Dan O'Bannon, after "The Return of the Living Dead", directs his second and last feature film, this one based on H. P. Lovecraft's story "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward".
Claire Ward (Jane Sibbett) hires the services of private detective John March (John Terry) in order to discover what her husband Charles Dexter Ward (Chris Sarandon), a chemical engineer, is doing always isolated in a remote house that he recently discovered to be property of his family for centuries.
The first half of the film already captivates the viewer with the unfolding of the investigation plot and already contains some disturbing images, but the tension increases in the second half when they enter the catacombs of the old house and discover macabre secrets.
But I won't reveal anything more so as not to spoil the story for potential viewers who haven't seen the movie yet. I just can't rank it higher because the final part has some questionable elements (in my opinion), including something that seems to me to go against the rules previously established, or did I miss something? I think I'm not wrong here, but watch it yourself and draw your own conclusions.
For fans of Lovecraft and body horror I highly recommend it. Very good, almost great. It is undoubtedly a movie that deserves more recognition.
Claire Ward (Jane Sibbett) hires the services of private detective John March (John Terry) in order to discover what her husband Charles Dexter Ward (Chris Sarandon), a chemical engineer, is doing always isolated in a remote house that he recently discovered to be property of his family for centuries.
The first half of the film already captivates the viewer with the unfolding of the investigation plot and already contains some disturbing images, but the tension increases in the second half when they enter the catacombs of the old house and discover macabre secrets.
But I won't reveal anything more so as not to spoil the story for potential viewers who haven't seen the movie yet. I just can't rank it higher because the final part has some questionable elements (in my opinion), including something that seems to me to go against the rules previously established, or did I miss something? I think I'm not wrong here, but watch it yourself and draw your own conclusions.
For fans of Lovecraft and body horror I highly recommend it. Very good, almost great. It is undoubtedly a movie that deserves more recognition.