The House in Nightmare Park (1973) Reviews

• May I Stroke Them?

  BaronBl00d2000-02-21

  Frankie Howard got few chances on film to showcase his comedic talents. Nightmare Park(AKA House of the Laughing Dead) is probably his best effort to do so on film. Like Benny Hill, only not quite as blatant, Howard is walking innuendo. We see through his eyes and speech an almost endless stream of one-liners, albeit rather tame by today's comparisons. Howard is funny in the main role of a third-rate entertainer who loves himself that has been invited to a mysterious mansion in the English countryside. The rest of the cast is comprised of the inhabitants of the house, a strange lot indeed with Ray Milland as the head of the family. The story is whimsical, and utterly absurd, but through the efforts of Howard, Milland, et all, and the fairly atmospheric direction of Peter Sykes, the film comes off quite well as a somewhat gothic comedy.

• A great little horror comedy gem.

  Stink_Face2008-12-12

  First off this is the only review I've ever posted for a film, so that must say something about how strongly I feel for this one in particular, it really is a good film and I assure you is most enjoyable, you will not regret watching it. Secondly I would like to Pooh-Pooh The_Void from Beverley Hills, England's review (see above or below or wherever it is located) what utter tosh! this film is remarkable, a great cast, great atmosphere, engaging story of horror and in-family skulduggery, I don't know what film you were watching mate but to be honest you say that the jokes fell flat and blah, blah, blah but you then put your very own handle as "The_Void from Beverley Hills, England" is that supposed to be some sort of "funny" joke? Well, if that's the extent of your humour, no wonder you didn't enjoy this flick. This is a very rare film and if you get the chance to catch it I'd seriously recommend it.

• Fine showpiece for Frankie Howard

  smithers-51999-05-10

  This would be a fairly ordinary British seventies film but for its two main stars. This is a rare opportunity to see Frankie Howard in a starring role, and he does not disappoint. Ray Milland, too, is at his best, as a less camp (and in my view superior) version of Vincent Price. Direction is good, and tension and atmosphere are maintained well throughout the film. A must for Frankie Howard fans.

• Howerd's not quite Bob Hope, but .......

  iwan_williams2007-01-15

  I have seen this film, or movie if you prefer, on a couple of occasions and found it very entertaining. Critics of the film have over the years said it would have been so much better with Bob Hope in the lead role, but this is surely the kind of role that Hope, albeit very effectively, played to excess through his career? so its nice to see another actor have a stab at a 'Hope-esque' role. Howerd breezes through the film delivering his lines with a 'poker' face, as only he could, and seems to be rather enjoying the experience. I would say that this is one of his more engaging performances. Some scenes are superbly weird, especially the family's 'living marionette' act, at the end of which Howerd asks in his memorable diction "I wonder what they do for an encore?" Watching this film is a very passable way of spending a couple of hours!

• "Has The Swine Finished?"

  ShadeGrenade2006-12-02

  Frankie Howerd was enjoying something of a career renaissance in the early '70's, thanks to 'Up Pompeii!', going on to star in three feature length spin-offs, the last of which was 'Up The Front!' in 1973. Also that year he starred in this curio, a delightfully old fashioned comedy thriller in the mold of 'The Cat And The Canary'. Howerd plays 'Foster Twelvetrees', a ham Shakespearian actor invited to give a performance at the house of the sinister Henderson family. Somewhere on the premises is buried treasure, and someone is determined to find it - even if it means committing murder. As you'd expect in a Frankie Howerd movie, the saucy jokes come thick and fast. But the reason why I've given this unusual British film a ten out of ten rating is because it expertly mixes comedy with terror. The shot of a defaced poster of Twelvetrees just before the opening credits is accompanied by a blood-curdling scream - perfectly setting the tone for what follows. The scene in the snake house, the live puppet show, and Twelvetrees almost being butchered with a meat cleaver by an insane old woman are unusually strong by comedy standards. Credit for this must not only go to the underrated director Peter Sykes, but writers Clive Exton and Terry Nation. The latter had written for Tony Hancock a decade earlier, as well as creating the Daleks for 'Dr.Who' so he knew all about scaring audiences. The presence of Ray Milland adds class to the film and marks it out from the other British comedies around at the time. My favourite supporting character, though, is played by Hugh Burden, muttering 'swine!' under his breath each time he claps eyes on Twelvetrees. 'Park' came out on Network D.V.D. some time ago, and I would unhesitatingly recommend it to people even if they weren't fans of Mr.Howerd.