THE HOUSE OF THE LONG SHADOWS

UK, 1983, 101 minutes, Colour.
Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Desi Arnaz Jr, John Carradine, Richard Todd.
Directed by Pete Walker.

The House of the Long Shadows is the sixth version of George M. Cohen's horror spoof, Seven Keys to Baldpate. It was adapted for the screen and directed by Pete Walker, veteran of small budget British horror films including House of Whipcord, House of Moral Sin. While Desi Arnez Jnr is the lead, the film offers the opportunity for veterans of horror films to do their thing: Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Vincent Price, John Carradine. It is a pleasure to the veterans performing, remembering their styles even in parody, and the film highlights the artificiality by its being a contrived drama to frighten the would-be novelist. Richard Todd appears also in a supporting role. For nostalgia, for horror fans.

1. The popularity of the horror film? Its genre, conventions? The significance of the cast, audience expectations from them?
2. Seven Keys to Baldpate, a popular horror spoof? Updated to the 80s?

3. The atmosphere of the 80s, London, Wales, the house itself? The gothic atmosphere of the house? Musical Score?

4. Kenneth and his brashness, the American novelist, popular in style, interested in money? The friendship with Sam, the discussion of the books and the publicity? The chance encounter with Mary? The bet?

5. Kenneth and his drive to Wales, meeting Mary at the station, the young couple? The station master? Eeriness, darkness, Kenneth lost? His arrival at the house, the darkness? His beginning to write and his experience?

6. The emergence of the housekeepers, their tone, sinister? Plausible presence? The keys? Mary's arrival, her melodramatics, plea, conspiracies? The final revelation of the truth?

7. The brother arriving, his being allowed in? The reasons given for his passing by? His drinking? The second brother arriving, from the U.S.? The reunion?

8. The story of the family, its sinister overtones, Roderick and the rape, his being locked in the house? The noises in the house, the brain? The meal?

9. Corrigan's arrival, his style, wanting to buy the house? Wanting to leave, the slashed tyres?

10. The young couple, their sudden arrival, their bickering? Their deaths?

11. The passages in the house, the effect on Kenneth, on Mary? the growing number of corpses? The deaths of the brothers, the housekeepers? Corrigan revealed as Roderick? The horror, the shadows?

12. The irony of the group all being actors? The action in retrospect? The irony of them all being part of Kenneth's manuscript?

13. His return to London, Sam, the winning of the bet? The irony of seeing Mary as Sam's secretary? The Vincent Price character as a waiter in the restaurant?

14. The film as an exercise in the horror genre? The performance of the stars and capitalising on their screen personae?