Fabulous Films, out now

In a deserted house, a desperate writer comes seeking a story. But in this house there is a room for every nightmare and a nightmare in every room.

Horror auteur Pete Walker’s final movie is a fun and knowing pastiche of horror movies, deliberately packed with every genre cliche going. It is of course best remembered as the movie that unites horror icons Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and John Carradine, and their presence alone justifies a watch of this good-natured horror picture.

Desi Arnaz Jr is the frustrated author who holes up in the old dark house, mainly the real-life location of Rotherfield Park, where he meets the masters of horror and other victims in waiting. It’s not original – it doesn’t try to be – and most of the enjoymnent is derived from the veterans playing off against one another and delivering fruity dialogue. It really doesn’t matter who’s doing the killing, it’s the colourful performances that we’re here for.

Fabulous Films’ release boasts a crisp HD transfer and some welcome extras. In addition to a 15-minute chat with Walker, there’s an audio commentary with him and Derek Pykett, whose 2012 feature-length documentary House of the Long Shadows… Revisited is also included. It may be low budget and presented in standard definition, but it’s a labour of love, interviewing as many of the creatives as possible. There’s also a photo gallery, trailer and double-sided poster of all-new Graham Humphreys artwork.

Verdict: There’s so much to learn here about this minor Golan-Globus production, which gets a top-drawer release. 9/10

Nick Joy