Ogosmith Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Deanna There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

Fulke Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Cristal The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Stephen Abell This dark thriller was a nice surprise. I'd not seen this before so when it appeared on telly, thanks to the Talking Pictures channel, I took the chance on it as the premise interested me. Based on the nefarious Burke and Hare this tells the story of William Hart (Slaughter) and Mr Moore (Oscar) and their dealings with Dr Cox (Bell), for whom they procure cadavers for. However, the doctor has a need for younger and fresher bodies so, greedy for money, Hart and Moore comply with the doctor's wishes... by turning murderous...There's a lot which is good about this film. I liked the way the director, Mitchell, opted for a more realistic feel. The streets of Edinburgh are close and tight. People pretty much lived in each other's pockets in that era. Mitchell, then adds eeriness by adding fog and shadows. It's also nice to see the size of the living quarters that the common folk were subjected to. Hart runs a rooming house, in which there are just two rooms downstairs, a living room and a kitchen. The living room is sparse, containing a table and chairs and a bed, where he and his wife sleep. Upstairs is for their guests. Life is hard so it's no wonder you do what you have to just to survive. A hard life can make for hard men and both Hart and Moore have no compunctions about beating their wives into sublimation. Moore's wife is so under the fist she's only too happy to squeal on Hart's wife, so she can take what's coming to her.This builds up a bleak overlook to the film. So enter Aubrey Woods portraying the simpleton Jamie Wilson. This character is there not only to lift the film with a comedic element but is also the crux and pivotal role of the movie. This was a good idea by the writer, Gilling, and the director. Woods excels as Jamie and has some of the best lines in the film. It's also nice because he is a breath of fresh air amongst the plethora of melodramatic actors, which can become a little too heavy at times when they deliver their lines - and this is probably the only drawback to the film. Though, for the times, the acting is good to fair.If you like your dark thrillers then I would recommend you check this out, should you get the chance.

trimmerb1234 Surprising to find this was filmed in 1948, it has that same very slow pacing of the pre-war classic horrors such as the incomparable Dracula in 1936. It is very much in the tradition of Victorian stage melodrama and there was no greater exponent and resurrectionist of the genre than Todd Slaughter, florid theatrical actor-manager and famous ham who here makes his last film outing. Surrounded by some excellent character actors - Henry Oscar and Aubrey Woods, the normally OTT Slaughter is more confined but perhaps more effective. In a way this is a film noir - for reasons perhaps of economy, exteriors are all studio bound at night but in portraying the dingy canyon like lanes of Edinburgh works very well. The production is rather stagey - but stage melodrama was Slaughter's speciality. The plot is wordy but quite involving and genuinely grimNot exactly a must-see but for those interested in the more curious British films certainly well worth watching. Thanks yet again to Talking Pictures TV for screening itA 6.5

Michael_Elliott Greed of William Hart, The (1948) * 1/2 (out of 4) Tod Slaughter, Britain's biggest horror star, makes one of his final appearances in this film also known as Horror Maniacs. The history behind the film is actually a lot more interesting than the film itself. This was originally called The Crimes of Burke and Hare with those two names used in the film. However, the British censors objected and a relative of Hare threatened to sue so they had to dub the names, which cost so much money that the producer's couldn't afford a music score. As for the film, it's a pretty dull take on the Burke and Hare story with Slaughter very dry up until the end when he goes so over the top that you can't help but laugh. Clearly this was meant to challenge The Body Snatcher but doesn't come close.

todmichel This film is not at all "under one hour of running time", I suspect that some US video collectors saw only a cut version. The original running time - in Great-Britain - was 79 mins (7005 feet). It was released in the USA (as "Horror Maniacs") in the early Fifties, as part of a double-bill with another Tod Slaughter film ("The Curse of the Wraydons", renamed "Strangler's Morgue"), cut to 72 mins. And more recently, an American video company "offered" a totally butchered version, reduced to 53 mins!Happily enough, the complete 79 mins version is now available from some video companies.