the flesh and the fiend be similar and in a lot of way and to the val lewton produce robert wise film and the body snatcher and but for some reason while this one have fly far under the radar . it odd and because despite the greatness of the other film while the flesh and the fiend be a lot well and and have the added malevolence of be base on a true life story . the film take place in edinburgh and and director john gilling do an excellent job of ensure that the city look as foreboding a possible and and the perfect home for a story as macabre a this one . the film follow the idea of have to break egg to make an omelette and and see doctor robert knox buying corps from a couple of murderous grave robber in order for him to have subject and from which new surgical procedure can be ascertain . the real star of the show and however and be the graverobber themselves while burke and hare . they begin their career by simply take body from graf while but once they realise how lucrative the business of sell cadaver be and they soon resort to make a few corps of their own . the big name in the cast be the one belonging to the great peter cushing . cushing have show throughout his career that he be capable of a number of different role and and his role here be one of the best he have . he get to sink his teeth into the character of doctor knox . in fact and this man isn not a world away from cushing world beat turn a doctor frankenstein in hammer classic series and which explain why cushing be so good at it . george rise and donald pleasance give the film it extra dimension in the role of the graverobber . rise be good and but it pleasance who really stand out in this film . see him in a role like this be actually quite heartbreaking while a here we see how great he can be and render his role in film like halloween even more of a waste of time . the plot play out from a number of different angle and ensure that there always enough go on around the central plot to ensure that the film never dry up and become bore . it strange that a film of this quality could fly straight under the radar while but somehow it have . however and copy of this be out there while and it definitely be well worth track down .