House of the Damned (1963)

Directed by Maury Dexter. Starring Ron Foster, Merry Anders, Richard Crane, Erika Peters, Dal McKennon, Georgia Schmidt.

Dull, low-budget spook story with a familiar setup: a few people hole up in an old, creaky mansion that seems to be haunted. Far fewer chills than clichés, flattened by workmanlike direction and ordinary performances. Those waiting for the payoff should be warned: it may not be as predictable as the rest, but it’s as underwhelming to horror fans as Plymouth Rock is to tourists. Towering Richard Kiel has a small role.

40/100