Theatre of blood Okay I've left this for a while but it had to come eventually. Like any ensemble film it's a great hunting ground for Collection members but I think really its the best.
I stole this cast list from The Bible for your delight and delectation:
- Vincent Price .... Edward Lionheart
- Diana Rigg .... Edwina Lionheart
- Ian Hendry (I) .... Peregrine Devlin
- Harry Andrews .... Trevor Dickman
- Coral Browne .... Miss Chloe Moon
- Robert Coote .... Oliver Larding
- Jack Hawkins .... Solomon Psaltery
- Michael Hordern .... George Maxwell
- Arthur Lowe .... Horace Sprout
- Robert Morley (I) .... Meredith Merridew
- Dennis Price (I) .... Hector Snipe
- Milo O'Shea .... Inspector Boot
- Eric Sykes .... Sergeant Dogge
- Madeline Smith .... Rosemary
- Diana Dors .... Maisie Psaltry
- Joan Hickson .... Mrs. Sprout
- RenŽe Asherson .... Mrs. Maxwell
- Bunny Reed .... Policeman
- Charles Gray (I) .... Solomon Psaltery (uncredited) (voice)
Any one of these is a Collection member just for being in this fillm but a few deserve more of mention:
Milo O'Shea: Because he's actually rather good in Barbarella (no that isn't in, way too easy)
Dennis Price: Because he was brilliant in everything he did, probably even his last but one(?) film; Vampiros Lesbos (sound track isn't as good as you might be led to believe)
Vincent Price; because he was just a total funkster and seemed to have a sense of humour about everything he did, even his interest in extremely contemporary art
Best line: "It must be Lionheart; only he'd have the temerity to rewrite Shakespeare"
Best scene; Robert Morely is force fed his own pet poodles
The whole film works because its played absolutely straight most of the way through. (Erik Sykes' death is a bit smug and self-conscious, can a death bit self-conscious? Yeah it can; As a comic actor I feel Eric Sykes often belies what he is trying to do, its like he knows that you know that he knows he's being funniy, sort of thing).
Finally it has the best use of tramps I've ever seen!