And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973)
And Now the Screaming Starts! is a 1973 British gothic horror film produced by Amicus Productions, directed by Roy Ward Baker, and written by Roger Marshall. It was based on David Case’s novella Fengriffen. Released in the UK in April 1973, the film runs about 91 minutes and is remembered for its eerie atmosphere, supernatural revenge plot, and strong cast of genre veterans.
Plot Summary
Set in 1795, the film begins with newlyweds Catherine Fengriffen (Stephanie Beacham) and Charles Fengriffen (Ian Ogilvy) arriving at the ancestral Fengriffen estate. Catherine soon experiences terrifying visions: a disembodied hand, spectral apparitions, and violent assaults.
The haunting is revealed to be the result of a family curse, stemming from Charles’s grandfather, who committed a brutal crime against a servant’s bride. The servant cursed the Fengriffen bloodline, condemning future generations to suffer supernatural vengeance. Catherine becomes the latest victim, with the curse manifesting in horrifying ways.
The climax involves Dr. Whittle (Peter Cushing), who investigates Catherine’s torment, only to uncover the full extent of the curse and its tragic inevitability.
Cast
- Stephanie Beacham as Catherine Fengriffen
- Ian Ogilvy as Charles Fengriffen
- Peter Cushing as Dr. Whittle
- Herbert Lom as Dr. Pope
- Patrick Magee as Maitland
- Guy Rolfe as Sir Henry Fengriffen
- Rosalie Crutchley as housekeeper
Production Notes & Trivia
- Produced by Amicus Productions, known for anthology horror films like Tales from the Crypt (1972).
- Directed by Roy Ward Baker, who also helmed Quatermass and the Pit (1967) and Hammer’s Scars of Dracula (1970).
- Adapted from David Case’s novella Fengriffen, retaining its gothic revenge themes.
- Notable for its graphic sexual assault scene, which was controversial at the time and remains disturbing.
- The film’s imagery—particularly the severed hand motif—echoes gothic horror traditions and anticipates later supernatural revenge films.
- Strong performances from Peter Cushing and Herbert Lom lend gravitas to the otherwise lurid material.
