''Disciple of Death'' is a 1972 British horror film directed by Tom Parkinson and starring Mike Raven,

Ronald Lacey Ronald William Lacey (28 September 1935 – 15 May 1991) was an English actor. He made numerous television and film appearances over a 30-year period. His roles included Harris in ''Porridge'' (1977), Frankie in the Bud Spencer comedy '' ...

and Nicholas Amer. It was written by Parkinson and Mike Raven.

Plot

In 18th century Cornwall, a minion of Satan poses as a priest to get closer to young, virginal women needed for human sacrifice.

Cast

* Mike Raven as stranger *

as Parson * Nicholas Amer as Melchisidech * Stephen Bradley as Ralph * Marguerite Hardiman as Julia * Virginia Wetherell as Ruth * George Belbin as Squire * Betty Alberge as Dorothy *

Rusty Goffe Rusty Goffe (born 30 October 1948) is an English actor. He is best known for his appearances in ''Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory'', '' Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope'', and the ''Harry Potter'' franchise. He played Goober on '' Stupid!' ...

as dwarf *

Louise Jameson Louise Marion Jameson (born 20 April 1951) is an English actress with a variety of television and theatre credits. Her roles on television have included playing Leela (Doctor Who), Leela in ''Doctor Who'' (1977–1978), Anne Reynolds in ''The O ...

as Betty * Joe Dunlop as Mathew * Daisika as gypsy

Reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin The ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 until April 1991, when it merged with '' Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those wi ...

'' wrote: "''Disciple of Death'', the second offering from the '' Crucible of Terror'' team, shares with its predecessor the same leading players (Mike Raven and Ronald Lacey) and the use of Cornish locations. The film veers uneasily between

Grand Guignol The Théâtre du Grand-Guignol () was a theater in the Pigalle district of Paris (7, cité Chaptal). From its opening in 1897 until its closing in 1962, it specialized in horror shows. Its name is often used as a general term for graphic, amor ...

(the close-up of a hand squeezing blood from a heart into a goblet; the dwarf feeding noisily on the parson's neck) and parody, the latter emphasised by Raven's gestures and intonation (straight out of Victorian Era melodrama) and by Lacey's sustained impersonation of Charles Laughton. Tom Parkinson, who both photographed and co-scripted the previous film, shows a good eye for colour, especially the varied reds in the scenes of ritual sacrifice. Occasionally, though, his over-fondness for telephoto shots in the location sequences lends a deadening flatness to the frame."

References

External links

* * {{YouTube, id=oOaAsWMB5to, title="Disciple of Death (16mm)"
Review
by Chris Wood (archived from th
original

Reviews
at moviesandmania.com 1972 horror films British horror films 1970s British films Films shot in Cornwall