Every time I watch an Amicus production, I ask myself why it’s taken three decades for the two of us to become acquainted. These flicks have everything I love about horror, and manage to take out almost all the boring parts, too! After watching Asylum, it’s clear to me they have perfected the art of the horror anthology. Asylum, like its counterparts Tales from the Crypt and The Monster Club, is a 100% delightful mix of fun horror vignettes, all cleverly framed within a story to help make the mixed bag more palatable.
Patrick Magee is so darn good at looking dissatisfied.
Asylum‘s story revolves around young Dr. Martin, an applicant for head doctor at a hospital for the “incurably insane.” The place is currently run by Dr. Rutherford (Patrick Magee), who was recently attacked by the former head doctor, Dr. Starr. Rutherford decides to put Martin’s expertise to the true test, and will only consider him for the position of head doctor if he interviews all the patients in the asylum and correctly guesses which one is the formerly brilliant and now insane Dr. Starr.
Will the young Doctor correctly guess the madman of the bunch?
Of course what follows is a retelling of every patients’ tale, each one more shocking (!) than the next. The horrific stories involve rich women who dig voodoo, strange men who want suits made out of even stranger fabric (Peter Cushing), young women with split personalities or something worse (Charlotte Rampling/Britt Ekland), and last but not least, crazed doctors who try to bring life to inanimate objects!
Everyone thinks Britt Ekland is the hottie, but I go in for Charlotte Rampling myself.
There are many joys about films like this, but perhaps the best part is that each segment is so short, if you don’t find it entertaining you can take comfort in the fact that it will be over in a flash. Luckily, this film doesn’t seem to suffer from any weak spots at all, really; each story is as intriguing as the next. Even though it isn’t as good as Tales from the Crypt or The Monster Club, it is still well worth your time.
It’s never a good sign when your doctor plays with dolls!
