Don't Look in the Basement is a classic horror movie released in 1973, directed by S.F. Brownrigg and starring Bill McGee and Rosie Holotik. The film takes place in a psychiatric hospital where the staff is brutally murdered, and the patients are left to their own devices. But this isn't your ordinary psychiatric hospital: some of the patients are downright terrifying, and as the movie progresses, the audience is left questioning whether the real horror lies within the walls of the asylum or within the minds of the patients.
The movie opens with a new nurse, Charlotte Beale (Holotik), arriving at the Stephens Sanitarium. She's surprised to find the head doctor, Dr. Stephens, absent and instead meets the head nurse, Mrs. Masters, who seems to be the one in charge. The hospital is home to a range of patients, ranging from the seemingly docile like Sam, an aging World War II vet, to the disturbingly unpredictable like Judge Oliver W. Cameron, a former jurist with a penchant for outbursts of violence.
As Charlotte settles into her role, she starts to notice strange things happening around the hospital. Patients are acting out, a rat is roaming around, and one patient is found mumbling about seeing blood. Mrs. Masters tries to write off these incidents as just the normal behavior of the insane, but Charlotte remains skeptical.
Things take a darker turn when Dr. Stephens returns to the hospital, only to be murdered by one of the patients. With the doctor's death, chaos ensues, and the patients rebel, taking over the hospital and killing off most of the staff. Charlotte is left trapped in the hospital, with the lunatics running rampant and no hope of rescue. She must band together with Sam, a fellow nurse, and try to stay alive while also uncovering the truth about what's really going on inside the Stephens Sanitarium.
One of the most interesting aspects of this movie is the way it subverts the usual horror movie tropes. Rather than having the patients be the ones in danger, it's the staff that are the victims. The film also plays with the audience's perceptions of who the true danger is, leaving us questioning whether the patients are the real monsters or if they're just being driven to violence by their circumstances.
Don't Look in the Basement is a low-budget cult classic that's gained a following over the years due to its eerie atmosphere, creepy characters, and twisted plot twists. The cinematography is artful, with the use of shadows and unique camera angles adding to the unsettling tone. The score also adds to the ambiance, with a haunting soundtrack that sticks with you long after the credits roll.
Overall, Don't Look in the Basement is a must-watch for fans of horror movies who are looking for something different from the usual slasher fare. Its blend of psychological horror, suspense, and gore makes for a disturbingly captivating cinematic experience. Just make sure you don't look in the basement.
Don't Look in the Basement is a 2008 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes.
