Year: 1973
Runtime: 91 mins
Language: English
Director: Roy Ward Baker
The cursed hand that crawls, kills, and lives. In the late 18th century, newlyweds Charles and Catherine Fengriffen move into the stately family mansion. Catherine soon falls victim to a vengeance‑driven curse placed by a wronged servant on the Fengriffen line, sealing a doom that haunts each descendant.
Get a spoiler-free look at And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.
In the waning years of the eighteenth century, newlyweds Catherine and Charles Fengriffen arrive at their ancestral manor, a sprawling stone house that dominates the bleak countryside. The estate, steeped in the weight of generations, exudes a brooding elegance that feels both welcoming and oppressive. As they settle into the grand yet shadowed rooms, the couple senses that the house holds memories that whisper from its walls, hinting at a past that refuses to stay buried.
From the moment they cross the threshold, Catherine is plagued by unsettling visions of a disembodied figure—a corpse marked by a birthmark, empty sockets, and a severed right hand—that seems to linger just beyond the edge of perception. These specters are not merely dreams; they echo through the corridors, suggesting that a curse lingers within the very foundation of the Fengriffen line. A reclusive woodsman known only as Silas appears on the periphery of the estate, bearing the same uncanny mark, and his presence deepens the sense that something older and more vengeful watches the newlyweds.
Concerned by the growing unease, the family summons the skeptical Dr. Whittle, a local physician, and the enigmatic psychiatrist Dr. Pope to provide a rational explanation for the disturbances. Their arrival sets up a tension between scientific inquiry and the house’s inexorable, supernatural atmosphere. Each attempts to untangle the knot of fear that binds the present to the past, while the manor itself seems to conspire to keep its secrets hidden.
The mood is a relentless blend of gothic dread and quiet oppression, where every creak and flicker of light feels loaded with meaning. Within the ornate halls, the legacy of the Fengriffens hangs like a heavy curtain, promising that the arrival of a new generation will awaken forces long restrained. The film invites the audience to linger in this unsettling world, asking whether love and rationality can ever truly dispel the shadows of ancestral sins.
Last Updated: December 04, 2025 at 23:00
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Movies about ancient family curses that bring inevitable doom and supernatural dread.If you enjoyed the grim, hereditary doom in And Now the Screaming Starts!, you'll find similar chills in these movies. This collection features stories where a family is tormented by a supernatural curse rooted in past sins, leading to a bleak and inevitable conclusion. Discover other haunting tales of generational sin and relentless supernatural vengeance.
The narrative typically involves the uncovering of a dark family secret, often through flashbacks, which explains the origin of a supernatural curse. The present-day characters, usually innocent of the original sin, are powerless to stop the curse's horrifying fulfillment. The story structure is a linear or revelatory descent into doom.
These movies are grouped together for their shared focus on the 'sins of the father' trope, a dark gothic atmosphere, and a plotting that methodically builds towards an inevitable, bleak ending. They share a high intensity and heavy emotional weight driven by themes of fate and supernatural punishment.
Stories where a steady, mounting sense of dread leads to psychological unraveling.Fans of the methodical, creeping horror in And Now the Screaming Starts! will appreciate these selections. These films master a steady pacing that builds unbearable tension and psychological unease. If you like stories where dread accumulates slowly towards a terrifying climax, explore these similar haunting and unsettling experiences.
The narrative avoids swift jumpscares in favor of a linear, escalating progression of unsettling events. The horror comes from the characters' growing realization of their helplessness against a pervasive threat. The journey is one of psychological erosion, where the mind is the primary battleground.
This grouping is defined by a specific pacing and mood combination: a steady, deliberate build of tension rather than fast-paced action. The shared experience is one of sustained anxiety and a focus on the psychological degradation of the protagonist under relentless pressure.
Don't stop at just watching — explore And Now the Screaming Starts! in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what And Now the Screaming Starts! is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Read a complete plot summary of And Now the Screaming Starts!, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.
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Discover movies like And Now the Screaming Starts! that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.
And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline
And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973) Movie Characters, Themes & Settings
And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow
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