The Gorgon

The Gorgon is a 1964 British horror film directed by Terence Fisher for Hammer Films. It stars Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Richard Pasco and Barbara Shelley. Plot Germany 1910: The village of Vandorf has suffered seven horrific murders in five years. In each case, the unfortunate victim has been turned to stone. In the old millhouse on the edge of the forest, Sascha Cass tells her artist boyfriend Bruno Heitz she is carrying his child. Wanting to stand up to his obligations, Bruno races off into the night to see Sascha's father despite her pleas for him not to go. She races after him, but soon loses him in the dark forest. There, amongst the dark shadows, something catches her attention. She looks into the face of something hideous and screams. Raising her head once more, she looks upon the horror and screams again before dying. Upon examination of the body, Dr. Namaroff, a local brain specialist at the Vandorf Medical Institution, discovers the body has turned to stone. Suspicion immediately falls onto Bruno, who is missing, but he is found hanged in the forest by a police search party. An incompetent inquest decides it is a case of murder and suicide and Dr. Namaroff doesn't reveal the condition of Cass' corpse. The villagers, feeling robbed of any vengeance, attack Bruno's father, Professor Jules Heitz. The local Police warn the Professor to leave the village, but he refuses to go until his son's name is cleared. He seeks help from Dr. Namaroff. Heitz knows that a conspiracy of silence has been set up and that the villagers do not believe the true cause. Professor Heitz believes the murders are the result of something unhuman and hideous from Ancient Mythology. Its spirit haunts the Castle Borski; its name is Megeara, a Gorgon, a creature whose horrible face can turn human skin to stone. On hearing Hertz's belief, Namaroff immediately terminates their discussion.