The Oblong Box main backdrop
The Oblong Box main poster

The Oblong Box

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5.7/10 • 92

1969-06-111h 36m

Horror

Some things are better left buried.

Evil lurks in the gloomy house at Markham Manor where a deranged Sir Edward is the chained prisoner of his brother Julian. When Sir Edward escapes, he embarks on a monstrous killing spree, determined to seek revenge on all those whom he feels have double-crossed him.

Directors
Gordon Hessler
Editors
Max Benedict

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Vincent Price

    Vincent Price

    Sir Julian Markham

  2. Christopher Lee

    Christopher Lee

    Dr. J. Neuhartt

  3. Rupert Davies

    Rupert Davies

    Joshua Kemp

  4. Uta Levka

    Uta Levka

    Heidi

  5. Sally Geeson

    Sally Geeson

    Sally Baxter

  6. Alister Williamson

    Alister Williamson

    Sir Edward Markham

  7. Peter Arne

    Peter Arne

    Samuel Trench

  8. Hilary Dwyer

    Hilary Dwyer

    Lady Elizabeth Markham

  9. Maxwell Shaw

    Maxwell Shaw

    Hackett

Reviews3

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John Chard Avatar

John Chard

May 16, 2020

5/10

Curse of the Crimson Hood. the Oblong Box is directed by Gordon Hessler and adapted to screenplay by Lawrence Huntington and Christopher Wicking from the short story written by Edgar Allan Poe. It stars Vincent price, Christopher Lee, Rupert Davies, Alister Williamson, Uta Levka, Sally Geeson and Peter Arne. Music is by Harry Robertson and cinematography is by John Coquillon. Aristocrat Julian Markham (Price) keeps his disfigured brother, Sir Edward (Williamson), locked in a tower of his house. Occasionaly Sir Edward escapes and causes havoc around the town. Edgar Allan Poe's work had already been mined for consistent rewards, normally with Price in the lead role, unfortunately this one became a step too far (it's loosely adapted). It was blighted with the original director, Michael Reeves (Witchfinder General), committing suicide during production. In came Hessler, whose subsequent directing CV smacks of a lack of quality, and here it's a flat production straining to gain any horror momentum. Thematically there's interest, with witch doctors, drugs that simulate death, double-crosses and a crimson hooded murderer on the loose. There's also the whiff of British Colonialism pulsing away in the mix. Sadly the "unmasking" of the killer is a damp squib of poor make up, the twin horror greats of Price and Lee don't share screen time together, and the finale drifts aimlessly into a nothing worthwhile twist. Not a dead loss as such, but really it's bottom tier of the Poe horror adaptations. 5/10

Media

  • The Oblong Box poster
  • The Oblong Box poster
  • The Oblong Box poster
  • The Oblong Box poster
  • The Oblong Box poster
  • The Oblong Box poster
  • The Oblong Box poster
  • The Oblong Box poster
  • The Oblong Box poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
$175,000.00
Revenue
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Keywords
buried alivedisfigurement19th centurywitch doctor