Gordon Hessler's most stylish horror film, baroque in effect, and reminiscent of the work of another director, Roger Corman, in its conception and execution. Edgar Allen Poe addicts should be told right away that the only connection with the famous story of the enacted by the travelling company around whom the grisly plot revolves. But Hessler's sole aim is to shock and shock he does, by constantly edgy direction and intelligent use of a recurring dream sequence that fascinates, entertains and skilfully maintains the theme. Ingeniously, the dream is partly explained, partly made to come true, before a downbeat ending which it would be spoiling your post-midnight shivers to reveal. But I think that Poe would have approved of the climax and of the film.


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