Hammer House of Horror: Children of the Full Moon

 "It's getting dark outside..."

This is a good 'un. A creepy, very well-directed werewolf episode with an unexpectedly creepy Diana Dors magnificenly defying her usual typecasting in a scene-stealing role. She really is extraordinary. The whole thing is a trap for the unfortunate newlywed couple, of course, but the fun is in watching the whole thing inexorably unfold.

Yes, I suppose the werewolf costume is a bit rubbish. But we only glimpse it twice and, frankly, with a story this atmospheric, who cares.We get creepy kids. We get a compelling mystery. We get a clever, surprising, yet logical resolution. If little details aren't all tied up (why does the car accelerator jam early on?) then,well, that's all part of the uncanny feel of successful horror, and the fates of both Sarah and Tom are suitably gruesome, yet it's the anticipation of the horror to come on which the horror relies, not gore.

This is one of the finest episodes yet, although again we see how society has changed in the last forty years. These days one wouldn't say "how do you do" to anyone, let alone a child. And the existence of mobile phones would scupper the entire plot somewhat.

Theatre of Blood (1973)

"Critics all make errors. We're only human."

"An opinion I find myself incapable of sharing!"

Before I'd even watched a frame of this it was abundantly clear that it was spiritually a second sequel to The Abominable Dr. Phibes; Vincent Price plays an eccentric craving revenge and drawn to carrying out a series of grotesque murders upon a particular theme. In this case, with Edward Lionheart being a bad Shakespearean actor (I wonder how Price reacted to being offered the part of a ham actor...?), the theme of the murders is Shakespeare, the Titus Andronicus one naturally being the best, the play being just as Grand Guignol as the film itself.

Such a premise cannot fail and, indeed, it doesn't. Unlike the Dr. Phibes films this is set in the present day, but otherwise it feels much the same and follows the same template. The plot may be predictable but it's all about the spectacle. Diana Rigg is superb as Lionheart's daughter and accomplice and the murdered critics include the likes of Arthur Lowe and Dennis Price. We even get a scene, Avengers fans, in which Diana Rigg and Ian Hendry are in a car together.

It may not be big, it may not be clever- although it certainly appeals to the Shakespeare geek- but it sure is fun.