Amicus Productions, the British studio famed for itshorror anthologies, is back from the dead. A new anthology film,In the Grip of Terror, is in the works from the revived label. Scottish directorLawrie Brewster(Lord of Tears,The Devil’s Machine) is the new president of Amicus and intends to honor the studio’s legacy withIn the Grip of Terror, which will starLaurence R. Harvey(Human Centipede 2),Megan Tremethick(Trauma Therapy: Psychosis),Jonathan Hansler(Hotel Babylon), andMichael Daviot(Ghost Crew) according to a report fromVariety.
The film will adapt tales by horror authorsH.P. Lovecraft,Ambrose Bierce, andE.F. Benson. The revived studio has collaborated with the family of late Amicus co-founderMilton Subotsky; his family chose the stories to adapt, and the title,In the Grip of Terror, was one of the titles concocted for future anthologies by Subotsky during Amicus' heyday. Brewster said:
“Our aim is to re-establish Amicus Productions as a beacon of independent British horror. We’re concocting a film that captures the essence and panache that rendered the studio iconic. By emphasizing atmospheric storytelling, tangible effects and a genuine respect for the genre, our vision is to teleport audiences back to British horror’s golden epoch.”
What Was Amicus Productions?
Founded in 1962 by American producers Subotsky andMax Rosenberg, Amicus was most famous for producing a number of horror anthologies, inspired by the classic 1945 British filmDead of Nightand featuring a number of British horror stars, includingPeter Cushing,Donald Pleasence, andChristopher Lee. Three of them —Torture Garden,Asylum, andThe House That Dripped Blood— were adapted from stories by horror authorRobert Bloch, most famous as the author of the novelPsycho. Two others,Tales from the CryptandThe Vault of Horror, were inspired by the ’50s horror comics of EC Comics, which would later inspireCreepshowand the long-runningHBO seriesTales from the Crypt. In addition to their anthologies, the studio produced a number of other notable horror films, includingThe Beast Much Die(which includes a thirty-second “werewolf break” before the end, so viewers can attempt to guess the identity of the film’s lycanthropic monster),Madhouse(which starredVincent Priceas a possibly-murderous horror star), andI, Monster, an adaptation ofDr. Jekyll and Mr. Hydewith Lee and Cushing.
Amicus produced some non-horror films; they adapted a trio ofEdgar Rice Burroughs' “lost world” adventures, and also filmedtwoDoctor Whofilms, with Cushing in the title role, where he faced off against his iconic foes, the Daleks. However, much like theirBritish horror rival Hammer, international films eventually consumed much of the British horror market, and they faded away in the late ’70s.
Stay tuned to Collider for future updates, and watch the trailer for one of Amicus' classic offerings,Doctor Terror’s House of Horrors, below.
