A young sailor finds himself trapped in the labyrinthine mansion of his occultist uncle, along with a number of eccentric and mysterious relatives who all seem to be harboring a dark secret.
Production
The mansion itself: a rotting, breathing character of wood and shadow
Acting
Susan Hampshire plays five roles—each a different facet of feminine myth
Direction
Kümel's camera creeps like it's also trapped, searching for escape
Director
Harry Kümel
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Orson Welles was so difficult on set that Kümel could only shoot him in the mornings; the actor's massive weight required custom furniture.
The original novel by Jean Ray was written in 1943 occupied Belgium—the gods' imprisonment mirrors Belgium's own trapped state under Nazi rule.
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