The Shuttered Room (1967)

★ 6.0 1h 39m IMDb

Drama Horror Mystery

In a small island off the American coast, the Whateleys live in an old mill where a mysterious bloody being creates an atmosphere of horror. After her parents get killed by lightning, young Susannah is sent to New York by her aunt Agatha, who wants her to avoid the family curse. Years later Susannah, now married, persuades her husband to spend a holiday in the abandoned mill. Once on the island, Susannah and Mike soon find themselves exposed to the hostility of a gang of thugs led by Ethan, Susannah's brutal cousin.

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Cast

Gig Young as Mike Kelton Died 1978 · Saint Cloud, Minnesota, USA Gig Young (born Byron Elsworth Barr; November 4, 1913 – October 19, 1978) was an American actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in Come Fill the...

Carol Lynley as Susannah Whately Kelton / Sarah Died 2019 · New York City, New York, USA From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Carol Lynley (born Carole Ann Jones; February 13, 1942 – September 3, 2019) was an American actress and child model. Lynley began her career as a child model un...

Oliver Reed as Ethan Died 1999 · Wimbledon, London, England, UK Robert Oliver Reed (February 13, 1938 – May 2, 1999) was an English actor known for his "hellraiser" lifestyle. After making his first significant screen appearances in Hammer Horror films in the earl...

Flora Robson as Aunt Agatha Died 1984 · South Shields, (which was then in County Durham), England From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Dame Flora McKenzie Robson, DBE (28 March 1902 – 7 July 1984) was an English actress and star of the theatrical stage and cinema, particularly renowned for her p...

Judith Arthy as Emma Age 85 · Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Judith Arthy (born 12 November 1940) is an Australian retired actress and writer..

Director David Greene

Cast Gig Young, Carol Lynley, Oliver Reed, Flora Robson, Judith Arthy, Ann Bell, William Devlin, Charles Lloyd Pack, Bernard Kay, Rick Jones

Wuchak 8/10 Feb 15, 2019

***Eerie mood and scenes that burn into your psyche***

A well-to-do man and his young wife (Gig Young and Carol Lynley) visit an island off the coast of New England, which was the childhood home of the wife. They are harassed by ruffians and learn that her now-dilapidated estate is haunted or cursed. Although warned to leave by the locals they decide to stick around. Havoc ensues.

“The Shuttered Room,” aka “Blood Island” (1967), is a drama/mystery with horror elements based on a story by August Derleth and H. P. Lovecraft. I saw it as a kid and certain scenes were effectively burned into my memory, like the gravel-surfing gang and the surfer thrust into the barbed-wire fence, the old crone eerily rocking on her perch in the tower and the spooky POV shots of the unseen presence in the old mill spying on what's happening below. Other memorable elements are the awesome Crested Serpent Eagle and the offbeat jazzy score.

Oliver Reed is great as the head ruffian likely because he was a drunken brawler in real life. He has that captivating Brando aura, but with a more sinister bent.

Carol Lynley (from 1972's "The Poseidon Adventure") was 24 during shooting and she's breathtaking. It's strange that her character, Susannah, is married to a man played by Gig Young in the story since he was in his early 50s, but it happens. Besides, he hardly seemed “old” and could clearly handle himself.

The story takes place on an island off the coast of New England but it was shot at Kent and Hardingham, England. Although these are excellent locations you can tell it's not a New England isle. Why didn't they simply change the setting to England? Some complain about the revelation of the unseen presence at the end, but it worked for me. In fact, I found it surprising; it’s also realistic. Real life is creepier than fantasy. That's all I’ll say without spoiling it.

Although it may be kind of boring to modern viewers, "The Shuttered Room" works so well (for me) because it creates an eerie mood, has striking characters played by quality actors and has a handful of memorable scenes that burn into your psyche. It's a mystery/horror flick not in the sense that it's uber-scary and gory, but rather weird, creepy and disturbing in an understated way.

The film runs 1 hour, 38 minutes

GRADE: B+/A-