I have heard that Tower of Evil is one of the films responsible for the decline of the British film industry in the 1970's; and while I don't know if this is true or not - having seen it, I can say that there's a good chance it is true. The fact that this film is such a mess is made more disappointing by the fact that it features a good basis for a horror film. We follow a group of Archaeologists who go off to a remote island to find buried treasure. Their trip is set to be anything but pleasurable, however, as it turns out that there's a deformed killer stalking the underground cave system. Nudity and gore feature prominently (especially considering the time of release), yet it's all rather dull. Tower of Evil features a deep, dark void where all the intrigue should be; and the characters aren't any better. We are forced to watch a bunch of promiscuous stoners lumbering about the poorly designed sets, and despite the fact that this is supposed to be brainless 'fun'; staying awake soon becomes a major problem.
I make a habit of seeing obscure horror films, and usually this turns out to be a fruitful endeavour, which makes films like this even more of a nuisance. It's unoriginal, it's dull and although most films like this aren't life-affirming experiences; this one doesn't even manage to lampoon the 'fun' element that most B-movies get right on. Director Jim O'Connolly directs his cast of unknowns lethargically, who in turn repay this by acting lethargically. Nobody on the cast list stands out, and despite the mention of Dennis Price as a 'guest star', nobody manages to elevate this above the nonsense that it clearly is. The atmosphere is the one saving grace. Despite its obvious shoestring budget, Tower of Evil presents it's central location nicely, which always bodes well in a horror film; even a very tatty one such as this. Regarding this film, I would say that it's only worth seeing if you absolutely must see every seventies horror film ever made. If you're happy to miss a few, then I recommend making this one of them. Nudity and gore aside; this is one shoddy movie.
I make a habit of seeing obscure horror films, and usually this turns out to be a fruitful endeavour, which makes films like this even more of a nuisance. It's unoriginal, it's dull and although most films like this aren't life-affirming experiences; this one doesn't even manage to lampoon the 'fun' element that most B-movies get right on. Director Jim O'Connolly directs his cast of unknowns lethargically, who in turn repay this by acting lethargically. Nobody on the cast list stands out, and despite the mention of Dennis Price as a 'guest star', nobody manages to elevate this above the nonsense that it clearly is. The atmosphere is the one saving grace. Despite its obvious shoestring budget, Tower of Evil presents it's central location nicely, which always bodes well in a horror film; even a very tatty one such as this. Regarding this film, I would say that it's only worth seeing if you absolutely must see every seventies horror film ever made. If you're happy to miss a few, then I recommend making this one of them. Nudity and gore aside; this is one shoddy movie.