Fear Chamber (1968) Review

There are a lot of ways to get a movie made. One way is to film half the movie in the US with an aging horror icon, then pull the rug out from under the American production crew and ship the whole thing to Mexico for a cheap finish. This isn't the preferred method for making a coherent movie, whether horror, sci-fi, or otherwise, but it was the method employed for Fear Chamber. Jack Hill was hired to direct Fear Chamber, along with 3 other films that would end up being some of the last on screen appearances of Boris Karloff. The financing disappeared before the films were finished, and the productions were outsourced to south of the border. You can read about it on jackhillpresents.com.

Really, though, I'm glad Fear Chamber was eventually finished, even though the end result sometimes feels like it was edited with a butcher knife. I was thoroughly entertained by the story, and there was enough action on screen to keep me happy throughout - especially when it came to the spicy striptease toward the middle of the film (the lack of a lighting scheme makes me think this was one of the Mexican additions). Knowing ahead of time the history of the production, it was pretty easy for me to pick out the scenes filmed here and the scenes filmed down there. The scenes filmed in the US have lighting and advance the plot. The scenes filmed in Mexico feature random torture and a hump-backed midget, which I think was the same one I have in my blogger profile icon (taken from Santo y Blue Demon contra los monstruos).



The story itself was actually what kept me tuned in throughout the picture. It starts with a team of scientists retrieving a mysterious silicone-based life form from a dark cavern. They bring it back to the lab and hook it up to their high tech 1950's computer network. It doesn't take long for the viewer at home to figure out the creature is playing the scientists for chumps. The amorphous blob of a monster feeds off their fear, growing until it can form a tentacle to ensnare hapless victims and drain their vital essence. Boris Karloff plays the lead scientist. There is a brilliant moment in the film where Karloff wakes up in bed, and the creature is transmitting back to him the dialog from his dream via intercom. The juxtaposition of cutting and audio work actually show that someone (Jack Hill) appreciated the potential of the cinematic medium. The whole film is undoubtedly grimy, but it's certainly worth the watch for anyone who appreciates unique concepts in horror and science-fiction, especially when the two intersect. I would watch it again, just to see the lab tech named Roland with the lobotomy scar do his thing. What happened to him at the end of the movie, anyway? Gotta love that guy.