A surgeon discovers that he can restore the beauty to his girlfriend's scarred face by murdering other women and extracting fluids from their pituitary gland. However, the effects only last for a short time, so he has to kill more and more women. It is ultimately a killing spree which ends with considerable death and disaster.
Acting
Peter Cushing's unhinged descent from respected surgeon to sweaty murderer.
Production
Grotty London locations that reek of cheap horror authenticity.
Practical Effects
Gloriously nasty pituitary extraction scenes with zero CGI.
Director
Robert Hartford-Davis
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Marketed as 'the most controversial film of the year,' it rode the wave of 1960s 'unhinged surgeon' horror alongside Eyes Without a Face.
Cushing allegedly hated the film and its sleazy tone, which makes his sweaty, desperate performance even more fascinating—method discomfort?