flapdoodle64 This is a classic example of the way a small budget film can be much more enjoyable than big budget affairs, provided the right people work on it. This film has everything going for it in terms of creative personnel, at least in regard to the direction, writing and acting.The claustrophobic and minimalist sets, the seedy-looking costumes and the venal and petty motivations of various characters successfully evoke the bitter world of the impoverished citizens of the British Empire. Drama is provided at the nexus where an underclass harlot and ghouls meet the upper-class and the educated.There is no element of the supernatural in this film, yet the natural evil of men seeking profit is enough to provide sufficient horror. Fans of old school horror will find this film highly enjoyable and will appreciate how well-crafted it is.

lastliberal John Gilling's (The Mummy's Shroud) film is listed as a horror film, but it is really an exciting thriller about an anatomy teacher (Peter Cushing) and grave-robbers (Donald Pleasence - Halloween, Dracula, & George Rose).Billie Whitelaw (Hott Fuzz, The Omen), with two BAFTA wins and four more nominations, plays a prostitute that falls for one of the medical students (John Cairney).The grave-robbers find that it is easier just to kill someone and sell them, than to dig them up. It wasn't long before Mary (Whitelaw) had a spat with Chris (Cairney) and fell into the clutches of the murderers.Imagine Chris' surprise when she shows up on the slab in class the next day.Soon, the grave-robbers were committing murders to cover up their murders.Excellent performances by Pleasence, who got what he deserved in a weird sense, Cushing, and Dermot Walsh, as Cushing's assistant. A fascinating story that is supposedly based upon a true event.

Witchfinder General 666 "The Flesh And The Fiends" of 1960 (other sources say 1959) is a grim, creepy, terrifying and often sad masterpiece of British Horror cinema, that no lover of the genre could possibly afford to miss. John Gilling's film is based on the true case of William Burke and William Hare who supplied the surgeon Dr. Robert Knox with fresh corpses in Edinburgh of the 1820s. The film has a very creepy, chilling Gothic atmosphere, and yet it accomplishes to seem frighteningly real. The story is incredibly macabre, and what makes it even more frightening is the fact that the morbid events in this film actually took place. In Edinburgh of the 1820s, the Medical University is supplied with too little corpses to properly instruct its students. Determined to provide the best possible conditions for research, the ambitious and brilliant Dr. Knox (Peter Cushing) engages corpse-snatchers to supply his University with fresh bodies. Two of the grave robbers, William Hare (Donald Pleasence) and William Burke (George Rose), however, have their very particular methods to bring in corpses that are especially fresh...Aditionally to the terrifying and fascinating story and the gloomy atmosphere, "The Flesh And The Fiends" also profits from a brilliant cast. The great Peter Cushing, was doubtlessly one of the most remarkable and brilliant actors the World of Horror has ever seen (and ever will see), and he is once again excellent in the role of the dedicated scientist - a role that is familiar to Cushing, who is probably most famous for his portrayal of Baron Victor Frankenstein in the Hammer films. Dr. Knox is not a bad man as such, but his obsession for the good cause makes him forget most of his scruples. The arguably greatest performance in this film, however, comes from Donald Pleasence (another favorite actor of mine), who delivers an ingenious portrayal of evil as the unscrupulous Willaim Hare. Equally great is George Rose in the role of the more simple-minded part of the murderous duo, William Burke. The great black and white cinematography provides a gloomy general mood. The cinematographic style of the film is often compared to earlier Horror classics of the 1940s rather than to those of the late 50s and early 60s, and one can see why. The film's theme, however, and the uncompromising manner it is brought to screen, is unspeakably macabre for its time. The film provides terrifying Horror as well as tragic Drama and a very realistic insight in early 19th century society. I guess I am not standing alone when i declare Peter Cushing and Donald Pleasence two of my favorite actors. "The Flesh And The Fiends" is arguably the most brilliant film in either man's career, which is saying quite something regarding the variety of ingenious films Cushing ("Dracula", "The Curse Of Frankenstein", "Horror Express" etc.) and Pleasence ("Phenomena", "Prince Of Darkness") have been part of. Along with another Historical Horror masterpiece, Michael Reeves' "Witchfinder General" (starring Vincent Price), "The Flesh And The Fiends" is probably the most mature, serious and sophisticated British Horror film ever brought to screen, and an absolute priority for every Horror lover to see. 10/10

mlraymond Well written and directed by John Gilling, this low budget British film is a surprisingly accurate rendering of the true story of body snatchers Burke and Hare in 1820's Edinburgh. Real names are used and the gruesome events are depicted as they occurred. A fine cast makes this a memorable film. Billie Whitelaw as a seemingly hardboiled, but vulnerable, prostitute , and John Cairney as her young medical student boyfriend are moving as the doomed lovers, fated to be kept apart by class divisions. Peter Cushing is in fine form as the sarcastic and brilliant Dr. Knox, who doesn't ask questions as to where all the fresh bodies are coming from. Donald Pleasence as Hare, and George Rose as Burke are both repellently funny and genuinely frightening in their murderous pursuit of a dishonest dollar. Pleasence plays Hare with a sly, roguish charm, but a creepy undertone of mental disturbance that's quite unnerving. George Rose has a grungy, thick-witted manner and grubby appearance that conceal a cunning criminal mind. Renee Houston has a great supporting role as Mrs. Burke, uneasy about her husband's activities, but all too willing to share in the profits. Though made on a low budget, the movie convincingly portrays the squalor, alcoholism and petty crime of the lower class street life of Edinburgh, contrasted with elegant formal dress parties held by the wealthy and respectable citizens. This is a suspenseful and very dramatic film that deserves a wider audience. Real life horror stories don't come much grimmer than this.