A paranormal investigator faces a haunting that refuses to rest—even in the family crypt.
THE GHOST OF SIERRA DE COBRE
Terrified of being buried alive, a young woman installs a phone in her crypt. A few days after her untimely death, the phone suddenly rings and paranormal investigator Nelson Orion (Landau) is brought in to probe the case.
Quick Answer
The Ghost of Sierra de Cobre is a 1964 American horror-mystery film directed by Joseph Stefano about an architect and paranormal investigator hired to probe eerie occurrences linked to a controlling mother-in-law who may be haunting from beyond the grave.
Programmer's Pick
Joseph Stefano, the man behind Psycho’s script, delivers a TV pilot that’s anything but lifeless. Martin Landau stalks shadowy halls and haunted crypts, blending skepticism and dread—call it the ultimate dial-up horror.
— SassyFlix Programmer
Overview
Why This Matters
Written, produced, and directed by Joseph Stefano—screenwriter of Psycho—this film served as a pilot for a supernatural anthology series that was never picked up, featuring a cast of Hitchcock film veterans and actors from Stefano's tenure on The Outer Limits.
Cast & Crew
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Why Cult
A spectral presence and ringing phone in a crypt set the scene for one of TV horror’s most stylish unsold pilots.
Landau’s turn as a paranormal investigator grounds the supernatural chills with his signature gravitas.
The film’s blend of architecture and ghost-hunting gives classic haunted house tropes a fresh angle.
Much of the tension unfurls in a single, eerie mansion and crypt, reinforcing the claustrophobic dread.
Scene Gallery
Threat File
Death of controlling mother-in-law
Supernatural haunting from beyond the grave
Psychological torment and eerie phenomena
Family mansion and crypt
Questions from the Vault
Who directed The Ghost of Sierra de Cobre? +
Joseph Stefano directed The Ghost of Sierra de Cobre.
How long is The Ghost of Sierra de Cobre? +
The Ghost of Sierra de Cobre has a runtime of 80 minutes.
What genre is The Ghost of Sierra de Cobre? +
The film is a blend of horror, mystery, and thriller.
Where can I watch The Ghost of Sierra de Cobre? +
The Ghost of Sierra de Cobre is available to stream on SassyFlix.
Why was a phone installed in the crypt? +
The phone was installed because a young woman was terrified of being buried alive and wanted a lifeline in case she was entombed prematurely.
Who hires Nelson Orion for the paranormal investigation? +
Heiress Vivia Mandore hires Nelson Orion after experiencing disturbing events linked to her deceased mother-in-law.
