Horrors of the Black Museum, Mad Man Shreds Babes

Ah, the nubile and delightful Dorinda Stevens.  A babe actress who in 1959 portrayed the unfortunate Gail Dunlop.  Remember her?  Sure you do.  When "Horrors of the Black Museum" hit U.S. drive-ins in the 70s, everyone was talking about her horrific demise.  Alas, she was the first of many babes to die horribly in this film.  As misogynistic as the Clintons, "Horrors of the Black Museum" states the misogynistic viewpoint even better than Clinton's lawyers.  Today we look at 1959's "Horrors of the Black Museum," directed by Arthur Crabtree.

Do police agencies actually have so-called black museums filled with the tools of deranged killers? Not advertised, but yes they do...not all, but I've been in one or two.  In our film Scotland Yard has one...a lame one according to true-crime best-selling author Edmond Bancroft (Michael Gough).  So unimpressed by Scotland Yard's effort, he creates his own.  Tools of gruesome murders of beautiful dames grace the museum. How does he get them?  He commits the murders.  The film opens with Gail unboxing a mysterious gift.  She has received a supposed pair of binoculars from, whom she believes, a secret admirer.  When she puts the spy glasses up to her eyes, two spikes shoot through her orbs and into her brain.  Alas, the lovely Gail Dunlop is no more.

Edmond visits the Scotland Yard detectives and taunts them for not being able to solve the cases.  This writer is above suspicion as he appears to be crippled.  He'll strike again and even steal the head of the sultry Joan (June Cunningham) from one scene.  Edmond is on the prowl for more weapons that can inflict gory deaths on babes.  He keeps finding them.  He's smart.  Eye witnesses are fooled and only serve to throw off the police investigation.  Uh oh...Edmond has a laboratory attached to his basement museum.  It's a great laboratory complete with a big vat of acid to get rid of bodies.  Uh oh...his trusty assistant Rick (Graham Curnow) has a new GF, Angela (Shirley Anne Field).  Rick is so taken by Angela's beauty, his lips become very loose.  Edmond will not tolerate loose lips.

How has Edmond become such a misogynist?  Will the nubile Angela survive to the end credits?  Is this film, which taunts the police, the forerunner of the 'defund the police' movement here in America?  Gory and horrific, the cheese in this film will be annihilated in so many imaginative and bloody ways.  For some nice English horror, see "Horrors of the Black Museum."