During this period, there were notable differences when compared to the early seventies. Perhaps the most striking of these were the absence of the three prominent actresses – Imogen Hartley, Lilith Ashcroft and Scarlet Kensington – who had collectively graced the screens in nearly every Macabre Mallet production since 1955.

Regrettably, prevailing regulations of the era imposed strict restrictions on actresses aged over 30, relegating them to roles as mothers, drunk aunts, or nosy office workers, effectively barring them from assuming any glamorous leading roles. Consequently, the demand for new talent became increasingly evident.

Fortunately, two fresh talents emerged to fill the void: Simone Wellington and Felicity Abernathy.

Wellington, a model known for her appearances in numerous photo shoots for Carmel Magazine (jointly owned by Peterson Leigh), lacked previous acting experience but garnered praise for her style and grace. Abernathy, having recently portrayed a ‘distressed woman running away’ in an episode of The Sweeney, was swiftly recruited.

Also during this period, it was striking that there were no blondes in any lead roles, leading Leigh to comment, ‘Who wants to see blondes on movie posters all the time.’

With a new cast in place, supported by the old guard actors such as Quentin Stroud (who, being a man, was permitted to have lead roles beyond the age of 30), a fresh era of Macabre Mallet awaited.

A chemical company wants to dump toxic waste into the ocean. They are told not to do that because something bad will happen. They do it anyway and something bad happens.

The residents of the sleepy coastal town of Fettleforth-Upon-Sea are mightily put out when the dead rise from the sea bed and cause mayhem which includes, but not limited to, killing people.

Simone Wellington makes her debut as the owner of a beach side cafe who battles the floating undead.

This movie is notable as it is one of the first to feature a black person to survive all the way to the end of a horror movie. However, a blonde who is about to bang her boyfriend does get killed at the start.

Filmed entirely on location at Clacton beach.

It’s your typical love story.

Boy meets Girl.

Girl falls in love with Boy

Boy takes Girl to a secret cult carrying out satanic rituals culminating in orgies followed by mass slaughter.

Believed to have inspired Richard Curtis’ NOTTING HILL.

On a rain-soaked night, Georgina Mildred (Simone Wellington) misses her last bus home, resigning herself to a long walk.

But when an unexpected bus appears, she sees it as her savior. Little does she know, this isn’t an ordinary ride; it’s packed with malevolent passengers – ghouls, ghosts, and zombies!

She missed the night bus, but can she survive the terrifying journey of the ‘Fright Bus’?

Attempting to tap into the popularity of disco movies, the decision was made to remake the 1956 movie Evil House.

Maggie (Simone Wellington) receives a mysterious invitation to attend an exclusive Disco held in a secluded stately home.

When she arrives she quickly realises her dance partners will be the ghouls and ghosts that reside inside.

This movie was not well received by the critics but has become a cult classic in large part to its popularity with university students who would mimic Quentin Stroud, who was in his sixties, saying lines such as ‘groovy’ and ‘get down with the funk’.

It also features an uncredited guest appearance by Imogen Hartley who at the age of 44 was cast as ‘the old maid’.

When people start exploding after consuming eggs, intrepid reporter Maggie (Felicity Abernathy) traces the problem to a farm that is breeding mutant chickens. Can she stop the supply of toxic eggs without getting pecked to death?

This movie was so terrifying that the Egg Council managed to get it banned until 1988 when it was assumed it’ll be okay to show it again.

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Now explore the Macabre Mallet movies of 1980-1984