Director – Paul Annett
Starring – Calvin Lockheart, Peter Cushing, Micheal Gambon, Marlene Clark and Anton Diffring.
Region 0, Dark Sky Films
Released 25th July 2006
Amicus was the main horror studio rival to the famous Hammer studios during the 60s and 70s. Where Hammer produced excellent gothic, classic style horror, Amicus preferred for the main part to set their stories in the modern day. They are also famous for their anthology movies and although this is not one, it is usually well remembered for its infamous ‘werewolf break’.
Anyway, more on that later, The Beast Must Die is a whodunit with a werewolf twist. It starts out with one of the most unfair games of hide and seek ever seen, as a man is pursued through a forest by a helicopter, Land Rover and several armed trackers. His progress is followed by a command station in a country house, where a series of cameras and microphones in the forest allow the man to be followed.
The man turns out to be Tom Newcliffe, a rich businessman and the owner of the house and the hi-tech security system who was being convinced of its ability. Tom is a keen hunter and is out to add one of the ultimate big game to his wall; a werewolf! He invites a collection of possible suspects, which includes his wife, to his fortress during a full moon to entice the wolf to emerge, where he will hunt and kill it!
On top of this intriguing premise viewers are invited to guess who the werewolf is, as stated in a voiceover at the very beginning, and will get the chance to voice their suspicion during the ‘werewolf break’ three quarters of the way through the movie. This ‘cluedo’ style add-on was the choice of the producer and although the director hated it, it does add a fun something to the proceedings. Just try to forget the fact that any level of tension built up is deflated the instant the break appears!
The acting and sets (filmed at the famous Shepperton Studios in the UK) are great, Calvin Lockheart clearly making the most out of his leading role by getting into the hammy spirit. Peter Cushing is the resident werewolf expert and is as charismatic and as excellent as you would expect. Also worth mentioning is the use of a real wolf, instead of a man in a hairy suit, in the important scenes.
The Beast Must Die is an enjoyable 70s horror, ideal for those preferring story over gory effects. I found it to be a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours, especially since this was my first viewing of this movie. I especially loved the opening sequence with its great music and a chase through the woods that reminded me of cool TV fare such as The Professionals for some reason!
The Disc
Released at the end of July by Dark Sky Films, this is one of three Amicus movies the company is putting out at this time. The movie is a new 16x9 anamorphic transfer and looks excellent, with a bright, clear picture and no visible issues that I noticed. However, the quality changed for one or two brief scenes during the film, presumably where no better prints existed, it doesn’t spoil enjoyment though. Sound is in 2.0 stereo and was nice too; however, I did find the dialogue to be a little muffled in places.
The usual collection of biographies, a still gallery and trailers exist on the disc, along with a short interview with Paul Annett called Directing the Beast and liner notes discussing his time with Peter Cushing. Completing the package is a commentary by Annett.
The liner notes, featurette and commentary do overlap somewhat, with the best anecdotes being repeated in each, but otherwise the commentary is up to the high standards already set by Dark Sky. Anyone wanting to really enjoy this should not watch the featurette or read the liner notes first, as I did. It has a chair person directing the flow (which again works very well), but luckily Paul doesn’t need much provoking. He is noticeably proud of his film (his feature debut) and enjoys taking us through it. It is especially fascinating when his discusses his relationship with Max Rosenberg and Milton Subotsky (the owners of Amicus) and his hatred of the werewolf break.
Conclusion
The Beast Must Die is another excellent release from Dark Sky of an enjoyable horror movie. For some reason I had missed this one on its many TV showings, and I enjoyed its exciting story and what I call ‘proper’ acting and filming. For fans of the golden age of horror filmmaking and those wanting a break from the Saw’s and Hostel’s, the The Beast Must Die will suit you perfectly.
