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	~~{{Short description\|1962 film by William Castle}}~~
	~~{{Use dmy dates\|date=November 2014}}~~
	~~{{Use British English\|date=November 2014}}~~
	{{Infobox film		{{Infobox film
	\| name = The Old Dark House		\| name = The Old Dark House

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	==External links==		==External links==
	~~{{Wikiquote}}~~
	*{{IMDb title\|0057379}}		*{{IMDb title\|0057379}}
	*{{Amg movie\|104582}}		*{{Amg movie\|104582}}

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	{{Wikiquote}}		{{Wikiquote}}
	*{{IMDb title\|0057379}}		*{{IMDb title\|0057379}}
	* {{Amg movie\|104582}}		*{{Amg movie\|104582}}
	*[http://classic-horror.com/reviews/old_dark_house_1963 Classic-Horror review]		*[http://classic-horror.com/reviews/old_dark_house_1963 Classic-Horror review]

	~~{{William Castle}}~~
	~~{{Hammer Horror}}~~
	~~{{J. B. Priestley}}~~
	~~{{Authority control}}~~

	{{DEFAULTSORT:Old Dark House, The}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Old Dark House, The}}

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{{Short description|1962 film by William Castle}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2014}}
{{Infobox film
| name = The Old Dark House
| image = Olddarkhouse1963.png
| caption = US film poster
| director = [[William Castle]]
| producer = {{plainlist|
*William Castle
*[[Anthony Hinds]]
}}
| screenplay = Robert Dillon
| based_on = {{Based on|''[[Benighted (novel)|Benighted]]''|[[J. B. Priestley]]}}
| starring = {{plainlist|
*[[Tom Poston]]
*[[Robert Morley]]
*[[Janette Scott]]
*[[Joyce Grenfell]]
}}
| music = [[Benjamin Frankel]]
| cinematography = [[Arthur Grant (cinematographer)|Arthur Grant]]
| editing = [[James Needs]]
| studio = {{plainlist|
*William Castle Productions
*[[Hammer Film Productions]]
}}
| distributor = [[Columbia Pictures]]
| released = {{Film date|1963|10|30|U.S.|1966|09|16|UK|df=y}}
| runtime = 86 minutes
| country = {{plainlist|
*United Kingdom
*United States
}}
| language = English
| budget =
}}
'''''The Old Dark House''''' is a 1963 British-American [[comedy horror|comedy horror film]] directed by [[William Castle]]. It is a [[film remake|remake]] of Universal's 1932 [[The Old Dark House (1932 film)|film of the same name]] directed by [[James Whale]]. The film was based on the 1927 novel by [[J. B. Priestley]] originally published under the name ''[[Benighted (novel)|Benighted]]'', and the new screenplay was written by Robert Dillon. The opening title art was drawn by legendary macabre cartoonist [[Charles Addams]], whose signature is painted by a hairy hand.

==Synopsis==
Tom Penderel, an American car salesman in London, delivers a car to an old mansion on Dartmoor for his eccentric roommate Casper Femm. The car is damaged by a falling statue in a raging storm, Tom enters the house, and finds that his roommate Casper is dead. Tom is invited to stay at the house by members of Casper's family, including his twin brother Jasper, his cousins, the demure young Cecily and the seductive Morgana, and his Uncle Potiphar, who has been building an ark in anticipation of another great flood.

Each of the relatives is required to return to the dilapidated mansion before midnight each evening or forfeit his share of the family fortune. During the night, one of the Femm family dies every hour. First Agatha Femm, Casper's mother, is discovered with her knitting needles stuck in her neck. Casper's twin brother, Jasper, is the next victim, followed by Roderick, the head of the family.

Tom stumbles upon the fact that the killer is a woman, and he suspects Morgana, but discovers that Cecily is guilty just before she confesses, explaining that she wanted the entire family estate. Cecily runs from the house, and Tom discovers that she has placed time bombs in all of the clocks in the house. Racing against time, he frantically defuses each of the bombs. With moments to spare, he hurls the last bomb out of the window, and it explodes at Cecily's feet.

==Cast==
*[[Tom Poston]] as Tom Penderel
*[[Robert Morley]] as Roderick Femm
*[[Janette Scott]] as Cecily Femm
*[[Joyce Grenfell]] as Agatha Femm
*[[Mervyn Johns]] as Potiphar Femm
*[[Fenella Fielding]] as Morgana Femm
*[[Peter Bull]] as Caspar/Jasper Femm
*[[Danny Green (actor)|Danny Green]] as Morgan Femm
*[[John Harvey (actor)|John Harvey]] as Club Receptionist
*[[Amy Dalby]] as Gambler (uncredited)

==Reception==
The remake has not been as well received by modern critics as the original film. Craig Butler of the film database [[Allmovie]] wrote of the 1963 film, that "When compared with the James Whale original upon which it is based, this remake of ''The Old Dark House'' is pretty sorry stuff."<ref name=Allmovie>{{Cite web|url=https://allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=1:104582~T1|title=''The Old Dark House'' review |author=Butler, Craig |access-date=2009-02-27|publisher=[[Allmovie]]}}</ref> ''Halliwell's Film and Video Guide 2000'' describes this film as "a travesty which has nothing to do with the 1932 film and possesses no merit of its own. The cast is left floundering".<ref>John Walker (ed.) ''Halliwell's Film and Video Guide 2000'', London: HarperCollins, 1999, p.611</ref> ''The Hammer Story: The Authorised History of Hammer Films'' called it "one of the oddest pictures [Hammer Film Productions] ever made", but "strangely endearing".{{sfn|Hearn|Barnes|2007|p=75}}

==Home video==
In the US, the film was originally released by [[Sony Pictures]] on an anamorphic 1.85 aspect ratio DVD, with the only extra being the original theatrical trailer. It was later paired on disc with ''[[Mr. Sardonicus]]'' and included in two separate William Castle box sets. The original disc was later reissued as a DVD-R burn-on demand release from [[Sony Pictures Choice Collection]]. The film has also been released on DVD in Spain, retitled ''La vieja casa oscura'', both separately and as part of a William Castle box set.

==See also==
*[[List of American films of 1963]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
* {{cite book |last1=Hearn |first1=Marcus |last2=Barnes |first2=Alan |title=The Hammer Story: The Authorised History of Hammer Films |chapter=The Old Dark House |publisher=Titan Books |date=September 2007 |edition=limited |isbn=978-1-84576-185-1}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
*{{IMDb title|0057379}}
* {{Amg movie|104582}}
*[http://classic-horror.com/reviews/old_dark_house_1963 Classic-Horror review]

{{William Castle}}
{{Hammer Horror}}
{{J. B. Priestley}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Old Dark House, The}}
[[Category:1963 films]]
[[Category:1963 horror films]]
[[Category:1960s comedy horror films]]
[[Category:American comedy horror films]]
[[Category:Remakes of American films]]
[[Category:British comedy horror films]]
[[Category:British remakes of American films]]
[[Category:Columbia Pictures films]]
[[Category:Comedy mystery films]]
[[Category:Films based on British novels]]
[[Category:Films directed by William Castle]]
[[Category:Films scored by Benjamin Frankel]]
[[Category:Films set in country houses]]
[[Category:Films set in Devon]]
[[Category:Films set in England]]
[[Category:Hammer Film Productions horror films]]
[[Category:Horror film remakes]]
[[Category:1963 comedy films]]
[[Category:1960s English-language films]]
[[Category:1960s American films]]
[[Category:1960s British films]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:54, 13 January 2023
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	==Home video==		==Home video==
	In the US, the film was originally released by [[Sony Pictures]] on an anamorphic 1.85 aspect ratio DVD, with the only extra being the original theatrical trailer. It was later paired on disc with ''[[Mr. Sardonicus]]'' and included in two separate William Castle box sets. The original disc was later reissued as a DVD-R burn-on demand release from [[Sony Pictures Choice Collection]]. The film has also been released on DVD in Spain, retitled ''La vieja casa oscura'', both separately and as part of a William Castle box set.		In the US, the film was originally released by [[Sony Pictures]] on an anamorphic 1.85 aspect ratio DVD, with the only extra being the original theatrical trailer. It was later paired on disc with ''[[Mr. Sardonicus]]'' and included in two separate William Castle box sets. The original disc was later reissued as a DVD-R burn-on demand release from [[Sony Pictures Choice Collection]]. The film has also been released on DVD in Spain, retitled ''La vieja casa oscura'', both separately and as part of a William Castle box set.

	~~==See also==~~
	*[[List of American films of 1963]]

	==References==		==References==

The Old Dark House (1963 film) - Revision history

Kurt at 17:22, 6 February 2023

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en>Ser Amantio di Nicolao: /* External links */add Category:1960s British films