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The Sorcerers
UK 1967
produced by Tony Tenser, Patrick Curtis, Arnold L. Miller (executive) for Tigon, Curtwel Productions, Global
directed by Michael Reeves
starring Boris Karloff, Catherine Lacey, Ian Ogilvy, Elizabeth Ercy, Victor Henry, Sally Sheridan (as Dani Sheridan), Alf Joint, Meier Tzelniker, Gerald Campion, Susan George, Ivor Dean, Peter Fraser, Martin Terry, Bill Barnsley, Maureen Booth, Toni Daly, Arnold L. Miller
idea by John Burke, screenplay by Tom Baker (II), Michael Reeves, music by Paul Ferris
review by Mike Haberfelner
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For decades, doctor and hypnotist Montserrat (Boris Karloff) has been
ridiculed by the whole medical profession, but now he has invented a
machine to mindcontrol others and to feel what others feel - but despite
all the wrongs done to him, he plans to use his machine for good. But
before he can present his machine to the public, he and his wife Estelle
(Catherine Lacey) have to test it one an unwitting person, young and
self-centered Michael (Ian Ogilvy) ... and they find out the machine works
even better than expected. But then, Montserrat's wife figures she can use
mind-controlled Michael for her own ends, and she has him steal a furcoat
for her. But when Michael, robbing the furshop, is almost caught by the
police, Estelle really gets into it because the adrenaline has given her a
boost, and she uses Michael for doing more and more risky stuff like
speeding on her motorbike or beating up his best friend Alan (Victor
Henry) - and Montserrat can do nothing to stop her because her mind is
much stronger than his.
Then though Estelle gets really into it and has Michael brutally murder
two girls (Sally Sheridan, Susan George) - and now Montserrat knows he has
to stop her at any price. Meanwhile Michael's girlfriend Nicole (Elizabeth
Ercy) and above-mentioned Alan get increasingly worried about his bizarre
behaviour and even guess that he is involved in all two murders, but when
they confront him with this, Michael, under Estelle's influence again,
tries to murder Alan, who is only saved by the approaching police.
Michael gets away in a car, with the police in hot pursuit, but since
Estelle is by now rather drunk, Montserrat manages to take over the boy
again, and figures the only way out would be to kill him - even if that
would mean his and Estelle's death as well, and he has Michael crash his
car ... and while Michael burns in the wreck, so do Montserrat and Alan in
the safety of their home.
Of course, the synopsis of this film must seem pretty silly, the film
itself though is rather intelligent (if you can accept its rather
nonsensical premise) and furthermore full of tension and suspense. Add to
this a great cast of actors who are uniformly up to their roles -
especially of course Boris Karloff, who does everything to not upstage his
co-stars though - and you are left with a pretty good film. And
furthermore, The Sorcerers is an able demonstration as to why
Michael Reeves is still considered one of the best British horror
directors, despite the fact that he finished no more than three films.
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