Synopsis: To secure a job at a mental institution, a young psychiatrist is tasked with a challenge. He must interview four patients at the asylum in order to determine which one is Dr. B. Starr.
Asylum is a British anthology series featuring four vignettes wrapped in an enigmatic riddle. Written by Robert Bloch, who penned the novel Psycho as well as the screenplay for The Cabinet of Caligari (which I will be covering at a later date). This Amicus Productions received a pristine 35mm remaster in 2017 and was subsequently released by Severin Films on video. Which I will now be tracking down after watching this on a streamer. All hail physical media!
We open with young Dr. Martin (Robert Powell) as he arrives at a secluded asylum for the “incurably insane”. During his interview with warden Lionel Rutherford (Patrick Magee), Dr. Martin is informed that Dr. Starr has had a mental break. After attacking the warden and assuming a new personality, he joined the inmates at the asylum. Rutherford then challenges the young doctor to prove his acumen by interviewing the patients and determining which one is Starr.
As Dr. Martin ascends the stairs and arrives at a large metal door, he is greeted by an elderly orderly named Max Reynolds (Geoffrey Bayldon). Reynolds begins to give him a tour of the inmates solitary confinement cells. Reminding him that he’s been ordered not to give the doctor any clues regarding Starr’s identity. Then arriving at the first door and our first segment.
“Frozen Fear” is the story of our first patient Bonnie (Barbara Perkins). She’s the mistress of Walter (Richard Todd) who is married to Ruth (Sylvia Syms). Ruth owns a mystical amulet from Africa that has power that can extend beyond death. Throw in a murder/dismemberment, a freezer and some vengeful body parts? I’m pretty sure you know where it goes from there.
Our second patient Bruno (Barry Morse) tells our next tale “The Weird Tailor”. Which involves a mysterious man named Smith (Peter Cushing) with mystical fabric and instructions for Bruno to create a suit for his son. This suit has arcane powers. There’s a disagreement, a gun goes off and someone dies. Oh and there’s a mannequin. We’ve discussed how I feel about mannequins in previous posts.
“Lucy Comes to Stay” is the segment for patient number three. Barbara (Charlotte Rampling) has mental issues. She is staying with her brother George under a nurse’s care. Lucy (Britt Ekland) sneaks in to pay special visits to Barbara. One night, to facilitate Barbara’s escape, Lucy murders the brother and caretaker. But then we find out that Lucy might not be real. She might just be a figment of a broken mind.
Our fourth and final patient Dr. Byron (Herbert Lom) spins a yarn entitled “Mannequins of Horror” (again with the damn dolls). Byron claims to be a master of neurology as well as other disciplines, but now he has become interested in a new direction for his research. One involving dolls. He claims that the dolls he creates contain functional human anatomy and can have life breathed into them through concentration and projection. After angrily sending away Dr. Martin, he successfully transfers his consciousness into a doll with his likeness. This is where we circle back to the framing story and shit gets weird.
I’m pretty particular when it comes to anthologies. They need to contain a really cohesive framing story that intertwines well within the scenes. Asylum fits that bill to a “T” and has a pretty decent twist at the end to boot. I can usually sniff out the inevitable twist but this one caught me off guard. I’ll admit it, I was impressed.
Even though it was made in the early 70’s, Asylum felt like a horror from the 60’s. It had that Twilight Zone kind of feel to it and that was exactly what I needed tonight. Creepy British horror at its finest. It’s free of gore or any super intense scenes if you’re wondering. Disclaimer, there is a strangulation scene. Really though, the intense stuff is pretty tame compared to today’s fare. All in all, Asylum was an enjoyable ride and I would absolutely recommend this be added to your viewing list this spooky season. I found this one streaming on Tubi.
3 out of 5
So grab your popcorn, kill the lights and join me again tomorrow as we continue our journey on this strange little trip down the 31 Days of Horror rabbit hole. See you soon…
