Stylish but barely mediocre overall

SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

ridiculous rating

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Robert Culp and Samantha Eggar high-tail it from the city into woodsy environs to oversee the renovation of their inherited historic house...a creepy, desolate lakeside place where shadowy phantoms cloaked in darkness whisper orders for the couple to depart.That overview may sound simple enough, but don't be fooled...A NAME FOR EVIL presents more random points of aimless departure than one could possibly imagine. What results is a discursive, audience distancing clusterf--k, replete with earthy, post-psychedelic erotic inclivities. As stated by other reviewers, it's occasionally suggestive of modest professional contributions, chiefly in response to the cinematography and soundtrack, but despite these niceties, A NAME FOR EVIL remains a lead balloon of carelessly overburdened derangement which goes absolutely nowhere, and takes far too many side-roads getting there. A metagrobolized rummage of wandering notions, stuffed into a hand-carried wet paper bag. 3.5/10

This movie is pure early 70's kitsch and the best for Robert Culp (I Spy) and Samantha Eggar fans. All of those wonderful clothes that are more like costumes; "in" clothing and decor that collectors would love to find in the second-hand shops now; "mod" architecture; Culp and Eggar in their prime. It is the sort of slow-moving tale of a haunt that is more in line with the black and white films of the 40s and 50s where all of the terror came from shadows and angles and fear of the "unseen". Think of "The Uninvited" or "Cat People", the original "Haunting of Hill House", "The turn of the Screw" etc. Just perfect for a lazy late-night or early a.m. with nothing else to do! I enjoyed it. Not for those looking for fast-breaking terror, though.

Others have commented on the evidently different versions of this film, the nudity, beautiful cinematography, and scrambled plot. My two cents: "A Name For Evil" looks like a film that has gone through many hands. It definitely has it's strengths: the afore-mentioned photography of some spectacular locations, good performances from Culp and Egger, a stunning evocation of early '70's wackiness, and a few nicely creepy moments.But I have to mention something else no one else has yet talked about: Dominic Frontiere's grand score. If you like Frontiere's work, especially his "Outer Limits" music which this strongly resembles, you owe it to yourself to at least listen to this movie.

In the very beginning of the film, you view a man who walks on the grounds of his home and also looks out of his bedroom windows. This figure of a man vows that no one will live in his home. However, Robert Culp,(John Blake),"The Almost Guys",'04, decides to leave his job in the Big City and go to a home he owns far away from everything. He even threw his TV out the window and wanted to disassociate himself from the world of big business. John Blake takes his beautiful wife Joanna Blake(Samantha Eggar),"The Astronauts's Wife",'99, along with him to enjoy this home in the mountains. Sheila Sullivan(Luanna Baxter),"Hickey & Boggs",'72, plays a very cute and sexy role and goes skinny dipping in a wonderful falls in the mountains. If you love Robert Culp and wish to see his real wife( Sheila Sullivan) at the time of this filming, this is the film for you. The ending of this film will surprise you and make you wonder just what happened!