Micah Lloyd
Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.
Ezmae Chang
This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.
Celia
A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.
JohnHowardReid
Executive producer: Michael Carreras Producer: Jimmy Sangster. Copyright 1 September 1961 by Hammer Film Productions. Released through Columbia Pictures. New York opening simultaneously at the Forum and the Fine Arts: 22 August 1961. U.S. release: 22 August 1961. U.K. release: 4 June 1961. Australian release: 2 March 1962. Sydney opening at the Victory. 7,337 feet. 82 minutes. (Available on a 78-minutes Sony DVD).SYNOPSIS: Paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair, beautiful young Penny Appleby visits her father's French Riviera villa for the first time since his second marriage; she meets her stepmother, Jane, Doctor Gerrard, her father's friend, and Bob, her father's chauffeur. Penny is told her father is away on business, but she is terrorized by the mysterious reappearance, in various places in the villa, of his dead body. Jane and Doctor Gerrard try to persuade Penny she is having hallucinations.NOTES: Although it passed with little critical comment and only predictably moderate audience interest on first release in Britain and Australia, "Scream of Fear" was later to develop a considerable cult following, not only in London but worldwide. COMMENT: I'm glad I saw this one on first release. Thoroughly enjoyed it too. High-voltage, edge-of-the-seat suspense, expertly delivered by an ingeniously tension-filled script, sharp, atmospheric direction, and a group of talented players headed by Susan Strasberg and Ann Todd. True, Christopher Lee's fans will be disappointed. He has a nothing role. But Fred Johnson! Absolutely unforgettable — the role of a death-time! I liked Sangster's script. Very neatly constructed, packed with nightmarish incident, plenty of plot twists and shocks, yet believably realistic, thanks to solid characterization and skillful dialogue.Seth Holt's highly imaginative direction, with its phenomenally sharp editing, not only built up the atmosphere to breaking point, but never muffed a single opportunity to hit the viewer right between the eyes. It came as no surprise to find — when Holt was adopted by the auteurists and the corduroy set — that his background was in editing, Scream/Taste of Fear being only his second film as director. (A promising career curtailed by ill-health. He died halfway through shooting "Blood from the Mummy's Tomb" in 1971.)
Wizard-8
Christopher Lee fans may be a little disappointed by the use of their idol in this Hammer movie; he only has about three short scenes in total. But if they can get beyond the lack of Lee, they will probably find the rest of the movie to be pretty entertaining. Now, I will admit that the script has some notable flaws, which are especially apparent when you watch the movie for a second time. For example, why one character dives into a swimming pool to look for a body eventually doesn't make sense, nor how the found body soon after finds its way into the car without the heroine noticing. Such flaws as those do diminish the impact of the movie, along with the somewhat slow pace and somewhat "soft" feel of the entire enterprise. But patient viewers who look behind those flaws will be rewarded by some decent twists toward the end of the movie. And while the movie may be a little slow and soft, it never gets to be boring. It's not the kind of Hammer movie most people associate with the film company, but it is an interesting and decent change of pace.
bobvend
Any veteran fan of either Film Noir or classic horror already knows: when Ann Todd is playing nice, nothing good can come of it! And it certainly doesn't in this worthy film. Starts off a little stodgy, with the usual "seeing-things" denials, but the plot and pace gather momentum soon enough. Good performances throughout, restrained and believable, meaning no one goes over the top.Yes, there are plot holes aplenty for those who care to dwell on them; but whatever they may be, they are more than compensated for by an inventive array of twists and surprises in the final reel. The savvy viewer will anticipate some of them...but not all! That's the fun of it. Many consider this Hammer's finest effort. It definitely holds up beautifully.
Maddyclassicfilms
Scream Of Fear is directed by Seth Holt, written by Jimmy Sangster and stars Susan Strasberg, Ronald Lewis, Christopher Lee and Ann Todd. The French Riviera in 1961 is the setting for this interesting horror/thriller.Venturing into very similar territory to The Innocents with a plot which is a mix of the supernatural and the human mind.Wheelchair bound Penny Appelby(Susan Strasberg)all elegance and chic,hiding from inquisitive eyes behind dark sunglasses,is met at the airport by her fathers chauffeur Bob(Ronald Lewis).She has been asked to come and stay with her father(Fred Johnson)who she hasn't seen for ten years,and his second wife Jane(Ann Todd).She's informed by Bob that her father has been called away for a few days on business.He also hints that he has not been well which raises Penny's suspicions.At first all seems pleasant enough at the family villa but soon Penny becomes caught up in a nightmare which could be what it seems to be or could just be mind playing tricks on her.She keeps having visions of her father and in them he is dead.Bob is the only one who believes her and together they begin to investigate and along the way fall in love with each other.However Penny soon discovers that appearances can be deceptive and that is where Scream Of Fear really gets interesting.Christoper Lee is a strong presence as Dr Pierre Gerrard a friend of Jane's,who suggests that Penny paralysis may be a product of her mind and not due to her accident.With memorable performances from the leads and a strong sense of atmosphere,Scream Of Fear is a horror which relies on shocks and fears to be at it's most effective and not blood and gore.
