The Haunted House of Horror – 1969 | 92 mins | Horror | Colour

Plot Synopsis

Dire Tigon/AIP teen horror about nine teenagers who spend the night in a haunted house. Originally titled ‘The Dark’, the film was intended as a critique of swinging London mores, but suffered from script interference from AIP producer ‘Deke’ Heyward and was badly ‘ghost’ directed by Gerry Levy – replacing wunderkind Michael Armstrong. Dennis Price deputises for the late Boris Karloff, and his peripheral police inspector is as stiff as the corpses that crop up. Jill Haworth replaced Sue Lyon, whilst Julian Barnes plays the role originally earmarked for David Bowie. Hollywood beach party star Frankie Avalon is a fish out of water in the British horror genre and several TV stars including George Sewell and Richard O’Sullivan appear in supporting roles.

A bored gang of dope-smoking Carnaby Street kids decide to go ghost-hunting in a nearby haunted house for kicks. Following one of the gang, Sylvia Fuller (Gina Warwick), is her former illicit lover, middle-aged Bob Kellett (George Sewell), who has taken to stalking the girl half his age. Once there the youths hold a séance without success, so they split up and explore the house. When one member of the group, Gary (Mark Wynter), turns up murdered, the gang attempt to cover it up by hiding the corpse and leaving the house.

Eventually the police investigate Gary’s disappearance and Inspector Bill Bradley (Dennis Price) is handed the case. A second case quickly arises when Bob also goes missing. Meanwhile, the gang are struggling to deal with the guilt of Gary’s death and so decide to return the haunted manor to search it top to bottom for clues.