adriangr This little known 1966 movie tells of a murderer taking revenge on those responsible for his capture in various warped ways. His gimmick is that he has a missing hand, and is able to screw various weapons of death into the stump in order to carry out his executions. Trying to catch him are the police plus two amateur detectives who run a wax museum. Incidentally, the inclusion of the wax museum seems to be a mere side line of the plot, as it serves no real dramatic purpose except to provide some visual interest.The film is nicely shot, although it does look like a polished and extended episode of a TV show - which according to most sources, is what it was originally intended to be. The acting is pretty good, the period details is as good as any TV series from the 1960's could get away with on a limited budget. The story is interesting and entertaining, and the climactic scene is fun.But the reason for my gripe about it being a con is it's very core gimmick: the Horror Horn and the Fear Flasher. The film takes great pains to point out that these warnings will alert the audience to look away whenever a horrible thing is about to happen on screen - but every time the alarm goes off, not one damn horrible thing happens on screen! The action immediately fades out or cuts away to another scene as soon as the alarms has ended - no blood, no special effects, nothing - which makes for the lamest, weakest excuse for horror I have ever seen. At least William Castle delivered on his gimmicks. This film has absolutely no payoffs for it's promises.Gripe over, as I said earlier it's entertaining enough, but the alarm gimmick is a serious disappointment. Maybe it was added after the filming was complete, and the movie was never intended to be graphic. You could watch this on a Saturday morning and not raise a single goose-bump. Shame.

DKosty123 This was originally intended as a pilot for a series. It even ends with a teaser for the next episode. It rises above average TV as it has a lot of good acting in the cast. Patrick O'Neal is in top form as the slasher/murderer. This is a full 9 years before he would be a sinister husband of robots in the Stepford Wives, but this role proves he could bring off sinister roles very well.Wilfred Hyde-White brings off his role as a criminologist very well and his presence beings a respect to the proceedings. For a television production, this has a large cast with the lovely Laura Devon as the main accomplice for O'Neal. She looks great including a still rare shot at this time period for television of her lovely backside walking away from the camera.(Fully Dressed of Course).The plot is predictable but gruesome as a condemned man tries to avenge his enemies. Still the setting of the House of Wax (sort of borrowed from 2 earlier movies) works quite well. The premise of this would still work today as a series with the right cast. Amazingly most of this cast is no longer around.Hy Averback, a veteran TV director is the reason it plays so well. Several members of the cast including Wayne Rogers worked with him often and that might be one of the reasons this one works so well.The special effects are done slickly and cheaply which is not unusual during 1960's television because at this same time the Star Trek production crew was dumpster diving at Desilu to create the sets for that series. The period sets here are impressive though they existed and were used in other series such as The Wild Wild West.

drystyx This is what other horror movies want to be. It might even be classified best under "cult classic". It isn't surreal, but it does start with carbon copy looking characters and manifest them into deeper beings. The central character becomes the murderer, a man of noble birth who just has evil inside of him. He escapes execution by diving into a river in chains, so he is dead now. Or is he? You know better than that. But unlike the goofy ogres of later movies who just can't die, he engineers a way out of his dilemma which makes him very easy to identify later, but which also gives him an idea for building an arsenal of weapons. He continues his killings, but this time he's out for revenge. The good guys are a true delight. In the manner of most great camp science fiction (and unfortunately true to life in the case of law enforcement), the police are bumbling fools, and the real heroes are a trio of wax museum owners. Great atmosphere make this a great movie, and the casting of Hyde-White (My Fair Lady), is inspirational. One wonders why this super talent wasn't in more films. He gives the film an extra point or two in the rating. Trapper John also appears, as a policeman. Some day, this film will come out again to show what a great horror movie should be.

Lee Eisenberg "Chamber of Horrors" is one those obscure movies, probably available only at Portland video/DVD store Movie Madness. It portrays serial killer Jason Cravette (Patrick O'Neal) on his way to jail when he has to cut off his hand to escape. So, he returns to Baltimore and resumes his murders.Yes, the plot is pretty routine, but this movie is unique. The star is Cesare Danova, better known as Mayor Carmine DePasto in "Animal House". Does that give the movie a feeling of silliness? Maybe, but the movie mostly feels very neat. Also, the judge is played by Vinton Hayworth, aka Gen. Schaeffer on "I Dream of Jeannie". So Bluto Blutarsky and Jeannie are linked by a hook-handed maniac! Go figure! But overall, this movie is a real treat. Fans of 1960s camp will surely love it. And it might just save your life one day...A murder mystery in Baltimore. I try to imagine if one or both of Baltimore's two famous sons (by whom I mean Barry Levinson and John Waters) had directed this movie. Hmmm...