (despite the vicious pitchfork to face sequence), but the material's context is much more disturbing with its constant manipulation than just focusing on the lustful imagery. It's an unusually ghastly, but truly intense and frightening tale of cannibalism, secrets and family. It's all in the blood. And no this isn't Britain's answer to "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre". This family is much crazier in their questionable appetites! Sheila Keith is perfectly demented and impulsively uneasy in the role of Dorothy Yates who's craving for human brains sees her along with her well-meaning husband (a solid Rupert Davis) spending 18 years in a mental hospital, until recently being released because the doctors believed she was cured. However she's back to her old ways, luring unsuspecting victims to her home for tarot readings, unknown to her husband and her adult step-daughter who comes by every now and then to see her parents. Deborah Fairfax is hospitably charming as the step-daughter Jackie who must deal with this strenuous ordeal, while also looking after her tear-away delinquent 15 year old sister Debbie which is played with plenty of ticker by Kim Butcher. She knows nothing about her parents, and Jackie tends to keep it that way. Paul Greenwood also shows up in the cast to add to the pathology side of the story. Walker's direction is competently crisp and gets by with a slow tempo before unleashing its unbearably nightmarish macabre. Some instances can be queasy despite the predictability, but Walker's darkly grim signatures are evident to the very final frame. A well-told horror tale that's resourcefully written, measurably directed and exemplary performed. It's one you won't forget soon, because of how convincing and believable these people could be."They said she was well!"

HumanoidOfFlesh In 1957 Dorothy and Edmund Yates were put in a mental hospital:she for acts of vicious murder and cannibalism and he for covering up her crimes.Fifteen years later they are released.The youngest daughter Debbie begins to explore crimes committed by mother and becomes blood crazy...Delightfully morbid British psycho flick with truly haunting central performance by Sheila Keith.The direction by Pete Walker is solid and there are some shocking moments including the scene of using power drill on the head of a corpse.The pacing is quite uneven and "Frightmare" is not as disturbing as "House of the Mortal Sin",but if you want to see an oppressive shocker give this slice of British butchery a look.8 out of 10.

ferbs54 Opening with a shot of the Battersea power station, a site that the Pink Floyd album cover for "Animals" would make world famous three years later, "Frightmare" (1974) tells the story of quite a strange human animal indeed. She is Dorothy Yates, who, along with her more normal husband Edmund, had been institutionalized in 1957 for crimes that the sentencing judge called "sickening" and "disturbing." Fifteen years later, the Yateses are released, but unfortunately, Dorothy suffers what Edmund can only call "a very serious relapse," one requiring her to go after ever increasing quantities of...let's just call it "brain food." As portrayed by Sheila Keith, Dorothy Yates is surely a candidate for the pantheon of all-time-great cinematic nutjobs, right besides such other wackos as Norman Bates, Hannibal Lecter and Leatherface. Matronly sweet one moment and icily psychotic the next, she surely does make for one mighty creepy and intimidating customer. It is a memorable performance by Ms. Keith, and she is more than ably abetted by Peter Walker's fine direction and by fellow actors Rupert Davies, Deborah Fairfax and (the appropriately named) Kim Butcher, as members of her nuclear family. "Frightmare" features several mildly gory sequences, although most of the violence is either implied or shown as an aftermath. The picture ends on a suitably downbeat note that is completely devoid of sentiment and should manage to shock most viewers. Had this picture been made in America, rather than the U.K., it surely would have resulted in a sequel, and truth to tell, it almost seems a shame that the fascinating story of the Yateses was a one-shot. There have been many films dealing with devoted husbands and man-hungry wives, but never one quite like this! All fans of intelligent horror should, uh, just eat this one up.