
The great hypnotist Professor Montserrat has developed a technique for controlling the minds, and sharing the sensations, of his subjects. He and his wife Estelle test the technique on Mike Roscoe, and enjoy 'being' the younger man. But Estelle soon grows to love the power of controlling Roscoe, and the vicarious pleasures that provides. How far will she go, and can the Professor restrain her in time?... (Full plot summary below)
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The great hypnotist Professor Montserrat has developed a technique for controlling the minds, and sharing the sensations, of his subjects. He and his wife Estelle test the technique on Mike Roscoe, and enjoy 'being' the younger man. But Estelle soon grows to love the power of controlling Roscoe, and the vicarious pleasures that provides. How far will she go, and can the Professor restrain her in time?
Leave your thoughts about The Sorcerers.
| Monthly Film BulletinMFB CriticsIt is the overall effect that impresses rather than any individual scene or composition, but the "psychedelic experience" is particularly well done, with the victim's face literally disintegrating in blobs of colour. |
| Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)John BeifussKarloff's mind-control process is analogous to cinema itself: an experience that allows people to embrace second-hand sensation, 'to do things' vicariously -- the more brutal and shocking the better, as in the case of some horror movies. |
| Time OutLizzie FranckeAs the Monserrats play audience to their victims' living scenarios, which the couple write to their own perverse specifications, this psychedelic horror film deals with the apparatus of cinema, and it still puts the mind in a spin. |
| CinePassionFernando F. CroceMichael Reeves's heady excoriation of voyeurism |
| User ReviewOrlok WThis is a great Horror/comedy,Boris Karlof and his wife played by Catherine Lacey, who was the secretive nun who wears high heels in the Alfred Hitchcock film The Lady Vanishes (1938, The film is a mix of Hammer Horror ,and Boris plays a professor wronged by society who invents a machine enabling him and his wife to control a victims mind from afar,But in the short term get the man to do a few things for them,to make up for what they have lost, but of course it all goes wrong, great film. |
| User Reviewgary twell umn just seen this movie 4 the 1st time n think that this is a good movie 2 watch...its got a good cast of actors/actressess thorughout this movie....i think that boris karloff, ian ogilvy, elizabeth eroy play good roles/parts throughout this movie...i think that the director of this horror/classics/sci-fi/fantasy movie had done a good job of directing this movie because you never know what 2 expect throughout this movie...i think that the special effects throughout this movie were pretty kewl i think that this is a good movie 2 watch with a good cast thorughout this movie |
| User ReviewGreen P"The Sorcerers" is the tale of an elderley couple who construct a machine by which they can access the sensations of younger people, and through controlling their victim, relive their youth. They seduce a young man back to their home and through him begin to experiment with an ever-darkening range of activities. This is top stuff, worthy of an Avengers or Man From UNCLE scenario. The acting is excellent, of a way higher standard than you'll get in a modern horror, with the elderly wife particularly good as she becomes seduced by an almost demonic lust for macabre thrills. Made in the '60s, the whole backdrop (and its music) is excellent too, with many scenes set in a mod club where the victim (Ian Ogilvy, later "The Saint") hangs out with his friends looking for new experiences and highs. A thoroughly recommended piece of '60s horror, with a nice tight story, an atmospheric background and good acting. |
| User ReviewToni SAmong the best British horror films of the 1960s. |
| User Reviewaddiena iThere's not much in the way of story here - young man gets hypnotised by an old couple who start to seek thrills through their new outlet - and there's rather a lot of songs from the featured band for some reason, but director Michael Reeves knows to keep it lean and mean and at just an hour and twenty minutes it doesnt outstay its welcome. |
| User ReviewSylvester HWritten and directed by Michael Reeves, whose only other credit before his untimely death in 1969 was Witchfinder General (1968), this is a very surreal and bleak horror thriller that has a brilliant lead performance as well as some odd visuals and a splash of Swinging London about it. The film proves to be quite effective and it get's under your skin as well. Pioneering hypnotist Professor Marcus Montserrat (Boris Karloff) is wanting to try out a new psychic invention he's worked on with his wife Estelle (Catherine Lacey). He finds a naive but willing volunteer in Mike Roscoe (Ian Ogilvy), who is looking for something different, and he finds it in this technique. Marcus and Estelle are able to control him telepathically, and they feel what Mike feels the sensations and thrills he goes through. But Estelle selfishly decides to use Mike for her own personal gain, including stealing a mink scarf and going off joyriding on a motorbike. This erratic behaviour worries Mike's girlfriend Nicole (Elizabeth Ercy) and friend Alan (Victor Henry), but things take a darker turn when Estelle ties Marcus up and takes control of Mike, leading to murders. It's almost like the Scanners of it's day, but it does have some surreal sights, like Karloff in a Wimpy Bar, but he and Lacey give brilliant performances, as does Ogilvy, who is always reliable. It's a good cult horror film, and it's a good timepiece of the 1960's. |