''Torture Garden'' (1967)

By Crusader1307

An Amicus Film Production, 1967s ''Torture Garden'' featured a ''big name'' Cast, and was another of the late 60s – early 70s, ''Anthology Horror Films''. As always, films of this nature featured a Pro and Epilogue which set-up and explained the premise of the same. In this outing, a Group of strangers attending a Circus Sideshow are conned into paying extra for a genuine scare. They met one Dr. Diablo, who introduces them to a wax works figure of The Goddess of Fate. The figurine, holding The Shears of Fate, stands to cut each ''Ribbon of Life''. The cut will determine One's Eternity (Good or Bad). The film progresses with (4) Tales of Terror, each showing how the Group deals with future Events. A Spirit possessed Man-eating Jungle Cat, Robots who replace Humans, a possessed Grand Piano with Evil intentions and the final (and best), a story about the ''ultimate'' Collector of Edgar Allan Poe, all round out the film. In the end, well-terrorized with their probable futures, One of the Group grabs The Shears of Fate and in a murderous rage – kills Dr. Diablo. The Group runs away in terror. We learn that Diablo and another member of the Group staged the Event (as promised, to provide the ultimate scare). However, when Diablo is alone with Fate – we learn that He is – in fact – Satan and that the ''stories'' will happen in the future. Although ''formula filming'' (as was common for The Era), at it's best, ''Torture Garden'' featured all it's stories written by Robert Bloch (of ''Psycho'' fame and others). It is because of this fact – ''Torture Garden'' is well worth the watch.