Another anthology from horror studio Amicus, The House That Dripped Blood features four macabre tales written by Psycho author Robert Bloch, with a wraparound story in which Detective Inspector Holloway (John Bennett) investigates the mysterious disappearance of a famous horror movie-star and learns of several other cases all linked to a creepy old house.The first case is that of Charles Hillyer (Denholm Elliott), a horror novelist who moves into the house to write his next novel, Dominick the Strangler. As Hillyer gets stuck into his work, he becomes convinced that the titular character from his latest book is stalking him. It's a solid way to kick off the film, with Elliot putting in a fine performance, and director Peter Duffell delivering plenty of suspense and chills, helped no end by Tom Adams as grinning loon Dominick, who looks convincingly deranged as he lurks in the shadows.Tale number two, Waxworks, is my least favourite, which I find surprising since it stars Peter Cushing, one of my all-time favourite horror actors. Cushing plays retired businessman Philip Grayson, one of a pair of old love rivals who lose their heads after paying a visit to a Museum of Horror, where one of the exhibits bears an uncanny resemblance to the woman they both loved. Duffell does his best to make something of the weak material, using strong red and green lighting to add a sense of the unreal, but the result is still rather forgettable.Another horror legend—Christopher Lee—turns up for tale number three, but like Cushing, he is unable to turn what is a rather predictable tale into anything special. If you can't guess how this one is going to end by the halfway mark, then you clearly haven't seen enough horror films. Lee plays the frightened father of a young girl with a secret; Nyree Dawn Porter is the teacher who cannot understand what he is so scared of.For my money, the final story offers the most entertainment value, and here's why: a) the story is fun and delivers quite a few genuinely amusing moments (with a couple of neat in-jokes for horror fans), b) Ingrid Pitt's cleavage is fantastic, and c) it stars both Worzel Gummidge and The Crowman (Jon Pertwee and Geoffrey Bayldon AKA Catweazle). Pertwee is wonderful as pompous horror actor Paul Henderson, who buys a cape from Bayldon for his latest role as a vampire; the only problem is that whenever he wears the cape, he becomes a vampire for real.Pertwee and Pitt pop up again as vampires in the last part of the wraparound tale to attack Holloway, who has payed a visit to the house against the advice of estate agent A.J. Stoker (John Bryans). Stoker closes the film by finally revealing the secret of the creepy property, but the explanation for the supernatural occurrences is something of a damp squib.5.5 out of 10, rounded up to 6 for Pertwee and Pitt.

A Scotland Yard investigator looks into four mysterious cases involving an unoccupied house: 1) A writer encounters a strangler of his own creation, 2) Two men are obsessed with a wax figure of a woman from their past, 3) A little girl displays an interest in witchcraft, and 4) A film actor discovers a cloak which gives him a vampire's powers.Amicus made numerous anthologies in the 1970s, and this is one of them. Like others of the era, it came from the typewriter of Milwaukee writer Robert Bloch (who is best known for "Psycho"). Could we ask for a better scribe? (Well, Richard Matheson, perhaps, but not many others.) Like most anthologies, there are stronger and weaker segments. The wax museum is a bit weak, saved only by the joy of watching Peter Cushing. The strangler segment is also a bit lackluster. The vampire cloak is decent, even if the role was a bit over the top... seeing Ingrid Pitt in another vampire tale is cool. The best, though, by far, was the witchcraft story with Christopher Lee. Perfectly paced, perfectly acted, and just the right length.One thing that really made this one fun was the in-jokes, such as saying Bela Lugosi was a better Dracula than the "new guy", when that new guy was (of course) Christopher Lee. This has the double impact of ribbing Lee, as well as making a crack about Hammer, the inferior Amicus competitor.

Peter Duffel directed this anthology film that stars John Bennett as a Scotland Yard Investigator looking into the disappearance of two films stars(played by "Doctor Who" star Jon Pertwee, and Ingrid Pitt) who were last seen in an old house they had let while filming a new movie. The real estate agent tells him four tales about the mysterious house: 'Method For Murder' - A writer comes to believe his character(a mad strangler) has come to life. 'Waxworks' - Peter Cushing plays a retired man who becomes fascinated with a waxwork version of Salome, much to his regret; 'Sweets For The Sweet' - A man(played by Christopher Lee) treats his young daughter harshly out of fear, bringing an ironic fate upon himself. 'The Cloak' - The film star buys a cloak that turns him into a vampire. Good set of tales here, with fine direction and music score; Last tale is best, a real treat.

I've seen "Dr. Terror's House of Horrors" and "Torture Garden". I liked them both and went searching for more. I've seen many users claiming that "The House That Dripped Blood" was the best. So I watched it. And I was a little disappointed.The cast is great of course. The performance of Christopher Lee was the best thing about this film. But the stories had very little to do with this "house that dripped blood". I mean the "house" was just a place to spend the night in three stories! I expected the house to be alive.. hungry.. anything.. anything but a normal house! I expected it to have some kind of "effect" on the protagonists, but apparently they came in ready. They just were strange bunch of people looking for a place to rent! Maybe the first story - one of the silliest - was the only story with a sinister house. Peter Cushing's story was basically about a wax museum. We hardly see him in the house! The last story was just a silly joke. But I didn't hate the film. I just like it way less than the other two.