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The Legend of Hell House

£150.00

Film

The Legend of Hell House

Additional information

Year

1973

Size/Type

UK Quad / (30″ x 40″) / Single Sided / Printed in England by Lonsdale & Bartholomew Ltd

Country of Origin

UK / British

Condition

Very Fine plus; originally folded (as issued)

Director

John Hough

Actor/Actress

Clive Revill, Gayle Hunnicutt, Pamela Franklin, Roddy McDowall

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“It’s the Mount Everest of haunted houses. There were two attempts to investigate it. Both were disasters. Eight people died. Fischer was the only one who survived, and when he crawled out he was a mental wreck.”

A great looking horror poster from the early 70’s for a much under-appreciated horror film. More commonly seen as a double bill with the Amicus Productions anthology “The Vault of Horror” this is a very rare standalone UK quad film poster from the movie’s first release in early 1973. Fantastic horror artwork; the tears of blood dripping from a giant skull’s eye sockets is a nice creepy touch as is the use of bright red and green lettering (almost luminescent) off setting the dark black background. This scarce, folded (as issued) example displays and presents to excellent effect and represents an extremely collectable piece of 1970’s horror cinema memorabilia that hasn’t come to the market in this standalone format for many years.

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Vintage Movie Posters Grading Criteria... read more +

Film Description

The Legend of Hell House Movie Poster

“For the sake of your sanity, pray it isn’t true !”

The Legend of Hell House is directed by John Hough and adapted to screenplay by Richard Matheson from his own novel ‘Hell House’. It stars Roddy McDowall, Pamela Franklin, Clive Revill and Gayle Hunnicutt. Music is by Electrophon Ltd and cinematography by Alan Hume.

The Belasco Mansion, the Mount Everest of Haunted Houses, a place where many have stayed and never made it out alive or escaped with sanity in tact. Now four more people are challenged to enter it and investigate if survival after death exists…

In many ways it is a film that has been unlucky over the years, for it has consistently been dogged with association with Robert Wise‘s similar themed, and excellent, The Haunting from 1963. Not only that but it was also released in the same year as The Exorcist, William Friedkin‘s behemoth that continues to cast a shadow over many a supernatural based horror movie. While the fact that it was “toned down sexually” from the book has proved to be irksome to some fans of Matheson’s page turner. Oh definitely John Hough’s film has a sturdy fan base and reputation, but it still comes under fire from first time viewers who will not judge it on its own terms. A shame because although it may indeed not be in the same league as The Haunting, or as sexually charged as the book, it does sit worthily in the top draw of haunted house pictures.

The back story to the house sets the scene. It was run as a place of complete debauchery, a sort of Buck Whaley and the Hellfire Club type of place, the master of ceremonies was the owner Emeric Balasco, a man with a fearsome reputation, that of a roaring giant. When one day the sins and violence overspill, all inside are finalised from the planet, only Belasco was never found, and ever since that day the house is believed to be haunted by numerous spirits. Enter our four protagonists (a physicist and his wife, a mental medium and a physical medium who was the sole survivor of the last Hell House carnage), who under a financially dangled carrot set about unearthing the truth. They are opposites in beliefs, and for the next 90 minutes they will be haunted whilst having their respective fears, desires and repressions born out.

What unfolds is a lesson in how to get the maximum scary atmosphere with so little to hand. Following the brilliant example set by Robert Wise back in 63, special effects are kept to an absolute minimum as Hough lets our minds eye fill in the blanks. We don’t need to see the horror up front, it’s better when we can just feel or hear it. Little incidents help fuel the fire, a mad cat, a séance, ectoplasm (put a specimen in the jar please, ooh Matron), suspicious noises, eroticism and a little possession. The mansion itself is suitably eerie (exteriors are the wonderfully Gothic designed Wykehurst Place in Bolney, West Sussex) and drifting in and out of the story is Electrophon Ltd’s rumbling sinister score. The direction is tight, the cast work exceptionally well to bear out the interpersonal conflicts before the final battle against the paranormal kills or defines them?

Working well as a haunted house spooker of some considerable substance, and intelligent and interesting with its themes of paranormal psychology and investigation of such, The Legend of Hell House is a classical supernatural thriller.

Vintage Movie Posters Grading Criteria

Mint
A poster that has never been used or displayed and may show the most minor signs of age and wear. The poster should have no holes or tears.

Near Mint
A generally unused poster with fresh, saturated colors. May have minimal tears at folds. Has no significant holes, no paper loss, may have minor tears along edges, may have fine pin holes.

Very Fine
A poster with bright colour and crisp overall appearance. It may have very general signs of use including slight fold separation and fold wear. It may have pin holes or very minor tears. This is the highest grade allowed for a poster that has been restored either on linen or on paper.

Fine
A poster with good colors and overall clean appearance. It may have minor tears small paper loss and minor stains. It may have some fold seperation.

Good
An average poster with overall fresh color. May have tears, minor paper loss, minor hazing. Paper may be brittle due to age, may have minor stains. May have a small amount of writing in an unobtrusive place. May have medium or major restoration.

Fair
A poster with faded colors and brittle paper, showing significant signs of use. May have tears and paper loss. May have tape, writing, stains in image area. In need of restoration or had major restoration.

Poor
A poster that is worn, torn, and/or damaged. May have staining, cracking, dry rot, and/or large tears. May be heavily soiled, may have pieces missing. In need of major restoration.

All photographs and images used on our site are photographs of the actual poster/item you are buying, we do not use stock photographs.

Most Popular Poster Types

US Posters

LOBBY CARD
11 x 14″ printed on heavy stock paper. Used as display in theatre lobbies. Originally made in sets of eight. Some sets have a title card, which contains credits and artwork, essentially a mini-poster. The remaining seven cards are coloured photographic credits and poster artwork showing different scenes from the movie.

WINDOW CARD
14 x 22″ printed on heavy stock paper with the top 4-6 inches usually left blank for the local cinema owner to fill in the cinema and the date it was due to play. Largely discontinued during the 1970’s.

HALF SHEET
22 x 28″ printed on heavy stock paper. The image displayed is normally a smaller version of the main poster, although some do have different artworks and sometimes come in two versions.

INSERT
14 x 36″ printed on heavy stock paper. Inserts usually have the same artwork as a one sheet. Popular with collectors since they are smaller and easier to frame. Normally come tri folded or rolled.

STYLE Y/FORTY BY SIXTY
40 x 60″ printed on heavy stock paper. Rare since they were primarily used for major motion pictures only. Designed to be used outside the theatre, on an easel, normally at a drive-in movie theatre.

ONE-SHEET
27 x 41″ printed on paper. This is the most common size of poster, intended to be displayed in a glass “marquee” case. It is the most sought after size by collectors. Since the 1980’s most posters are sent to the theatre rolled and maybe slightly smaller measuring 27″ by 40″ and with the advent of backlit light boxes a growing number of modern movie posters are available double-sided and the more traditional single-sided.

THREE-SHEET
41 x 81″ printed on paper. These were printed on two or three separate sheets designed to overlap, few survive. Used for larger advertising spaces, normally posted on walls, perfect for huge movie theatres the drive-in, where people could see them from a distance. From the 1970’s on, three-sheets were sometimes printed in one piece and issued as “international” versions to be used abroad.

BRITISH Posters

BRITISH QUAD
30 x 40″ Most common poster size used in the UK. British Quads are horizontal and may have different artwork to the US one sheet. Like a US one sheet they normally come in two versions. Like a US one sheet they are usually supplied single-sided or more commonly now as a double sided poster.

BRITISH ONE-SHEET
27 X 40″, printed on paper. Very rarely used size.

ITALIAN Posters

ITALIAN LOCANDINA
13 x 28″ six inches shorter than the US insert, very nice size to frame. Italian poster illustrators are some of the best in the industry.

ITALIAN PHOTOBUSTA
18 x 26″ Glossy, high quality, used as lobby cards in Italy. Size may vary, either vertical or horizontal format. There are also double Photobusta or mini Photobusta.

2-FOGLIO (DUE)
(DUE): 39 x 55″ This is the standard poster size used in Italy. Italian poster illustrators are some of the best in the industry.

4-FOGLIO
(QUATTRO) 55 x 79″ Very large Italian poster printed in two pieces, often contains very beautiful artwork.

FRENCH Posters

FRENCH
47 x 63″ (GRANDE) or 24 x 33″ (PETITE) French movie posters normally come with different artwork to either the US or the UK. Like the Italian’s some of the artwork is extrememly beautiful.