70's British Horror Part Twenty

WHAT BECAME OF JACK AND JILL?
(1972)
Dir - Bill Bain
Overall: MEH

At the turn of the 70s, Amicus Pictures attempted to break into more strictly exploitative terrain to counter act their excellent, contemporary-set anthology films.  What Became of Jack and Jill?, (an adaptation of Laurence Moody's novel The Ruthless Ones), was the lone result of this concept and it is a rather stodgy one at that.  Australian director Bill Bain spent the later years of his career working in Britain, never on anything that substantial.  Not that the blame lies exclusively at his feet here, but this is mostly sluggish, uninteresting scenes set to no music.  Because the story plays out as a combination of unpleasant and boring, it fails to create a properly moody atmosphere.  Instead, we just watch a lazy, scumbag young couple vaguely torment and manipulate an elderly woman into thinking the youth is out to get old people as they wait for her to croak so that they can carelessly spend her inheritance.  As an interesting side note, this would be the penultimate film appearance from Vanessa Howard, who would abruptly, (and to some, mysteriously), retire after the following year's The Picture of Dorian Gray television production.

TALES THAT WITNESS MADNESS
(1973)
Dir - Freddie Francis
Overall: MEH

In the midst of working for both Hammer and Amicus on a consistent stream of horror properties, director Freddie Francis made a brief detour with the lesser known World Film Services while sticking with the exact same sort of material, namely anthology horror.  Tales That Witness Madness has Donald Pleasence and Joan Collins on board as well as a small hodgepodge of other familiar British character actors, many of which regularly appeared in other such omnibus productions.  Scripted by actress Jennifer Jayne, (whose only other writing credit was the same year's Harry Nilsson-starred spoof Son of Dracula, also helmed by Francis), its segment concepts are either generic or positively odd.  There is the standard, imaginary friend story, but that is followed by one where a portrait of someone's uncle possesses him to ride a penny-farthing bicycle to travel back and time, (?!?), and then one where a tree and a wife jealously fight over the same man's affections.  The most unsettling comes last and involves some sort of Hawaiian pagan ceremony in which Doctor Who's Mary Tamm plays a significant role.  None of the stories are poor, but they and the presentation is pretty formulaic, be it still mildly enjoyable.

DRACULA
(1974)
Dir - Dan Curtis
Overall: MEH

A dream team collaboration of sorts between prolific horror television director Dan Curtis, prolific horror screenwriter and I Am Legend author Richard Matheson, and Jack Palance rather ideally cast in the title role, this British, 1974 televised adaptation of Dracula is mostly of note for said personnel being involved.  As far as offering up anything unique against the enormous crop of other versions, this was the first to portray the Count and Vlad Țepeș as the same person and also the first to introduce the concept of a resurrected love, Lucy in this case.  Otherwise, it is a polished, adequately produced interpretation, but also one that mostly feels rushed.  Usually the first act between Dracula and Johnathan Harker at the former's Gothic Transylvanian residence is the most atmospheric and moody, but it is regrettably gotten out of the way quickly here.  Then, entire other characters and sub-plots such as Quincey Morris, John Seward, and even Reinfeld are omitted altogether.  This is not particularly singular amongst Dracula films which often slice and dice the source material to make for something more compact though.  Those familiar with the rightfully better known Dracula movies will not have a hard time keeping up with the hurried presentation, but so many have been made that this one inevitably bleeds together with the rest.  Pun intended.