'Crucible of Terror' (1971) – Ted Hooker.

 Not unsurprisingly, I seem to be one of the happy, schlock-addled few that still avidly enjoys, Mike Raven's conspicuously limited acting repertoire! His frigid screen persona not infrequently likened to macabre marmite, Raven's singular charisma remains a divisive issue. His pallid presence in Cornish, pasty-faced frightmare 'Crucible of Terror' coagulates into a tepid serving of stodgy shock semolina that many vintage horror fans may well find indigestible. That being said, bad movie masochists should appreciate this mangily macabre morsel of dingily downbeat delirium. Demonstratively no masterpiece, this sleazily skewed, derivative B-Movie melange of 'House of Wax' & 'Bucket of Blood' fitfully provides some enjoyably eccentric low-fi Brit-Horror delirium! 

Asinine artisan, Victor Clare's (Mike Raven) malign modus operandi of morbidly bronzing buxom totty clearly stretches the amateur acting instrument of monochromatic ex-Disc Jockey, Mike Raven. Excluding the Poundland Prince of pain, 'Crucible of Terror' has an exceptionally fine, if somewhat ecclectic cast of familiar faces from film & television. Likely lad James Bolam, Melissa Stribling, Ronald Lacey, John Arnatt, and the beauteous, Judy Matheson are entirely credible. It should be noted that Cult movie aficionados will appreciate the pleasingly perky presence of exotic scream queen, Me Me Lai. The subjective value of art, like beauty, is very much in the giddy eye of the beholder, and my zealous appreciation of, Ted Hooker's roughly hewn horror hokum is certainly NOT universal! Outlandish outsider art, or dismal disposable dross? YOU decide!!!

Sex. Murder. Fart. - Weirdlingwolf.