Tower of Evil
Encyclopedia
Tower of Evil, also known by the title Beyond the Fog in the United States
and Horror of Snape Island and Horror on Snape Island in Canada
, is a 1972 British
horror film. The film is regarded by horror fans as being ahead of its time, as it crosses old world Gothic themes (dark setting, mythical superstitions, gloomy atmosphere) with many elements of the modern slasher film
(elusive killer, bloody murders, sexually active characters as victims). The film was shot at Shepperton Studios
in Shepperton
, Surrey
, England
, UK in 1971.
n treasure, but instead they find a horrific mystery when someone, or something, begins to kill off the curious trespassers.
gave the film a BOMB rating and mockingly said "One of the Horrors of Snape Island is the film itself".
However, over the years, the film has been embraced as something of an underground classic by the horror community. The Terror Trap horror review rated the film positively and said "Think the Brits are uptight, watch 'this' fun slasher flick...". Elite Entertainment released Tower of Evil on DVD for the first time in 1999. On December 12, 2008, Turner Classic Movies
showed the film as part of their late night TCM Underground
series.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Horror of Snape Island and Horror on Snape Island in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, is a 1972 British
Cinema of the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has had a major influence on modern cinema. The first moving pictures developed on celluloid film were made in Hyde Park, London in 1889 by William Friese Greene, a British inventor, who patented the process in 1890. It is generally regarded that the British film industry...
horror film. The film is regarded by horror fans as being ahead of its time, as it crosses old world Gothic themes (dark setting, mythical superstitions, gloomy atmosphere) with many elements of the modern slasher film
Slasher film
A slasher film is a type of horror film typically involving a psychopathic killer stalking and killing a sequence of victims in a graphically violent manner, often with a cutting tool such as a knife or axe...
(elusive killer, bloody murders, sexually active characters as victims). The film was shot at Shepperton Studios
Shepperton Studios
Shepperton Studios is a film studio in Shepperton, Surrey, England with a history dating back to 1931 since when many notable films have been made there...
in Shepperton
Shepperton
Shepperton is a town in the borough of Spelthorne, Surrey, England. To the south it is bounded by the river Thames at Desborough Island and is bisected by the M3 motorway...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, UK in 1971.
Plot
On Snape Island, a small isolated point off the English coast, a series of bizarre brutal murders have taken place. A team of archeologists decide to head to the island to uncover a possible PhoeniciaPhoenicia
Phoenicia , was an ancient civilization in Canaan which covered most of the western, coastal part of the Fertile Crescent. Several major Phoenician cities were built on the coastline of the Mediterranean. It was an enterprising maritime trading culture that spread across the Mediterranean from 1550...
n treasure, but instead they find a horrific mystery when someone, or something, begins to kill off the curious trespassers.
Cast
- Bryant HalidayBryant HalidayBryant Haliday was an American actor, as well as producer, of film and stage, who was instrumental in providing a showcase for international film titles in the United States by co-founding Janus Films with his partner Cyrus Harvey Jr.-Early Life and Stage Career:After entering Harvard to study...
... Evan Brent - Jill HaworthJill HaworthValerie Jill Haworth was an English actress.Haworth was born in Sussex, to a textile magnate father and a mother who trained as a ballet dancer ....
... Rose Mason - Anna PalkAnna PalkAnna Palk was an English actress.Palk was born in Looe, Cornwall, England and was educated at Rise Hall Convent in Yorkshire and trained as an actress at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. She followed this with rep at Bristol, Leatherhead, Derby, Newcastle and Leeds before embarking on...
... Nora Winthrop - William LucasWilliam Lucas (British actor)William Lucas is a British film and television actor. His first acting role was in the film Portrait of Alison , and later appeared in many Hammer Film Productions such as Shadow of the Cat. He is probably best known for his role in The Adventures of Black Beauty as Dr...
... Superintendent Hawk - Anthony Valentine ... Dr. Simpson
- Jack WatsonJack Watson (actor)Jack Watson , was an English actor who appeared in many British films and television dramas from the 1950s onwards....
... Hamp Gurney - Mark Edwards ... Adam
- Derek FowldsDerek FowldsDerek Fowlds is an English actor, known for playing Bernard Woolley in popular British television comedies Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister and Oscar Blaketon in the long-running ITV police drama Heartbeat....
... Dan Winthrop - John HamillJohn HamillJohn Hamill is an English actor.He had previously been a bodybuilder and one of England's most popular "physique models" in the late 1960s before turning to acting, studying at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, and appearing in the stage farce There's a Girl in My Soup.Hamill’s...
... Gary - Gary HamiltonGary HamiltonGary Hamilton is a footballer from Northern Ireland. He plays for Glentoran.-Career:Hamilton currently holds the Irish Premier League record for the number of goals scored in a match, scoring six for Portadown against Omagh Town in October 2004 .Now a full-time professional with Glentoran, he has...
... Brom - Candace GlendenningCandace Glendenning-Biography:She remains best known for her work in horror films of the 1970s such as The Flesh and Blood Show, Tower of Evil and Satan's Slave. Known for her great beauty, these films featured large amounts of nudity from her and several sex scenes. She and Kay Lenz were rumoured to have been...
... Penny Read - Dennis PriceDennis PriceDennis Price was an English actor, remembered for his suave screen roles, particularly Louis Mazzini in Kind Hearts and Coronets, and for his portrayal of the omniscient valet Jeeves in 1960s television adaptations of P. G...
... Laurence Bakewell - George CoulourisGeorge CoulourisGeorge Coulouris was a prominent English film and stage actor.-Early life:Coulouris was born in Manchester, England, the son of Abigail and Nicholas Coulouris, a merchant of Greek origin. He was brought up both in Manchester and nearby Urmston and was educated at Manchester Grammar School...
... John Gurney - Robin AskwithRobin AskwithRobin Askwith , is an English film actor, most famous for his role as Timmy Lea in the Confessions... sex comedies.-Confessions...:...
... Des - Seretta WilsonSeretta WilsonSeretta Wilson is a British television and film actor. Born in the USAShe has played parts in The Borgias and london Bridge.She played Sergeant Wilson's daughter in Dad's Army.- External links :*...
... Mae - Fredric Abbott ... Saul Gurney
- Mark McBride ... Michael Gurney
- Marianne StoneMarianne StoneMarianne Stone was a British character actress. She appeared in many films from the early 1940s to the late 1980s...
... Nurse
Critical reaction
The film was dismissed as mere exploitation fodder by many critics. Film critic Leonard MaltinLeonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin is an American film and animated film critic and historian, author of several mainstream books on cinema, focusing on nostalgic, celebratory narratives.-Personal life:...
gave the film a BOMB rating and mockingly said "One of the Horrors of Snape Island is the film itself".
However, over the years, the film has been embraced as something of an underground classic by the horror community. The Terror Trap horror review rated the film positively and said "Think the Brits are uptight, watch 'this' fun slasher flick...". Elite Entertainment released Tower of Evil on DVD for the first time in 1999. On December 12, 2008, Turner Classic Movies
Turner Classic Movies
Turner Classic Movies is a movie-oriented cable television channel, owned by the Turner Broadcasting System subsidiary of Time Warner, featuring commercial-free classic movies, mostly from the Turner Entertainment and MGM, United Artists, RKO and Warner Bros. film libraries...
showed the film as part of their late night TCM Underground
TCM Underground
TCM Underground is a weekly late-night cult film showcase airing on Turner Classic Movies. Developed by TCM programmers Millie De Chirico and Eric Weber, it was originally hosted by industrial rock/heavy metal musician and independent filmmaker Rob Zombie. TCM Underground began airing Friday the...
series.