1961's "Doctor Blood's Coffin" isn't a Hammer film, but it has the feel of one. Graveyards, corpses, ghouls, a beautiful damsel, a mad scientist, English settings, and un-godly experiments highlight this movie directed by Sidney J. Furie ("The Entity"). The lead actress, Hazel Court ("The Raven" and "The Masque of the Red Death") is a Hammer-girl. For a rated PG movie night with the family, this variation of the Frankenstein theme will do you well.
Dr. Peter Blood, played by Kieron Moore ("The Day of the Triffids") has just been thrown out of medical school. Unfortunately he did something we all have done, only he was caught....trying to bring a corpse back to life. You gotta love the spirit, with government-run health care most doctors are headed into podiatry or radiology, creating a whole breed of bores. At least Dr. Blood would be an interesting party guest. He heads to Cornwall and sets up a covert lab in the abandoned mines near the sea. After stealing some medical equipment, he uses a chemical given to him by a voodoo witch doctor which keeps the body alive but puts it into a state of paralysis. You see, he needs organs from live donors, which he will put into a corpse, thus bringing the departed back to life.
Blood, when not doing God's work, visits the quaint seaside village where his dad is the town doctor. Isn't it funny, the luck of the criminally insane! His dad's nurse is the very hot Linda Parker...I might add the recently widowed Linda Parker. Though Blood exhibits insane personality traits, like fantasizing about being locked in a Pharaoh's tomb for eternity and being buried alive, Linda only sees his good side. As Dr. Blood keeps abducting the town's citizens and removing their organs, Linda begins to get suspicious. Unfortunately for Linda, Dr. Blood has a horrifying surprise waiting for her.
Will the vulnerable and beautiful Nurse Parker figure out her new beau is totally whacked-out before she succumbs to his ultimate plan? Has government-run health care driven colorful characters, like Blood, out of medicine and into IT? Are those spiffy, feminine, white nurse uniforms ever making a comeback, or are we to settle for the pajama-like scrubs in our next hospital visit? This is an atmospheric chiller with a great musical score. The ending will surprise, and Linda's character emerges as the epitome of goodness, which is the perfect contrast to the evil doctor. For Hazel Court fans, this is a must see!
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