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Stars: Penny Irving, Robert Tayman, Barbara Markham, Patrick Barr, Ray Brooks, Sheila Keith, Dorothy Gordon, Ann Michelle, Ivor Salter | Written by Pete Walker, David McGillivray | Directed by Pete Walker

Directed by Pete Walker, House of Whipcord is an unsettling yet engaging example of British exploitation cinema, blending horror and social commentary into a dark and disturbing narrative. It’s a film that’s both of its time and oddly timeless, as it critiques moral authoritarianism through the lens of a sadistic prison system masquerading as a reformatory for wayward young women.

Plot Overview

The story centres around a young French model, Anne-Marie (Penny Irving), who, after a string of rebellious behavior, is lured into a twisted correctional institution by her seemingly charming new boyfriend, Mark E. Desade (played with eerie charm by Robert Tayman). The institution is run by Mark’s fanatical mother, Mrs. Wakehurst (Barbara Markham), and her sadistic staff,...

We have an exclusive trailer for the new Pete Walker collection that recently launched on the Arrow player. There isn't a whole lot to say apart from that, you'll see the trailer does most of the talking.    The 10 films in the collection are:   Die Screaming, Marianne The Comeback The Big Switch Schizo Man of Violence House of Whipcord House of Mortal Sin Home Before Midnight Frightmare The Flesh and Blood Show   Sign up on the Arrow player and enjoy 10 of Pete Walker's best genre treats.   ...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

If one erases the centuries long horrible treatment of animals, circuses were a lot of fun; a place for families to go and see acrobats and feats of derring-do and munch really stale boxed popcorn. Now we’re left with Cirque De Soleil, in which only the humans die trying to entertain us. You could skip all that though and just head to the Vampire Circus (1972), where the performers will gladly strip you of your coin and your life. It’s a Hammer event, and those are always worth a peek behind the tent.

Released by Twentieth Century Fox stateside in October, Vampire Circus received middling reviews at best; however, modern critics have cited it as one of Hammer’s better latter day efforts – an opinion I’m more than happy to share.

But first, a story. It’s the mid 1800’s, and a little village in Eastern Europe has...

Exclusive: More than fifty years after its first publication, British writer Robin Maugham’s controversial 1967 novel The Wrong People is getting a movie adaptation.

Arthouse outfit Peccadillo Pictures, the UK’s foremost distributor of Lgbt movies, is teaming up on the project with veteran UK screenwriter David McGillivray (Schizo), who has adapted the novel and will make his directorial debut.

Set against the backdrop of 1960s Tangier, the thriller tells the story of Arnold Turner, a repressed English schoolmaster on holiday in Morocco, where he meets Ewing Baird, a wealthy American expat with a dark secret. As Turner becomes more involved with Ewing he realizes he has been lured into a dangerous trap.

Maugham’s first explicitly gay-themed novel was critically praised but also garnered controversy. Homosexuality was still illegal in Britain for most of the 1960s.

The book was reprinted several times, including in the Gay Modern Classics series,...

Undoubtedly one of the most fascinating live events Daily Dead attended in 2018 was Heather Buckley's career-spanning conversation with Michael Ironside, which was co-presented by The Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies and Spectacular Optical, so we're already marking our calendars for next year now that The Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies has announced its spring 2019 global schedule that's once again brimming with insightful classes on a wide range of horror-related figures and subjects, including Clive Barker, H.P. Lovecraft, splatterpunk, and made-for-tv horror movies.

Below, we have the official press release with full details on The Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies' 2019 schedule, and be sure to visit their website for additional information.

Press Release: The Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies, the world’s longest-running educational organization devoted to the study of horror history, theory and production, is pleased to announce its Spring 2019 lineup of classes, led by some of the genre world’s most renowned critical,...

By Tim Greaves

The British sex film was a truly unique beast. Finding its feet at the back end of the 1950s, proliferating throughout the 60s and 70s, and all but gone the way of the dodo by the early 80s, sex may have been the selling point but scarcely was it delivered upon. Usually depicting the act itself as a bit of a lark and something to be sniggered at, due to restrictive British laws at the time the menu in this country was mostly comprised of light titillation as opposed to the more, er... shall we say ‘gratifying’ material being served up to European and Stateside audiences. With little to see beyond pert pink posteriors and bountiful bare bosoms, visuals whose stimulation value was already negligible were often further quashed by the wince-inducing sound of a slide-whistle.

The films that general audiences probably think of in regard to...

Shock beats some lurid images from British exploitation classic House Of Whipcord into your brain. With work falling somewhere between the elegance of Hammer horror and the lurid down-market thrills of Norman J. Warren, UK exploitation overlord Pete Walker is one of the genuine masters of British horror. Although often dismissed as a leering hack…

The post Gruesome Galleries: Pete Walker’s 1975 Masterpiece House Of Whipcord appeared first on Shock Till You Drop.

Special Mention: Gojira (Godzilla)

Written and directed by Ishirô Honda

Japan, 1954

Ishiro Honda’s grim, black-and-white post-Hiroshima nightmare stands the test of time. This allegory for the devastation wrought on Japan by the atomic bomb is quite simply a powerful statement about mankind’s insistence to continue to destroy everyone and everything the surrounds us. With just one shot (a single pan across the ruins of Tokyo), Honda manages to express the devastation that Godzilla represents. Since its debut, Godzilla has become a worldwide cultural icon, but very little is said about actor Takashi Shimura, who adds great depth as Dr. Yamane; his performance is stunning. Special effects director Eiji Tsuburaya originally wanted to use classic stop-motion animation to portray Godzilla, but time and budget limitations forced him to dress actors up in monster suits. Despite this minor setback, Tsuburaya’s scale sets of Tokyo are crafted with such great attention to detail,...

Let me tell ya, creeps, nothin’ gets the ol’ Xiii’s motor hummin’ quite like a fright flick that is more akin to a fever dream than one of yer more pedestrian linear narratives. And for my money (roughly equivalent to $1.32 Us cash and a third party, out of state, presumably bad check for $16.45), no one does it better than Director Dante Tomaselli! So, before we begin our regularly scheduled revoltin’ reviews (this week featuring Varsity Blood, Jersey Shore Massacre and The Possession Of Michael King) and other assorted jackanappery, let’s check in with ol’ Dante to see what bats stir in his belfry of the damned!

Famous Monsters. Since Famous Monsters is a monster mag of world renown (besides being a website full o’ great guys gals and ghouls), what putrid periodicals did you enjoy in yer frightful formative years?

Dante Tomaselli. Creepy and Eerie were sold at...

1976 saw the publication of John Brosnan’s excellent book The Horror People. Written during the summer of 1975, it makes interesting reading 40 years down the line. Those who feature prominently in the book – Peter Cushing, Vincent Price, Jack Arnold, Michael Carreras, Sam Arkoff, Roy Ward Baker, Freddie Francis, Robert Bloch, Richard Matheson and Milton Subotsky – were still alive, as were Ralph Bates, Mario Bava, Jimmy Carreras, John Carradine, Dan Curtis, John Gilling, Robert Fuest, Michael Gough, Val Guest, Ray Milland, Robert Quarry and Michael Ripper, all of whom were given a mention. Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Junior, Michael Reeves and James H Nicholson were not long dead. Hammer, Amicus and American International Pictures were still in existence. George A Romero had yet to achieve his prominence and Stephen King wasn’t even heard of!

Brosnan devoted a chapter to a new British company called Tyburn Films. Founded by the charismatic and ambitious Kevin Francis,...

This week on Trailers from Hell, David DeCoteau talks lurid 1974 cult film "House of Whipcord" -- set in a women's prison. "House of Whipcord," director Pete Walker's S&M take on women in prison films, could be considered a template for present-day horrors such as "Saw" and "Hostel" and though most of the violence in Whipcord is offscreen, Walker manages to sustain a queasy atmosphere that packs a contemporary punch. The story of a senile judge and his sadistic lady friend who officiate over a private "prison" for wayward girls, this 1974 film is notable for its strong performances and politically charged subtext assailing the English courts.

House of Whipcord, director Pete Walker's S&M take on women in prison films, could be considered a template for present-day horrors such as Saw and Hostel and though most of the violence in Whipcord is offscreen, Walker manages to sustain a queasy atmosphere that packs a contemporary punch. The story of a senile judge and his sadistic lady friend who officiate over a private "prison" for wayward girls, this 1974 film is notable for its strong performances and politically charged subtext assailing the English courts.

The post House of Whipcord appeared first on Trailers From Hell.

In the 1970s/early 1980s, Britain actually had quite a decent exploitation and horror movie industry. The main man on the scene was Pete Walker – a man who cut his teeth on sexploitation, but increasingly focused his attention on the Horror movie industry giving us such classics as House of Whipcord.

British exploitation has been largely ignored by film fans and film writers in favour of more bombastic film industries such as Italian exploitation, Spanish exploitation, French exploitation and even American and Japanese exploitation.

Brits have been overlooked in comparison to these industries, which is a pity, because Britsploitation is actually quite an interesting area of cinema, with some great films.

I have outlined some of these films below for your perusal. Please add your own entries below

The post 10 Classic Britsploitation Horror Films appeared first on WhatCulture!.

Yes, I am pandering to the lowest common denominator again – this time bad taste movies. There is something that satisfies my brain when I watch something revolting and obscene. I may hate the image, but I get a perverse sense of satisfaction from having watched it.

Some bad taste movies are just plain weird and disturbing as you shall see in my list. Some of them are wet yourself hilarious. And some of them give you food for thought – they are provocative in their poor taste.

As disgusting as some of these movies are, they deserve to be celebrated as bad taste movies – a particular niche that many of us enjoy for our own perverse reasons…

9. House Of Whipcord (1974)

Sort of made as a flagrant f**k you to people like Mary Whitehouse who were then extremely active in busying themselves with saving the nation’s morals from filmic filth,...

Here's a Planet Fury-approved selection of notable genre DVD releases for the months of February and March 2013.

The Blob (1958) Criterion Collection Blu-ray & DVD Available Now

This entertaining low-budget favorite gets some well-deserved respect from the folks at Criterion. A gelatinous creature from outer space begins to devour the inhabitants of a small town. Each time it consumes a new body, it grows bigger. A couple of teens (including the wooden Steve McQueen) attempt to warn the town and save the population from certain blech! Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr. directs the mayhem with a sure hand while Bart Sloane's great special effects still pack a punch. Followed by the bizarre comedy sequel, Son of Blob, in the early ’70s (directed by Larry Hagman!) and a great, underrated remake in 1988 by Chuck Russell.

Special Features:

* New high-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack

* Two audio commentaries: one by producer Jack H. Harris...

A Planet Fury-approved selection of notable genre releases for November.

Rites of Spring (2011) Mpi Home Video DVD Available Now

After abducting the daughter of a wealthy socialite, a group of kidnappers seek refuge in an abandoned school in the middle of a wooded nowhere. Little do they know that they’ve chosen the hunting grounds of a ravenous creature that can only be sated by ritualistic sacrifices every spring. Writer/director Padraig Reynolds’ crime thriller/slasher hybrid received mixed reviews during its short festival run, but it’s a solidly crafted piece with some good performances and impressive cinematography by Carl Herse. The one-sheet art is a thing of beauty.

Heaven’s Gate (1981) Criterion Blu-ray and DVD Available Now

Michael Cimino’s critically panned revisionist western has slowly gained a reputation as an overlooked gem. While it’s no masterpiece, his director’s cut is far better than the confusing...

The definition of a slasher film varies depending on who you ask, but in general, it contains several specific traits that feed into the genre’s formula. Author Vera Dika rather strictly defines the sub-genre in her book Games of Terror by only including films made between 1978 and 1984. In other words, she saw it as a movement. When someone describes Brick, they don’t define it as a noir, but instead neo-noir . In other words, it’s a modern motion picture that prominently utilizes elements of film noir, but with updated themes, content, style, visual elements or media that were absent in those from the 1940s and 1950s. So does one consider Scream a slasher film or a neo-slasher, or simply put, a modern slasher?

Some consider Thirteen Women to be the earliest slasher – released all the way back in 1932. Personally I think that is rubbish. Thirteen Women is more like Desperate Housewives on sedatives.

Throughout the month of October, Editor-in-Chief and resident Horror expert Ricky D, will be posting a list of his favorite Horror films of all time. The list will be posted in six parts. Click here to see every entry.

As with all lists, this is personal and nobody will agree with every choice – and if you do, that would be incredibly disturbing. It was almost impossible for me to rank them in order, but I tried and eventually gave up.

****

124: (Tie) Inside (À l’intérieur)

Directed by Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury

Written by Alexandre Bustillo

2007, France

Four months after the death of her husband, a pregnant woman is tormented by a strange woman who invades her home with the intent on killing her and taking her unborn baby. This movie is not recommended for women on the brink of motherhood. Inside is one of the most vicious and...

For the horror buff, Fall is the best time of the year. The air is crisp, the leaves are falling and a feeling of death hangs on the air. Here at Sound on Sight we have some of the biggest horror fans you can find. We are continually showcasing the best of genre cinema, so we’ve decided to put our horror knowledge and passion to the test in a horror watching contest. Each week in October, Ricky D, James Merolla and Justine Smith will post a list of the horror films they have watched. By the end of the month, the person who has seen the most films wins. Prize Tbd.

Justine Smith (9 viewings) Total of 40 viewings

Purchase

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

Directed by Tobe Hooper

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one of the best horror films ever made, in competition with Possession, The Exorcist, The Birds and Suspiria.

Provocative, grim, shocking and extremely anti-establishment in their outlook, British director Pete Walker’s “terror” films were always controversial—perhaps due to their frequent representation of an unsavory, seedy underbelly of a British society governed by convention and hypocrisy. With his previous movies, notably House Of Whipcord, Frightmare and House Of Mortal Sin (a.k.a. The Confessional), Walker had actively worked to subvert typically British institutions (such as class, family and the legal system) and outrage as many people as he possibly could by presenting cannibalistic pensioners, murderous priests and private prisons controlled by sadistic wardens.

Provocative, grim, shocking and extremely anti-establishment in their outlook, British director Pete Walker’s “terror” films were always controversial—perhaps due to their frequent representation of an unsavory, seedy underbelly of a British society governed by convention and hypocrisy. With his previous movies, notably House Of Whipcord, Frightmare and House Of Mortal Sin (a.k.a. The Confessional), Walker had actively worked to subvert typically British institutions (such as class, family and the legal system) and outrage as many people as he possibly could by presenting cannibalistic pensioners, murderous priests and private prisons controlled by sadistic wardens.

The Final Girl: A Few Thoughts on Feminism and Horror By Donato Totaro

One of the more important, if not groundbreaking, accounts/recuperations of the horror film from a feminist perspective is the 1993 Carol Clover's "Men, Women, and Chainsaws". One of the book's major points concerns the structural positioning of what she calls the Final Girl in relation to spectatorship. While most theorists label the horror film as a male-driven/male-centered genre, Clover points out that in most horror films, especially the slasher film, the audience, male and female, is structurally 'forced' to identify with the resourceful young female (the Final Girl) who survives the serial attacker and usually ends the threat (until the sequel anyway.) So while the narratively dominant killer's subjective point of view may be male within the narrative,the male viewer is still rooting for the Final Girl to overcome the killer. We can see this...