This incredibly average horror film was the last film released during Boris Karloff's lifetime- here we see him as he literally is approaching death and yet he offers us some great lines in this H P Lovecraft inspired effort.
The execution of the plot, the hero, and filmography are only so-so- I give a higher rating for the use of an allegedly real haunted manor house, the Grims Dyke manor. This one could have been better if the opening scene had not been so over-done and garish, and we see this opener re-hashed periodically as visions ? of the bland hero.
What really drew me to the film was the use of several horror heavy weights- Christopher Lee, Barbara Steele, and the aforementioned Boris Karloff. This is why anyone would ever watch this one, and it is sad that Steele and Lee were not allowed to be more properly presented here. This is a perfect movie to watch if you are home sick with the flu ....or you are a Karloff completion-ist....5 stars.
Review of The Crimson Cult
