Torture Garden (1967)
American horror / fantasy author Robert Bloch adapts four of his stories for this second Amicus portmanteau feature, skillfully directed by Hammer stalwart Freddie Francis.
The wraparound story features Burgess Meredith as a flamboyant carnival sideshow entertainer who encourages four of his guests to witness 'real horror', namely unpleasant glimpses into their own futures.
The first story -
Enoch - is a suitably macabre piece about a greedy young man who plans to steal his elderly uncle's savings, however he doesn't reckon on the demonic cat that lives in the basement which has a penchant for eating it's victims heads. A tight and tension ridden piece,
Enoch is a lot of fun.
Unfortunately things go downhill after that. The next two tales about the trappings of celebrity and a haunted piano are quite unmemorable and rather dull.
However the final story
The Man Who Collected Poe makes up for earlier failings and is worth the entrance fee alone. Starring Peter Cushing in a role possibly best described as a sorcerer, who brings the body of the great author Edgar Allan Poe back from the grave albeit in a seemingly comatose state, and Jack Palance as an avid Poe collector with his own horrific agenda. Cushing adds a classy gravitas to proceedings and is ably supported by Palance.
The Man Who Collected Poe is a real tale of terror and one of the best in any Amicus movie.
Overall
Torture Garden is an enjoyable watch with it's strengths lying in it's opening and closing tales.
This is an abbreviated version of a review here. https://www.cult-labs.com/forums/mem...tml#post453805