Gänsehaut (1969)

Gänsehaut: Directed by Michael Armstrong. With Frankie Avalon, Jill Haworth, Dennis Price, Mark Wynter. Teenagers gathered in an old mansion are being murdered one by one. The survivors must discover who among them is the killer before he finishes off everybody.

“Itu0026#39;s interesting noting some of the comments of displeasure about this film — u0026quot;boringu0026quot;, u0026quot;dullu0026quot;, u0026quot;uneventfulu0026quot;. Whatu0026#39;s funny is that this is an early prototype of what became known as the Mad Slasher film where a scarred, dysfunctional wretch goes on a killing spree in some secluded locale, using a flashy means of disposing his victims who more often than not are just getting what they had coming. What is amusing is seeing the fans of the modern day versions of the basic story reacting with a certain amount of glib indifference. I felt the same way about French Impressionism when taking art history; u0026quot;BOR-RING.u0026quot; Boy, was I wrong.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eTHE PLOT; A group of perpetually drink-clutching and cigarette puffing modly dressed hipsters who have obviously seen BLOW-UP decide to go have a smashing party at the local supposedly haunted manor out in the middle of nowhere. Some of them have more than one story to tell as far as why they are drawn to their circle of friends, who seem to regard each other with scorn when gathered together u0026amp; more friendly-like when off on their own. A scruffy Scotland Yard detective (priceless Freddie Jones) and a scruffy, pock-marked, sinister private investigator are both caught unprepared when someone starts slaughtering the kids both during and after their party, and the clues seem to hint that itu0026#39;s either a vengeful poltergeist … or one of their own.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eDONu0026#39;T ANYBODY GIVE AWAY THE ENDING!! Itu0026#39;s not much of a surprise but it then again thatu0026#39;s half the fun of these things. What makes this one kind of tick are the hipster trappings which seem unaware that it wasnu0026#39;t 1967 anymore, and how it seems to pattern itself after the u0026quot;Giallou0026quot; films coming out of Italy at about the same time. I wish the supernatural angle had been played up more but found the three rather grisly killings to be quite over-the-top, had fun remembering what it was like to poke around inside of old houses with a candle with your knucklehead buddies on a dare, and itu0026#39;s always great to see Kim Haworth back in her leggy, sexy fox days. If youu0026#39;re looking for shocks this probably isnu0026#39;t a good suggestion but itu0026#39;s a finely made very British film that just banks more on style instead of flying body parts.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eItu0026#39;s also kind of too bad that as the u0026quot;Triviau0026quot; section hints at, the then just starting to heat up David Bowie was suggested and then rejected for a key role. If heu0026#39;d gotten the part this might have retained a certain cult status beyond the sum of itu0026#39;s parts like Roegu0026#39;s PERFORMANCE … Frankie Avalon does not a Thin White Duke make. What a lousy decision.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e5/10; Neutral. Neither good nor bad, but then again how very British.”