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Horror Hotel | 
 enlarge | Actors: Christopher Lee, Venetia Stevenson
Studio: Whe Europe Limited
Category: DVD
List Price: £4.99
Buy New: £0.75
You Save: £4.24 (85%)
New (8) Used (9) from £0.40
Rating:  3 reviews
Sales Rank: 52257
Format: Black & White, Pal
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
Region: 0
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 76 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 5060033471357
ASIN: B00009P9LC
Release Date: June 23, 2003
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: mint sealed and ready to go
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| Customer Reviews:
 'Not many god-fearing folks go to Whitewood' November 9, 2008
Nigel C. Jackson (Adocentyn)
'Horror Hotel' is one of a few Bava-inspired early 60s British occult chillers - I have to say that there is a peculiar pull about this odd little film that defies easy explanation, it is inexplicably powerful and completely draws you into it's twilit and fog-shrouded world of witchcraft in the misty streets of Whitewood and the whole eerie narrative as it unfolds around Nan Barlow, the sinister Professor Driscoll and the other characters - I relish Nan's hallucinatory car-journey through the darkness with its spectral headlight-illuminated perspectives as well as the darkly unnerving silhouette of Jethro Keane standing at the crossroads waiting to hitch a lift: it really is like a dream-journey into another world for 'time stands still In Whitewood'. One can surely empathize with the words of the garage attendant that 'not many god-fearing folks go to Whitewood'!! The Wamport Road leads us ineluctably into a shadowy parallel universe where the accursed dead live and the malign witchcraft of Elizabeth Newlys is sustained by blood-sacrifice through the centuries in the burial-ground and catacombs under the Ravens Inn. The spooky jazz soundtrack spliced with sepulchral chants, tolling bells and sonorous liturgies is really intriguing and emphasizes the eldritch atmosphere in a marvellous way - reminiscent of the strangeness of Joe Meek combined with a dark ecclesiastical ambience! This film is one of that great traditional genre rooted in genuine folk-lore which features honest-to-Satan black witches and suavely malevolant warlocks swathed in black cowled robes and utterly devoted to the service of the Evil One - a satisfyingly Manichaean conflict of the powers of Light and Darkness running throughout is finally resolved and symbolized by that epic finale with the shadow of the Cross weilded by the tragic figure of Bill like some spiritual weapon of divine judgement causing the coven members to burst into flames - a truly astonishing scene of near-Expressionistic power set against clouds of writhing fog.
The scene of the chanting hooded witches processing through the tombs of the graveyard which Nan watches from the window of her room at the Ravens Inn is incredibly atmospheric, eerily beautiful like so many scenes from this masterpiece of umbral artifice.
I go back to visit the strange world of 'Horror Hotel' again and again, its truly become one of my most treasured DVDs and yet I can never quite fathom what it is that makes what might only have been a hokey b-movie into a genuinely potent classic of b&w occult horror on a par with Egdar J. Ulmers 'The Black Cat' and other jewels - it's that indefinable quality that truly great work possesses and which casts its spell over us in an enduring way. It's why we travel with Nan Barlow down that mist-swirling road to Whitewood time and time again and why 'Horror Hotel' lives on hauntingly within our imagination. A truly striking horror film which is rightly regarded as a classic of early 60s horror. They most certainly don't make them like this anymore!
atmospheric Lee flim January 9, 2004
Deborah MacGillivray (US & UK)
13 out of 20 found this review helpful
Christopher Lee is an amazing actor, and in the twilight of this career at over 80 years old he is still doing fine work in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and Star Wars II and III(coming). However, most of us grew to love his body of work back in the period of Hammer Studios heyday. Hammer - to lovers of horror - produced some of the greatest films. Cheap on budget, high on quality, they gave you fun from vampires, to outer-space monster to witches. Directed by the marvellous John Llewellyn Moxey, City of the Dead was it's alternative title.Chris Lee is Professor Alan Driscole, in Massachusetts in the US, and he teaches a course on the witchcraft burnings of a near by town called Whitewater - similar to the Salem hysteria. A student, Nan Driscole, is looking to do more in-depth research, so Driscole suggests she travel to Whitewater and sends her to stay at an inn there on her winter vacation. Raven's Inn is run by Mrs. Newlys, a friend of Driscole, and she welcomes Nan though says the hotel is closing. Nan learns a witch, Elizabeth Sewlyn. was burnt on the spot where the inn stands. Newlys is a strange woman, and it quickly becomes apparent there are dark doings at Raven's Inn. Nan is welcomed for reasons Nan knows nothing about, and quickly finds herself marked for sacrifice. When Nan fails to return, her brother travels to the strange village that seems trapped in time. It is dark, brooding and literally reeks atmosphere (as only good Black and White horror films can!). Nan is not to be found and Mrs. Newlys claims Nan left after only a few days stay. However, the woman who runs the bookstore believes something happened to Nan and helps him in trying to find out what. A eerie Black and White film that is super for a late Saturday night horror fest! The Quality of the transfer is super crisp! I have have seen some complain about the quality. The film was always in poor quality. The transfer is a mint editions, just always 'rough'. This only adds to the spooky feel.
 A Good Movie, Terrible DVD January 3, 2004
E. A. Redfearn (Middlesbrough)
7 out of 12 found this review helpful
First released in 1960, this little known horror movie has stood the test of time. Its amazing how critics get their facts wrong though having read a few reviews. Only one lady was burnt at the beginning of the movie, and that was Elizabeth Selwyn! Overall though, its quite an atmospheric movie with plenty of thrills and one or two shocks. But the real stars are the sets, the lighting, and the music which really carries the movie to its haunting conclusion. Should be seen by more fans of horror movies. My only disappointment with this version though, it is the American version which has a slight cut near the beginning. The picture is grainy and doesnt really show much detail in the dark scenes, and there are many in the film. Moreover, there arent any extras to speak off, not even a trailer, which is an awful shame. Still, it can be bought quite cheaply, and its still worth seeing.
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