THE GHOST OF SIERRA DE COBRE (1964)
BASIC PLOT: Nelson Orion (Martin Landau) is an architect by day, and a 'psychical consultant' by night. He's been hired by the Mandore family to investigate strange phones calls coming from the Mandore crypt. Henry Mandore (Tom Simcox) has been blind since birth, and he's been receiving phones calls from his mother's tomb. No one speaks, but a haunting wailing can be heard on the line.
Henry's mother was so afraid of being buried alive, she installed a telephone next to her coffin, and ordered her coffin never to be closed. His mother's been dead awhile, but when his wife, Vivia Mandore (Diane Baker), went out of town on business, the phone calls began. The servants were all scared away, but because Henry is blind, they did get him a replacement. A strange woman named Paulina (Judith Anderson) has come to help, or has she?
WHAT WORKS: *This is a great atmospheric, the Mandore house, the family cemetery, and the tomb are creepy, as is Paulina, the new housekeeper. Orion's house is also beautiful, but it's lonely, windswept location has something unearthly about it too.
WHAT DOESN'T WORK: *A scene at the beginning has Vivia Mandore terrified of the new housekeeper, Paulina. She is creepy, but not that creepy. Why is she so scared of her?
TO RECOMMEND, OR NOT TO RECOMMEND, THAT IS THE QUESTION: *I would definitely recommend this movie. It's perfect for a 🎃 Halloween party, or a stormy night in front of the fire. It's great fun! Martin Landau, Judith Anderson, Diane Baker, and Tom Simcox all give stand out performances.
CLOSING NOTES: *This is a Made-For-TV movie, please keep that in mind before you watch\rate it. TV movies have a much lower budget, and so your expectations should be adjusted.
BASIC PLOT: Nelson Orion (Martin Landau) is an architect by day, and a 'psychical consultant' by night. He's been hired by the Mandore family to investigate strange phones calls coming from the Mandore crypt. Henry Mandore (Tom Simcox) has been blind since birth, and he's been receiving phones calls from his mother's tomb. No one speaks, but a haunting wailing can be heard on the line.
Henry's mother was so afraid of being buried alive, she installed a telephone next to her coffin, and ordered her coffin never to be closed. His mother's been dead awhile, but when his wife, Vivia Mandore (Diane Baker), went out of town on business, the phone calls began. The servants were all scared away, but because Henry is blind, they did get him a replacement. A strange woman named Paulina (Judith Anderson) has come to help, or has she?
WHAT WORKS: *This is a great atmospheric, the Mandore house, the family cemetery, and the tomb are creepy, as is Paulina, the new housekeeper. Orion's house is also beautiful, but it's lonely, windswept location has something unearthly about it too.
WHAT DOESN'T WORK: *A scene at the beginning has Vivia Mandore terrified of the new housekeeper, Paulina. She is creepy, but not that creepy. Why is she so scared of her?
TO RECOMMEND, OR NOT TO RECOMMEND, THAT IS THE QUESTION: *I would definitely recommend this movie. It's perfect for a 🎃 Halloween party, or a stormy night in front of the fire. It's great fun! Martin Landau, Judith Anderson, Diane Baker, and Tom Simcox all give stand out performances.
CLOSING NOTES: *This is a Made-For-TV movie, please keep that in mind before you watch\rate it. TV movies have a much lower budget, and so your expectations should be adjusted.