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The Dunwich Horror (1970)

R | | Horror | 14 January 1970 (USA)
Wilbur Whateley pops over to the Arkham Miskatonic University to borrow the legendary Necronomicon and Sandra Dee. But little does anyone know, Whateley isn't quite human...

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(screenplay) (as Curtis Lee Hanson), (screenplay) | 2 more credits »
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Cast

Complete credited cast:
...
Nancy Wagner
...
...
...
Dr. Cory
...
Joanne Moore Jordan ...
Lavinia Whateley (as Joanna Moore Jordan)
Donna Baccala ...
Elizabeth Hamilton
...
Nurse Cora (as Talia Coppola)
...
Dr. Raskin
...
Sheriff Harrison
Barboura Morris ...
Mrs. Cole
Beach Dickerson ...
Mr. Cole
Michael Haynes ...
Guard
Toby Russ ...
Librarian
Jack Pierce ...
Reeger
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Storyline

H.P. Lovecraft meets Hollywood: Wilbur Whateley wants to help the Old Ones break through by consulting the Necronomicon, and Armitage must stop him. Attractive females are added to fill out the plot. Written by Brian Bixby <[email protected]>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

More People Die in Dunwich Than Live There! See more »

Genres:

Horror

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some sexuality/nudity | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Official Sites:

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Language:

Release Date:

14 January 1970 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Dunwich Horror  »

Filming Locations:


Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Keir Dullea and David Carradine were on the ideas list for the male lead. See more »

Goofs

Every person in the movie pronounces the town's name as "Dun-witch"; in fact, it is pronounced "Dun-itch", with a silent 'W' as in "Greenwich village". See more »

Quotes

Wilbur Whateley: Come back, Old Ones... Princes of Darkness... and repossess the earth.
See more »

Connections

References Rosemary's Baby (1968) See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

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User Reviews

Hippie Horror
24 April 2004 | by (United States) – See all my reviews

Dean Stockwell (sporting a 'fro and looking like a sinister disco king) visits Miskatonic University in hopes of "borrowing" the original Necronomicon. It seems that Dean is the grandson of a powerful wizard, and the illegitimate son of a woman who is finishing her days in the padded room of an insane asylum. Sandra Dee and her huge helmet of blond hair accompany Dean back to his isolated farmhouse where she is quickly drugged, talking about sex, having orgasms on altars and dreaming about strange beings (who rather resemble Manson Family members) who chase her along the misty sea cliffs. Suspicious friends arrive to help the stoned Miss Dee, who has no desire to be rescued from her creepy new boyfriend or his awful perm. But the well meaning friends learn some shocking truths about Dean anyway: he has a twin brother, and if looks are anything to go by, then their Daddy was a mutant sushi dinner.

There's some pretty decent creepy moments to be found in this film. The mood is nice and eerie, the atmosphere as thick and creepy as the fog that lies thick along the coastline beside Dean's house. We don't get to see much of the Twin Brother, but the POV shots are nice, done in blood red negatives. Dean Stockwell delivers a truly icky performance as the not-quite-human Wilbur who succeeds in seducing virginal Sandy, whose Good Girl image goes bye-bye here pretty quickly. The ending is a tad rushed and somewhat silly, but everything leading up to it is nice and tense, with minimal gore and some haunting sound effects. I give it a fat 8 on a scale of 10.


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