The House In Nightmare Park

Comedy legend Frankie Howerd hams it up as struggling tragedian Foster Twelvetrees in this laugh out loud parody of 70’s British horror flicks.

Although specialising in serious tragedies, poor Foster Twelvetrees rarely scores better than performing the Classics in unsuitable local venues, for an audience that either mocks him or doesn’t know a thing about tragedies in the first place.
Little wonder that Foster can barely believe his luck when he receives an invite to a dramatic reading at the country home of Stewart Henderson (Ray Milland) and his family. But his joy doesn’t last long. Foster soon realises that his host might not be what he seems, and worse, might have insincere intentions. Meanwhile, Henderson’s family turn out to be a bunch of eccentric weirdos, with an insane mother locked in the attic - making the madhouse complete. Only Patel, the Indian butler, saves Foster from being knifed to death by her.

As more family and relatives arrive in the house, Stewart Henderson calmly explains to Foster that he and his sister Jessica both worship Kali - the Indian goddess of death and destruction. It might explain why an array of highly poisonous snakes are kept in the basement…
The plot thickens when – several corpses later - it becomes clear that Foster’s real name is Nigel Anthony Julian Amadeus Henderson and that according to a will, he is in line to take over money, estate, as well as a strange package found in the snake house. The climax sees more dead bodies, as well as our bumbling Foster throwing the parcel’s wrapping paper into the fireplace. Big mistake, as it was the map to the diamonds buried in the estate’s huge ground! In the final shot, we see Foster desperately digging in order to find them.

The cast, including Ray Milland, are excellent, but the movie belongs to Frankie Howerd. It can’t be easy if you’re a comedian already to top it and make your acting even more hilarious, but he does it. His facial expressions alone are worth it.
There are several spoof references to cult horror films in here, foremost Hammer’s ‘Dracula’ (in the scene when the coach driver refuses to bring Foster any nearer to the estate). Or ‘The Old Dark House’, which has a mad mother in Nightmare Park instead of a mad brother.

Finally available in a brand-new transfer from original film elements in its as-exhibited cinema aspect ration (phew!), The House In Nightmare Park has never looked so sharp and vivid!

Special Features:
• Full Frame 4:3, as-filmed version of main feature
• Music-only audio track
• original theatrical trailer
• TV spot (mute)
• Image gallery