The Creeping Flesh (1973)

Creepy Gothic Fun, 3 May 2006

The Creeping Flesh is good, old-fashioned fun. The Creeping Flesh has that one ingredient necessary for a successful Gothic horror – atmosphere. From the minute that Peter Cushing opens that crate he's brought back with him from New Guinea, you just know nothing good is going to come from that bizarre looking skeleton. All it takes is having that "thing" laying there to create effective atmosphere. The slight sound that can be heard every time Freddie Francis gives us a close up of the thing only adds to the unease. And when you throw the shots of the "evil" blood (regardless of how preposterous the idea is) Cushing is able to draw form the creature, you've the foundation for a very nice Gothic horror film.

The subplot involving Cushing's daughter going mad is also well done. In large part, I think the credit has to go to Lorna Helbron. She is believable as both the demure, obedient girl and the tantalizing, violent woman. I bought her genteel table manners as much as I did her wild gestations from behind bars. It's really a nice performance.

The rest of the cast is more than up to the challenge. Any Gothic horror film is better when Peter Cushing and/or Christopher Lee are in the cast. By Lee's standards, his performance is what I would call average. Much of the blame for that has to be the attributed to the script as Lee is given very little to do. Cushing, on the other hand, is dynamite. He goes through a range of emotions and satisfactorily pulls them all off. I especially like the ending of The Creeping Flesh when you see that Cushing has been talking so sincerely and earnestly to …… well, never mind - that would spoil it.

7/10