Retrospective: Don't Look in the Basement (1971)

Directed by S.F. Browing
Written by Tim Pope
Running Time 1:10min
Genre: Horror
Theatrical Release: 1971
The Cast: Bill Mcghee (On Valentine's Day, High Yellow)-Sam. Gene Ross
1 (Lost High way, Ed)-Judge Oliver W.Cameron. Annabelle Weenick
(Palmetto, The Crew)-Dr. Masters. Rosie Holotik -Nurse Charlotte
Beale. Michael Harvey IV -Dr. Stephens. This movie is also known as
"The Unknown."


In this classic tale of horror, Director S.F. Brownrigg and writer Tim
Pope (I) bring us this spine chilling and intense horror movie "Don't
Look In The Basement", a rare film not seen much these days. After
watching this weird horror flick it sent chills up my spine. It's a
movie that directs our attention to a local asylum for the criminally
insane, and the horrors that goes on behind the walls of an asylum
that goes horribly amuck when left to the criminally insane to take
charge of running things.This movie takes a very grim and vivid look
at the life threatening risks doctors take when tampering with the
lives of the insane.

In "Don't Look in the Basement"the characters take center stage

The first patient we see is a defrocked Judge. When this judge was
removed from the bench he suffered a nervous break down as a result,
he still has illusions of presiding on the bench. His echoes and
constant rants of handing down a guilty verdict still torments him.

The second patient is Sam a middle aged African American man whose
disturbed at the death of his brother. When Sam received an operation
that involved the partial removal of his brain the results left him
with the mind of a five-year-old child.

The third patient is an elderly woman who believes every one including
the flowers are her daughters.

Then there is Susan, the fourth patient a woman who has lost her
newborn baby. Susan believes her baby is alive. She walks around with
a doll in her hand living the delusion of her alive baby.

Allyson is a nymphomaniac who believes that every man is in love with
her and wants her sexually. Allyson is so caught up in her illusion
that she's sexually drawn to every man she meets.

Danny is also a patient at this hospital who doesn't do well when
coping with rejection. His sudden outbursts of laughter are his mental
block and protection every time he's rejected.

The army Sargent is another interesting patient at the asylum. His
past life as an army Sargent still haunts him. He believes that he is
at war and still in command. The mental pressures of war have caused
his mental illness.

In this movie, Dr. Stephens, the lead doctor of the asylum and his
patient, the Judge are outside cutting trees during am occupational
therapy session. Dr. Stephens gives the judge an axe to release anger.
This plan backfires when the Judge strikes and kills the doctor with
the axe. Dr. Stephen's body is taken to the basement at the
instructions of Dr. Masters, another patient at the asylum. Dr.
Masters has taken charge of the asylum and as a result many horrible
things will happen. Patients are killed; an old woman's tongue is cut
when she attempts to expose Dr. Masters. Another patient loses her
eye, and dies. Dr. Masters tortures the Sargent when she sets a piece
of paper on fire and places it in his hand.

Meanwhile, Nurse Beale, a newly hired nurse becomes terrified and
attempts to call for help, but the phone has been permanently cut off.
Later, Dr. Masters is exposed, and nurse Beale is taken to the
basement and there she's met with a gruesome surprise. I

Final Thoughts on "Don't Look In the Basement"

"Don't Look in the Basement" is an excellent and memorable horror
movie of its time. While, "Don't Look in the Basement" is a low
budgeted film it has a lot of good things going for it such a good
cast of actors not seen on the big screen anymore. The cast provides
excellent performances; they act with a true feeling of horror. The
script is well written and the cinematography stands with good merit.
Overall worth a look see.

Reviewed by Lisa Smith
(c)2007