People are voting emotionally.

It is a performances centric movie

One of those movie experiences that is so good it makes you realize you've been grading everything else on a curve.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

..but different in many respects than the 1935 Gene Raymond version . Notable here is the presence of Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and John Carradine as some of the 'key holders'..but the main character is...Desi Arnaz Jr. (?) Actually, I was doubtful about Jr's talents, but he does pretty well sharing scenes with these giants of horror. If you don't know the story: Arnaz is an author, who takes a bet that he can write a gothic novel if he can have a weekend away from everyone. He is given a key to Baldpate, and assured he will be alone..but of course, he isn't. Along with the four mentioned, a stern matronly Shela Keith is there when he arrives, and a couple seeking shelter from the storm (of course..it's a dark and stormy night..) Julie Peasgood and Richard Todd also show up. Unlike the other filmed version, there turns out to be 'relationship' between Price, Lee, Cushing, Carradine and Keith that adds another layer to the story. The spooky turns bloody, when particularly horrific murders begin to occur, and the bodies begin to stack up, leaving Arnaz to wonder if there's another keyholder that's out for revenge. The ending is completely different than the 35 version..in fact, it's similar to the original play written by George M Cohan and I preferred it. No gangsters, no inept police..an interesting twist. Although I thought the film got off to a very slow start, it does get interesting, and worthwhile just to see some great old 'masters of horror' together..even if it's tongue-in-cheek.According to the story on the "Electric Boogaloo" documentary about Cannon films, Menahem Golan went in saying "Get me those Monster guys! We need to get them all together for one of those Monster pictures!"He was surprised when they got Price, Lee, and Cushing together, and associates later suspected Golan didn't realize that Boris Karloff and Peter Lorre were dead.

This was a really fun movie bringing together a bunch of classic horror stars in their old age for one last ride. I was with the story of the writer coming to a house to write a novel and coming across a weird family and a long lost brother out for revenge up until the ending that tries to get cute and do a double twist that kind of ruins everything you've just seen. Cushing's lisp was a tad strange, but he may have been ill, I'm not sure. Christopher Lee was intense as always and Vincent Price was his usual awesome self even if none of their roles could hold a candle to their classic ones. I'd say this is worth tracking down for a fun night, just be warned that the ending will probably annoy you.

"House Of Long Shadows" is a fantastic film with a brilliant cast of horror legends and I just can't believe that this movie isn't more well known, I've personally never even heard of it until quite recently and given the fact that it's directed by the ever brilliant Pete Walker whose other works I've enjoyed (Frightmare, The Comeback, House Of Whipcord). He displays the same elegance and chills in this underrated masterpiece and sad to see that this would be his last horror movie, but well I must say that this was a well and truly fitting end and going out with a bang.This does have that classic old school feel to it and given the fact that this came out in 1983, where horror had moved on to stalk and slash with the likes of Jason and Michael Myers. Well this may have seemed a bit old fashioned, but that doesn't take away the brilliance of this. The plot to this was very good and thought out with an American writer Kenneth Magee takes a bet with his publisher, that he can write a novel within 24 hours and arranges for him to go a secluded mansion called Baldplate Manor in the Welsh country side. But soon as he arrives he is greeted by two creepy caretakers and despite being told that the place is deserted, more and more people start to turn up, namely the previous owners The Grisbanes who hold a dark secret surrounding the place, and soon enough things start to take a strange turn with people ending up getting murdered.Well for starters the mystery element to this is very effective, and the tension that surrounds the mansion is well handled along with perhaps every horror movie cliché known to man thrown in for extra delight and plus featuring the legendary cast of Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and Sheila Keith all in one movie, is a pure joy for any movie buff. Once all the guests arrive at the manor then the movie gets going at a very brisk and cracking pace, where event after event is thrown at the viewer, and the shocks and thrills never seem to stop and I loved the angle of which the story takes you, where we find out about the reason why the Grisbanes have returned to free their long lost son/brother from his prison of 40 years for committing a murder of a pregnant girl, then finding that he's escaped and is on a rampage of revenge, where the innocent bystanders get caught up in this terrifying web. The horror scenes are well delivered in this with some shocking twists and turns that keeps you guessing until the very end and with some brilliant and grisly deaths to enjoy along the way, and okay there are two random characters thrown in about halfway through for just pure fodder, but that only adds more fun to this movie.The acting performances, well what can I say from such legends and even the other cast members are well performed. The main character played by Dezi Arnaz Jr really holds his own surrounded by the screen legends and gives a very decent performance as the cynical American writer. Vincent Price gives a wonderful performance as always and may be known for hamming it up at times, but who cares with his brilliant dialogue and scene stealing presence. Christopher Lee, gives a no nonsense presence and pulls it off greatly, with his sharp dialogue and forceful manner, and as the movie goes on, he's given more layers to his character which works superbly. Peter Cushing plays a different type of character than his usual domineering presence in the Hammer films, here he is wonderfully eccentric and lovable and is the perfect foiling against the other two. Sheila Keith whose another brilliant and genius addition to this cast, in full creepiness mode and always a joy to watch in this and (House Of Whipcord, Frightmare and The Comeback), despite not given enough screen time and bows out relatively early, she gives an astounding memorable performance. John Carradine is another pleasing surprise in this, and gives a strong performance. Then finally Julie Peasgood as the love interest Mary, who I found rather likable and despite not being as memorable as the others, she was still a nice addition to the cast.All in all "House Of Long Shadows" is a wonderful throwback to the good old glory days of horror, that's highly entertaining and a hell of a lot of fun, the ending may be a slap in the face to some, but I found it rather fun, although does get rather confusing at the very end, but the other twists and turns that precede this, are brilliantly done and this stands as a brilliant must see for any horror fans.

Vincent Price, Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and John Carradine in one movie is like a dream come true and a recipe for a truly great time. House of the Long Shadows is not a great movie, but it is an interesting one and better than I was led to believe. It does have flaws of course, the ending is unsatisfying and feels like more than one ending rolled into a single one, the middle drags and Desi Arnaz Jnr gives an awful lead performance, very wooden and overly-serious. However, the production values complete with a suitably Gothic mansion are in keeping with the spooky atmosphere and in the genre House of the Long Shadows is an example of. The music has a very haunting sound to it, I loved the tongue-in-cheek humour and thrills in the script(Vincent Price having the best lines and he really relishes them), and the story has some nice-if occasionally silly- twists and turns and is mostly swiftly paced. The opening sequence is great. The murder sequences are not exactly subtle, but are suspenseful and evoke some chills. The four stars Price, Cushing, Lee and Carradine- easily the highlights of the film- are brilliant, distinctive and commanding with a very one-of-a-kind chemistry. In conclusion, fun and interesting if far from perfect. 7/10 Bethany Cox