Runtime:
86 minutes
Directed
by: Juan Ibanez/Jack Hill
Starring: Boris Karloff, Julissa, Carlos East, Isela Vega, Yerye Beirute
From:
Azteca Films/Filmica Vergara S.A.
What an oddity this is, which at least has an interesting backstory:
Because this actually IS about a sentient rock creature that
communicates in Moog sounds & needs the adrenaline of young women in
order to survive.... in the dying days of his life, Boris Karloff
agreed to a package deal with Mexican producer Luis Enrique Vergara
where he would appear in four low-budget horror films south of the
border... although all his scenes were shot in Los Angeles and those
moments were directed by Jack Hill. As he had emphysema and had trouble
breathing, that decision is understandable. Hopefully he was paid well
enough to help treat his illnesses. Considering those circumstances, no
surprise that a few scenes he literally phones in and part of the film
he is supine, laying in bed.
The plot is not always well told and
at times I was truly baffled. Yet I got the general idea... that
sentient rock creature is discovered in a cave and a group of scientists
(led by Karloff) hook it up to computers... don't ask how as the movie
doesn't explain this. They quickly discover it needs adrenaline to
survive in its new setting so as this is exploitation, the scientists
are “extra” by creating the titular fear chamber and young women are
terrified from seeing what looks like a Satanic sacrifice in a spooky
setting featuring the expected spooky accouterments... skeletons,
spiders, snakes, iguanas (?!), etc. Thankfully for them some of the
employees are creepy-looking dudes, including hulking brute Roland (more
on him later) and a random dwarf.
Fear Chamber is as ludicrous as it sounds, where some moments left me befuddled. But for those that love these low-budget horror curios from the past (as I sometimes do) you will at least laugh and be amused by such things as the gratuitous moment where a young woman dances around in her underwear for the benefit of the creature, just because. I was definitely amused by the Roland character, as it was implied he was mentally handicapped-in the same way this film “implied” that one woman was a lesbian... meaning, the message is quite overt-and he had a funny accent. He at one point stated the creature was HONGRY as if he was Roman Pearce.
Unfortunately, the fear chamber is not seen often enough; admitting that it is quite silly, it at least set an appropriate mood so I hoped it would be seen in full more than once, but alas... I have known of these Boris Karloff Mexican movies for years now so I am happy this opportunity came about.
Fear Chamber is as ludicrous as it sounds, where some moments left me befuddled. But for those that love these low-budget horror curios from the past (as I sometimes do) you will at least laugh and be amused by such things as the gratuitous moment where a young woman dances around in her underwear for the benefit of the creature, just because. I was definitely amused by the Roland character, as it was implied he was mentally handicapped-in the same way this film “implied” that one woman was a lesbian... meaning, the message is quite overt-and he had a funny accent. He at one point stated the creature was HONGRY as if he was Roman Pearce.
Unfortunately, the fear chamber is not seen often enough; admitting that it is quite silly, it at least set an appropriate mood so I hoped it would be seen in full more than once, but alas... I have known of these Boris Karloff Mexican movies for years now so I am happy this opportunity came about.
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