Matialth
Good concept, poorly executed.
Robert Joyner
The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one
Gary
The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.
Panamint
An excellently made and acted British film that retells the true story of the Burke and Hare horrors of the 19th century. An atmosphere of old Edinburgh is effectively evoked to enhance the brutal tale. And brutal it is, as was the actual true story.This is certainly one of Peter Cushing's finest performances. He is totally focused, energetic and delivers a fascinating characterization of his aristocratic, hypocrite-defying, unintentionally cruel and very determined Doctor Knox. He is not at all Doctor Frankenstein in this film- he is Doctor Knox.Donald Pleasance is chilling as the sociopath Burke. This is one of the performances that made him almost a cult actor way back in the 1960's, which is when I began to notice and seek out his film work. There is almost no way to describe British stage and film actress Billie Whitelaw's work in this film except to say that it is so powerful that she bursts from the screen. One of the most impactful actors ever to appear in film, she performs with a high level of skill and force, almost going over the top as necessary to portray her loud low-class character trapped in a downtrodden life. A violent film depicting a brutal era and the unsavory days when medicine began to stumble ahead toward modernity, this film is the real deal, solidly and seriously produced with ability and skill by everyone involved.
Prichards12345
The Flesh And The Fiends gives us the oft-told story of Burke And Hare - with a surprising amount of accuracy and some excellent performances.First of all we have Peter Cushing as Dr. Knox, a somewhat ruthless medical lecturer who is not exactly scrupulous as to where he gets his bodies for medical dissection. And it's a tribute to the mighty Cushing that his Knox is utterly different from his Baron Frankenstein. He gives a layered and fascinating performance, only at the end of the movie displaying a conscience in a marvellous scene with a street gamin.And in George Rose and Donald Pleasence we have a Burke and Hare to savour. True their accents are not exactly authentic but the mixture of callous cunning and rank stupidity they display has never been bettered. Pleasence in particular is a delight as the cowardly Hare. And then there's the excellent Billie Whitelaw - years before The Omen - giving an erotically charged turn as the girlfriend of a young medical student at Knox's academy.The film itself recreates 1820's Edinburgh brilliantly, and is superbly photographed. John Gilling, later responsible for the Hammer classic Plague of The Zombies, directs with a sure hand. The budget appears somewhat higher than your average 50s British horror movie - some well stocked crowd scenes are included here. The film doesn't stint on the horror, either. Perhaps the only real fault is the occasional lag in pace - the 95 minute running time could possibly have done with some slight trimming here and there. All told this is a splendidly realised and watchable horror drama.
ferbs54
The notorious exploits of 19th century cadaver peddlers Burke & Hare have been the inspiration for numerous films, but none perhaps as faithful to the facts as 1959's "The Flesh and the Fiends." Although other movies have depicted the pair as grave robbers, here they are correctly shown to be not so much ghouls as brutal murderers who think nothing of slaying any drunkard, trollop or easy mark they come across to make a few extra guineas, selling their "fresh as a new-cut cabbage" wares to Dr. Robert Knox at a nearby Edinburgh medical school. Though the pair's murders took place from 1827-28 in real life, here, the action is compressed to the span of a few days' time, and whereas in actuality Burke was a lodger at Hare's home, this picture reverses those roles, strangely. But the film hews closely enough to the true story, and George Rose and Donald Pleasence are top-notch as the seedy duo. Playing the real-life Dr. Knox, Peter Cushing gives one of the finest performances I have ever seen him contribute; he is truly superb here in his morally conflicted role. Kudos also to Billie Whitelaw, "The Omen"'s nanny from hell, here playing a tragic pub girl. A literate script, handsome production values, striking B&W photography, some unflinching murder scenes and a few gross-out sequences really do put this picture over. One would think, with Cushing's presence and director John Gilling at the helm, that this might be a Hammer film (Gilling later went on to give us such extraordinary Hammer fare as "The Plague of the Zombies" and "The Reptile"), but in truth it was shot at Shepperton, and its creators have done a good job at pastiching the Hammer style. The nice-looking widescreen DVD that I just watched, from the fine folks at Image, also contains the racier "Continental" version of "The Flesh and the Fiends," which adds little more than a few topless tavern floozies and a slightly more explicit hanging sequence; not much of an improvement. Whichever version the viewer chooses to watch, however, a highly entertaining and, yes, educational time is almost guaranteed. I really did enjoy this one.
mlraymond
Well written and directed by John Gilling, this low budget British film is a surprisingly accurate rendering of the true story of body snatchers Burke and Hare in 1820's Edinburgh. Real names are used and the gruesome events are depicted as they occurred. A fine cast makes this a memorable film. Billie Whitelaw as a seemingly hardboiled, but vulnerable, prostitute , and John Cairney as her young medical student boyfriend are moving as the doomed lovers, fated to be kept apart by class divisions. Peter Cushing is in fine form as the sarcastic and brilliant Dr. Knox, who doesn't ask questions as to where all the fresh bodies are coming from. Donald Pleasence as Hare, and George Rose as Burke are both repellently funny and genuinely frightening in their murderous pursuit of a dishonest dollar. Pleasence plays Hare with a sly, roguish charm, but a creepy undertone of mental disturbance that's quite unnerving. George Rose has a grungy, thick-witted manner and grubby appearance that conceal a cunning criminal mind. Renee Houston has a great supporting role as Mrs. Burke, uneasy about her husband's activities, but all too willing to share in the profits. Though made on a low budget, the movie convincingly portrays the squalor, alcoholism and petty crime of the lower class street life of Edinburgh, contrasted with elegant formal dress parties held by the wealthy and respectable citizens. This is a suspenseful and very dramatic film that deserves a wider audience. Real life horror stories don't come much grimmer than this.
