Episode
66: The Asphyx (aka Spirit of the Dead) (aka The Horror of Death) (1972) – Glendale Film – Dir. Peter Newbrook – Robert Stephens, Robert Powell & Jane Lapotaire – Freddie Young Shot
- Published
- Feb 7, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 5585
- Processing state
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- http://www.generalwitchfinders.com/
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Summary
The Asphyx (1972) In this episode, we dive deep into the 1972 British science fiction horror cult classic , The Asphyx (also known as Spirit of the Dead or The Horror of Death ). Set in the Victorian era, this unique period chiller follows a wealthy philanthropist and amateur scientist, Sir Hugo Cunningham, who stumbles upon a way to photograph the "Asphyx"—the Ancient Greek spirit of death that appears at the precise moment of a person's demise. A Quick Mea Culpa on Picture Quality Before we get into the meat of the film, we have to address the elephant in the room: the visuals . Throughout the episode, you’ll hear us absolutely tear into the "pan and scan" and the ropy, grainy picture quality of the version we watched. Full disclosure: We’ve since realized we were watching a particularly bottom-of-the-barrel DVD. It turns out there are actually stunning, high-quality HD versions of The Asphyx available for free on YouTube! From the Todd-AO 35mm widescreen transfers to beautifully restored prints, the real film looks pretty good. If you want to see what Freddie Young actually intended, go search for it—it’s easy to find and looks worlds better than the disc we suffered through. Inside the Episode: Behind the Lens of a Horror Oddity. Despite our technical hurdles, The Asphyx is a fascinating piece of British cinema history. We explore the career of director Peter Newbrook , who rose from a messenger boy to the second unit photographer for the legendary mirage shot in Lawrence of Arabia . Key Discussion Points: The Legend Freddie Young: How a three-time Academy Award-winning cinematographer ended up shooting a 70s mad scientist flick. The Ghostbusters Connection: We examine the theory that this film’s spirit-trapping tech was the direct blueprint for the 1984 Ghostbuste…