This time around our flashback is taking us to 1974 to the film The Beast Must Die! The Beast Must Die is a lesser known film, which really is a shame, for it’s one of the few movies out there that asks for viewer participation. That’s right, this mystery actually has a “Werewolf break” during the film where they stop and ask the audience to pick who they think the big bad wolf is. Kickass!
Tom Newcliffe, a rich businessman and expert hunter invites a group of guests to his huge country estate which he has rigged up with video cameras and a high-tech security system. He tells them and his shocked wife that they are all to stay over a weekend. His goal, and the viewer’s, is to figure out which one of the guests is the werewolf. The entire group includes:
Tom and Caroline Newcliffe: the man that invites the guests and his wife.
Arthur Bennington: a diplomat.
Jan and Davina Gilmore: a pianist and his ex-student, now lover.
Paul Foote: an artist recently released from prison.
Professor Lundgren: an archaeologist and a lycanthropy enthusiast.
After a string of murders, Tom Newcliffe puts all of his guests through various tests to figure out who is the werewolf. But the deaths continue and time starts to run out. The best part is that the film has a clip at the beginning asking people in the audience to try to identify the werewolf, then right near the end there is a 30-second “Werewolf Break” for the audience to think over all of the the evidence.
The Beast Must Die is perfect for a movie night with friends. Everyone gathering around and arguing about who they think the werewolf is. Lots of fun to be had there!
What do you guys think? Can you see you and your friends checking this old film out?
– Moonlight
Saw it a couple months back, unless you like 70’s b movies forget this one
Wouldn’t know where to find a copy, but it sounds right up my ally. Any chance there will be a DVD or Blue-ray remake?
You can buy it on DVD here. :)