Friday, December 3, 2021

Crucible of Terror, Euro-Trash Horror

What makes this Euro-Trash?  There is no one set definition for this term, just trust me...you know it when you see it.  For me?  I'd say its plenty of scantily clad or nude Euro-babes...in much peril...and in many cases brutally murdered.  The perfect genre for the divorced man, let's say.  Or the discriminating man with some secret but prurient tastes.  Hence today's feature, from England, 1971's "Crucible of Terror," directed by Ted Hooker. 

Victor (Mike Raven) is an eccentric artist.  Years ago he did a sculpture.  Okay, it wasn't really a sculpture.  See, he believes beauty must be preserved forever.  Victor found a ravishing model and encased her in bronze.  Now the 'sculpture' has shown up in John's (James Bolam) gallery. John's gallery isn't making money and Victor's piece is the only thing drawing interest.  John befriends Vincent's drunk son, Michael (Ronald Lacey) and gets an invite to Vincent's country compound.  Vincent hopes to buy more works from the fiend.  Enter the babes...John will bring his sultry but dull girlfriend, Millie (Mary Maude) and Michael will bring his nubile blonde girlfriend, Jane (Beth Morris).  

After they arrive, Victor ignores John and tries anything he can to get Jane and Millie to pose for him.  Jane will die horribly soon, so we will not mention her again.  Oh yes, also at the estate is Victor's totally lunatic wife, Dorothy (Betty Alberge).  Oh yes, Marcia is his current babe model...looks great in a bikini and she tries to put the moves on Millie, too. Now the nubile Millie will prance around in a kimono or a bikini and felt drawn in by the spirit of a long dead cult-beauty.  Happens.  Victor will become more aggressive in getting Millie to pose for him.  He even gets the forge operating so he will he will have access to molten bronze.

                                    

Will Millie become Victor's new prized work of art?  Does Marcia, with her bikini and sensual lesbian tendencies, have any shot at surviving to the end credits?  Will any of the men in this film actually do anything useful to stop Victor from turning Millie into something magnetic?  This is a good one.  The beautiful will die so horribly and the performance by Mr. Raven will remind you of Christopher Lee in those old Hammer films.  See "Crucible of Terror," and get your fill of Euro-trash this holiday season. 

No comments:

Post a Comment