Donald and Sylvia Forrest (Giacomo Rossi Stuart, Lucia Bose) are a nagging couple on their way to a party in a thunderstorm. They are passed on the road by a serial killer named Spike (Farley Granger) who is being chased by two cops, Inspector Wright (Dino Fazio) and Detective Sam (Franco Beltramme). Spike is caught when he is thwarted by a bridge that has washed away in the storm. Wright and Sam put Spike in their car and are ready to head back when the Forrests drive up.
Also on the road are Dr. Williams (Stelvio Rosi) and his assistant Susan West (Mia Genberg). With them is Professor Lawrence (Francesco Lavagnino) who says he had car trouble on the road. The doctor is on his way to an emergency but because the bridge is washed out he must turn around as well.
No one gets very far since the bridge behind them has washed out as well. Someone noticed a house in the distance with its lights on. Since there is nowhere else to go everyone drives up to the mansion. The door is answered by a caretaker of sorts called Joe (Gianni Medici). At first Joe doesn’t want to let anyone in but the Inspector insists.
The house used to belong to Lady Sheila Marlowe (Loredana Nusciak), who was into strange occult rituals and dabbled in black magic. Sheila was suspected of killing her husband but had been acquitted. She then died a tragic death. When Sylvia decides to have a séance and contact the dead Sheila, strange forces are unleashed. One by one the others become possessed at different times and begin living out their most secret fantasies, including murder.
“Something Creeping In the Dark” AKA “Qualcosa striscia nel buio” was released in 1971 and was directed by Mario Colucci. It is an Italian horror movie with some giallo touches. The movie is a little on the obscure side.
It’s a strange amalgam of characters. All of them somber and gothic but there are still a variety of types. A serial killer, a couple cops, some entitled whiny people, a doctor and his prim assistant and a professor of the occult. The movie starts out slow and boring. Donald and Sylvia Forest are the most annoying couple so it’s rather tedious listening to them. Once the séance happens things begin to get strange. It still takes awhile for the movie to get interesting. Even then it’s not great but towards the end the pace picks up and there are a couple touches that are reminiscent of “The Haunting” 1963.
The serial killer is played by Farley Granger. Granger was an American actor who did some American films and stage productions as well as guest appearances in various television shows before acting in several Italian films for awhile. Granger did a couple films for Alfred Hitchcock, “Rope” 1948 and “Strangers On a Train” 1951. Granger was gay. His long time partner was Robert Calhoun. They were together 43 years.
The dead spirit of Sheila Marlowe is played by a picture of Italian actress Loredana Nusciak.