"From a Whisper to a Scream" is a very lively and surprisingly entertaining horror anthology that got neglected in the congested horror offer of the eighties. That's quite a shame because this little sickie film has several things going for it, like for example one of the very last performances of the legendary Vincent Price and a versatile range of demented and gruesome tales. This film uses a creative starting point, namely a little Tennessee town that seems to inject pure evil into the lifeblood of its inhabitants. The story begins with the execution of a female serial killer born and raised in Oldfield, Tennessee. Afterwards, an obstinate journalist goes to see Oldfield's old librarian Julian White (who also happens to be the killer's uncle) and he tells her four stories of past horror to illustrate what wicked influence this demonic little town has. I was expecting to see tame and ethically correct terror tales (like the kind "Creepshow" features) but, to my surprise, every chapter was imaginative and very violent! The first story contains the most shocking theme (necrophilia!) but it was the least convincing one and merely served as a vicious warming-up feature. Clu Gulager looks truly frightening in this chapter and the tone is effectively depressing. After the first, the fun really kicks in with three very exciting and hard-boiled tales of madness! The second one revolves on a small time crook hunting for the secret of eternal life in the swampy wastelands around Oldfield. This chapter features a gruesome climax and haunting anti-greed message. The third story is my absolute favorite, simply because it handles about fierce carny folks! A traveling carnival passes by Oldfield and one of the acts falls in love with the local beauty Amaryllis. But, it turns out that the carnival and its performers hide some terrible secrets and the fiendish leader won't let any of her "slaves" get away. I loved the eccentric characters in this tale, as well as the tense atmosphere. The climax here is exaggeratedly gore and a must-see sequence for fans of cheesy 80's splatter. The last episode is very spooky and enlightens us a little more on the history of this devilish little town. It's set at the end of the Civil War where hillbilly soldiers are captured and molested by .... children who lost their parents. Some really good scenery and atmosphere in this tale, as well as good eerie performances by the child-actors. "From a Whisper to a Scream" is an overall original and amusing horror film with quite some sickness and shocking images. Price is still great although it hurts to see this once-vivid horror veteran ageing. There are interesting cameos from Lawrence Tierney as the warden and Martine Breswick as the convicted serial killer. Recommended!!
Review of From a Whisper to a Scream
