Too much of everything

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

One lonely old frail crippled of a man. Two deceitful murderers, seeking the old man's treasure..... The ghost, is one of the best classic horror films I have see. The story plays out in a style similar to one masterfully written by Edgar Allan Poe. It keeps you guessing, building on the suspense; until that final moment when the ghost is revealed, and the devil has his day.The talent, should be seen as an all star cast. The acting is that good. The story, draws the viewer in rather quickly; and keeps you entertained until the end. From the opening, and throughout the movie, the background score works well with the scenes, and the originality of the story, is unlike anything that has been filmed today.This film, definitely feels like classic horror, and would appeal to audiences of classical film, and of modern horror fans today.This movie proves that old classic movies are not just old movies, to many; these movies are new films that have yet to be seen.

Succulent typecast Gothic horror with campy melodramatics bestowing sly twists and turns at the back end and the stunning beauty and capability of actress Barbara Steele. What starts off creaky, forms into a strong and gripping story of betrayal, greed, secret love and possible madness? Where we find the slow-boil situations manipulated and the hysterical nature breaks free with some effective shivers and thrills. The best thing is watching Steele's character's restless transformation, as is she cracking under the pressure by seeing her dead husband (who she plotted to murder) or is there scheming going on by her doctor lover (a decent Peter Baldwin) or is someone plotting against the both of them. The straight-laced script perfectly dissects and hides the feverish mystery with an excellent bittersweet conclusion. Riccardo Fredo's direction is pedestrian, outside some camera framing (like a death scene where the blood sprays the screen) and the dank, but haunting mansion. Ellia Jotta is exemplary as Dr. John Hitchcock and Harriet Medin is good too. Contrived, but agreeable ghost story.

Official/unofficial sequel to "The Horrible Dr. Hichcock" with the captivating Barbara Steele now playing the doctor's wife Margaret instead of Cynthia and Elio Jotta taking in the role of Dr. Hichcock himself. Titled simply "The Ghost" on my DVD collection the Dr. is now confined to a wheelchair and is administered small doses of a poison in order to dilute whatever is ailing him. Assisting him in his matters of health is the handsome Dr. Charles Livingstone who also is having an affair with Margaret. Late one night after a séance Margaret confides in Charles that she cannot take being around him anymore and that maybe he can administer a deadly dose of the poison to her husband in order for her to claim his inheritance and live together in the Gothic Scottish castle as the lovers they were meant to be. When Dr. Livingstone agrees and murders Dr. Hichcock the castle becomes haunted by the corpse with ghastly reminders of the dastardly deed. Complicating things even more is Dr. Hichcock's faithful housekeeper Catherine who seems to keep an attentive eye on Margaret and Charles' suspicious actions. When the Hichcock fortune turns up missing Margaret begins to wonder if her husband's ghost has hidden it or perhaps her beau hasn't been as truthful as she thinks he is. Dr. Livingstone I presume? Maybe.Not much that hasn't been done before here though it is a pretty decent effort with a rather graphic scene for a movie made in the early sixties. Without a doubt this movie was augmented greatly by the performance of the large-eyed "Queen of Gothic Horror" Barbara Steele. Her portrayal of a wife with so much disgust for her crippled husband which is trumped only by her greed is powerfully done. The climax actually proves that Margaret and Dr. Hichcock were cut from the same cloth concerning the lack of morality and how they treat others to gain what they think should be theirs. Can become a little plodding during the 95 minute running time though the ending will keep you glued to the screen. The print of "The Ghost" unfortunately was taken from a degraded copy as some of the scenes jump from frame to frame which gets rather annoying from time to time. The dubbing at times are suspect as well. Funny how the setting was supposed to be in Scotland yet only one person spoke with a Scottish brogue and rather poorly at that. Not the greatest work I've seen from the Gothic horror genre though I believe fans of Barbara Steele would enjoy this.

Riccardo Freda's "Lo Spettro" aka. "The Ghost" of 1963 is yet another delightfully uncanny Italian Gothic Horror film starring the wonderful Barbara Steele (my favorite actress), and while it cannot possibly compare to the absolute highlights in Steele's career, such as Mario Bava's masterpiece "La Maschera Del Demonio" ("Black Sunday", 1960), Roger Corman's "Pit and the Pendulum" (1961, also starring the great Vincent Price) or Antonio Margheriti's "Danza Macabra" ("Castle of Blood", 1964), this is another mesmerizing experience that no lover of Gothic greatness can afford to miss. "Lo Spettro" is a sequel to Freda's earlier Gothic Horror film, "L'Orribile Segreto Del Dr. Hichcock" ("The Horrible Dr. Hitchcock", 1962; they obviously left out a "t" in order to avoid legal difficulties), also starring Steele, which I haven't yet seen. Her character is named 'Margaret' in this film whereas the name was 'Cynthia' in "Dr. Hichcock. This film doesn't require having seen "Dr. Hichcock" , however.Scotland, 1910: The brilliant, but critically ill, wheelchair-bound Dr. Hichcock (Elio Jotta), who needs to take lots of medications against his mysterious disease, is working on a serum to cure paralysis. His beautiful young wife Margaret (Barbara Steele) is having an affair with his assistant/colleague Dr. Livingstone (Peter Baldwin), however, and the two do not intend to wait for the old Doctor to pass away by natural reasons. Shortly after his funeral, creepy things begin to happen in the uncanny mansion...As mentioned above, the ravishing Barbara Steele, is my favorite actress, and she is once again great here. In my humble opinion, no other actress was ever capable of blending incomparable beauty with a genius for the uncanny as it is the case with this unchallenged Goddess of Gothic Horror, and no other actress ever will. Under the solid direction of Riccardo Freda, Miss Steele plays yet another typical role with typical greatness. As the credited director of the first (post-WW2) Italian Horror film, "I Vampiri" of 1957, Freda deserves praise as one of the pioneers of Italian Horror, though it must be said that it was actually the great Mario Bava (my choice for the greatest Horror director of all-time) who completed that gem and who is arguably responsible for its greatness. Besides our beloved Barbara, the rest of the cast is also very good, especially Elio Jotta is great as the sinister Dr. Hichcock. William Baldwin is good enough as Dr. Livingstone, as is Harriet Medin as the housekeeper, and the cast furthermore includes Umberto Raho, whom Italian Horror fans might recognize as a regular supporting actor in many films (including Margheriti's "Castle of Blood", Bava's "Baron Blood" and Ubaldo Ragona's "The Last Man on Earth" starring Vincent Price). The film is almost entirely set inside Dr. Hichcocks eerie, castle-like mansion, which is a terrific setting for old-fashioned Goth-Horror indeed. Franco Mannino's score, which mainly consists of an eerily beautiful theme that is replayed throughout the film, greatly increases the film's rich atmosphere. Overall, "Lo Spettro" is not one of the greatest films in Barbara Steele's filmography, but it still is a very good and creepy Gothic Horror film that none of her fans could possibly afford to miss. Barbara Steele is once again stunningly beautiful, and brilliantly sinister - I simply cannot find enough words to adequately praise this wonderful lady. Barbara, we worship you!