Plot: What’s it about?
Pat Carroll (Stefanie Powers) was engaged to be married, but before she took the vows, he met his unfortunate demise. This shook her up quite a bit of course, since the love of her life was torn from her in an instant. Some time has passed her former love’s automobile accident, but Pat decides to pay a visit to his mother. Pat wants to pay her respects to Mrs. Trefoile (Tallulah Bankhead) and while she should have come sooner, the time simply wasn’t right for such a visit. When she arrives, Pat learns that Mrs. Trefoile isn’t a kind person, as she begins to critique her in every respect, from her clothes to her words to her mere presence. Mrs. Trefoile is also a strict woman in terms of religion and holds frequent readings from the good book, with hopes of making sure Pat is as pure as she should be. It becomes obvious that the woman is also obsessed with her son’s spirit, as he was her sole child and his death took a lot from her. When Pat informs her that she plans to marry a new man, the news sends Mrs. Trefoile off the deep end. She holds Pat hostage in the basement, with the intention of cleansing her soul and getting her ready to rejoin her former lover in heaven. Her plan soon moves from brainwashing to sacrifice, which means if Pat wants to remain alive, she needs to escape and soon.
The realm of gothic horror was mined by Hammer Films with great success, but that prosperity wouldn’t last forever. But after Psycho drummed up box office glory, Hammer turned its attention toward psychological thrillers. Of course, these films never hit the mark like the studio’s classic gothic horror offerings, but some cool movies came out of that period. And I think this picture is one of the studio’s better ones, as Die! Die! My Darling! has a good premise, memorable performances, and an eerie overall atmosphere. As this is a thriller after all, suspense is ample, though the movie doesn’t hold up that well the second time around. The shock moments provide effective tension the first time you watch, but repeat viewings yield little of the same results. But Die! Die! My Darling! has other elements to warrant a second or third look, such as the bombastic, outrageous performance of Tallulah Bankhead. Yes, her work is over the top and campish, but it drives the movie and is the best ingredient in the mix. Richard Matheson (The Omega Man, The Legend of Hell House) supplies the writing here, which turns out to be solid in most respects and was based on the novel written by Anne Blaisdell. I can recommend this movie to fans of suspense thrillers, but don’t expect the usual Hammer Films output in this case.
If you love to watch performers chew through scenery like nobody’s business, then Die! Die! My Darling! is required viewing material. In what would be her final screen performance, Tallulah Bankhead goes so far over the top, you have no choice but to marvel at the fierce presence she brings to the picture. The turn is pitch perfect however, as the material needs an offbeat effort from Bankhead and of course, she more than satisfies that need. One of the reasons her work is so effective is that we’d never expect it from her, as Bankhead’s previous work was dramatic and traditional in most respects. She had shown some signs of potential in terms of over the top madness, but not until this film was that potential exploited. In Die! Die! My Darling!, Bankhead grabs the audience and never releases that grasp, at least not until the film’s conclusion. Its not the kind of performance you win awards for, but in this case, Bankhead’s effort is dead on and in the end, her presence makes the picture. Other films with Bankhead include Faithless, A Royal Scandal, Devil and the Deep, Lifeboat, and Woman’s Law. The cast also includes Stefanie Powers (Experiment in Terror, Stagecoach), Donald Sutherland (Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Klute), and Peter Vaughn (Straw Dogs, Village of the Damned).
Video: How does it look?
Die! Die! My Darling! is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The image here is quite good and in truth, looks much better than expected. The visuals have a worn texture, but that’s due in part to the drab color scheme employed. The print has some specks at times, but looks very clean and I was pleased to find little grain present. As I mentioned, the colors here are by no means vivid and bold, but the hues look just as intended. So if the reds and greens seem on the dull side, there’s no reason to be worried. I found contrast to be solid, but not quite as stark and refined as I would like. In the end, this is a more than competent visual effort and despite some inherent flaws, fans should be more than pleased.
Audio: How does it sound?
A simple mono option is provided here, which serves the needs of the material, but offers little beyond the basics. A few age related flaws can be heard, but pops and hiss are minimal, which is great news. As this is a mono soundtrack, don’t expect much depth or presence, but the elements have a good overall texture. So sound effects won’t shatter the windows, but as far as mono is concerned, they sound more than acceptable. The same holds true for the music, which sounds limited, but still comes across well enough. No troubles at all with the dialogue either, as vocals are clean and clear throughout. This disc also includes English subtitles, but no other audio options or subtitles have been provided.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes no bonus materials.
