The Oblong Box (1969) on Netflix
Locked in his room at Markham Manor by his guilt-ridden brother Julian, Sir Edward Markham plots his escape. Aided by the witchdoctor N'Galo, he means to fake his own death.
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Plot summary
In 1865 England, Sir Edward Markham, disfigured in an African voodoo ceremony, is kept locked in his room at Markham Manor by his brother Julian, who is weighed down by guilt. Tired of his captivity, Edward plans to fake his death, and the witchdoctor N'Galo is to concoct a drug that puts him into a deathlike trance. The family lawyer Trench is meant to help him.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about The Oblong Box (1969)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- With help from Christopher Wicking, the screenplay of The Oblong Box was reworked to include the imperial exploitation of native peoples in Africa; the theme gave the film a "pro-black" appearance and later got it banned in Texas.
- Alister Williamson, who played Sir Edward, has more screen time in The Oblong Box than either Vincent Price or Christopher Lee, yet his real voice was never heard and his face was covered for most of the film.
- The Oblong Box was the first film to star both Vincent Price and Christopher Lee, two of the biggest names in horror at the time.
- The original script for The Oblong Box had the Markham brothers as twins, with both of the twin roles to be played by Vincent Price.
- Michael Reeves fell ill during pre-production of The Oblong Box, so Gordon Hessler stepped in as director and made a number of substantial changes to the film.
