The late 1960s saw an influx of bizarre, low-budget horror films that leaned into surrealism and psychological horror. Scream Baby Scream (1969), directed by Joseph Adler, fits squarely into this niche—an oddball mix of artsy horror and grindhouse sleaze. While the film struggles with pacing and lacks narrative depth, its eerie dreamlike atmosphere and grotesque imagery make it a strangely compelling relic of its time.

The plot follows a deranged artist who kidnaps models and disfigures their faces to create his own “masterpieces,” a setup that recalls Eyes Without a Face (1960) but with a much grimier, low-rent execution. The film attempts to explore themes of artistic obsession and vanity but never fully commits, instead relying on a series of repetitive kidnappings and hallucinatory sequences that teeter between hypnotic and tedious.

Where Scream Baby Scream excels is in its visuals. While the budgetary constraints are obvious, the film embraces a psychedelic aesthetic with strange lighting, distorted imagery, and an eerie, off-kilter score that adds to its nightmarish quality. The scenes of the artist at work, transforming his victims into grotesque creations, are genuinely unsettling, even if the effects aren’t always convincing.

However, the film suffers from a sluggish pace and a script that struggles to maintain tension. The dialogue is clunky, and the characters feel more like sketches than real people, making it difficult to invest in their fates. Despite its flaws, the film’s feverish tone and macabre concept give it an undeniable cult appeal.

The Prognosis:

While not a lost classic, Scream Baby Scream is an intriguing example of late-’60s horror, where artistic ambition and exploitation filmmaking collided in strange and sometimes fascinating ways. Fans of obscure, surreal horror may find something to appreciate here, but casual viewers may find the experience more frustrating than frightening.

• Saul Muerte