Guest Author - Andy Boxall

Director – Roy Ward Baker
Starring – Peter Cushing, Britt Ekland, Herbert Lom, Robert Powell, Patrick Magee, Charlotte Rampling and Barbara Perkins.
Region 0, Dark Sky Films
Released 25th July 2006

Just look at the cast list of Asylum again, impressive isn’t it. Then learn that the movie was written by Robert Bloch who was responsible for Psycho and directed by Roy Ward Baker, veteran of TV fare such as The Avengers, The Saint and the much loved Titanic move A Night to Remember. This anthology piece is another addition to the Amicus library and honestly lives up to its impressive on-paper credentials.

The asylum of the films title is the Dunmoor Asylum for the Incurably Insane and Doctor Martin (Robert Powell) has applied for a position there. When he arrives he is interviewed by a Doctor Rutherford who informs him the Doctor Star, who Martin expected to meet, is now a patient after suffering a mental breakdown. Rutherford then suggests that Martin should interview four of the patients and if he correctly deduces which is Dr. Star (who now believes he is someone else) he will be offered the position.

As Martin interviews the four patients, the viewer sees their stories as a flashback, thus building the anthology. The first, Frozen Fear, we see how Bonnie’s affair with a married man goes horribly wrong. This is a great start and features a creepy segment in a basement where Bonnie is menaced by independently moving dismembered body pieces! This strong start continues as we meet Bruno in the second story, Weird Tailor.

Peter Cushing is introduced in this story, as a man who requires a special suit to be made by a down-on-his-luck tailor. However, special instructions must be followed and it is to be delivered as soon as it is completed. Although it is set in modern times, the shop interiors, streets, fog and costumes all give it an 1800’s look which injects a surreal, otherworldly feel to the story, almost as if a time slip had occurred.

The third story, Lucy Comes to Stay, is in my view the weakest. Barbara is released from hospital and sent into home care by her brother, but her split personality Lucy has other ideas. The segment portrays Barbara and Lucy as two separate people, but it is obvious they are one and the same. While the story may not be up to much, the acting certainly makes up for it as Charlotte Rampling’s portrayal of tormented Barbara is great.

The final sequence leads us to the movies climax and features Herbert Lom as the mad Dr. Byron, who is also the most obvious case for being Dr. Star. Named Mannikins (sic) of Fear, Byron builds little dolls with realistic heads (and bodies like those wind-up plastic robots) and plans to project his life-force into his doll. When he achieves this the small doll moves around the asylum looking for trouble. When Byron is explaining to Martin how he makes them he states that they are an exact replica of the human body inside, a point proved when Martin destroys one later. This is one of the more horrifying aspects of this story, and my personal favourite of the four.

All four stories in Asylum are suitably different and although Lucy Comes to Stay is not great, none let the movie down. Even before the stories start, we get a fantastic atmospheric opening 10 minutes that is beautifully shot and framed. The anthology was Amicus’s trademark and with a high quality movie like this, it isn’t hard to see why.

The Disc

Dark Sky presents Asylum in a high definition print that has been mastered from the original 35mm vault material and it looks absolutely brilliant. For me, the highlight is at the beginning when Dr Martin is climbing the stairs of the asylum to meet the patients and he examines some paintings on the wall. These are shaded lines drawings in black and white and are showed in close-up and they look marvelous. A great job all round.

The sound is presented in 2.0 stereo and is good enough. Special mention should be given on the use of Night on a Bare Mountain throughout the opening sequence, a fabulous piece of music and perfect for the look of the movie. The usual extras such as biographies, trailers and a still gallery are also all present and correct.

Up until now we have been spoilt by Dark Sky Films excellent commentaries, but Asylum’s was a little disappointing. Recorded interview style, it features the director Roy Ward Baker and cameraman Neil Binney. This line up inevitably makes the talk more technical in nature, and they concentrate on shot set-up and lighting issues more than anecdotes. Whilst some may find this interesting, I found it less so and was not assisted by the many extended pauses.

The package is saved by a Blue Underground produced, 20 minute featurette named Inside the Fear Factory. This covers a little about Amicus’s movies and interviews several directors and most importantly, producer Max J. Rosenberg. In what must have been one of his last appearances (he sadly passed away in 2004), Max is as mischievous and cantankerous as he must have been all his life, his words are fascinating and amusing and it’s a pleasure to see him reminisce. I could have listened to a lot more of that interview.

Conclusion

Suspenseful, eerie and in places, excellently acted and beautifully shot, Asylum should be in every horror fans collection, whether you are a casual fan or fully paid up member. The brilliant Inside the Fear Factory featurette makes up for a slightly dull commentary, and the movie itself is enjoyable enough to be re-watched many times. Great!