The Gorgon

Star Review

There's something fishy going on in the village of Vandorf. The police are unable to solve the series of mysterious deaths and the local doctor, Namaroff (Cushing) can't explain why some of the victims have been turned to stone. What is the terrible creature that has moved in to the derelict castle? And what is its connection to Namaroff's beautiful assistant Carla (Shelley)?

The Gorgon is one of the strangest films that Hammer ever made. It isn't simply the sight of a creature from Greek mythology transplanted directly into familiar Gothic territory (a crossover never properly accounted for), but also the eerie atmosphere that gives the film an almost fairy-tale quality. True, the plot does not make a great deal of sense but Terence Fisher strives for a lyricism seldom found in his work, imbuing the film with an almost melancholic tone.

Perhaps it's this distinctive quality that's caused it to be overlooked for so long. But although it is hardly typical of Hammer's output, it ranks as one of their most interesting pictures.

James Oliver on 30th September 2009
View all 57 of James Oliver's reviews

Film Description

Hammer Studios turned to Greek mythology for this horror film, in which a village is cursed with an ancient evil, through which victims are turned to stone. Professor Heitz (Michael Goodliffe) arrives to investigate, and is extremely interested in the mysterious Professor Namaroff (Peter Cushing) and his attractive assistant, Carla Hoffman...

Availability

To be released February 10th 2010. Despatched from Guernsey. Delivery times

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Film Details

Cast

Michael Goodliffe, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Barbara Shelley, Patrick Troughton, Richard Pasco

Technical Details