THE HORRIBLE SECRET OF DR HICHCOCK (R Freda)

( The Terror of Dr Hichcock / L'orribile segreto del Dr. Hichcock / Riccardo Freda / 1962 )

Dr Hichcock finds a second use for his pioneering drug which emulates near-death in a patient so that risky surgery can be performed more safely: necrophilic sex games. Unfortunately this proves to be less than safe for his first wife who promptly dies, and the good doctor leaves his home and his hospital. Years later he returns to his home and practice with new wife, Barbara Steele, in tow. Steele quickly realises, however, that his first wife, in spirit at least, is far from dead and buried.

The script by Ernesto Gastaldi (THE CASE OF THE BLOODY IRIS) is obviously a loose reworking of Maurier's REBECCA and, in theory, is a fine choice of inspiration as Hitchcock's version of the tale is all but a horror film itself: a ghost story without a ghost. Riccardo Freda, a competent Italian director (I VAMPIRI), directs with a certain amount of style but the script lacks the subtle intensity of Hitchcock and - necrophilia theme aside - the film does not go far enough into horror territory to justify the adaptation.