‘Where black magic explodes into murder!’
Craze – also known as The Infernal Idol and Demon Master – is a 1974 British horror film directed by Freddie Francis (The Skull; The Vampire Happening; The Ghoul) from a screenplay co-written by producer Herman Cohen (Berserk; Trog) and Aben Kandel based on a 1967 novel by Henry Seymour.
The film stars Jack Palance (Torture Garden), Diana Dors (Nothing But the Night; Theatre of Blood; From Beyond the Grave), Julie Ege (Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires; The Mutations), Hugh Griffith (Dr. Phibes Rises Again; Legend of the Werewolf), Trevor Howard (Persecution; The Unholy), Suzy Kendall (Torso), Michael Jayston (Dominique), Martin Potter (Satan’s Slave), David Warbeck (The Beyond).
Plot teaser:
Psychotic London-based antique dealer Neal Mottram (Palance) sacrifices women to the statue of African god Chuku in the belief that it will help his ailing finances…
Reviews:
‘So what’s left when one tries to watch Craze as a horror film are scenes of Jack Palance mugging, Jack Palance killing women, some very brightly coloured blood, and Jack Palance’s bare chest. That would leave the film barely watchable in a “point and laugh” sort of way, but for me, there’s something utterly irresistible about a film so desperately trying to be part of its time, and to be pop. I do doubt Francis or Cohen actually understood contemporary pop culture in the least, but that’s part of the fun of the whole affair.’ The Horror!?
‘ …a badly made exploitation piece with zero production values and murky camerawork, only relieved by Palance’s reliably over-the-top performance and some bizarre cameos from illuminati like Dors (although as Jayston remarks at one point: “One would have to be pretty desperate to sail into that port”) and even Trevor Howard(!) as Superintendant Bellamy.’ British Horror Films
‘A typically bad Herman Cohen movie that wastes the talents of director Freddie Francis and a good cast.’ Alan Frank, The Horror Film Handbook
‘The film is a waste of everybody’s time – including yours if you are misguided enough to see it.’ Daily Express, May 1974
‘Cohen and Kandel’s one-dimensional storyline quickly grinds the film down to a series of murders interspersed with police procedural segments and eye-rolling monologues from the out-of-control Palance, the Greed is Good theme leading to an inevitable ‘final sacrifice’ moment…’ Harvey Fenton, Ten Years of Terror
Cast:
- Jack Palance as Neal Mottram
- Diana Dors as Dolly Newman
- Julie Ege as Helena
- Edith Evans as Aunt Louise
- Hugh Griffith as Solicitor
- Trevor Howard as Bellamy
- Suzy Kendall as Sally
- Michael Jayston as Wall
- Martin Potter as Ronnie
- Percy Herbert as Detective Russet
- David Warbeck as Detective Wilson
- Kathleen Byron as Muriel Sharp
- Marianne Stone as Jane, a barmaid
- Dean Harris as Ronnie’s friend
- Venicia Day as exotic dancer
- Brian McDermott as policeman following Ronnie (uncredited)
Wikipedia | IMDb | Images thanks to Bookgasm | Viaje… a lo inesperado
