A HOUSE IN NIGHTMARE PARK (1977)
Article 3917 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 4-25-2012
Posting Date: 5-5-2012
Directed by Peter Sykes
Featuring Frankie Howerd, Ray Milland, Hugh Berden
Country: UK
What it is: An old dark house movie

A ham actor is invited to entertain at a spooky mansion, but he’s unaware that he is actually the true heir to the estate and that the other members of the family want him out of the way…

This horror comedy is a vehicle for British comedian Frankie Howerd. I do like that the movie generally tries to use verbal wit instead of broad slapstick, that it tries to have some horror atmosphere, and that the comedian is one of those I don’t find actively annoying. However, the story is hardly original and the comedy is only fair to middling; there’s a few smiles, but not much in the way of outright laughs. Ray Milland gives his usual solid performance, and that adds a bit to the proceedings, but really, there’s not an awful lot here.