The Asphyx *** (1972, Robert Stephens, Robert Powell, Jane Lapotaire) – Classic Movie Review 6,148

The macabre 1973 British sci-fi horror movie The Asphyx stars Robert Stephens as an obsessed Victorian English scientist who traps the spirit of death that supposedly enters bodies when they die, with Robert Powell as Giles and Jane Lapotaire as Christina.

Director Peter Newbrook’s macabre 1973 British sci-fi horror movie The Asphyx stars Robert Stephens as Sir Hugo Cunningham, an obsessed brilliant Victorian English scientist who traps the spirit of death (the Greek-derived name Asphyx of the title), which supposedly enters bodies when they die. So he starts experiments with it in order to try to make himself immortal. Asphyx derives from the Ancient Greek word asphyxía, literally meaning ‘lack of pulse’ or English asphyxiation.

Written by Brian Comport, based on a story by Christina Beers and Laurence Beers, The Asphyx is an unusual, convincing, and often gripping slice of sci-fi/ supernatural chiller, with spirited performances from three fine star-actors in their prime, Robert Stephens as Sir Hugo, Robert Powell (as Sir Hugo’s adopted son Giles Cunningham) and Jane Lapotaire (as Sir Hugo’s daughter Christina Cunningham, Giles’s fiancée and adoptive sister).

Freddie Young’s distinguished Eastmancolor cinematography is a big asset, Bill McGuffie’s score is good, and the special effects by Ted Samuels are of good quality for their day too.

The Asphyx runs 100 minutes but was re-released as The Horror of Death at 87 minutes. It is also known as Spirit of the Dead.

Also in the cast are Alex Scott, Ralph Arliss, Fiona Walker, David Gray, Tony Caunter, Paul Bacon, John Lawrence and Terry Scully.

It was made at Shepperton Studios , Surrey, England.

Asphyxia is a condition where the body is deprived of oxygen, leading to unconsciousness, suffocation or death, when breathing is interrupted or oxygen intake is severely restricted.

The term was coined in the 17th century by medical scholars who drew on classical Greek vocabulary to describe the physiological state of suffocation. The connection between breathing cessation and pulse loss was well understood, even in ancient medicine.

The word comes from the Ancient Greek ἀσφυξία (asphychia), which breaks down as: a- (ἀ-) “without” or “not” and sphynxis (σφυγμός) “pulse” or “throb”, so literally, it means ‘without pulse’ — the condition involves cessation of breathing and oxygen deprivation, leading to loss of consciousness and potentially loss of pulse.

Asphyx is a well-known Dutch death metal band formed in 1987.

Jane Lapotaire (26 December 1944 – 5 March 2026)

The cast

The cast are Robert Stephens as Sir Hugo Cunningham, Robert Powell as Giles Cunningham, Jane Lapotaire as Christina Cunningham, Alex Scott as Sir Edward Barrett, Ralph Arliss as Clive Cunningham, Fiona Walker as Anna Wheatley, Terry Scully as pauper, John Lawrence as Mason, David Grey as vicar, Tony Caunter as warden, Paul Bacon as first member.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6,148

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