Get ready for the werewolf with the nastiest monster movie you’ve ever seen

with Leigh Whannellof Wolf Man Werewolves who want to howl in theaters hope to become the next monster. Nosferatu closed the year with such vampire highs. Get in the mood by watching one of the weirdest monster movies ever. a genre with some deeply strange entries: 1974 The Beast Must Die.

Based on the equally compelling 1950 short story “There Will Be No Darkness.” The Beast Must Die has an Agatha Christie-esque setup where a group of people are invited to an isolated country estate under false pretenses and realize they’re in for a nasty run-in complete with a body count. Calvin Lockhart stars as Tom, a brilliant millionaire whose obsession with hunting inspires him to pursue the ultimate game: the pursuit of the wolf.

Whether or not monsters actually exist is rarely questioned in the context of the film; Tom is so obsessed with the idea that he invests tons of money in a complex system that hunts monsters. The grounds around his mansion are equipped with a high-tech (for 1974) surveillance system, which we see him demonstrate in the opening sequence where he tests his capabilities and the audience believes that Tom is being followed by some kind of fugitive. the man orders the security forces from the control room with a gun.

But we also know that before Tom terrorizes his guests by being chased out of the forest with a small army chasing him The Beast Must Die not an ordinary country kapil. Because the film opens with a very special exposition: “This film is a detective story – where you are the detective.”

Okay, cool. Participatory element, interesting. But then: “The question ‘who is the killer?’ no, ‘who is the werewolf?’ Who is it? what now? “After all the clues are shown, you’ll have a chance to give your answer… watch the monster break.”

Now with the prospect of “werewolf destruction” creeping into the viewer’s mind, The Beast Must Die It goes on like an Agatha Christie tale, albeit with a gorgeous, vaguely disco-flavored soundtrack. Tom explains to Pavel (Anton Diffring)—the dubious but good-natured security expert Tom has hired to oversee all that fancy equipment—his motivation for the strange gathering in a speech that includes the phrase, “I’m after what I want.” ,” “I was born a hunter,” and “this will help me hunt the biggest game.”

For this adventure, not coincidentally scheduled for a full moon, his “guests” include a series of disgraced eccentrics (an artist who admits to flirting with cannibalism; a former UN representative whose colleagues keep disappearing mysteriously), and Tom thunderously informs them: “One of you sitting in this room is a monster.” ” followed by a dramatic musical cue. One of you, in other words, is a dying animal.

The legend of horror and the future Star Wars the evil Peter Cushing is second-billed as an archaeologist invited to be a monster expert. Cushing plays it very seriously as he lectures the other guests about the oddities of wolf pollen, Lockhart agrees as he orders the increasingly restless group to take turns holding the silverware throughout the film. The tension precedes the blood test scene in John Carpenter’s The Thing but gives a similar result.

We know we’ll eventually find out the monster’s identity – sadly, that wondrous CCTV system won’t help much when Pavel becomes the first victim – but you’re swept along with the fun of the various accusations (hmm, that guy). Of course, he has very hairy hands!), you can accidentally forget about the promised “werewolf”.

Fear not, but: The Beast Must Diea headline taken directly from one of Tom’s statements won’t let you down. With about 15 minutes to go and several suspects have been eliminated because they’ve already been eaten, a ticking clock appears on the screen and you see the narrator come back to tell you, “It’s a monster break.” pictures of all the “suspects”. You have 30 seconds to think about who the culprit might be – you’ll probably discuss your theory with everyone watching the movie with you? Or shout your best guess into the void?—first The Beast Must Die returns and first gives you an incorrect solution actual the humming cause of all troubles is revealed.

We won’t spoil it, obviously, but the end The Beast Must Die both surprising and satisfying. Yes, it leans into gimmicks to get you to the finish line, but what other movie dares to pull it all off with a bang. kill the monster?

You can stream The Beast Must Die for free Pipes and several other FAST channels; you can rent it through Prime Video or watch it with a subscription to Shout! Factory TV and Fandor. Severin’s films released a Blu-ray with special features, including a commentary by director Paul Annett.

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