The House That Screamed (1968)

Dir: Chicho Ibáñez-Serrador

Obscure old gothic horror from Spain that takes place at an ominous old boarding school somewhere in the French countryside. On top of the obligatory drawbacks of the institution (ie: nazi-style headmistress and her peeping tom son, weirdo janitor lurking in the woods, fearsome lesbian prefect squad, etc), we also have a shadowy killer prowling the hallways at night and slashing up the pupils. The movie has dated badly and the pace lags in parts but with some artful camerawork and a delightfully creaky set full of cobwebs and candlesticks (not to mention the ever-lovely Cristina Galbo and Mary Maude as its female leads), it's very easy on the eye and pleasant enough to get through. The grisly twist ending is also quite the shocker - unexpected, unforgettable and actually worth waiting for throughout endless of shots of candle-toting girls in their nighties stumbling around darkened corridors. **1/2