A lord returns to his manor with his new wife, to hear rumors that he had already secretly returned and had committed several murders. Has he lost his mind, or is something dark afoot?A lord returns to his manor with his new wife, to hear rumors that he had already secretly returned and had committed several murders. Has he lost his mind, or is something dark afoot?A lord returns to his manor with his new wife, to hear rumors that he had already secretly returned and had committed several murders. Has he lost his mind, or is something dark afoot?
Francis De Wolff
- Black John
- (as Francis de Wolff)
Kathy McDonald
- Kate
- (as Kathy MacDonald)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe original UK cinema version was cut by the BBFC to edit the opening forest murder. All later releases feature the same cut print.
- GoofsThe mysterious nocturnal opening of Anne's window is to be remedied with bars placed across it - but when the workmen are seen at work, they are going to bar a sash window, which doesn't open outwards, but slides one panel of panes behind another. Furthermore, the bars are on the inside of the window, so why were the workmen climbing ladders on the outside of the house? They would have done the work inside the house. As noted above, when the workmen are working on the window, it is a sash window, but when seen from the inside, as when it is flapping in the wind, Lady Anne's window opens like a door.
- Alternate versionsCut by the BBFC for its 1964 and 1970 UK cinema release. These cuts seem to have persisted into all home video releases since, albeit with the rating reducing from X, AA, 15 down to 12.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Aweful Movies with Deadly Earnest: The Black Torment (1973)
Featured review
A slow-moving mystery in the Hammer mould
THE BLACK TORMENT (1964) is an early film in the career of director Robert Hartford-Davis, best known for his shocking later works like CORRUPTION and THE FIEND. This one is a much tamer effort that plays out as more of a spooky mystery than a horror film, although it has a couple of shock scenes in the latter half. The story involves a wealthy heir and his new bride returning to his ancestral home, only to discover a string of brutal murders plaguing the area - and his own household!
For a slow-moving mystery like this, it's not hard to work out the denouement, although there are a few surprises in store at the end. It looks and feels very much like a Hammer horror in terms of the 18th century setting and backdrop of aristocrats and working class servants. It also doesn't have much going for it, feeling a little tame and long-winded, and isn't one I'd watch a second time now that I know the outcome. It does also suffer from having a stiff lead in the form of John Turner, but the supporting cast, which includes Francis de Wolff, Peter Arne and Patrick Troughton, adds some colour. Certainly not a "bad" film per se, but one I struggle to get too excited about.
For a slow-moving mystery like this, it's not hard to work out the denouement, although there are a few surprises in store at the end. It looks and feels very much like a Hammer horror in terms of the 18th century setting and backdrop of aristocrats and working class servants. It also doesn't have much going for it, feeling a little tame and long-winded, and isn't one I'd watch a second time now that I know the outcome. It does also suffer from having a stiff lead in the form of John Turner, but the supporting cast, which includes Francis de Wolff, Peter Arne and Patrick Troughton, adds some colour. Certainly not a "bad" film per se, but one I struggle to get too excited about.
helpful•11
- Leofwine_draca
- Jun 17, 2022
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Das Grauen auf Black Torment
- Filming locations
- The Vyne, Basingstoke, Hampshire, UK(exterior and interior of Fordyke Hall)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 25 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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