THE BLACK TORMENT is one of the more obscure British horror films of the 1960s, barely seen by U.S. audiences since its theatrical run. Never as popular as similar films from Hammer or Amicus, it was produced and directed by the often slammed Robert Hartford-Davis (CORRUPTION, BLOODSUCKERS, THE FIEND) and presented by exploitation king Tony Tenser's and Michael Clinger's Compton Films. Tenser would soon go on to form Tigon Films and bankroll some of the most important genre efforts of the late 1960s and early 1970s. A famous anecdote has Tenser tearing out ten pages from THE BLACK TORMENT’s shooting script when the production fell behind!

Like many British gothics of the era, THE BLACK TORMENT was shot as a period piece (on location and in and around Shepperton Studios) and is quite lavish for a low budget effort. In the 18th century, wealthy aristocrat Sir Richard Fordyce (John Turner) returns from his honeymoon with new bride Lady Elizabeth (Heather Sears, the heroine of Hammer’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA). Greeting him at the manor is his father, a wheelchair-bound-stroke victim, and other tenants include Diane (Ann Lynn), the sister of Sir Richard's late first wife Anne, and her cousin Seymour (Peter Arne, THE OBLONG BOX). Strange occurrences around the manor have many in the village believing that Sir Richard is responsible for the rape and murder of a girl named Lucy Judd – he was witnessed at the scene of the crime, but it’s more likely that someone who resembles him is responsible. To make matters more complicated, his first wife Anne – who leaped from a window to her death years earlier – appears as a white apparition and cries out "murderer" in the middle of the night!

With the opening murder of a beautiful, bosomy village girl (Edina Ronay, from Hammer’s PREHISTORIC WOMEN) by an unseen assailant in the woods, the mood is set for the horror and melodrama to follow. The film is a bit talky but never uninteresting, with a sharply structured, if somewhat predictable script by Donald and Derek Ford (of the "Holmes vs. the Ripper" classic, A STUDY IN TERROR, made by Compton shortly after). The costumes and sets are all impressive, while the shocks that come far and few between are worth the wait. The film’s style comes closer to the color Italian horrors of the early 1960s rather than that of Hammer, and the mix of costumes and ghosts sort of resembles“Wuthering Heights” in execution. The acting sometimes comes across as hammy (with John Turner really relishing the role), but the cast is capable enough. There are a number of other performers in the cast associated with Hammer, including Francis De Wolf, Raymond Huntley (THE MUMMY) and Patrick Troughton, and there’s a well-orchestrated swordfight at the end. For those who collect English Gothic on DVD, THE BLACK TORMENT can be recommended as a welcomed addition to the collection.

Redemption previously released THE BLACK TORMENT on DVD in the U.S. through Image Entertainment in the U.S. in 2005, and the same transfer can be found here. Obviously taken from a print source rather than a interpositive/negative, the full frame transfer is sufficient but not sparkling. There are some minor specs and blemishes in spots, and the cold Eastman colors look a tad faded, fluctuating throughout. Some nighttime scenes look a bit too dark. Overall, it's not a terrible or unwatchable transfer, especially since this title is so rarely seen. The open matte suggests the film should be letterboxed at 1.85:1, but the extra breathing space might make some viewers happier. The English mono audio is fine, with the rousing score by Robert Richards coming across nicely.

New to this 2009 edition of THE BLACK TORMENT is a very rare interview with director Hartford-Davis, which lasts about 13 minutes long. Shot in color and on film in 1968 (with excellent quality), Hartford-Davis is seen in an armchair answering questions to Bernard Braden (at times, he's asked to start over again to assure the perfect take). Hartford-Davis does make mention of his early profitable exploitation films, but never alludes to any of his genre efforts (and he'd done at least several by this time), concentrating mainly on the business aspects of his profession, as well as his working relationship with Peter Newbrook (who photographed BLACK TORMENT). Still, it's interesting to see the interview due to its rarity, and he does acknowledge the significance of Hammer Films as an industry player of the period. Two still galleries cover production photos, poster art, and various video covers, and a few trailers for Redemption DVD releases are also included. (George R. Reis)

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