The Creeping Flesh
| The Creeping Flesh | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster |
|
| Directed by | Freddie Francis |
| Produced by | Michael P. Redbourn |
| Written by | Peter Spenceley Jonathan Rumbold |
| Starring | Christopher Lee Peter Cushing Lorna Heilbron Jenny Runacre George Benson Kenneth J. Warren |
| Music by | Paul Ferris |
| Cinematography | Norman Warwick |
| Editing by | Oswald Hafenrichter |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
| Release date(s) | 1973 |
| Running time | 94 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The Creeping Flesh is a 1973 British horror film. The film was directed by Freddie Francis, and stars Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, and Lorna Heilbron.
Plot
Prof. Emmanuel Hildern (Peter Cushing), a Victorian era scientist, is locked away in an insane asylum run by his brother Dr. James Hildern (Christopher Lee). Prof. Hildern tells (in flashback form) the tale of how he returned from New Guinea with an abnormally large humanoid skeleton which contained malevolent powers. When exposed to water, the skeleton grows skin and turns into a vicious monster. He deduces from the monster's blood that evil is a sickness that one can get like a cold. By combining good and bad blood, Prof. Hildern's theory is he can make someone immune to evil. He promptly injects it into his daughter Penelope (Lorna Heilbron), hoping she will not become mentally ill like his wife who recently died in a sanitarium.
Cast
- Christopher Lee – Dr. James Hildern
- Peter Cushing – Prof. Emmanuel Hildern
- Lorna Heilbron – Penelope Hildern
- Jenny Runacre – Marguerite Hildern
- George Benson – Prof. Waterlow
- Kenneth J. Warren – Charles Lenny
- Duncan Lamont – Inspector
- Harry Locke – Barman
- Hedger Wallace – Dr. Perry
- Michael Ripper – Carter
- Catherine Finn – Emily
- Robert Swann – Young Aristocrat
- David Bailie – Young Doctor
- Maurice Bush – Karl
- Tony Wright – Sailor
- Marianne Stone – Female Assistant
- Alexandra Dane – Whore
- Larry Taylor – Warder #1
- Martin Carroll – Warder #2
- Dan Meaden – Lunatic
- Sue Bond – Girl in Tavern