In the pre-credits sequence for Crucible of Terror, crazed artist Victor Clare (Mike Raven) covers a woman's body with molten bronze to create a stunning, lifelike statue (in reality, the process he uses would more likely result in an unrecognisable, misshapen lump of metal with scalded body parts sticking out).
Years later, Victor's son Michael (Ronald Lacey) steals some of his father's art, including the sculpture (quite how he snuck out a massive bronze statue weighing a ton is never explained), passing it to his acquaintance, art dealer John Davies (James Bolam), to sell in his gallery. Victor's work is a hit, so Michael and John decide to visit the artist at his remote Cornish home to try and convince him to part with more work, the pair taking their partners, Millie (Mary Maude) and Jane (Beth Morris), with them for the weekend.
At the old house, John and Millie are introduced to the occupants: Victor, who looks like a cross between Merlin and the Master from Doctor Who; Victor's batty wife Dorothy, who dresses like a little girl and talks to her teddies; Victor's old friend Bill, who collects weapons; and Victor's current muse, sexy brunette Marcia (Judy Matheson), who has been doing more for the artist than just posing for him (what a horrible thought). Their numbers dwindle, however, when an unseen killer starts to bump off the guests one by one.
Featuring a fair few mean-spirited murders, and a little titillation from the young ladies (Jane and Millie play with a beach ball in their bikinis, Marcia tries to convince Millie to sunbathe naked), Crucible of Terror could have easily been a hugely enjoyable piece of exploitative Brit horror, but the weak script and torpid direction from Ted Hooker (this was his one and only film -- no surprises there) and a truly terrible performance by Raven serve to make it a frustratingly dull experience for much of the time.
The film ends with Victor trying to make a new bronze masterpiece from Millie; as he prepares the metal in his forge, Millie becomes hideously disfigured, her body controlled by the vengeful spirit of his first victim Chi-San (played by cannibal movie favourite Me Me Lai). As Victor recoils in horror, Millie/Chi-San grabs the madman and pushes his head into the furnace.
The film is wrapped up by a bit of clumsy exposition that explains how Chi-San had been a member of a sect that believed in the transference of the human spirit. Whenever Millie wore Chi-San's kimono (a horrible yellow garment with a giant black Hashtag symbol on it, bought by Millie from a market stall), the murderous Chi-San took over the girl's body. It's a terrible way to end a very tedious film.
Years later, Victor's son Michael (Ronald Lacey) steals some of his father's art, including the sculpture (quite how he snuck out a massive bronze statue weighing a ton is never explained), passing it to his acquaintance, art dealer John Davies (James Bolam), to sell in his gallery. Victor's work is a hit, so Michael and John decide to visit the artist at his remote Cornish home to try and convince him to part with more work, the pair taking their partners, Millie (Mary Maude) and Jane (Beth Morris), with them for the weekend.
At the old house, John and Millie are introduced to the occupants: Victor, who looks like a cross between Merlin and the Master from Doctor Who; Victor's batty wife Dorothy, who dresses like a little girl and talks to her teddies; Victor's old friend Bill, who collects weapons; and Victor's current muse, sexy brunette Marcia (Judy Matheson), who has been doing more for the artist than just posing for him (what a horrible thought). Their numbers dwindle, however, when an unseen killer starts to bump off the guests one by one.
Featuring a fair few mean-spirited murders, and a little titillation from the young ladies (Jane and Millie play with a beach ball in their bikinis, Marcia tries to convince Millie to sunbathe naked), Crucible of Terror could have easily been a hugely enjoyable piece of exploitative Brit horror, but the weak script and torpid direction from Ted Hooker (this was his one and only film -- no surprises there) and a truly terrible performance by Raven serve to make it a frustratingly dull experience for much of the time.
The film ends with Victor trying to make a new bronze masterpiece from Millie; as he prepares the metal in his forge, Millie becomes hideously disfigured, her body controlled by the vengeful spirit of his first victim Chi-San (played by cannibal movie favourite Me Me Lai). As Victor recoils in horror, Millie/Chi-San grabs the madman and pushes his head into the furnace.
The film is wrapped up by a bit of clumsy exposition that explains how Chi-San had been a member of a sect that believed in the transference of the human spirit. Whenever Millie wore Chi-San's kimono (a horrible yellow garment with a giant black Hashtag symbol on it, bought by Millie from a market stall), the murderous Chi-San took over the girl's body. It's a terrible way to end a very tedious film.