Zebradelic: Samantha Eggar

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Samantha Eggar in A Name for Evil

During the 1970s and 1980s, Samantha Eggar appeared in a number of horror films. The classic 1972 Italian giallo The Dead Are Alive was her first horror project to be released to the public but she actually filmed her first horror movie, A Name for Evil, in 1970. However, A Name for Evil was not released in its original form; it was re-cut and finally released in 1973.

Samantha Eggar is beyond beautiful in A Name for Evil. Though the movie has seen a wide variety of reactions from critics and viewers (ranging from overwhelmingly negative to cheerfully positive), Eggar's physical appeal cannot be denied. It's actually a very entertaining piece of cinema with many unique aspects, fun scenes (including a trippy interpretive dance sequence -- sans clothing), humorous digs at hip/phony self-exploration, plus it has a great score and imaginative camerawork. Samantha Eggar's lovely presence is the icing on the cake for this fine horror flick.

Samantha Eggar in The Killer Who Wouldn't Die

In the mid-1970s, Samantha Eggar switched from starring in high-profile feature films to appearing in various projects on US television. In 1976, the actress, billed as 'special guest star', was featured in The Killer Who Wouldn't Die. A vehicle for actor Mike Connors, Eggar doesn't show up until about a half hour in and then sporadically throughout the rest of the movie.

While certainly not Samantha Eggar's best work, she does a fine job here. The Killer Who Wouldn't Die is a very standard TV movie, very much like so many others that flooded network television during the 70s. It's highly watchable but also quite predictable. Eggar comports herself nicely during the proceedings but the real problem seems to be her hairstyle, which doesn't seem to really suit her and looks a bit of a mess!

Samantha Eggar in Psyche 59

In 1964, Samantha Eggar co-starred in a wonderful film called Psyche 59. The actress portrays a gloriously fiendish woman named Robin, the younger sister of the supposedly blind Alison (Patricia Neal). Robin has a twisted psyche and revels in over-the-top sexuality and evilness. As she toys with the emotions of her sister, she also has her way with the two male leads played expertly by Curt Jurgens and Ian Bannen. Crisp black & white cinematography, disturbing subject matter, outstanding performances, bizarre vibrations and a lovely display of Samantha Eggar's beauty all combine to make Psyche 59 an excellent, highly watchable movie.

Samantha Eggar in Doctor in Distress

In 1963, Samantha Eggar appeared in her second ever feature film, the very funny Doctor in Distress. It was the first comedy the actress had taken part in and it certainly prepared her for later humorous efforts (Doctor Dolittle and the Anna and the King TV series) including her ultimate comedic triumph four years later, Walk Don't Run.

Samantha Eggar's time on screen in Doctor in Distress is somewhat limited but the wonderful British actress is nevertheless quite memorable. In the movie, The beautiful Samantha Eggar plays a beautiful model named Delia who comes to hospital and meets up with a dashing doctor, played by star Dirk Bogarde. Eggar does all of her scenes with Bogarde and the pair do very well together.

All things considered, this was a very fine role for Samantha Eggar. It showed audiences not only how good she looked physically, but also displayed her natural charm and terrific screen presence. It's no wonder that just two years later, Eggar would be in Hollywood getting a Oscar nomination!

Here are some promotional pictures of Samantha Eggar for Doctor in Distress:

Here are some images of Samantha Eggar in Doctor in Distress:

Samantha Eggar in The Dead Are Alive

In 1972, Samantha Eggar co-starred alongside an international cast in the Italian horror-thriller L'etrusco uccide ancora. This film is also known as The Dead Are Alive as well as the literally translated title The Etruscan Kills Again.

The Dead Are Alive is actually a great vehicle for the lovely Samantha Eggar. She looks fantastic and is favored with some beautiful close-up shots throughout the movie. And while the actress is not given much dialogue to work with, she more than makes up for it with deep, soulful eyes and her gorgeous mane of red hair. Samantha Eggar shares many of her scenes with the star of the film, the outrageous Alex Cord (who one can compare to either John Holmes or Ron Burgundy, depending on how you look at it) and the duo have passable chemistry.

Additionally, The Dead Are Alive can be considered the the final triumph of the first stage of the Samantha Eggar's incredible career in cinema. The actress made this film right before she basically abandoned the glory of the big screen for the dubious world of mid-70s American television. The Dead Are Alive is an enjoyable movie (I wasn't sure it would be but it is actually quite entertaining and well made) and it is worth the time of any fan of Samantha Eggar.

Here are two contemporary reviews of The Dead Are Alive, one positive and one negative: