Scientist Peter Cushing digs up an ancient skeleton that's pure evil or something. When you pour water on the bones, flesh grows. So don't do that. Anyway, this is all weird and interesting enough but then there's a huge chunk of the movie dealing with Cushing's daughter who he is overprotective of because he doesn't want her to turn out like her mom, who died in an asylum. This stuff is a lot less fun. Christopher Lee plays Cushing's brother. He runs the asylum and he's got a subplot about an escaped inmate. All of these plot threads eventually meet but I can't say they do so satisfactorily.It's a decent British horror movie with two top stars and a good director in Freddie Francis. The problem is it's got too much going on and it devotes more time to the uninteresting stuff than the skeleton business. Now, the ending is cute and perhaps lines the meandering plot up a bit but it doesn't fix everything. You're still left feeling like you didn't get as much of the "creeping flesh" aspect of the movie as you might have expected.

THE CREEPING FLESH is one of my all-time favourite British horror films. Sure, it's a low budget product that feels inferior in terms of production values to a lot of Hammer fare, but it absolutely drips with Gothic atmosphere and dread and it has a complex and unusual storyline to boot. It's a shame that it's so hard to get hold of these days; the British DVD is long out of print and I had to make do with my old VHS for many years until recently picking up a Spanish DVD. It's the sort of film that cries out for a proper Blu ray restoration.It's hard to go wrong with the dream-team threesome of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee in the lead roles (playing brothers, no less!) and Freddie Francis working as director. The latter makes sure this is a beautifully-shot film with great laboratory backdrops and costumes. The plot is a little reminiscent of HORROR EXPRESS at first, with Cushing retrieving an ancient skeleton from New Guinea, but when the regeneration storyline kicks in (with more than a nod to CARRY ON SCREAMING) the film really gets going.Much of the running time consists of a lengthy sub-plot involving psychiatry and a condemnation of common practice at the time; this gives Lee one of his most subtlety villainous performances. The exploration of hereditary madness leads to some unforgettable set-pieces. The monster stuff is great too, especially at the ghoulish climax. Cushing veers towards playing the annoying ninny from AT THE EARTH'S CORE on occasion, but by the end he's really invested you in his character. I'd argue that THE CREEPING FLESH is a great film that deserves better recognition.

In the late 19th century, scientist Emmanuel Hildern (Peter Cushing) returns home to London with a prehistoric skeleton that he acquired in Papua New Guinea. While cleaning the skeleton, he learns that water triggers a horrific reaction - reanimation. He slices off the finger, now covered in flesh, and preserves it for later experiments. While having breakfast with his daughter, Penelope (the breathtaking Lorna Heilbron), Emmanuel reads a letter informing him of his wife's death. Unbeknowst to Penelope, her mother has been in an insane asylum since she was a little girl. Fearful that his wife's mental illness may be hereditary, Emmanuel has sheltered his daughter at their estate with only the servants to keep her company. She's not allowed outside, except for short walks within the gated premises. Emmanuel travels to the institution where his wife died. He meets up with his half-brother, James (Christopher Lee), who happens to be the insane asylum's director and a competing scientist. Emmanuel was always the favorite of the two siblings, the one destined to achieve greatness, so it's with great pleasure that James tells him that he is in the running for the prestigious Richter Award. In addition, he will no longer fund Emmanuel's transcontinental trips. I'm not familiar with most horror predating 1980. I rate this somewhere between 60%-70% (about a 6.5/10). I've never watched a movie, horror or other genre, with so much anticipation and dread for what may come. The climax is truly a frightening one. The suspense is nail-biting! Lee and Cushing are great but it's the beautiful Heilbron who steals the show. I want to watch more films she stars in. I recommend this to horror fans who want to explore the classics. No gore, torture, or loud music cues to instill a false sense of fear. I liked it!

This movie had the necessary ingredients so as to achieve Horror Classic: superb cast, the right semi-Gothic scenery and a script with a nice twist in the end. But there is definitely something missing here. Is it the direction, the slow story telling, or the lack of a solid villain icon, you name it. The effects are also a bit gruesome, even for 1973. Especially the final incarnation of evil is really disappointing, I expected so much more given the tension build around it. But despite its flaws, it is enjoyable to watch and it has its moments. Best part by far is the rivalry between Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, which is once again top notch. So don't go running to your local DVD rental and ask for a copy, but if you ever come across it give it a try. It doesn't heart a bit