This film fills me with such a feeling of nostagia. Released 1965, two on a guillotine stars conniestevens, deanjones, cesarromero, parleybaer the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 47 min, and received a score of out of 100 on metacritic, which. Review two on a guillotine bluray bluray authority. Two on a guillotine was one of the first horror films i ever saw in a theater. The screenplay by john kneubuhl and henry slesar is based on a story by slesar. Two on a guillotine was written by henry slesar and john kneubune. Two on a guillotine 1965 directed by william conrad. Connie stevens, dean jones, cesar romero, parley baer en virginia gregg. Maybe two on a train to squaresville was already taken.
More of a romantic comedy than a horror film, two on a guillotine never finds a groove. Starring connie stevens, dean jones cinematography by sam leavitt directed by william conrad imagine shockmeister william castle directing a disney movie and the result might be something like two on a guillotine. Two on a guillotine is many things a romance, a mystery, a goofy comedy, an exploration of filial guilt and love, but in the the end, it is most definitely a horror film. A grand guignol horror movie, produced and directed by william conrad, better known as tvs cannon, about the daughter of a recently. Whatever you have to do, this movie must be searched out by any true lover of the genre, and 60s pop schtick in general for a number of reasons, so where do you want to start. Duke duquesne, is a very eccentric magician and due to his lifestyle his twoyearold daughter is sent away to live with an aunt living there for the next twenty years. Connie stevens and dean jones make for two on a guillotine. For those unfamiliar with this movie, the plot is a will and inheritance trope. It has two adorable actors, dean jones and connie stevens, in their prime. A year or two ago, in starlog and films of the golden age, i had two interviews with william conrads producing partner jimmy lydon, talking about their collaborations on two on a guillotine, countdown, my blood runs cold and several other warners movies of the mid1960s. Warner archive is set to release william conrads grisly two on a guillotine 1965 on a brand new remastered bluray. In two on a guillotine, a film that wellknown character actor william conrad both produced and directed, connie stevens has a dual role. Luckily, the beginning and ending of the film will leave a smile on most faces.
If so, then is the quality of its image worth upgrading from the standard dvd. Warner archive has provided a beautiful transfer of the film. In fact, in terms of how it deals with its subject matter, the. A grand guignol horror movie, produced and directed by william conrad, better known as tvs cannon, about the daughter of a recently deceased magician, who must stay seven nights in her fathers spooky old mansion if she wants to inherit his fortune.
The movie suffers from a sluggish pace and total lack of scares and drama. Coming attractions for you 2020s most anticipated movies. Find release information for two on a guillotine 1965 william conrad on allmovie. Not so weird a role for cesar romero as magician john harley duke duquesne. Two on a guillotine is a 1965 american horror film starring connie stevens, produced and directed by william conrad. She portrays two different, but related, characters a mother at the very beginning of the film and then later, her daughter.
If youre chopping for entertainment, heres the supershocker of them all. With the guillotine, killing becomes emotionless and automatic, and human life becomes cheap. This film goes on for a very long time cesar disappears connies daughter grows up into her identical twin child theres a william castle style haunted house with cardboard cutouts and flying skeletons. Her estranged father was a famous magician, the great duquesne cesar romero. The legendary max steiner add to the thrills with one of his final film scores. I certainly wouldnt consider it a b movie, and gives it a decent 6. Connie stevens plays a dual role in this film, starring both as cassie and as cassies disappeared mother, melinda. Two on a guillotine 1965 film locations guillotineagers. Two on a guillotine is a fairly smart thriller with a lot of tension that builds up. Two on a guillotine 1965 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Twenty years ago, a little accident with a guillotine trick left magician duke duquesnes wifeonstage assistant without a headand their baby daughter, cassie, without a mother.
The spitting image of her mother at that age, early twentysomething cassie duquesne never really knew her parents, duke and melinda duquesne, having been sent to live with her aged maternal aunt in wisconsin after melinda abandoned the family when cassie was an infant, melindas whereabouts since unknown. William conrad, narrator of rocky and bullwinkle and star of televisions cannon, is at the wheel of this thrill. Although its billed primarily as a horror film, two on a guillotine 1965 throws in about as much romance and comedy as haunted house horror, which makes for an uneven picture that sometimes loses sight of its purpose and plot. Two on a guillotine is the latest in the warner archive collection and much deserved as its truly a classic thats a must see. Two on a guillotine blu ray warner archives 1965 2. Two on a guillotine is a film directed by william conrad with connie stevens, cesar romero, dean jones, parley baer, year. And like the skeleton that swings down from the ceiling several times over the course of the film, its more corny than scary or even funny. Also where they shot the climactic episode of the fugitive. However, this easygoing 1965 thriller was helmed by william conrad.
This is such a shame because the first act sets up a promising premise, and i love these old mansion will reading, possibly supernatural, more likely criminal kinds of movies. Two on a guillotine is a 1965 american horror film produced and directed by william conrad and starring connie stevens. That darn dean jones turns up as the love interest. Yes, the man who voiced matt dillon on radio and later played cannon on tv also directed movies. Two on a guillotine 1965 classic horror film board. The guillotine, a machine designed to behead its victims, is one of the enduring symbols of the french revolution. Two on a guillotine is a unique little film that knows when to have some laughs and, more importantly, when to play it straight.
Spoilers when he finally appears it is quite dramatic and he is there to kill her. Two on a guillotine is a 1965 american horror feature film produced and directed by william conrad the portly actor most famous in tv series. This fridays special treat is still yet another incredible film that was not even near my radar, from 1965, entitled two on a guillotine. The horror of an almost realized hope of parental reconnection shattered into a delusionally incestuous nightmare appointment with. At nearly two hours the pacing is glacier level and i found myself checking the time on several occasions. Hd talk two on a guillotinebluray has anyone seen the justreleased bluray of two on a guillotine. Find low everyday prices and buy online for delivery or instore pickup.
The film follows a young woman named cassie connie stevens. Two on a guillotine 1965 stars connie stevens and dean jones and is directed by actor william. Although often erroneously attributed to legendary producer william castle, the 1965 chiller two on a guillotine certainly has all the hallmarks of one of his productions. In a perfect world, hed have done a guillotine audio commentary. Two on a guillotine 1965 film locations geek field guides. Despite a garish title like two on a guillotine this film is sooo dull. Twenty years ago, a little accident with a guillotine trick left magician duke. In fact, his followup was another 1965 thriller, my blood runs cold, which featured connie stevens. The device consists of a tall, upright frame with a weighted and angled blade suspended at the top.
The scariest thing about it was the title but i recall it fondly. Two on a guillotine is almost a camp classic, but it pulls a few too many punches and has a middle that sucks the suspense out of the film. Im pretty sure the amusement park used in the film was the pike in long beach which was in its final days when i first came to california. In fact, the film was, perhaps improbably, produced and directed by william conrad thats right, the same character actor. Although i can understand why people would be skeptical about a horror film starring connie stevens and walt disney leading man dean jones, these two really. Two on a guillotine sounds like a william castle film and one can just imagine the kind of gimmicks that could have accompanied it. In tale of two cities, the guillotine symbolizes how revolutionary chaos gets institutionalized. The daughter of a dead magician who accidentally killed his wife, her mother, while performing a guillotine trick must spend the night in his house in order to. The wonderful cesar romero has a relatively small but integral part. Twenty years ago, a little accident with a guillotine trick left magician duke duquesnes wife and onstage assistant without a headand their.
Other than a couple of frenetic scenes towards the start of the film and some outlandish characters that are moderately interesting, two on a guillotine is an exercise in blatantly manufactured thrills. As connie stevens is awaiting the appearance of her supposedlydead father, the drama unfolds. Two on a guillotine is a fantastic horror movie title. I had never heard of the movie until i was perusing the. It was made in 1965 and is black and white, which, being of an age, i didnt even notice right off. Two on a guillotine is a 1965 american horror feature film produced. Two on a guillotine 1965 not rated 1h 47min mystery, horror january 1965 usa the daughter of a psychotic magician must stay in his mansion for seven nights in order to inherit his fortune. Slow at times, especially in the second act, two on a guillotine is by no means a perfect or even a really good horror movie, but its watchable enough if you. William conrad, narrator of rocky and bullwinkle and star of televisions. The best movies about magicians youve never seen film. Cesar romero, connie stevens, dean jones, william conrad. If you like two on a guillotine you are looking for movies about with inheritance, mansion, guillotine, magic, rabbit, skeleton and magician themes of mystery and horror genre shot in usa.
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