Horror Hospital

Well, first, don't take it too seriously, love. It's all a bit of fun. I don't believe it was made to be a straight horror movie. I mean, with a reference like "hairy holiday", what do you expect? It stars Robin Askwith, who looks as if he could be Rupert Grint's uncle. In fact, with him and two of his co-protagonists in tow, it looks a bit like adult Ron, Hermoine and "Hairy" Potter (sans specs) have landed in a really twisted episode of "Scooby Doo". Which means, I guess, that Scoob and the gang are attending Hogwarts. Anyway, this one is so Seventies England, it won my heart. As always, Michael Gough made for a delightfully over-the-top villain, one worthy of a spot in a '70s Bond movie. Loved his big, black, furry pimp hat, too. All in all, I recommend this one to those who like a bit of a bizarre video nasty, something that seems like a really bad trip, with a few giggles tossed in for good measure.

Whoever restored this is brilliant. I just wanted to start out saying that.This movie is an absolutely ridiculous but wonderful movie. Don’t expect anything smart from it and you will enjoy it greatly. Excellent cast and crew made this little schlock masterpiece. A true gem!

Horror Hospital, where people lose their heads one way or another. But you can’t use that in the promotional adverts, so best call it a health spa…where lobotomies are done on the cheap. Where you can become a mindless automaton for Dr. Storm (Michael Gough). Good help is so hard to find, whereas mad scientists are a dime a dozen, especially a mad scientist with a grudge.Hilarious. Bizarre. Fun…in a fake-blood kind-of fashion.

For me this was a very underrated gem. It had no problem playing on my DVD. Best of all it seems to be the uncut version in all it's video nasty glory. Be warned there is gratuitous violence and nudity and a somewhat silly plot, but it is a video nasty, what do you expect?

If anything Horror Hospital (1975)...I think the original, British release date was 1973, with the American theatrical release date following two years later...has one of the most captivating, or should I say de-captivating...scratch that...decapitating, yes, that it...decapitating opening sequences in a film I've seen in a long time. To say anymore would ruin it, so I'll leave it at that (make sure you check out that pimpy hat worn by Gough...stylin'!)...but I will say the film effectively shoots its load with this sequence, taking a downward turn into a morass of mediocrity punctuated by flashes of the bizarre and genuinely odd. If ever the term `psychotronic' was applicable to a film, this be it...co-written and directed by Anthony Balch (as I write this, he's listed on the IMDb website as Antony), the film stars Michael Gough, whom I couldn't place right away, but he looked so familiar...and then I read another review on here pinpointing him as the Alfred character in the Tim Burton Batman movies...how could I have not recognized him more quickly? I'm getting daft in my old age...anyway, starring alongside of Gough is Robin Askwith, whom I did recognize from films like Tower of Evil (1972) and his later roles in the Brit sex comedies Confessions of a Window Cleaner (1974), Confessions of a Pop Performer (1975), and Confessions of a Driving Instructor (1976), most of which I've seen on Cinemax back in the 80's (when I had de cable). Also appearing is Vanessa Shaw, Ellen Pollock (So Evil, So Young), Dennis Price (Theatre of Blood), Kurt Christian (The Golden Voyage of Sinbad), and the diminutive in size (but not in spirit) Skip Martin (Circus of Fear, Vampire Circus, Son of Dracula).As I already mentioned, the film opens with a particularly spectacular sequence, and from there we meet Jason (Askwith), a young, swinging Englishman in dire need of a holiday after some difficulties experienced within his band (they ripped off one of his songs). After a creepy meeting with a lasciviously effeminate travel agent (Price), Jason decides on Brittlehouse (the price was right, i.e. cheap), a remote health spa in the country that can supposedly cure any hang-ups you have within a week. While traveling on the train, he meets Judy (Shaw), and learns she is also going to the spa, but on personal business involving her Aunt Harris (Pollock) who happens to run the place with her husband, the wheelchair bound Dr. Christian Storm (Gough), assisted by a disgruntled dwarf named Frederick (Martin), and various guards/orderlies who are always dressed in motorcycle gear (leather jacket and pants, crash helmets) earning them the name `biker boys' (although, as another reviewer mentioned, one close up in particular presented very feminine facial features from what we could see). Well, after arriving Jason and Judy discover the other guests aren't there so much for a vacation, but appear to be patients, as they all have giant scars on their foreheads, pasty complexions, and the general demeanor akin to that of vegetables. Seems the good doctor's treatment consists of something more than what was advertised in the brochure, perhaps a little brain salad surgery, and Jason and Judy are next in line...crikeys! And who (or what) is that mysterious, fleshy creature wandering the halls of the hospital at night? All will be revealed, if you decide to check into Horror Hospital, where you pay to get in, and pray to get out! Bwahahaha! (excuse my tendency for the melodramatic)Overall I did enjoy the film, but I got the distinct feeling much of what I saw in this movie I had already seen before in other, previously released films. That's not a criticism, but just an observation. The story moves along pretty well, although it does seem plod in some parts, giving the effect of the movie being a bit longer than it actually was (it has a running time of about a hour and a half). There are a number of memorable scenes (most which I won't mention), including the one near the beginning with the lecherous travel agent was pretty funny...also, there's a protracted scene where Frederick (the dwarf) is trying to help Jason escape, and he has to employ an unusual method to reach the lock on the cell door, which is mounted higher than he could have reached normally. The characters were decent, the main standout being Gough's knuckle cracking (any villain worth his PhD in evil has a tic) mad, sadistic, egomaniacal, scientist experimenting on humans for his own, demented, perverted purposes. Oh yeah, he also has a tendency towards decapitation...why? Who knows, but it certainly livened things up...the movie had a lot more action than I would have thought, especially the scene where Askwith's character is trying to escape and fights with the biker boys/guards. The physical confrontations appeared pretty realistic (not painstakingly choreographed), and Jason really seems to get the beating but good in on scene. There's a few of good nekkid scenes, one featuring a short, soft core make out session between Jason and Judy, and another with a good looking, post-lobotomized woman and something which has to be seen rather than described. The final sequences of the film are pretty exciting, leading up to a satisfying, yet predictable, ending. By the way, does anyone know what Frederick was cooking up in that pot, prior to him serving it to the prisoners? It looked like some kind of pasty gruel, perhaps concrete filler...and what was the deal with that ticketing agent at the very end of the film? He may have been deserving of his fate, but it wasn't quite clear exactly what happened...The non-anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1) picture on this Elite Entertainment DVD is really sharp, but does have some very minor flaws (a little grain, a scratch here and there). The Dolby Digital 2.0 audio is very clear and comes through cleanly throughout. The only extra feature available is an original trailer that's actually a double bill for this film and one called The Corpse Grinders (1972).Cookieman108

wonderful.

This version of the movie claimed in it's description to have the commentary track by Richard Gordon on it . The cover was different also. So beware this version is not what you get.

An essential Blu-ray to any serious horror movie fans collection. The bonus material is fantastic as well. Very highly recommended.

Generally speaking this blu ray is a decent upgrade from my old DVD, with a nice sharp colourful image.However I noticed a jarring little fault, only 30 seconds into the film before the main credits there appears to be a bad splice from a close up of Michael Gough, giving a flash of black screen and a very brief glimpse of credits,this disrupts the opening scene.I've checked and this error wasn't on my old (dark sky films) DVD.

The film is silly fun, and the Odeon blu ray is lovely. I just wanted to point out that the product description (and the blu ray case itself) advertises commentary by producer Richard Gordon and David Del Valle; in fact, it's Gordon and Tom Weaver, the same commentary used on the Dark Sky Films DVD release. I'm not complaining (I actually prefer Weaver as moderator), but it's an odd error.

Scary but funny at the same time. Robin Askworth was his usual hilarious self. Great 70s horror gem. Definitely worth a watch.

This is fun spoof horror film from 1970s one of leading horror star Michael Gough of his time, pretty funny and humorous at times with good action.So if you like these sort of movie don't wait just buy it.

Not great but again if you are a horror collector, a must for an avid fan