Review: The Sorcerers

Elderly scientist/hypnotist Boris Karloff and his beloved wife/accomplice Catherine Lacey have invented a hypnosis-and-telepathy device that is able to work on victims from a long distance. It allows the couple to live out their wildest fantasies vicariously through their subjects in a manner that they couldn’t in their own elderly state. In addition to getting their victims/subjects to do whatever they command, they can also feel the same sensations that their victim/subject does. Somewhat bored ladies’ man Ian Ogilvy is their latest hapless victim/subject. However, after a bit of fun and games, Lacey is unsatiated and starts to engage Ogilvy in more violent and criminal activities. Victor Henry plays Ogilvy’s drinking buddy, a young Susan George is an ex-girlfriend and hooker, and Elizabeth Ercy is Ogilvy’s current squeeze.

 

Boris Karloff made quite a few films in the late 60s and early 70s before his death, and this 1967 oddity from director Michael Reeves (the terrific Vincent Price pic “Witchfinder General”) is one of the better ones. Scripted by Tom ‘Not That One’ Baker (also of “Witchfinder General”) and Reeves, it’s got a fascinating premise. An elderly couple hypnotises people and can not only control their actions but feel their every sensation. Yes, it’s nonsense but it’s interesting nonsense nonetheless. The swinging 60s is an interesting choice for the time and place to set it in. Horror legend Karloff and Catherine Lacey prove quite a good pairing, with Karloff starting off rather enthusiastic but Lacey proving to be the more evil of the two. They’re alternately funny and creepy. Lacey might in fact be even more impressive than Karloff here, but then she also has the more ‘fun’ role, as Karloff’s character starts to take pause of what they’re doing (Karloff is nonetheless well-cast). Look out for the late Victor Henry, who is well-cast too. His was a sad story, as he ended up in a vegetative state after a car rammed into a heavy lamppost that hit poor Henry, who also played the lead in the minor “All Neat in Black Stockings”. After 17 years in that vegetative state, Henry eventually died. Struck down in his prime and rendered immobile for more than 15 years, how awful. He was no great looker but he was an up-and-coming talent who does a perfectly fine job here (I should also mention that talented director Reeves died young at 25 of an accidental drug overdose). In fact, the film is well-acted all-round including a young Ian Ogilvy.

 

More sci-fi than horror, it’s pretty loopy and original, though the beeping and booping sound FX do grate. I also think that despite running under 90 minutes there’s some unnecessary padding (Cue the superfluous musical numbers). It’s a good film with a damn fine central premise, it’s just a bit slight. Nice bleak ending.

 

Rating: B-

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