Devils of Darkness

Centuries ago, a young Gypsy woman was killed by a strange and mysterious bat although she returns from the dead. In modern times, Count Sinistre and his paramour Tanya search for new victims. He leaves behind a golden relic in the shape of a bat with a snake. English guests in the village become entangled by the unknown and death waits for them. A vampire walks among them.  

This is a 1956 horror film from Pinewood studios, directed by Lance Comfort and stars includes William Sylvester, Carole Grey and Tracy Reed. The actor who played the Count Sinistre was nicknamed "Bert Christmas" by the English cast, because his name is Hubert Noel. The film makes reference to the 1675 book "Talismans: The Power of Magic" MDCLXXV.

Visually it looks quite gothic that includes a trendy 60's party with a snake dancer and an underground cult. For me it was a little boxy and lacklustre. It could've done with some atmosphere but others may enjoy it.  For rating, a dark strawberry:

Blood Strawberry 

Circle of Fear: The Phantom of Herald Square

 

Circle of Fear is a 1973 paranormal TV series, the second season of Ghost Story. The next episode is the final episode of the entire series, called "The Phantom of Herald Square" directed by James H. Brown and stars David Soul, Sheila Larkin and Murray Matheson.

A woman named Holly falls in love with a stranger called James. She's an art student and he takes an interest in her. Soon when things grow between them, James pulls back. Heart broken by his hot and cold behaviour, she wants to find out why but learning the truth is much more stranger and weirder than she could possibly imagine. An old man threatens her and she becomes even more suspicious about James.

This is more or less a  tragic love story and is the best episode of the second season. David Soul plays the character James, and the actor later went onto make successful tv shows like "Salem's Lot", "The Yellow Rose" and "Starsky and Hutch". Actress Sheila Larkin also worked with David Soul again and she appeared in one episode of "Starsky and Hutch" but she's also done work in "The X-Files" tv series playing the mother of FBI agent Dana Scully.

I rate this a nice shining strawberry.

Blood Strawberry 

Circle of Fear: The Ghost of Potter's Field

 Circle of Fear is a 1973 paranormal TV series, the second season of Ghost Story. The next episode is "The Ghost of Potter's Field" directed by Don McDougall and stars Tab Hunter, Louise Sorel and Gary Conway.

A reporter named Bob visits a grave of Potter's Field, and notices a person who looks exactly like him who disappears into thin air. Soon the phantom version of Bob keeps materialising and causing trouble, making noise, trouble and even trying to murder. Bob confides in his psychic girlfriend Nisa with knowledge of the unexplained. 

It's a doppelganger story and not scary but mysterious, sometimes weird. It's not the first time a similar story about doubles has been used. Nisa, played by Louise Sorel, has also been in "Sabrina, the Teenaged Witch" as Mrs Saberhagen and in "The Curse of Dracula" as Amanda Gibbons. Actor Ted Hunter, who played Bob, was a teen idol during the 50's. 

I rate this a double strawberry.

Blood Strawberry

Circle of Fear: Spare Parts

  

Circle of Fear is a 1973 paranormal TV series, the second season of Ghost Story. The next episode is "Spare Parts" directed by Charles S. Dubin and stars Susan Oliver, Christopher Connelly and Don Knight.

After the death of a doctor, his widow is invited to hospital by his colleague, where she learns that three patients are undergoing donated transplants. This was her husband's medicine, so things take a weird turn when the ghost of her husband haunts the patients.

Susan Oliver plays the tormented widow and she's played an Orion slave girl named Zita in "The Menagerie" episode of Star Trek series. The writer of this episode is Seeleg Lester, who also worked on "The Outer Limits" and "The Invisible Man". The director Charles S. Dubin has worked on "Starman", "Kung Fu" and "Tarzan".

I give this a ghostly strawberry

Blood Strawberry