Horror Hospital [DVD]

Horror Hospital is a British horror-comedy film starring Robin Askwith, Michael Gough, Dennis Price and Skip Martin. When attempts to break into the entertainment business leave him with nothing but a bloody nose, songwriter Jason Jones (Robin Askwith), decides to take a break with 'Hairy Holidays', an outfit run by shifty travel agent Pollock (Dennis Price). After failing to impress Jason, Pollock sends him to a pseudo-health farm, Brittlehurst Manor. On the train journey, Jason meets Judy (Venessa Shaw) who is travelling to the same destination to meet her long-lost aunt. Both are unaware that the health farm, i. e. , Horror Hospital is a front for Dr. Storm (Michael Gough) and his lobotomy experiments that turn wayward hippies into mindless zombie slaves. The wheelchair-bound doctor surrounds himself with an entourage which includes Judy's aunt, brothel madam Olga (Ellen Pollock), height-challenged Frederick (Skip Martin) and numerous zombie biker thugs. Dr. Storm also has a Rolls Royce car, fitted with a giant blade which decapitates escapees and interfering parties. Abraham (Kurt Christian) arrives at the Horror Hospital looking for his girlfriend, and is promptly hit around the head by the motorcycle zombies. Frederick, fed up at literally being Storm's whipping boy, helps the kids escape - paving the way for the '70's youth to put the final nail into the works of Dr. Storm's scheme. This is a bizarre combination of horror and comedy and on the last night of filming, cake was served which was laced with drugs. In his autobiography, Askwith said 'I don't know what was put in the cake, but I ended up with a 280-pound electrician sitting on my lap and telling me he was in love with me'. Only producer Richard Gordon managed to avoid eating the cake. How's that for a true ending to a really weird movie? 87 minutes - 1973 - Color - 4:3.