Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Corruption Blu-ray Movie Review

Anything for love. After all, she's a model.

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf October 12, 2013

The cover art for the “Corruption” Blu-ray contains an illustration of star Peter Cushing pinning a woman to the ground, slashing her throat with a knife while staring out expressionlessly, as though this act of ultraviolence was all in a day’s work. It’s disturbing, selling the movie as first class ticket to exploitation nirvana, promising a picture that’s unhinged and excessive. Turns out, “Corruption” isn’t that extreme, at least by today’s standards, emerging not as a careless rampage, but as an engaging chiller with some sense of taste between brutal killings. For the most part, the feature is satisfactorily plotted, with superb performances from Cushing and co-star Sue Lloyd, who manage to elevate the unseemly appetites of the script with a great deal of class, turning cheap theatrics into an absorbing depiction of manipulation and guilt-stained murder.

A top surgeon, John (Peter Cushing) is deeply in love with model girlfriend Lynn (Sue Lloyd). Jealous of her photographer’s attention, John picks a fight with the man, accidentally tipping over a light on top of Lynn, burning her right cheek. Overcome with remorse for his destructive actions, John pledges to reverse Lynn’s disfigurement, experimenting with guinea pigs and laser technology to revive her skin, eventually coming across success via the transplant of glands. This endocrine system breakthrough requires a human donor, with the good doctor pillaging the morgue for subjects. Restoring Lynn’s beauty, but only for a short time, John turns to living tissue for stability, requiring murderous deeds to acquire his prize. Lynn, refusing to return to her scarred ways, eggs her boyfriend on, pushing him to kill innocents to feed her vanity, while sister Val (Kate O’Mara) and her boyfriend, a colleague of John’s, Steve (Noel Trevarthen), begin to suspect that all is not well in the household, forcing the couple to take their insidious plan to a beachside getaway.

“Corruption” isn’t some seedy endeavor tucked away in the shadows. This 1968 film is set during the Swinging London period of gaudy liberation, where colors exploded, hair was uncomfortably cut, and free love was rampant. The image of Cushing, with his gentlemanly manner and impeccable style, is a potent one in the midst of all the youthful madness, with the opening of the effort traveling to a boisterous party where John is cornered by a picky hippie while Lynn’s photographer guru goads her into nude shots. “Corruption” quickly moves away from the freak-out showdown, but its period fashion sense remains, lending the movie a distinct look that’s almost as entertaining to study as the murder spree.

Directed by Robert Hartford-Davis and scripted by Derek and Donald Ford, “Corruption” takes an unusual route toward bloodletting. John isn’t depicted as a monster, slashing single beauties for sport, he’s a man desperately in love, committed to restoring Lynn’s looks as penance for his crime of passion. Using his medical expertise (it’s movie fakery, but Cushing sells it perfectly), John is desperate to right this nightmarish wrong, with his leap to murder a decision chased by hand-wringing guilt. The curveball here is Lynn, who’s the real ghoul, badgering her boyfriend into murder, ordering destruction to preserve her looks, pushing him to stalk and kill innocents. John resists, devastated by the plan, gradually growing resistant to Lynn’s merciless demands. It’s a marvelous twist on the horror norm, rendering the villain oddly sympathetic, even when he knocks off a prostitute and a train commuter, viciously slashing their bodies with a fury not born from malevolence, but disgust with himself. Of course, the aggression leaves Cushing with wild and wispy hair similar to Bill Murray’s ‘do in “Kingpin,” but the panic registers in full, offering “Corruption” a fascinating moral conflict as it carries out the ugly business.

Don’t get me wrong, “Corruption” is violent, downright vile stuff for 1968, crossing into vivid imagery as John executes his gland-retrieval plan, which ends with messy beheadings. However, with Cushing’s concentrated performance (again, there wouldn’t be a film without his professionalism) and Lloyd’s delicious handle on Lynn’s tantrums, the feature doesn’t feel icky in the least, building into a competent suspense piece as the stakes are raised at the beach, with the doctor and his insatiable patient discovering Terry (Wendy Varnals), a young vagabond the pair hope to entice into their home for eventual slaughter. “Corruption” finds a pitch of cinematic madness and holds there for most of the picture, remaining taut, with a pinch of sleaze for seasoning.

Corruption Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Corruption" offers two versions of the film: an International Cut (90:39) and a U.K. Cut (91:23). While displays of violence are different, including two radically different takes on a key prostitute encounter, the viewing experiences are roughly the same, with the U.K. Cut displaying a little more print damage, while flicker is detected on both. Black levels are a tad impenetrable during low-lit scenes, but the quality of this BD event is quite handsome, with a crisp, filmic appearance that brings out the details of the frame, pulling textures off fabrics and make-up work, while images of wounds and bloodletting retain their visceral might. Colors are equally functional, with Cushing's deep blue eyes popping with ease, with Swinging London set design is bursting with bright hues, keeping the frame lively. Skintones look natural. Grain is subtle and effective.

Corruption Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 1.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix is simple in design, with frontal push that tends to be overwhelmed at times, with a few passages of dialogue smothered by the cacophony of scoring and sound effects. The majority of the track is easily followed, with Cushing's firm line readings intact, while the screams and panic of victims are crisply communicated. The jazzy score is insistent but satisfactory, supporting the picture with heft. Atmospherics are convincing, with seaside excursions and train sequences rich with activity. A Music & Effects tracks is also included.

Corruption Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Liner Notes from writer Allan Bryce are included.

• Commentary with "English Gothic" author Jonathan Rigby and Peter Cushing biographer David Miller is a dry discussion of the picture's background, its thespian accomplishments, and place in film history. The men are educated and eager to dissect "Corruption" to the best of their abilities, with some mild stabs at humor inserted into the conversation to keep the track interesting.

• Alternate Scenes (4:22, HD) offer the prostitute slaughter sequence from the International Cut, along with some insert shots intended to throttle gory content.

• Interview (13:38, HD) with Billy Murray (shot in 2012) is a quick overview of the "Corruption" experience with the supporting actor, who discusses the depiction of gang life and his awe of star Cushing, sharing an anecdote about an accident on the set that kept the two in contact for decades after.

• Interview (9:08, HD) with Jan Waters (shot in 2012) covers her work as a murdered prostitute, where the actress had trouble keeping up with numerous rewrites, expressing her adoration for Cushing's impeccable professionalism.

• Interview (16:09, HD) with Wendy Varnals (shot in 2013) catches up with the "missing" actress, who ended her short career with a turn in "Corruption." Recounting her entrance into the acting industry, Varnals discusses her credits and time on the film, while sharing a few tidbits about the shoot, including a difficult chase on a slippery beach.

• Audio Interview (7:17) with Peter Cushing (recorded in 1974) is a casual conversation with the legendary actor, who offers his feelings on the use of profanity, the state of horror cinema, and his personal history, showing appreciation for his experiences.

• The Original Director's Shooting Script is offered.

• A Robert Hartford-Davis Filmography is presented.

• Still Galleries exploring Color Stills (51 images), Black & White Stills (74 images), and Promotional Materials (127 images) are supplied.

• International Theatrical Trailer (2:06, HD), U.S. Theatrical Trailer (1:49, HD), Five T.V. Spots (2:50, HD), and Two Radio Spots (1:30) are included.

Corruption Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The effort does stumble in its third act, where a gang of clownish ruffians (some dressed in Beatles garb, the leader in a cape) breaks into John's beach home to retrieve Terry and rob the joint (they also hilariously threaten to suffocate Lynn with a brandy snifter). "Corruption" suddenly switches gears, becoming a home invasion thriller without a compelling threat, leaking tension before reaching a bizarre finale that's boldly interpretational. The tonal switch doesn't destroy the feature, but it does knock the wind out of an otherwise exceptional horror film. However, it would take a major malfunction to dilute the production's accomplishments. Somehow, someway, "Corruption" teases irredeemable behavior and vicious visuals, only to emerge as a solid offering of B-movie entertainment.