Some fresh talents revitalise Amicus' anthology series - director Kevin Connor working from stories by R. Chetwynd-Hayes. It was the last in their series (though Amicus producers would make others in that genre) and one of the best, with some excellent acting and production design, strong stories, and energetic direction.
It linking device is an antique store, which is suitably creepy, especially as run by Peter Cushing. The stories feel varied: David Warner buys an antique mirror and gets possessed; Ian Bannen passes himself off as a war veteran to Donald Pleasance and lives to regret it; Ian Carmichael gets possessed by a mysterious spirit coming from a snuff box; Ian Ogilvy and Lesley Ann Warren (so young so lovely) bring back the spirit of an ancient sorcerer.
The support cast bring a lot to it - Pleasance's daughter Angela plays his real daughter; Diana Dors is great fun as Bannen's nagging wife; Margaret Leighton (hammy as a clairvoyant) and Nyree Dawn Porter are on hand as well. I thought it was a bit harsh poor old Carmichael died while Ogilvy and Warren got to live by chopping up a door but that's life in the Amicus game.
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