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Corruption (1968)

Carnage
Laser Killer


Cast:

Peter "Grand Moff Tarkin won't evacuate in the greatest time of triumph..." Cushing is Sir John Rowan
Sue Lloyd is Lynn Nolan
Noel Trevarthen is Steve Harris
Kate O'Mara is Val Nolan
David Lodge is Groper
Wendy Varnals is Terry


What the IMDB says:

A surgeon discovers that he can restore the beauty to his girlfriend's scarred face by murdering other women and extracting fluids from their pituitary gland. However, the effects only last for a short time, so he has to kill more and more women. It is ultimately a killing spree which ends with considerable death and disaster.


Plot:

Dr. John Rowan wraps up a difficult surgery. Later, he’s relaxing in his study when his fiancée, Lynn, wants him to take her to the party.

It anyone ever wanted to see Peter Cushing at a 1960s freak-out party, this is your time. Mike, photographer, who’s hosting the party, is putting the movies on Lynn before getting around to photographing her. Dr. John gets so sick of Lynn modeling and has had enough. Peter Cushing gets into a fist fight with Mike. Somehow, a floodlight falls on Lynn.

Lynn has burns on her face. Later, she awakens and distraught about not going to regain her looks.

Peter Cushing is becoming more distant as he’s researching. Finally, he tells Lynn about his new technique.

In the morgue at the hospital, Peter Cushing takes a pituitary gland from the body. Dr. Steve walks in and won’t report him this time…

Peter Cushing begins surgery on Lynn with her sister, Val, assisting. After the surgery, Peter stays as Lynn sleeps.

Later, Dr. Steve meets Lynn who’s face has healed. Peter and Lynn are going to take on a cruise.

A week later, Steve is spending more time with Val and get a telegraph that Peter Cushing and Lynn are returning early.

Back at home, apparently, Lynn’s face is starting to degenerate. She wants Peter Cushing to fix her face again. He’ll need to use live human tissue this time.

City montage of Peter Cushing searching. He goes after a lady ill repute and decides to leave. Snapping, he stabs her, let the decapitation ensue.

Returning home, he wants Lynn to set up for the operation.

Later, Mike’s apartment, Lynn stops by to restart her career. Mike claims he created her career. Lynn storms out. She wants Peter Cushing to photograph her.

Dr. Steve wants Peter Cushing to publish and mentions previous attempts had failed. In a newspaper, Peter Cushing sees an article about the decapitated girl murder.

Peter Cushing and Lynn head to a country cottage. She realizes her face is decomposing again and wants him to do another operation. Let the browbeating ensue. Spotting a hitchhiker girl, Lynn wants her to be used.

Peter invites Terri to stay. He refuses to do the operation. Lynn browbeats him. They go to Terri’s bedroom. She gets freaked out by the couple. Her boyfriend, Rick, sneaks into the room. They plan to rob the cottage.

In the morning, Peter discovers that Terri sneaks out. Lynn wants an operation soon.

Peter Cushing takes a train and kills a blonde woman. Let the head removal ensue. He heads back to the cottage.

Steve tells Val about how there is a headless body and how Lynn recovers.

Back at the cottage, the surgery is being readied. Peter Cushing wants to wait, he’s too shaky. Preparing the gland, Terri saw it and runs off. Lynn chases her to a funky jazz beat. Terri is eventually strangled by Peter Cushing.

Lynn chews Peter out again. Refusing to do it, Lynn threatens to call the police and report him. Suddenly, Rick and Georgie come in to look for Terri and what to steal. Lynn tries to convince Georgie to make Peter Cushing perform the surgery. He tells Peter Cushing to start the surgery or else.

The hippie chick checks the fridge and discovers the severed head.

Peter Cushing reveals that Terri is dead. Georgie wants to know everything.

Lynn takes Rick to the beach and pushes him off the cliff.

Georgie realizes Lynn is lying. He’s going to call the cops. Lynn fries Georgie with the surgical laser. Suddenly, the laser is heading all over the room. Peter Cushing and Lynn struggle.

Steve and Val arrive. Steve is fighting with Peter Cushing. The laser BBQs everyone who are evil and good.

Suddenly, we cut back to the freak out party near the beginning before the credits roll.


What I say:

An English non-Hammer horror movie from the 1960s? I think most people just assume that Hammer did all the Englsih horror at this time. Other than Peter Cushing as the scientist experimenting in things best left untampered with and of course the saucy English tarts, one would be hard pressed to see this as the kind of Hammer movie.

Corruption just seems so familiar. It is very reminescient of Brain That Wouldn't Die and even the 1980s Frankenhooker. Those movies have their doctors as those who don't need in any urging at all to let the surgeries fly for their women.

There are just some things that are hard to grasp mentally. The popularity of reality televison. Christopher Lee as Dracula in the wild and crazy 1970s was a hard enough challenge. However, Peter Cushing at a wild 60s swinging party takes the proverbial cake. Have to admit, he does really look uncomfortable at the party which is realistic. You can almost see in his eyes "I can't believe she talked me into coming to this party..."

The biggest problem of this movie is Peter Cushing. I've seen him portray the coldly logical Sherlock Holmes in Hound of the Baskervilles, cruelly emotionless Dr. Frankenstein in Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell, and Van Helsing in Satanic Rites of Dracula. Peter Cushing as doctor who experiments in realms of medicine that are best left untapped is acceptable. However, just picturing Peter Cushing as a doctor who is hen-pecked by his fiancee enough to keep repairing her face by stealing the pitituary glands of women which kills them is hard to believe. Yes, he was nagged into thinking pitituary glands are an privilege and not a right which make them removable by him at any time.

The ending is awfully down-hearting. The fight is hard to follow. Most horror and sci-fi movies have the typical good characters at least escaping. Normally, those that don't make it are thanks to the "Shock" horror endings. Steve and Val were the good people who died not because of violating in of the unspoken horror movie laws. Steve began to suspect Cushing's procedure but never had any evidence tying him to any of the murders. They just go to the country when a giant laser is twirling around and settting people on fire.

Did every party in the late 60s have to "Wild" and "Swinging"? Can't imagine that everyone was hepped up on the goofballs. Though, that would explain a lot of the fashions of that time.



2 1/2 NINJAS

Quotable Dialogue

"The more you succeed the more you fear the failures."
"I'm a photo-GRAPHIC model."
"It's a FIVER..."
"I made you..."
"New clue in headless girl matter."
"I didn't like being shared out."
"Beatniks seem OK."
"Maybe, they're swingers?"
"Blimey, that's my station, excuse me govenah..."


Morals of the Story

Peter Cushing can blend into a group of hippies.
Flood lamps don't have any grills .
Lasers were commonly used in 1960s medicine.
Screaming girls do not attract attention.
Hippies wear capes.
Hippies respond to cop whistles.


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