Sally the Zombie Cheerleader's School of Horror presents a comedic gem that teams William Castle with Hammer Films: The Old Dark House.
Directed by Castle and scripted by Robert Dillion, this Dark House is at most a loose remake of James Whale's 1935 classic (which made it a point to adhere to J.B. Priestly's 1928 novel, Benighted), but if one favors The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, it's apt to tickle the funny bone. Its opening credits were even rendered by beloved, macabre cartoonist, Charles Addams.
For the color, 1963 redux, Tom (Zotz!/The Bob Newhart Show/Newhart/Mork & Mindy) Poston stars as Tom Penderel, an American, car salesman in London, on a Dartmoor, Devon excursion for his roommate, whose family resides in gloomy Femm Hall (the same, movie site featured in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Vampyres, The Brides of Dracula, Plague of the Zombies and The Legend of Hell House). The situation takes a troubling turn when the members' dangerous eccentricities become more than poor Tom can handle, with each seeking a substantial inheritance.
To heighten the gallows humor, the supporting cast brings out the best in Poston's excellent "everyman" and includes Robert (The African Queen/Around the World in 80 Days 1956) Morley; Janette (Day of the Triffids 1963/Paranoiac) Scott; Peter (The African Queen/Dr. Strangelove) Bull; Mervyn (Scrooge 1951/Dead of Night 1945) Johns; Fenella (Drop Dead Darling/The Zany Adventures of Robin Hood) Fielding; Joyce (The Bells of/The Pure Hell of St. Trinian's) Grenfell; and Danny (The 7th Voyage of Sinbad/The Lady Killers 1955) Green.
Sally performs another outstanding service by enlightening her avid Fleshies on the movie's production (and its occasional goofs), tossing her tasty tidbits from a number of pedagogical angles.
I like this episode a lot, both the film and Sally's wily wraparounds. You will, too. Catch the old, dark hijinks at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdDH47L8lGc
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