I will always cheerfully and willingly sit down to watch a Fischer/Sangster collaboration. You know about what you're going to get, and you know how you're going to get it. And that's true here, too. Fisher rarely stumbles in his efforts, and Sangster can be depended on for a good, meaty script.
But this placidly paced offshoot of "Dorian Gray" seems just a little too matter-of-fact about the horrors it is supposed to shock us with.
Don't misunderstand - I liked it a lot. It just wasn't great. I thought the lead actor was a good choice, with his fine, aristocratic features and bearing, and he carried the picture well. He was fine...he just wasn't...great. (But I wouldn't hesitate to watch another picture with him in the cast).
In fact, that's true of everything here. Somewhere early on, the energy sort of leaks out of the movie and never really comes back, even in the violent scenes in the latter part of the movie. But everything looks good, and if you like Hammer...you'll probably like this one just fine.
But this placidly paced offshoot of "Dorian Gray" seems just a little too matter-of-fact about the horrors it is supposed to shock us with.
Don't misunderstand - I liked it a lot. It just wasn't great. I thought the lead actor was a good choice, with his fine, aristocratic features and bearing, and he carried the picture well. He was fine...he just wasn't...great. (But I wouldn't hesitate to watch another picture with him in the cast).
In fact, that's true of everything here. Somewhere early on, the energy sort of leaks out of the movie and never really comes back, even in the violent scenes in the latter part of the movie. But everything looks good, and if you like Hammer...you'll probably like this one just fine.