Death Line

R

1972

1h 28m

Horror

List

91%

11 Reviews

Tomatometer

45%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

A police inspector (Donald Pleasence) discovers that descendants of survivors of a cave-in in the early 1900s are eating London subway riders.

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Andy M

Great cast. Holds up well as a low budget cult classic. Donald Pleasance in one of his best performances.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

Full Review

isla s

This is a relatively spooky and sinister feeling film with a distinct b-movie feel to it. The visual effects are effective given the time it was made in (it dates from 1972). It's also very much a dark film and I mean in terms of various scenes taking place in all but sheer darkness, dark parts of the London underground, so it's not a film to watch when/if there's a lot of sunlight near your TV to get in the way. This film would no doubt scare young kids and anyone especially squeamish, although I can't say I found myself screaming. I thought the incidental music used was quite good and (as surprising as it may be) I found some of the dialogue somewhat amusing. The evil villian type made me think of Quasimodo from the Hunchback of Notre Dame, living in his quiet and dark little lair. As films of this sort go, this is ok - maybe a bit cheesy even but ok, yes. I suppose, if anything, it's good to see that the young woman who notices the body, at the start of the film, cares enough to wonder about what happened to the person found. I'll say no more so as not to provide spoilers.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

justin t

For an older film this looked amazing. Some of the really long operatic shots were really spectacular. The effects were mostly convincing except some hits that looked very faked. The sound is easily the weakest part of the movie. In reality it is a mono mix. There is no dynamic range and sound effects don't match the picture. Music was ok. This is the father of Creep (2004). Donald Pleasance is amazing in this. His character is fascinating. This is like looking back in time to the seventies in a good way. They were really brave with long shots of nothing really happening but it built tension and explored the environment. Sadly not enough shocks. The way it is shot is beautiful. The London underground is a fantastic setting for a brilliant scary movie.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

What is it about "Death Line" that makes it scary? More than anything, I'd say it's the horror of man's inhumanity to man. If it weren't for the disregard of the Victorians who left the cave-in victims trapped underground, there would be no cannibal stalking the London Underground. While improbable, the plot is just plausible enough to leave an element of doubt. And the fate of the final descendant is a genuine tragedy that tugged my heart-strings. A good watch.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A creepy early 70's horror. Hugh Armstrong is one of the most wretched/tragic baddies in cinema. Slightly hamstrung by having David Ladd in the lead role...a truly awful actor. However Donald Pleasence more than makes up for it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Death Line aka Raw Meat is absolutely best British horror film of 70's era.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/17/21

Full Review

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Gary Sherman

Director

Donald Pleasence

Inspector Calhoun

Ron Pember

Lift Operator

Colin McCormack

Police Constable 1

Norman Rossington

Detective Sergeant Rogers

Clive Swift

Inspector Richardson

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

It's undermined by several vast improbabilities in the script and by the painfully inept performance of one of its leads, David Ladd.

Rated: 2/4

Oct 23, 2004

Full Review

Christopher Machell

CineVue

You'll never hear the phrase "Mind the doors" in the same way again.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 4, 2019

Full Review

J.R. Southall

Starburst

Donald Pleasence is given free rein to pretty much play Calhoun as he pleases, and if the portrayal is somewhat fanciful, it's also incredibly engaging.

Rated: 7/10

Aug 24, 2018

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Yes, it's a cannibal film, but it's also a startlingly tender film about a literal underclass abandoned by the world above, a story that roils in class division.

Aug 4, 2017

Full Review

James Kendrick

Q Network Film Desk

both unsettling and quite funny, often at the same time

Rated: 3/4

Jun 22, 2017

Full Review

Michael W. Phillips, Jr.

Goatdog's Movies

The first (or only?) ethnographic urban legend horror film.

Rated: 3.5/5

Nov 16, 2010

Full Review

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Synopsis

A police inspector (Donald Pleasence) discovers that descendants of survivors of a cave-in in the early 1900s are eating London subway riders.

Director: Gary Sherman
Screenwriter: Gary Sherman, Ceri Jones
Production Co: Harbor Ventures
Rating: R
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 22, 2016
Runtime: 1h 28m

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