THE SORCERERS (1967)
Directed by Michael Reeves
Starring Boris Karloff and Ian Ogilvy
A near-masterpiece from the late 1960s, this rare, unjustly out-of-print horror gem from Reeves (a talented filmmaker who tragically killed himself at the age of 25) helped set the stage for the post-Hammer horror revival of the 1970s. Karloff is wonderful as an aging scientist who has invented a way to control the mind and experience the life of another person. (Sounds a little like "Being John Malkovich", a film that could have been influenced by this movie.) He and his bitter old wife (Catherine Lacey) take over the consciousness of a swingin' young man (Ogilvy). As both husband and wife control the young man, the wife starts becoming homicidal, using Ogilvy as a tool for getting her jollies knocking off young women. Addicted to the rush, she attacks her husband to prevent him from stopping what was only intended to be an experiment. Charles Kauffman was clearly inspired by this film when he wrote the conceptually similar comedy "Being John Malkovich," where a group of losers are able to temporarily experience the real-life moments of actor John Malkovich.
Reeves only directed three horror films in his short life, all of them classics. This one is still shocking today, packing in as much punch as `60s classics like "Repulsion" and almost as much as "Psycho".
For whatever reason, it`s never been available on video in the U.S. and doesn't show signs of being released anytime soon.
Of this three films -- "She Beast," "The Conqueror Worm" and this -- "Socerers" may be the best. It captures the spirit of the 1960s quite well, is intelligent, well-paced and features flawless performances from the entire cast. Although it might be a little slow for some modern tastes, the film is a perfect, thinking-man's horror movie. A real must see.
Reeves would follow it up with "Conqueror Worm," in which he would cast another horror icon: Vincent Price. Reeves, unfortunately, took his own life before his filmmaking career could really take off. His three excellent and much sought-after horror films are a lasting legacy.