Tower of Evil

Plot synopsis:
The movie opens with a boat cruising through heavy fog, on a spooky night. The boat lands on a rocky island (Snape) and two older seaman go on shore. Soon they find a severed hand with a large spider on it. After they see the male body it was attached too, they decide to go into the lighthouse to investigate. Sure enough, they find a female body with a severed head. They split up and find another murdered body. Then they find a live, young woman, Penny, hiding in a closet. Traumatized to an extreme, she stabs the older of the men who finds her to death. The other man (the captain) of the boat survived.
Next, she is being examined by Dr.s who talk about her state of shock and how she and her friends made it to Snape Island. After running tests they try to find out more of what happened.Penny starts to talk and remember how her friends arrived. And then she starts to scream as the flash backs disturb her.
After hearing about this, a group of scientists decide to venture to the Island. They also know that the Island is loaded with gold and Phoenician treasures. Eventually, the team of 7 ventures out to sea to investigate the Island, on the Sea Ghost. This is captained by the seaman who survived the opening scene, and 2 women and 4 other men are his crew.
They land and immediately start to see strange things, like a lack of sea gulls, other forms of life, and a mystery. No one believes that Penny killed anyone but the old man. They suspect that the island has another inhabitant.
As the men empty the boat, the women argue over the men. Jealousy and love triangles are apparent and the head of the expedition(Dr. Simpson) breaks away to look at a stashed away sack.Mean while the captain sees a picture of his brother in the mansion.He explains to the others that his brother, sister in law and their child all died on this God forsaken island.
Then the movie cuts back to the main land where the Dr. is hypnotizing Penny. She is seeing the past. The murder of her friends by a large, laughing, bearded, psycho. The disturbing scenes show what really happened to her 3 friends. Penny comes to and scream violently. Back on the island, the team is discussing the island's history when all of a sudden a strange noise can be heard. They all split to see what it is. Two of the team bump into each other. Though the woman is terrified she learns that some of the team members have been to the island before and are keeping that quiet.
Afterward they are all shown together. Dr. Simpson decides to check on the boat, or so he says. But before he goes, he says that the 3 young people must have been murdered by a mad man, and he believes the mad man is still on the island.
While two people go upstairs to have intercourse, the rest of the men go out to look for the Dr. They find that someone has blow up the boat. The young man having sex with the lovely Nora, runs down to the boat. Nora, alone, wanders and is stalked by the murderer. Before he gets her he sees a decomposing body in a rocker. She screamed and passed out. After the others came running and found Nora and the body they demand answers from their captain. He admits that he has been lying and keeping secrets. He tells of how his sister in law, the corpse, died and how his brother Saul is still there, living in the caves under the house.
The madmen has also destroyed their radio. The men decide to go in pairs to find Saul. The women stay inside and talk about the story they have just heard. Though the the captain and his search partner have found Saul's cave, Nora's friend Rose, hears a man weeping. She investigates, looking through a wall. She finally sees Saul, rocking the corpse of his dead wife. He hears her and stalks. Instead he makes it into Nora's room. Terrified, she runs to the top of the lighthouse where Saul throws her over, onto the rocks below. Seeing that she is dead, the remaining female and the 2 other men go into cave together. Meanwhile the Dr. who is near a coffin has found the treasure. He hears that strange sound again, like a flute, and peruses it. Then, after he leaves the captain's search partner finds the treasure. As soon as he looks it over, he hears Saul laugh, and the Saul cashes in on him.Shortly after, the remaining 5 meet up in the cave. The Dr. explains that fired his gun at Saul and has been stalking him all night.Then the creepy flute music starts. Rose and Dan, one of the men, stay at the treasure while the captain the Dr. and the other man go looking for Saul. At the treasure Rose is looking at a gold lantern and Saul, from out of nowhere attacks. Dan comes to help, but the large Saul breaks his neck. With all of the screaming the 3 men reappear, and shoot Saul dead.
The Dr. later admits that he came to the island before and left a boat and supplies on the other side of the island. The captain stays with Rose and the 2 men left go to get the boat and some of the artifacts. Then Rose and the captain go inside and talk about Saul and his diseased family. The captain says that Martha never wanted his brother Saul to be reported. Then he encouraged her to get some sleep. She decides to wait up and he goes upstairs. Then the captain comes back down bleeding to death. He says the name Michael, Saul's son, and dies. Then the deformed son of Saul, Michael attacks Rose. She throws an oil lamp at him and sets him on fire. As he burns to death the whole house and cave catch on fire as Saul had it rigged to. Rose narrowly escapes and the 2 surviving men get out of the cave to watch the house and it's mad dwellers burn to ashes. Thank you for reading! blogmonstermike.wordpress.com

Tags: good versus evil, violence, murder, flashback

Review:
As early 70s horror flicks go, Tower of Evil (a.k.a Horror of Snape Island) has a greater-than-expected amount of sex and gore.
Once there, the archaeologists soon learn that their lives are in grave danger, as they are picked off one by one by an unknown killer.Tower of Evil has become a cult film, probably because it's so bad that in some ways it's perversely good.
I can't imagine this film being of particular interest to most viewers, but if you like 70s British horror, or are interested in how sex and gore have evolved over the years in horror cinema, then it may be worth catching..
It is exactly in the middle between old-fashioned 60s Hammer horror and 80s splatter movies, which means there are still traces of gothic atmosphere like the lighthouse in the fog, but already a few effective, vicious shock effects, too..
TOWER OF EVIL Aspect ratio: 1.85:1Sound format: MonoWhilst searching for ancient treasure on a lighthouse-island off the British coastline, an archaeological expedition becomes isolated from the mainland and is stalked by a monstrous assassin.A trash classic from the heyday of British exploitation, TOWER OF EVIL was helmed and written by Jim O'Connolly, a journeyman director whose career peaked several years earlier with THE VALLEY OF GWANGI (1968), one of Ray Harryhausen's best films.
Thrown together on a microscopic budget, and based on a script by novelist George Baxt (responsible for such memorable British thrillers as CIRCUS OF HORRORS, THE CITY OF THE DEAD and NIGHT OF THE EAGLE), "Tower..." hedges its commercial bets by emphasizing a couple of high profile cameos (Dennis Price and Anthony Valentine) and foregrounding liberal doses of self-conscious nudity and gore.
The opening scenes - in which crusty sea dogs Jack Watson and George Coulouris visit the eponymous lighthouse and stumble on a series of mutilated corpses - sets the tone for much of what follows, and while the main cast are pretty colorless, their mutual antagonism (borne from a convoluted history of infidelity) adds much-needed shading to the basic narrative outline.Mounted on sparse but effective studio sets (designed by THE Italian JOB's Disley Jones), and photographed by veteran cinematographer Desmond Dickinson - a major player in the glory days of British cinema, whose resumé includes everything from Olivier's HAMLET (1948) to THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST (1952), HORRORS OF THE BLACK MUSEUM (1959) and A STUDY IN TERROR (1965) - the film is cheapened at every turn by amateurish dialogue and threadbare visual effects (no attempt is made to disguise back-projected elements during scenes on the 'open sea', for instance), but these cut-price elements have simply contributed to the film's enduring appeal.
Besides, the movie makes few pretensions to 'Art', and O'Connolly stages the major set-pieces with real technical savvy, culminating in a 'twist' ending which seems to have inspired a similar plot development in Tom De Simone's superior HELL NIGHT (1981).The cast is toplined by Bryant Haliday (a favorite of producer Richard Gordon), former Broadway actress Jill Haworth (THE HAUNTED HOUSE OF HORROR), Mark Edwards (BLOOD FROM THE MUMMY'S TOMB) and Derek Fowlds (TV's "Yes, Minister"), while the younger players include Robin Askwith (already a movie veteran, long before his appearance in the "Confessions..." films), physique model John Hamill (a familiar face in UK exploitation movies of the 1970's, and later the co-writer of Bob Clark's TURK 182!), Candace Glendenning (SATAN'S SLAVE) and the late Anna Palk (in her last screen appearance), all of whom are featured in various states of undress.
There's a lot of "whose been sleeping in my bed" antics before the truth about the island is uncovered.The underground worship chamber is by far the funniest horror set I have ever seen.All in all for film history's sake and a nice slice of 70's nudity mixed with chills and thrills, this is the best of it's kind.Did I mention hot men and sweet women are starked naked most of the time?
Folks investigating a strange series of murders on a tiny island are being attacked and killed by an unseen presence.This moody British horror film was made several years before the "stalk 'n' slash" genre kicked off, yet this atmospheric chiller possesses a number of elements that would later become popular in the modern horror genre.
At the same time it has the sense of an old Gothic horror film as well, with its gloomy atmosphere and dark setting.
The twists in this film are truly fun and surprising and the musical score adds a real sense of unease to the well directed carnage and misty vistas (hats off to Jim O'Connolly!) So what are you waiting for--this is now out on DVD and looks crisp and vivid.
A group of sex-starved,pot-smoking and constantly quarreling archaeologists travel to a lighthouse-island called Snape Island,where three American teenagers were butchered by unknown killer.It's reported that there is a treasure hidden in the Phoenician tomb on wind-swept isle.When they reach the shore of Snape Island they quickly become hunted and murdered by elusive killer.Ugly and gory British shocker set on an abandoned island with creepy looking lighthouse.The characters are often unpleasant and irritating,so I had fun watching them die.There is plenty of sex and nudity and the gore is quite nasty."Tower of Evil" aka "Horror on the Snape Island" will surely creep you out.8 out of 10..
Pretty creepy opening shot of a fog shrouded lighthouse on a rocky island lets you know there are some thrills on the way.This is a little ahead of its time as far as the old hat "have sex and die" plotline goes.
A private investigator joins a museum group to Snape Island.They are looking for Phoenecian treasure.He wants to clear the name of the only survivor of the massacre.The two avenues for the trip eventually tie into each other.But not before a few more brutal murders spices up the pot.
The sets are creepy enough,especially the light house and the island itself.Many nasty looking corpses with crabs skittering around(hey get the butter!)on them are unnerving.There is a real overwhelming sense of claustrophobia to this movie.A slice & dice above average.Give it a 6..
We are forced to watch a bunch of promiscuous stoners lumbering about the poorly designed sets, and despite the fact that this is supposed to be brainless 'fun'; staying awake soon becomes a major problem.I make a habit of seeing obscure horror films, and usually this turns out to be a fruitful endeavour, which makes films like this even more of a nuisance.
It's unoriginal, it's dull and although most films like this aren't life-affirming experiences; this one doesn't even manage to lampoon the 'fun' element that most B-movies get right on.
It didn't become truly comical most of the time--and at some points, there was actually a feeling of suspense, and the atmosphere was pretty good for a trashy horror film.
But this movie still work to collect, if you are horror film's big fan.IN LAST, JUST NEVER GET IN TO THE EVIL ISLAND!!!
But, this film here is just a VERY basic, simple British Gothic Horror film, somewhat like Hammer's movies, just not quite as good.
I also did appreciate that too, since I generally love films with lots of mood and atmosphere, especially ones that are set in a real Gothic area like the moors for example, where 'THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES' takes place.
But, honestly, other than a real nice looking island and a sort-of castle (tower...?) and a pretty good creepy atmosphere, and admittedly some nudity and some semi-graphic violence for the time, still when all is said and done, there really isn't that much to the story, at least in my lowly and wretched opinion.One thing that does help greatly is that the acting is pretty decent throughout; I mean, it could have been a HELL of a lot worse for such a low-budget film.
And, everyone at least takes the story seriously and seems like they are trying their best.It's just at the end you are kind of going, 'That's it...?' I pretty much guessed what was going on, and even when you do find out for sure, it really isn't that big of a deal.
I think that even with the story as it is, if they could have somehow built up more about the family who had been staying on the island and given us some depth and background, that might have gone a long way toward involving us more in the story, I don't know...Well, going by most of the reviews, I guess what will help you decide whether you want to take the time to see this or not, would be if you REALLY love the old Hammer films or old British Gothic Horror stories in general, then you might have a good chance of liking this movie.
I have a LOT of Blu-rays, and even compared to many films that are 20 to 30 years newer than this one, this one looks SO damn detailed and sharp and real, that you feel like you can literally just walk right into the screen and onto the island.
Usually I really like a film more than I think most others will, so I feel that I should temper the rating and give it 1 less than what I feel personally it merits...So, I hope that that gives you enough to go on and will help you somewhat in deciding whether you want to watch this atmospheric Gothic Horror story or not....
Horror fanatics should be able to appreciate the film "Tower of Evil" from producer Richard Gordon and screenwriter / director Jim O'Connolly; it's as good - well, maybe not "good", but certainly it's as much fun - as a midnight movie can get.
It gets a lot out of its main location, a gloomy looking island off the British coast where a sailor is butchered by a naked American tourist who's clearly gone mad; other dead bodies are found, and the police assume the tourist did it...but others aren't so sure, and when ancient Phoenician treasure is also found on the island, an expedition is launched not only to find out what the big mystery is, but naturally to obtain more treasure.
A capable group of actors does their best with the material, and it certainly doesn't hurt at all that all of the ladies present are real lookers - Jill Haworth as Rose, Anna Palk as Nora, Candace Glendenning as Penny, and Seretta Wilson as Mae. Bryant Haliday of "Curse of the Voodoo" and "The Projected Man" fares well as stoic hero Evan Brent, and William Lucas, Anthony Valentine, Jack Watson, Mark Edwards, Derek Fowlds, Dennis Price, George Coulouris, and Robin Askwith (of various "Confessions" comedies) round out the cast.
An old sailor and his son Hamp (Jack Watson) travel to fog-bound Snape Island where they discover the mutilated bodies of three young Americans, before encountering a deranged naked girl who attacks and kills the father with a dagger.
Knocked unconscious by Hamp, the girl, Penny (Candace Glendenning), is taken to a secure hospital in a catatonic state where a doctor uses a large set of disco lights to try and unlock the secrets of her mind.Meanwhile, a team of archaeologists with complicated love lives pay a visit to the island to try and locate the rumoured 3000 year old burial chamber of a Phoenician captain; they are joined by private investigator Brent (Bryant Halliday), who has been hired by Penny's parents to prove their daughter's innocence, and Hamp, who brings along his randy nephew Brom (Gary Hamilton).
Once on the island, the group find themselves in mortal danger, hunted by a cackling unseen madman.What Tower of Evil lacks in logic and finesse, it sure makes up for with gore, gratuitous nudity and atmosphere.
Penny's flashbacks offer up further nudity, as she remembers frolicking outside in the raw with her boyfriend (despite the clearly inclement weather) while Askwith takes yet another opportunity to show us his bare ass.With a really eerie location at his disposal, director Jim O'Connolly (The Valley of Gwangi) achieves some genuinely suspenseful moments, wisely keeping his killer heard but not seen, and maintains a decent pace throughout, even when the action is limited to characters wandering aimlessly around the rocky island and its network of caves.7.5 out of 10, rounded up to 8 for the delectable Anna Palk as Nora, who has a gratuitous sex scene with Brom, and for the wonderfully icky putrefying corpse of Hamp's dead brother's wife Martha..
The recovery of the girl allows the flashbacks to plenty of nude dealings here with the different couples being stalked and killed off while usually engaging in amorous activities that display plenty of flesh throughout so there's a lot to like with that being done while apart of the film's best parts of utilizing the setting to maximum effect.
The third story involving the research team is a little clichéd as it deals with the eventual appearance of the hermit-like creature as a total surprise even though it was used as a reveal back in the second one so the numerous stalking scenes here come off quite lame and counter-intuitive of what it's trying as it goes about doing all this set-up for a payoff already given earlier.
It's all quite fun and really makes better use of it's screen-time than the rest of the segment as well as the first part of the film, which is just quite lame and confusing as it deals with the arrival of the hermit on the island and does nothing really enjoyable with it.
Great atmospheric British horror film..
The film opens to shots of a very fake looking model of a run down abandoned lighthouse on Snape Island, the credits appear over this sequence.
The island and run down lighthouse reek of atmosphere, the creaking sets look great.
This film also contains one of the worst special effects I've seen in a long time, as the group travel from the mainland to Snape Island the filmmakers used a boat in a studio and a back projected sea, which looks and feels awful.
A solid British murder mystery horror film with a great atmosphere that's well worth a look.
I enjoyed watching this, despite reading bad reviews about it.A group of young Americans drop off at a deserted lighthouse to spend the night there but all but one of them are bumped off, the survivor being a girl who kills a sailor, thinking he was the murderer.
He is killed at the end but his even more mutated son then appears, kills a man and the whole place then burns down.Tower of Evil is British made and is rather scary once on the island, where most of the scenes are shot in the dark.Quite a few familiar stars are in the cast: Bryant Haliday (The Projected Man, Devil Doll), Robin Askworth (Horror Hospital, Confessions of a Window Cleaner), Dennis Price (Twins of Evil, The Earth Dies Screaming), Derek Fowlds (Oscar Blaketon in Heartbeat), Anthony Valentine (To the Devil a Daughter), George Coulouris (Citizen Kane) and Jill Haworth.If you are a fan of 1970's horror, this is for you.
Snape Island, containing a lighthouse, with caves underneath containing artifacts/treasure(..basically a few necklaces, ancient sword, sarcophagus, & idol statue) of a Phoenican god, is the setting for this horror film(..which also goes under the title, "The Tower of Evil")from director Jim O'Connolly(The Valley of Gwangi).
After their boat has been dynamited and radio smashed, the group are in dire shape, needing to survive first and then find a way of getting off the damned island.I was startled at the sexually frank dialogue and overall nature of the film.
This is very much like a Hammer Horror flick (which are usually boring), with the difference that sex plays a big part in the script; almost every character is either talking about it, doing it, or trying to sort out their complex love-life.
While some parts are enjoyably cheesy now, you won't be disappointed if you see this under-rated chiller which plays a bit like a slasher film, with teenagers being killed in violent ways.
Oddly, the nudity made little sense because the film was set on an island in Britain (and you DON'T want to run around naked there--especially at night--it's just too cold!).
What I would like to know, though, is how this lady not only knew what she and her boyfriend were doing (this mostly involved getting naked and her saying 'she wasn't THAT kind of girl' when he later wanted to have sex?!?) but she also detailed what the other couple was doing on another part of the island at the same time!!
Oddly, no one in the group that then heads back to the island appears to be an archaeologist or anthropologist--just a motley crew of adventurers who look nothing like the sort to investigate--particularly the slutty lady whose only interest in life is sex.
Something is loose on the island and starts to hunt them down...A pretty dull horror film.
This movie is somewhere between a slasher flick and a Hammer Horror movie.The plot is that some dead teens are found on an Island, and are followed up by some museum people looking for a lost treasure of an ancient idol of Baal.
The whole Baal subplot is silly and doesn't really belong there, other than a device to get people on the island to be picked off by a rather pathetic killer.There is copious amounts of nudity and sex scenes you'd never see today because we are all too stuffy about that sort of thing.The makeup is cheap, and when you get to the money shot at the end where the monster is revealed, he looks just kind of silly..
Also the fake looking sets and the pointless many sex- and nude scene's make this movie a poor entry in the horror genre.
Lot's of horror fans of '70's movies will be disappointed by this also because it isn't really an entertaining one to watch.
People go to investigate a murder and look for treasure on Snape Island.