Good concept, poorly executed.

Excellent, a Must See

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

My personal motivation to watch "Deadly Manor" sooner or later (although now I wish it had been much, much later) solely was because the guy in the director's chair was the Spanish-born José Ramón Larraz. Larraz made some really brilliant and atmospheric Gothic horror flicks back in the 70's (like "Vampyras" and "Symptoms") and even the partly American- produced horror junk he forged during the 80's (like "Edge of the Axe" and "Rest in Pieces") rank very high on my list of guilty pleasures. "Deadly Manor" was Larraz' last horror accomplishment, but perhaps he should have retired just one film earlier. It's an extremely mundane and painfully boring cinematic ordeal. Apart from an already dead body during the opening credits, absolutely nothing happens throughout more than an hour of running time! Moreover, the screenplay never at one point indicates where it might be heading towards. The film naturally takes place in a large ominous manor, but there's nothing even remotely suggesting that either the place is haunted or that there's a maniacal killing prowling around the estate, or anything. All we know is that there's a wrecked old-timer car in the garden and that the suspicious hitch-hiker is on the lam for the police. The six teenagers spending the night at the mansion (because it was too late at night and they couldn't find their camping site) are literally waiting to get massacred in patience. I only watched this movie yesterday and already I can't recall any of the death sequences, so that can only mean they weren't memorable and definitely not gory. One thing I do vividly remember is that "Deadly Manor" does not contain any gratuitous sleaze or sickly undertones. Only boredom, boredom, boredom… The end-twist, as in: the clarification of the manor's history; is reasonably original and effective, but it comes far too late. The last ten minutes form a worthwhile swan song to Larraz' career, but we best not mention the first eighty ever again.

Three young couples and a hitch-hiker being sought by police seek refuge from a storm at a seemingly abandoned house.A wrecked car on a cemetery-like shrine in the yard signals that all is not well,and the youths are murdered one by one.A crazed,disfigured woman and her doting,equally psychotic husband are responsible,as they blame all young people for the car accident which stole her beauty."Deadly Manor" was actually shot in New York with a mostly unknown cast.There is only a little bit of gore and the pace is quite slow,but there are some atmospheric moments.The scene where Peter,an overweight motorcycle-rider with a sick sense of humor,has his throat slashed is actually the goriest bit.So if you enjoyed Larraz's "Edge of the Axe" give this slasher a look.However fans of the director's strikingly moody films of the 1970's will be disappointed.7 out of 10.

Contains Spoiler I took a chance on this one and bought it anyway. It turned out to be really quite good, despite the plot being old and predictable and some of the acting just a bit dodgy.There are some quite nice touches:the smashed up car as a memorial, naked pictures of Jennifer Delora all over the house (and well worth seeing!), the hitch hiker who turns out to be a red herring.Also your stock 'stupid teenagers' who aren't at all put off spending the night in this 'abandoned ' house (with no broken windows) by coffins in the cellar, bottled scalps in the cupboard, yesterday's paper in a chair and lights left burning.Nevertheless quite an entertaining, cheap film and far better than many that cost much more to make. Worth a look.

I was not expecting much when I rented this from my corner store. I rented it anyway because I'm a huge horror movie fan. Most of the time when I rent crappy looking films, they turn out being crappy. This time I lucked out. This movie was really, really good. The plot is nothing new but it is very fast paced and suspenseful at times. The acting is good too. Give it a look if you see it. It is surprisingly enjoyable. A lost gem that deserves more attention.