The Vulture (1966)

The Vulture is a 1966 British-Canadian horror film directed and written by Lawrence Huntington, featuring Robert Hutton, Akim Tamiroff, and Broderick Crawford. Released in the U.S. in May 1967 by Paramount Pictures, the film blends Gothic horror with science fiction, wrapped in a revenge-fueled mystery set in a fog-shrouded Cornish village. With a runtime of 91 minutes, it was produced on a modest budget of £50,000 and marked Huntington’s final directorial effort.

Plot Summary

In the coastal village of St. Matthews, schoolteacher Ellen West witnesses a terrifying sight: a giant bird with a human head emerging from a grave. The creature is linked to a local legend about an 18th-century seaman who was buried alive with a monstrous bird and swore revenge on the descendants of Squire Stroud, the man responsible for his fate.

American nuclear physicist Dr. Eric Lutens (Robert Hutton) arrives to investigate the strange occurrences, aided by his wife Trudy (Diane Clare) and local vicar Philip Friend. Suspicion falls on eccentric scientist Professor Hans Koniglich (Akim Tamiroff), who may have used atomic experimentation to resurrect the vengeful hybrid creature. As the deaths mount, the truth behind the legend—and the professor’s twisted ambitions—are revealed in a climax that blends mad science with supernatural horror.

Cast

• Robert Hutton as Dr. Eric Lutens
• Akim Tamiroff as Prof. Hans Koniglich
• Broderick Crawford as Brian F. Stroud
• Diane Clare as Trudy Lutens
• Philip Friend as The Vicar
• Annette Carell as Ellen West
• Edward Caddick, Gordon Sterne, and Keith McConnell in supporting roles

Production Notes and Trivia

• Filmed in Cornwall, the movie uses real graveyards and coastal locations to enhance its eerie atmosphere
• The film’s creature—a half-man, half-vulture hybrid—is never fully shown, relying on suggestion and sound to evoke fear
• The plot draws on atomic-age anxieties, with science resurrecting ancient evil, a common trope in 1950s–60s horror
• Broderick Crawford, an Oscar winner for All the King’s Men (1949), was reportedly unhappy with the production and performance quality
• The film’s low budget is evident in its minimal special effects and limited sets, but it compensates with moody lighting and a brooding tone
• Despite its flaws, the film has developed a cult following for its bizarre premise and atmospheric setting
• Often misdated as a 1967 release due to its U.S. distribution, it premiered in December 1966 in the UK