Experiment in Terror (1962)

Director:

Blake Edwards

Writers:

Gordon Gordon (novel) &
Mildred Gordon (novel) ...

Release Date:

25 June 1962 (Sweden)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

CHALLENGING! THE FASTEST TWO HOURS THE SCREEN HAS EVER SEEN! SHOCKING! IT PLUNGES YOU INTO A NEW DIMENSION OF FEAR! IMPORTANT! IT RATES WITH THE GREATEST SUSPENSE FILMS OF OUR TIME! (original print ad - all caps)

Plot:

Kelly Sherwood is terrorized by a man with an asthmatic voice who plans to use her to steal $100,000 from the bank where she works...

Plot Keywords:

Bank | FBI | FBI Agent | Teenage | Woman In Jeopardy

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Glenn Ford	...	John 'Rip' Ripley
Lee Remick	...	Kelly Sherwood
Stefanie Powers	...	Toby Sherwood
Roy Poole	...	Brad
Ned Glass	...	Popcorn
Anita Loo	...	Lisa
Patricia Huston	...	Nancy Ashton
Gilbert Green	...	Special agent
Clifton James	...	Capt. Moreno
Al Avalon	...	Man who picked up Kelly
William Bryant	...	Chuck
Dick Crockett	...	FBI agent #1
James Lanphier	...	Landlord
Ross Martin	...	Garland Humphrey 'Red' Lynch

Also Known As:

The Grip of Fear (UK)

Runtime:

123 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1962) | Sweden:15 | UK:X (cut) | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

100 St. Germaine Street, San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Several elements of this film inspired scenes in David Lynch projects. To begin with, there is the "Twin Peaks" (1990) sign at the beginning of the film which served as obvious inspiration for the title card and setting of Lynch's television series of the same name. Also, a scene or two later (the infamous "opening" scene,) when Kelly is in here garage, the killer mentions that he has "killed twice before" - this is something which "Bob," the supposed killer from "Twin Peaks" also mentions. This scene also has uncanny resemblances to a scene in Lynch's Wild at Heart (1990) where Willem Dafoe's character, Bobby Peru, has Lula Fortune in his filthy grasp and is talking to her similarly. Later in the film, we find out that the killer in "Experiment in Terror" is actually called Garland "Red" Lynch. The resemblance to David Lynch's name is something which the director no doubt noticed, as he also named a character in "Twin Peaks" after him (Major Garland Briggs).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the baseball double play scene, the Los Angeles Dodgers' batter hitting the double play ground ball is #12, but, the runner getting thrown out at first base is #55.

Quotes:

Garland Humphrey 'Red' Lynch: Your sister's all right.
Toby Sherwood: You said she was dying.
Garland Humphrey 'Red' Lynch: I had to find some way to get you here. Take off your clothes. You want me to take them off for you?
Toby Sherwood: [shakes her head]
Garland Humphrey 'Red' Lynch: Then take them off.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Wild at Heart (1990)

Soundtrack:

Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home?

A Film That Lives Up To Its Title

"Experiment in Terror" is a superb example of how to scare the hell out of you without a trace of gore, blood or gratuitous violence. For all intents and purposes this is a police procedural where the aim is to track down a stalker/blackmailer/murderer. Filmed in black and white the film revels in darkness and uses it to create its more unsettling moments. Imagining what we are barely seeing in the dark and letting our imaginations run wild is scarier than seeing a graphic depiction. Ford and Remmick turn in excellent performances under Blake Edwards' deft direction. Best of all is Ross Martin as the world champion heavy breather. Martin is generally known for more lighter roles but his rather sinister turn here is very fine. Stark photography, often at night, and a subtle yet unsettling score by Henry Mancini are icing on the cake. To be watched with the lights out.