The Beast in the Cellar (1971)
A chill-filled festival of horror!
Director(s)
James Kelley
Writer(s)
James Kelley
Producer(s)
Graham Harris producer
Christopher Neame associate producer
Tony Tenser executive producer
Cast
Beryl Reid - Ellie Ballantyne
Flora Robson - Joyce Ballantyne
John Hamill - Cpl. Alan Marlow
Tessa Wyatt - Joanna Sutherland
T.P. McKenna - Supt. Paddick
John Kelland - Sergeant Young
David Dodimead - Dr. Spencer
Vernon Dobtcheff - Sir Bernard Newsmith
Dafydd Havard - Stephen Ballantyne
Gail Lidstone - Young Ellie
Elizabeth Choice - Young Joyce
Merlyn Ward - Young Stephen
Anthony Heaton - Anderson
Chris Chittell - Baker
Peter Craze - Roy
Anabel Littledale - Gloria
Howard Rawlinson - Young Soldier
Roberta Tovey - Paper Girl
Robert Wilde - Soldier in NAAFI
Reg Lever - Ambulance Man
Review by Theo Robertson
The Beast in the Cellar (1971)
One thing I have noticed about British horror movies from the 1970s is that they don`t hold up to repeated viewing THEATRE OF BLOOD is a case in point as are all those Amicus anthology movies . Add THE BEAST IN THE CELLAR to the list
Much of the drama of this movie revolves around the build up of a plot revelation at the end . Once you know what the revelation is this becomes a rather flat film . It does open with a fairly good hook but after that we`re treated to long boring sequences of two old ladies making small talk . Correct me if I`m wrong but how many people watch a horror movie expecting a couple of old ladies making small talk ? The only sort of interest to be found in THE BEAST IN THE CELLAR is the anti-smoking stance . Some people have mentioned that this is an anti-war or anti-military film but watch carefully and you`ll see that everytime a squaddie lights up for a fly puff he gets killed . Rather strange considering attitudes to smoking weren`t nearly so hysterical as they are nowadays
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