House of the Damned (1963)

Introduction
"House of the Damned" (1963) is an American independent scary film directed by Maury Dexter. Produced by Robert L. Lippert as a low-budget schlock scary film, the film was initially launched in December 1963. The plot focuses on a ghostly estate filled with spectacle and weird creatures where a couple is worked with to map the estate's interiors.

Plot Synopsis
The story follows the journey of architectural surveyor Scott Campbell (Ron Foster) and his other half Nancy (Merry Anders) after they get an unique job deal to map out the huge and ancient mansion of Joseph Schiller (Richard Crane). The estate, situated from another location on a cliff, boasts a remarkable history and spectacular architecture but is believed to be haunted. After settling into your house, unusual occurrences start to occur, starting with indescribable sounds and ghostly phantoms.

The Haunting
Scott and Nancy soon see oddities in the layout and find secret passages and hidden rooms not noted in the official plans. As they explore, a number of alarming occurrences take place. Mysterious music resonates from apparently nowhere, unusual creatures appear to be prowling in surprise corners of the estate, and they stumble onto concealed chambers populated by spooky, disfigured people who appear to be your home's previous residents.

A Terrifying revelation
As the couple dig deeper into the mystery of the estate, they find out the extraordinary occupants are in reality a group of circus freaks that Schiller has actually been hiding after the death of their ringmaster. While initially scary, it is revealed that they are not naturally harmful, but are simply manipulated by Schiller to protect his trick. Nevertheless, a taking place conflict ends with among the disfigured people dead, resulting in the staying ones entering into a furious rampage, led by Schiller's estranged better half who herself is revealed to be amongst them.

Conclusion
"House of the Damned" eventually turns into a tense survival story with Scott and Nancy attempting to escape the onslaught of the infuriated occupants. The climax comes inside the estate, with Schiller being up to his death after a violent conflict, and the Campbells managing to get away the actual home of scaries. Reaching safety, they choose to forget the entire ordeal and make a pact never ever to expose their traumatic experience to anybody.

Total Impression
"House of the Damned", regardless of its low budget plan, uses a mix of chilling suspense and unforeseen turns that have made it a noteworthy entry in the scary genre of its time. The film masterfully integrates aspects of thriller and terror with an upsetting atmosphere. The plot varies from conventional haunted house tales and threads around humankind, worry of the unknown and the bias versus the warped which adds a non-traditional depth to the film.

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