An introduction to Mod horror

There's so many movie genres out there, so what's the harm in introducing another one - Mod horror.

So what exactly is Mod horror?

Well, essentially a Mod horror movie is a contemporary horror flick made and set in the sixties and early seventies, where the directors went out of their way to make their movies swing as much as the hip young things they were trying to attract to the cinemas. Add a bonus point if you manage to set it on the Kings Road or Carnaby Street, add an extra two if you got a band of the day playing live. If you get both and a groovy soundtrack, that's Mod horror nirvana.

There's an endless supply of scary cinematic gems from the era (and if you can suggest any to feature, get in touch), but we've picked out five that should give you a flavour of our newly-created genre:

1. The Sorcerers (1967)
A gem of a film from great lost directing talent Michael Reeves. Take an old horror star (Boris Karloff), parachute him into swinging London, then turn him into a hypnotist who has invented a machine to experience life through a swinging young thing (in this case, rising star Ian Ogilvy. The essential first-buy for anyone dipping a toe into the newly-created genre.

2. Dracula AD72 (1972)
Hammer obviously thought long and hard about their attempt at the Mod horror, taking until 1972 to release this Chelsea chiller. Johnny Alucard is a descendent of Dracula's servant, taking the opportunity to talk some hip kids on the Kings Road into bringing Dracula to life, aiding him in his plan to destroy the house of van Helsing.  It's got Cushing and Lee and some great period shots - the purists hate it, but I love it!

3. Scream And Scream Again (1969)
A serial killer, who drains the blood of his victims, is on the loose in London, popping up in a club where Amen Corner happen to be the house band to pick up victims. The rest of the plot is so complicated, it's likely to make your head hurt. But it's a film you need to see at least once.

4. Straight On Til Morning (1972)
A film that has everything, but doesn't quite pull it off. Directed by Peter (Italian Job) Collinson, featuring Mod horror regular Shane Briant and starring sixties icon Rita Tushingham as a Liverpool girl who heads to London, desperate for a hip new life, a man and a baby. Except the man she falls for turns out to be a serial killer. Very odd and more than a little disturbing. The evil flipside to Smashing Time.

5. The Deadly Bees (1966)
An average and very dated movie gets a shot in the arm by an almost accidental appearance by a lost Mod talent. The plot surrounds a pop star suffering from exhaustion and sent  to a remote island to recover. Bad choice, as a mutant breed of killer bees is killing people. Unlikely to get a mention today but for the only film appearance of top Mod combo The Birds (featuring a pre-Stones Ronnie Wood). It doesn't save the movie, but it makes it worth watching. In fact, you can check out the band in the movie here.

Can you recommend any more? Let us know and we'll hunt them down and feature them.

Comments

[Gina Draker]

I'm delighted to have found an expression for those groovy Gothic horror/supernatural flicks of the campy 60s and early 70s genre that I grew up with. "Mod Horror" is a great way to describe these films of sexy Vampires and Miniskirts...

Thanks much for a wonderful and informative site!