Gordon Hessler

(On Cable TV, October 2020) I’d like to be kinder to Scream and Scream Again, but this horror film doesn’t make it easy on itself through false promises, mostly incoherent plotting, wasted opportunities and an indecisive finale. While it’s sort-of-interesting to see the film’s plot strands come together at what’s almost the last minute, it still makes much of the film a slog to get through, as stuff just happens for no reason—and the ending does not solidly tie up those strands. I’ll be more critical of the film’s loose adherence to genre—it feels like horror most of the time, blends in a bit of spy thriller and police action, then touches briefly upon science fiction in time for the hastily sketched ending. (You’ll understand if I don’t even bother with a plot summary.) More disappointment abounds if you pay attention to the cast and see that Vincent Price, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing are in the film: their presences are short and largely disconnected: they are in no way leading roles, or even supporting characters. Add to that the lacklustre treatment of its 1970-ish London setting, and Scream and Scream Again doesn’t fulfill its potential. While it’s true that some of director Gordon Hessler’s execution can rise to the occasion, much of it still feels wasted on an empty, near-incoherent script.