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ONE MINUTE BEFORE DEATH (1972) Wanda Hendrix, Barry Coe, Gisele MacKenzie, Ty Haller, Maray Ayres. This movie is often mistaken as an alternate title for The Oval Portrait, but it’s not. It’s an entirely different film, shot at the same time by the same production unit. Family relatives (we won’t say which) conspire to murder a rich widow (Hendrix) by putting her into a catatonic state and burying her alive. She lies in state (eyes open, able to hear) while her sons and relatives express their contempt for her. After she’s buried, her ghost starts popping up throughout the mansion and scaring the pants off her relatives, nearly all of whom are so despicable that their horrific fates are well deserved. Sadly, the acting by many of the principles is laughingly poor, yet there are many effective moments of horror later in the film—some cool stuff! A cross between a Hammer film and a Dark Shadows episode. Based on Poe’s “The Premature Burial.” Music score by Les Baxter. Color, 16mm.
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