Donald Pleasence is well renowned in horror circles for his turn as Dr. Loomis in Halloween, as well as roles in Dracula (1979), Argento’s Phenomena, Carpenter’s Prince Of Darkness, and a host of others. Before he signed on for Death Line (renamed Raw Meat here in the states) he had only been involved in one other real horror entry, the notable but rarely seen '13' (aka Eye Of The Devil, starring Sharon Tate). He was an exceptional actor who always brought a certain menace and intensity to roles, but it’s his comical turn as Inspector Calhoun in this film that makes it so enjoyable.

Raw Meat centers around Alex and Patricia, a couple who discover what they assume to be a derelict in the subway who seems to require medical aid. They decide to get help but when the police arrive the body is gone and the pair find themselves under the scrutiny of the authorities themselves.

Having found a wallet at the scene, the Inspector and his assistant learn that the missing man is a prominent military official whose disappearance warrants a full investigation.

At first Calhoun seems disinterested, but his curiosity is piqued when he’s threatened by a military agent (Christopher Lee) to leave things as they are. As their inquiry begins they learn of a strange tale attached to the ‘tubes’ (Brit-speak for subway) where the incident took place. It seems that a number of miners were trapped during a collapse in this area of the tunnels in the late 19th century. Rumors of workers remaining alive in the cave-in fell onto deaf ears and were eventually forgotten. Left for dead, these survivors were forced to dwell underground for years feeding off the flesh of the deceased.

The only living descendants of the cannibalistic group are an illness-ridden couple who have started to venture above ground for their sustenance. ‘The Woman’ is pregnant but soon expires, forcing ‘The Man’ to seek not only new food sources, but a new mate for procreation as well.

Alex and Patricia, intent on proving their innocence in the matter, decide to do some sleuthing of their own. Patricia unwittingly falls into the hands of ‘The Man’ (who attempts to woo her at one point by biting the head off a rat), while Alex predictably gets lost in the underground passageways. Further disappearances occur, and all clues lead back to the vacant tube station which is descended upon by the police during the film’s climax.

Donald Pleasence’s performance is great as the brash detective with a severe aversion to tea bags. Second billed Christopher Lee is on screen for only one scene, but chews it respectably. Hugh Armstrong plays ‘The Man’ as both threatening and sympathetic without a word of dialogue (with the exception of “mind the doors” which is never explained) making him an atypical villain. The other actors are all fine, but this really is Donald’s show, and I couldn’t help but find his subtle nuances endearing. The photography is excellent, and the purposeful camera movements lend to the unsettling atmosphere.

The effects are surprisingly gruesome for the time but are presented sparingly, often leaving more to suggestion than graphic display.The plot is consistent (albeit with one big exception, which some might never question, but had me scratching my head), the dialogue is well written and the pacing seems appropriate.  All things considered, Raw Meat is a quirky little treasure which deserves to be seen by a wider audience.

7.5 on a 10 scale