Ingrid Pitt Movies

Jonathan English's action-adventure film Minotaur concerns a young man who sets out to slay the title creature after the man's love was sacrificed to the half-man, half-bull. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Maruschka Detmers stars as Hannah Senesh, a real-life Hungarian Jew who became a martyr to the cause of freedom during WW II. Though safely ensconced in Palestine at the outbreak of the war, Hannah volunteers to venture behind enemy lines in Europe on a life-or-death mission. Unfortunately, she is captured, undergoing unspeakable tortures before the Germans are finished with her. The script, based on Hannah's diaries (as edited by Yoel Palgi), surprisingly downplays heroics in favor of sensationalism; the prison scenes could just as well have been lifted from a Linda Blair "babes behind bars" picture. Even so, Detmers is excellent in the title role, while Ellen Burstyn is likewise superb as Hannah's mother. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This is a standard sci-fi horror-thriller that mixes romance together with lumpy underground mutants and a pivotal mad scientist doing dirty deals with a gangland boss. The boss's former fair maiden ("maiden" only in the vaguest of definitions), happens to have been kidnapped from a brothel and is held hostage by the underground lumpies. It seems the unbalanced Dr. Savary (the late Denholm Elliott) has concocted a potion that will make dreams come true -- and leave ugly physical distortions in the process. When a former hitman is hired to save the kidnappee before the boss goon blasts away the mutant-dreamers, the end results are not what the drug lord expects. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

In this suspenseful thriller, David Parker (Bryan Brown) is a married businessman with three children, a mistress in Germany, and a brother dealing drugs -- a combination of relationships that will eventually prove fatal to several people. After David leaves his London home and family behind for a short business-trip to Munich, he is held captive for more than a week by ten men and one woman, their identities disguised by masks. David starts to suspect Jillian, his mistress (Hannelore Elsner) is involved because when he goes to the police with his story once he is released, he discovers he was never reported missing. Why did Jillian remain silent about his disappearance for eleven days? And there were no ransom demands. After awhile the police inspector assigned to David's case (Kurt Raab) and David's wife (Cherie Lunghi) begin to doubt the kidnapping itself. At that point, David launches into a full-scale investigation on his own that sets into motion a series of killings and a strong suspicion of drug-world involvement. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Doctor Who's record-breaking 21st anniversary was launched January 5, 1984, with episode one of the four-part "Warriors of the Deep." At the height of a 21st century Cold War, the Doctor (Peter Davison) and his companions Tegan (Janet Fielding) and Turlough (Mark Strickson) are accused of being saboteurs. This is a benign threat compared to the one posed by two of the Doctor's former nemeses -- the Sea Devils and the Silurians, last seen on Doctor Who way back in 1972. "Warriors of the Deep, Episode 1" was written by Johnny Byrne. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Where the Action Is stars Edd Byrnes as a high-stakes gambler who gets wind of a big game in a faraway resort. Once he's arrived, Byrnes discovers that the stakes are the highest ever--his own life. Swedish actress Ingrid Pitt is on hand as the enigmatic leading lady. Where the Action Is was videotaped in England and Europe with a cast of TV regulars from both sides of the Channel. This 75-minute suspenser was first telecast in the US on the ABC late-night anthology Wide World Mystery. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A righteous police officer investigating the disappearance of a young girl comes into conflict with the unusual residents of a secluded Scottish isle in this unsettling, intelligent chiller. Brought to the island of Summerisle by an anonymous letter, Edward Woodward's constable is surprised to discover that the island's population suspiciously denies the missing girl's very existence. Even more shocking, at least to the traditionally pious law office, the island is ruled by a libertarian society organized around pagan rituals. Repelled by the open acceptance of sexuality, nature worship, and even witchcraft, the officer takes an antagonistic attitude towards the people and their leader, an eccentric but charming English lord (Christopher Lee). The officer's unease intensifies as he continues his investigation, slowly coming to fear that the girl's disappearance may be linked in a particularly horrifying manner to an upcoming public festival. Anthony Shaffer's meticulously crafted screenplay creates a thoroughly convincing alternative society, building tension through slow discovery and indirect suggestion and making the terrifying climax all the more effective. Performances are also perfectly tuned, with Woodward suitably priggish as the investigator and horror icon Lee delivering one of his most accomplished performances as Lord Summerisle. Little noticed during its original theatrical run due to studio edits and a limited release, the film's intelligence and uncanny tone has since attracted a devoted cult following. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi

In the fifth episode of the six-part story "The Time Monster," the Master (Roger Delgado) continues in his efforts to use the dreaded "time-eater" Kronos (Marc Boyle) as a means of conquering the universe. But his plan hits a snag when Queen Galleia (Ingrid Pitt), who originally helped the Master gain access to the Atlantan crystal harboring Kronos' spirit, turns on the villain. Now also at the mercy of Kronos, the Master must rely upon his archrival, the Doctor (Jon Pertwee), to stay alive. Written by Robert Sloman, Doctor Who: The Time Monster, Episode 5 originally aired on June 17, 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This anthology picture about a bad-luck mansion is a thriller with four episodes--all framed by a police investigation. A review of the files of the local policeman (John Bennett) shows that everyone who has owned the mansion has died in a horrible fashion. In the first episode, "Method for Murder," the obsessions of a mystery writer (Denholm Elliott) provide his wife with an opportunity to do him in. In the second, "Waxworks," Peter Cushing is the unhappy recipient of the attentions of a jealous husband. The third, "Sweets to the Sweet," has Christopher Lee fall victim to his charming little daughter, who plays with voodoo dolls. In "The Cloak," Jon Pertwee (best known for his TV portrayal of Dr. Who) is a horror-film star who insists on authenticity in his costumes. Somehow, he is given the cloak of a real vampire, with humorously ghoulish results. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

This sexy horror story from Britain's Hammer Films finds Ingrid Pitt playing three roles, the most notable being a lesbian vampire who will resort to biting a man only when it is absolutely necessary. A doctor and a manservant are victims, but only after she has exhausted all attempts to sink her fangs into the bosoms of young women. The General (Peter Cushing) finds his daughter Laura (Pippa Steel) is victimized by the bite of the vampiress. With the help of Baron Hartog (Douglas Wilmer), they try to end the horror brought by the blood-sucking beauty. Blood, gore and a few decapitations are depicted before the wooden stakes and crosses are brought out. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

Producer/director W. Lee Wilder, the prolific (and somewhat less talented) brother of filmmaker Billy Wilder, was responsible for the 1968 melodrama The Omegans. Artist Lucien Pan is insanely jelous of his wife Ingrid Pitt. While participating in a Malayan expedition, Pan suspects that Ingrid is carrying on with jungle guide Keith Larsen. He plots the murder of both wife and guide, hoping to make it look like an accident. To this end, Pan talks Ingrid and Larsen into posing for a portrait-right next to a radioactive jungle river. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this low-budget horror movie, Greek treasure hunters discover a nest of prehistoric eggs. They break an egg and accidentally release a deadly, invisible force that begins noisily shredding all humans in its path. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi