It was 1968. The "Summer of Love" was curdling into something darker, and British horror was hitting a fever pitch. Tigon British Film Productions, basically the scrappy younger brother to the more refined Hammer Film Productions, decided to throw four absolute legends into a pot and see what happened. That’s how we got Curse of the Crimson Altar. Honestly, if you look at the poster, you’d think it was the greatest movie ever made. It’s got Christopher Lee, Boris Karloff, Barbara Steele, and Michael Gough. That is basically the Mount Rushmore of horror. But the reality of the movie is much weirder, a bit messier, and way more psychedelic than a standard gothic chiller.
You’ve probably seen it under a different name if you’re in the States. They called it The Crimson Cult over there. It’s loosely—and I mean very loosely—based on H.P. Lovecraft’s "The Dreams in the Witch House." I say loosely because, while Lovecraft deals with cosmic geometry and interdimensional rats, this movie leans hard into 1960s swinging London, kinky cult rituals, and a lot of green face paint. It’s a fascinating relic of a time when the old guard of horror was meeting the new, trippy era of filmmaking.
The Plot That Feeds the Nightmares
Basically, the story follows a guy named Robert Manning (played by Mark Eden). He’s looking for his brother who went missing at a remote estate called Craxted Lodge. When he gets there, he finds a party that’s half-fancy dinner and half-mod drug trip. The owner of the house is Morley, played by Christopher Lee. He’s as imposing as ever. Then you have Boris Karloff in one of his final roles as Professor Marsh, a local expert on witchcraft who spends most of his time in a wheelchair.
Manning starts having these vivid, hallucinogenic dreams. We’re talking about a black-clad cult, a throne, and Barbara Steele appearing as a blue-skinned (or green, depending on the print) witch named Lavinia. She’s the ancestor of the Morley family who was burned at the stake centuries ago. The film jumps between Manning’s investigations in the "real world" and these bizarre, colorful ritual sequences that feel like they were filmed through a kaleidoscope.
Why the Cast Matters More Than the Script
Let’s be real for a second. The script is kinda thin. It meanders. But you don't watch Curse of the Crimson Altar for tight plotting. You watch it to see Christopher Lee and Boris Karloff share the screen. By 1968, Karloff was in rough shape physically. He was eighty years old, battling emphysema, and needed oxygen between takes. Yet, his presence is still magnetic. There’s a kindness and a gravity to his performance that anchors the movie.
Christopher Lee, on the other hand, is in his prime. He plays Morley with a simmering intensity. He’s not a vampire here, but he carries that same "I know something you don't" energy that made him famous. And then there's Barbara Steele. She was the queen of Italian horror (think Black Sunday), and her role as Lavinia is essentially a series of silent, menacing poses. She doesn't need dialogue. Her eyes do all the work. It’s a bit of a tragedy that she and Karloff never actually share a scene together, despite being in the same film.
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Michael Gough—who younger fans know as Alfred from the 90s Batman movies—plays the creepy servant, Elder. He’s fantastic. He leans into the "weird rural eccentric" trope with so much commitment that he almost steals every scene he's in. The chemistry between these veteran actors is what keeps the movie afloat when the pacing starts to drag.
The Lovecraft Connection (Or Lack Thereof)
If you’re a Lovecraft purist, this movie might frustrate you. "The Dreams in the Witch House" is a terrifying story about mathematical dimensions and a creature called Brown Jenkin. The movie ditches almost all of that. Instead of non-Euclidean geometry, we get a 60s interpretation of witchcraft. It feels more like The Wicker Man or The Devil Rides Out than it does The Call of Cthulhu.
However, it captures the vibe of a family cursed by the sins of their ancestors. That’s a very Lovecraftian theme. The idea that you can’t escape your bloodline is central to the plot. The "Crimson Altar" itself is less a physical place and more a representation of the inescapable past. The film’s director, Vernon Sewell, was more of a journeyman director than an auteur, but he managed to capture some genuinely unsettling imagery during the dream sequences.
The Production Chaos
Making this movie wasn't exactly a smooth ride. It was filmed at Grims Dyke, the former home of W.S. Gilbert (of Gilbert and Sullivan fame). The house is actually quite famous for being a filming location—it appeared in The Avengers and Doctor Who. During filming, the weather was reportedly miserable. It was freezing cold, which was particularly hard on Karloff.
There’s a legendary story that the producer, Tony Tenser, wanted more "exploitation" elements. He wanted more skin and more shock. This led to some friction with the actors, particularly Lee, who always pushed for a more "classy" approach to horror. You can see this tension on screen. The movie oscillates between being a serious gothic drama and a lurid psychedelic trip. It’s that weird friction that makes it so memorable today.
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The Visual Style: A 60s Fever Dream
One thing you can't take away from Curse of the Crimson Altar is its look. The cinematography by Johnny Coquillon is surprisingly lush. When the movie shifts into the dream world, the color palette explodes. We get vibrant reds, deep purples, and that sickly green skin on Barbara Steele. It feels very "Pop Art" horror.
This was the era of the "Satanic Panic" in cinema. Audiences were obsessed with the idea of secret societies operating in the shadows of modern England. This movie tapped directly into that. It shows high-society figures participating in these rituals, suggesting that the "monsters" aren't lurking in caves, but sitting next to you at a dinner party.
Critical Reception: Then vs. Now
When it first came out, critics weren't exactly kind. Many saw it as a cheap attempt to cash in on the names of Karloff and Lee. They called it confusing and slow. But time has been generous to it. Modern horror fans appreciate it as a "transitional" film. It sits right at the intersection of the classic Universal/Hammer monster era and the gritty, psychological horror of the 70s.
It’s also a key piece of "Folk Horror" history. While it doesn't have the rural isolation of Blood on Satan's Claw, it shares that preoccupation with old gods and ancient grudges buried beneath the British soil.
Why You Should Still Watch It
Is it the scariest movie ever? No. Not even close. But it is incredibly atmospheric. If you turn off the lights on a rainy Tuesday night, the mood of the film really takes hold. It’s about the passing of a torch. It’s one of the last times you get to see Karloff doing what he did best. It’s also a chance to see Christopher Lee play a character that isn’t just "The Villain" in a black cape.
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The music by Sacha Distel (yes, the French singer) is another weird highlight. It’s not your typical orchestral horror score. It’s got this jazzy, lounge-music undertone that makes the ritual scenes feel even more surreal. It’s just one more ingredient in this very strange cinematic stew.
Notable Scenes and Trivia
- The Fire Ritual: The climax involves a significant amount of actual fire. Given the age of the house and the actors, it’s a pretty intense sequence.
- The Whipping Scene: There’s a controversial scene involving a ritual lashing that pushed the boundaries of what was allowed by the censors at the time.
- Karloff’s Health: You can see how much Karloff is struggling in some scenes, yet he never misses a beat. His professionalism was legendary.
- The Title Changes: Depending on where you live, you might find this as The Crimson Cult, The Witch House, or even Spirit of the Dead.
How to Experience the Crimson Altar Today
If you want to track this down, look for the remastered Blu-ray releases. The older DVD versions are often grainy and dark, which ruins the vibrant color work of the dream sequences.
To get the most out of it:
- Watch it as a Double Feature: Pair it with The Devil Rides Out (also 1968). They make perfect companion pieces for 60s occult horror.
- Pay Attention to the Backgrounds: The Grims Dyke location is stunning. The woodwork and the architecture add a layer of production value the budget shouldn't have allowed.
- Read the Lovecraft Story First: Read "The Dreams in the Witch House" before watching. It’s fun to see what the filmmakers kept and what they threw out the window.
- Listen for the Dialogue: There are some surprisingly sharp lines about the nature of superstition vs. modern science, mostly delivered by Karloff.
Curse of the Crimson Altar isn't a perfect movie, but it’s a vital one for anyone interested in the history of British genre cinema. It represents the end of an era and the beginning of a much weirder one. It’s got style, it’s got icons, and it’s got enough 60s kitsch to keep you entertained even when the plot thins out. It’s a reminder that even when the stars are fading, they can still put on one hell of a show.
Actionable Next Steps for Horror Fans
If this movie sounds like your kind of weird, here is how you should dive deeper. First, look for the Odeon Entertainment or Kino Lorber Blu-ray editions; they have the best color correction for those psychedelic scenes. Next, check out the documentary The Many Faces of Christopher Lee to see behind-the-scenes context on his work during this specific Tigon era. Finally, if you’re a collector, try to find the original 1968 lobby cards—they feature some of the best high-contrast photography of Barbara Steele’s Lavinia. Don't just watch it for the scares; watch it as a time capsule of British horror history.