Craze R

Starring: Jack Palance, Diana Dors, Julie Ege

Another slice of processed cheese from Herman Cohen, producer of Trog and other such wonders. This cheap occult programmer (ostensibly based on the novel Infernal Idol by Henry Seymour) stars Jack Palance as a demented art dealer & antique-shop owner who performs nightly rituals in honor of the African god Chuku, whom he believes will reward him with unimaginable wealth and power if he merely offers up the occasional human sacrifice or two. His methods are fairly creative, ranging from impalement, slashing and burning, to scaring people to death with an ooga-booga fright mask. What could have been boring, exploitive drivel is elevated to passable mediocrity by an over-the-top performance from the leering Palance and occasionally stylish touches from slumming director Freddie Francis, but most viewers will be left wondering why they bothered at all. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide