Creative, spine-tingling creepy, weird, and completely original for its time. Back before horror meant big boobs running from a silent stalker. A creative story with great faces and a twisting storyline. Excellent for Halloween or gift for any horror fan.

This anthology of four stories had a surprising number of famous stars in it. Peter Cushing is in the second story, with Christopher Lee following in the third, and Jon Pertwee (known by most Whovians as the third "Doctor Who") in the fourth.

But these famous actors cannot hide one thing: only the first of these stories involves characters directly affected by the house! The second story involves its problems with a wax museum. The third story's problem was already existant before the residents moved into the house. The final story's problem involves a vampire cloak, not the house. So when the retail agent says, "It's the house causing all this" it isn't too believable. The fact all four residents lived in the house probably doesn't matter - I'd say the whole town's a little screwy!

The first story was scary, the others are built more on storyline. However, I must admit it got a bit tiring having to sit through one story after another, particularly after the third one. Everytime a story finishes and you think the movie's over, someone says, "No wait - someone ELSE lived in that house." Insert general grumbling and rolling of eyes and gnashing of teeth and slitting of wrists...

This is a one-time viewing movie, but only if interested. Like I said, keep in mind the title is very misleading. Come to think of it, there's very little blood in this thing at all!

"The House That Dripped Blood", has always been my absolute favourite of the rich output of horror anthologies that Amicus Productions turned out in the 1960's and early 1970's. Often mistaken for Hammer Studios productions because of the frequent crossover of casts and story themes, Amicus' speciality was these multi story horror tales tied together by an overlapping framing story. Here the story revolves around a suitably creepy old house in the countryside just outside London that seems to have a strange effect on its succession of occupants. The framing story of this piece concerns the mysterious disappearance of the latest tenant, famed horror movie actor Paul Henderson (Jon Pertwee)who was renting the house while shooting his latest horror epic "Curse of the Bloodsuckers", and it revolves around the police investigation carried out by Scotland Yard's Det. Insp. Holloway (John Bennett). Along the way the inspector is introduced to the eerie history of the house and the strange fate of each of its occupants. Four excellent stories are told in flashback and each is highly entertaining in it's own unique way with great atmosphere, first rate casts and with themes including deranged stranglers, haunted wax museums, witchcraft and vampires. In short it is a horror fans smorgasbord sure to entertain.

Story One is "Method for Murder", and revolves around famed murder mystery writer Charles Hillyer (Denholm Elliot), who during a period of acute writers block takes up residence in the house with his wife Alice. Charles creates a sinister main character in his new novel called Dominic who is a deranged strangler who laughs as he murders his victims. For inspiration Charles even creates a drawing of his killer and shows it to Alice. As the novel progresses however Charles begins to question his sanity as he actually begins seeing Dominic in the house or just outside the window. When he attempts to point him out to Alice she cannot see him and after one frightening episode where Charles sees Dominic trying to strangle Alice she cries out that it was Charles himself who attacked her. When a doctor he visits to talk about this problem is strangled Charles really begins to wonder if Dominic is actually alive or is it some other sinister reason why his fictional character seems so real?

Story Two is "Waxworks", and stars the great Peter Cushing as retired Stockbroker Philip Grayson who takes out a lease on the house to get away from the fast life and many painful memories in London. While visiting the local village he comes across an old wax museum and to his horror finds one of the wax exhibits depicting Salome is an exact likeness of his old lost love. Visited by old friend Neville (Joss Ackland), Philip reluctantly takes him inside the museum where Neville who loved the same woman immediately is also taken by the resemblance. The museums strange proprietor (Woolfe Morris) relates the eerie story of the model being his murdered wife and the wax figure seems to create a strange hold over any man who gazes on her. Neville becomes besotted with the figure and cannot resist going back to the museum and when Philip goes searching for him at the museum he learns to his own detriment the deadly secret of the waxworks.

Story Three is "Sweets to the Sweet, which finds widower John Reid (Christopher Lee) and his seemingly angelic young daughter Jane (Chloe Franks) moving into the house. John has an unexplained fear of his daughter and is intent on keeping her isolated from other children of her age. He hires a nanny/teacher Anne Norton (Nyree Dawn Porter),to tutor Jane at home. Anne is repulsed by John's harsh treatment of Jane that includes destroying any toys that Anne buys for her. However first appearances in this case can be very deceptive as Anne's initial dislike of John's methods provides a logical reason only when it is too late after he starts suffering from terrifying stabbing pains in the chest and arms. Only when warned by John about his daughter does Anne discover the real story of Jane's mother and what this supposedly innocent child is capable of.

Story Four is "The Cloak", and finds the latest residence of this cursed house to be the famous horror actor Paul Henderson who to his own detriment finds himself attracted to the Gothic nature of the dwelling. He is currently starring in a dire horror effort titled "Curse of the Blood Suckers", and fed up with appearing in "Z" grade efforts goes in search of his own authentic costume. Mysteriously a business card appears on his makeup mirror which leads him to an old antique shop where he purchases a scarlet lined cloak from a seemingly decrepit old man (Geoffrey Bayldon) who in actual fact is a vampire. Before long Paul begins to discover the sinister power of this cloak as when he puts it on he has no reflection in his mirror and begins to take on the characteristics of a vampire like floating in the air and actually growing fangs and biting his leading lady the buxon Carla Lynde (Ingrid Pitt) during a love scene in the movie. Carla however is not as innocent as she first seems and eventually she reveals her true identity and real purpose to a terrified Paul who pays dearly for his quest for better quality and "authenticity" in his acting roles.

I personally love everything about this horror effort from its great title, to superbly spooky haunted house set to great cast all ideally cast in often surprisingly non typical roles. All four segments take a different approach in their storytelling and are of equal interest. Obviously with themes such as vampirism, witchcraft, voodoo and characters out of a book coming to life the proceedings are a splendid showcase for the talents involved. The British cast are all given wonderful showcases for their talents in both the large and smaller roles and Christopher Lee has the distinction of suffering probably the most horrible death of any of the characters in the stories. Story four has strong elements of humour in it which surprisingly works well within it's vampire subject matter. Remembered mainly as television's Dr. Who, Jon Pertwee is perfectly cast as the bombastic actor Paul Henderson who's disappearance sparks off the investigation around this house that literally seems to drip blood on all who live there.

Amicus Productions were expert in creating these horror anthologies and excelled in their other big effort the next year in "Tales From The Crypt", however this effort rightly takes it's place in the haunted house hall of fame and is essential viewing for all horror buffs like myself that enjoy these multi story horror tales set in creepy mist shrouded old mansions hidden away from the outside world. Make sure you visit "The House That Dripped Blood", soon but remember your stay may be a short one so enjoy it while it lasts!

This horror entry in the early 70's is a Hammeresque Tales of the Crypt kind of horror anthology, regarding four tales. And apart from the fact that at least one person who lives in the title house gets murdered, there is something regarding what the house is all about.

Detective Inspector Holloway (John Bennett) is searching for a missing film actor, Paul Henderson. Through a combination of Sergeaant Martin and the realtor, a Mr. A.J. Stoker, (get the in-joke? Bram Stoker?) he learns that the house Henderson was living in has a dark history behind it, and that some people died tragically. The inspector of course doesn't believe in superstitious nonsense.

Story one concerns a writer specializing in gruesome horror. Charles Hillyer (Denholm Elliott) and his wife stay in the house, he mainly to write his new novel. He's even inspired enough to make a drawing of the main character, a homicidal maniac named Dominick. However, things get scary when the writer starts seeing Dominick! His imagination, or is it real? This is probably the best episode here, given the right amount of suspense

"Waxworks" involves a retired stockbroker, Philip Grayson (Peter Cushing), who plans to just relax, such as reading and listening to music. However, a trip to the local wax museum stirs something in him. The statue of Salome reminds him of a beautiful woman whose photograph he has kept. He gets an unexpected visit from his friend Neville (Joss Ackland), who happened to be passing by. He also goes to the waxworks, and like Philip, recognizes the same woman.

Christopher Lee appears in "Sweets To The Sweet," the story most like a Tales From The Crypt episode. He plays John Reid, a somewhat cold widower who with his timid daughter Jane move into the house. He hires a Ms. Ann Norton (Nyree Dawn Porter) to be a private tutor for Jane. She turns out to be nice and tries to bring some sunshine into Jane's life. However, he refuses to allow Jane to play with other children or to have any toys at all. And he's apparently glad that his wife is now departed, but why is he so cruel to his own daughter? The most gruesome death of all (offscreen) happens here.

When Jon Pertwee starred in "The Cloak," he had just become famous as the Third Doctor Who, and was inbetween his first and second seasons. Here, he plays the object of the inspector's search, the vain and arrogant horror actor Paul Henderson, who buys a genuine cloak from an antique store. When he puts the cloak on, strange things happen to him, like his growing fangs. Opposite him is his fellow performer and friend Carla, played by the sensuous Ingrid Pitt, who would gain fame as Carmilla and Elisabeth Bathory in other horror films. In his memoirs, Pertwee said he based his character on Christopher Lee, but couldn't tell Lee, his friend, when the latter asked him who his inspiration for the character was. In one scene, Pitt was supposed to slap Pertwee, who asked her use the hand without her sharp rings on it. When the scene came on, she forgot. Ouch!

The last segment is particularly interesting, as the production team tried to send it up. Pertwee recalls how much of the comedy and consequently his scenes were edited out when the producer saw what was happening and got mad, but seeing that the picture was already halfway done, couldn't reshoot scenes due to budget constraints so practically all the comedy ended up on the cutting room floor to retain the seriousness of the film.

A not bad, all-star British cast in this horror anthology outing. A different style from Mario Bava's Black Sabbath to be sure, but I bet Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing were relieved not to be playing Dracula and Dr. Van Helsing for once.

This is a collection of four short narratives with a link story about the mystery of the creepy old house where all are set. In the first, a writer of horror stories fears he is going mad when the lunatic murderer he is writing about suddenly appears in his life and starts to stalk him. In the second, a respectable retired unmarried stockbroker is thrown off balance when he comes across a waxwork of a young woman that reminds him of his lost love. In the third, a young woman is hired as a governess and is puzzled to discover that her employer has forbidden his sweet little girl to play with dolls... In the fourth, a hammy old horror movie actor goes off shopping for a vampire's cloak and gets more than he bargained for. His subsequent disappearance has brought a Scotland Yard detective sniffing around whose investigations are a basis for the slender linking story.

Five stars first of all because of the title. If it isn't the best title of any movie ever, what on earth is? And you know you're into a treat when you watch the rest of the credits: Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Denholm Elliott, Joss Ackland, Ingrid Pitt... But my most vivid memory is still one of NOT seeing it. When it was released I was a wee boy of seven or eight, a good ten years younger than the certificate said I had to be to go and see it at the cinema. But I saw it advertised and was, I remember, desperately frustrated: a film with such a title could not possibly fail, my small boy's bloodthirsty imagination insisted, to be the most brilliant ever made. Older and perhaps wiser (and able to watch it as often as I like without troubling the law), I'll now concede it my well not be the most brilliant, or even anywhere near the scariest, film ever made. But I think my seven-year old self would not have been disappointed by these lovely gruesome little tales (and would not, I confidently conjecture have suffered significant psychological harm from seeing them). And even now, at my present relatively disenchanted age, I can watch it with unmitigated and not particularly guilty pleasure.