PORTRAIT IN TERROR (1965)
Article 2171 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 2-24-2007
Posting Date: 7-23-2007
Directed by Rado Novakovic
Featuring Patrick Magee, William Campbell, Anna Pavane

The theft of a valuable Titian painting ends in murder, and the police investigate. Meanwhile, the murderer discovers that the painting is a forgery, and he believes that his accomplice knows the whereabouts of the real painting.

This rather obscure movie is generally known among horror fans as the source for some of the footage in BLOOD BATH, aka TRACK OF THE VAMPIRE. As a result, this movie is misclassified as horror, when it is only marginally so; outside of the fact that one character goes mad and that a body is disposed of in a rather horrific way, this is really just a crime movie at heart. Furthermore, only snippets of the footage were used in BLOOD BATH, hardly any of the original plot footage remains, but several of the background, establishing shots and mood moments appear in both movies. The fact that only one actor gets credit in both movies (William Campbell) should clue you in. Though this movie has a fairly low rating at IMDB, it’s actually better than that, though it does suffer from confusing exposition and a final twist that you should see coming a mile away. The movie may actually remind you a little more of DEMENTIA 13, though once again there’s very little similarity in the way of plot; not only does this movie share two of its stars, but the disposal of one body is quite similar to one in that movie. All in all, it’s so-so, but I think it’s best not to go in expecting a horror movie.