Demon Under Glass (2002)

Dir: Jon Cunningham

A vampire serial killer is captured, taken to a secret government examination room and kept under scrutiny of a team of scientists in this smart slowburning horror. Jason Carter plays the vamp with cool, edgy aplomb and is flanked brilliantly by Garrett Maggart as the sensitive doctor who is ordered to carry out tests, take samples and keep his subject fed with donated blood. At first, the pair keep a polite distance between them but, as the tests become more gruelling, the doctor begins to feel an uneasy compassion for his subject and a deadly psychological chess game begins. "Demon Under Glass" doesn't go for a simple "the real monsters are us!" revelation and instead tackles an array of moral and emotional scenarios with rare restraint and intelligence. The film is engaging, eerie and an admirable example of what can be achieved on a seemingly non-existent budget when you've got a tight script, two strong leads and an original, unpredictable idea with depth. An underrated little gem that's been unfairly consigned to the 50p bargain bin. ***

P2 (2006)

Dir: Franck Khalfoun

A hi-octane horror set in the unlikely location of a parking lot. This one pits a busty businesswoman (Rachel Nichols) against a psychotic security guard (Wes Bentley) in a cat and mouse game that, despite being shot almost entirely with two people and one set, never gets boring. There's no question that "P2" is ridiculous. If you're looking for something dark and serious, go elsewhere. This is pure exploitation gold though. Nichols has her cleavage on prominent display for almost the whole run-time, Bentley gives a truly insane performance (including an impromptu song and dance number!), the script is tight and lively (and loaded with classic one-liners), and the gore, when it happens, is unflinching and splattery (although I wasn't fond at all of the animal scene - they could've quite happily ditched that and replaced with a good old-fashioned human death). It's not exactly cerebral but it's a ferociously entertaining slice of suspense that never lets up. I enjoyed this a lot. ***

Simon, King of the Witches (1971)

Dir: Bruce Kessler

This wonderfully psychedelic film begins with the titular character (played by Andrew Prine) living in a storm drain and selling occult trinkets to rich scenesters. As his status among them increases, following a couple of effective spells, so does his power. He becomes convinced that if he can just perfect this one magical working, the entire universe and all the Gods will bend to his will. "Simon" is a very interesting film with a great deal of both intelligent subtext and high camp satire. It doesn't always entirely work but that's not for lack of ambition. With its genuine grasp of matters esoteric (the screenwriter was a practicing warlock), its startling imagery and its rabid lead performance - Prine is at once charismatic, psychotic, lovable, cool, irresistible, terrifying and pathetic - there's much to love here. At times it kind of plays like a cross between "Fight Club" and the Gospel of Christ, only far funnier than either. If nothing else, you've got to give that points for originality. ***

A Black Veil For Lisa (1968)

Dir: Massimo Dallamano

Sir John Mills heads the cast in this early giallo that sees him as a police officer on the trail of a serial killer. This time, our black-gloved, leather-clad friend is bumping off people involved in drug trafficking but poor old Mills is rather too preoccupied to nail the perp. Instead, he's busy worrying if his glamorous, much younger wife (a former drug user herself but surely that couldn't be relevant?!) is cheating on him with half the men in town while he's out working... "A Black Veil For Lisa" straddles the line between the classic film noir model and the then-burgeoning giallo but falls slightly more on the noir side with its hat-n-raincoat-wearing dick, fur-lined femme fatale (Bond girl Luciana Paluzzi) and seedy side-cast of squint-eyed lowlives. It also reveals the killer's identity quite early, abandoning the "whodunnit?" aspect in favour of twisting the character-driven melodramatic sub-plot in a few nice, unexpected directions. Like many of Dallamano's films, this is a tragic morality tale at heart but a gloriously pulpy one, loaded with gritty violence, wonderful tough-talkin' and a masterful lead performance from Mills who brings a pitiable sense of pathos to his hard-boiled character. ***

Contamination (1980)

Dir: Luigi Cozzi

This lovably goofy sci-fi/horror crossover starts with a bunch of alien eggs finding themselves transported from Mars into New York on a mysterious abandoned boat. Sounds boring but it turns out - and get this! - that if you get any goo from the eggs on yourself, YOU EXPLODE. Yeah. EXPLODE. Like, totally. From the guts out. IN SLOW MOTION, no less. A tough talking army colonel, an alcoholic astronaut and a wise-cracking cop try to save the world from the explodey eggs but the odds are stacked against them as more and more keep appearing... IN THE UNLIKELIEST OF PLACES! In many respects, Contamination is unashamedly B-Grade, taking its cues from the schlockiest of 50s drive-in classics and loading itself with corny dialogue and cheap laughs. In others, however, it's surprisingly polished. There are some really slick sequences, a lot of cool location shooting and some decent (and very splattery) special FX. There's a budget here and it's put to impeccable use. It's the kind of film that could never be made now; if anything, it's maybe the only true posthumous postscript of drive-in chic. A loving full stop at the end of an era. Whatever else though, "Contamination" is a blast. Endlessly entertaining. ***

Nightmare Maker (1982)

Dir: William Asher

Thoroughly unhinged early-80s obscurity that was briefly on the UK's Video Nasty list, despite its director being a respected veteran of TV fluff like "Bewitched", "The Dukes of Hazzard" and "The Bad New Bears"! It does frequently feel like a low-key TV movie potboiler as it tells the story of poor Billy Lynch (Jimmy McNichol), an orphan teen raised by his weird and controlling Aunt Cheryl (Susan Tyrell at her battiest and best) in small town America. Somewhere, something breaks and the film tips into a final reel of surprising intensity. There are two distinct storylines - Cheryl's rapid descent into madness is offset by the investigations of a hard-boiled homophobic cop (Bo Svenson) who's trying to frame half the men in town, including Billy, to fit into a gay murder conspiracy he's concocted. Somehow, by the end these two strands have become one and the insane conclusion feels oddly logical, at least until you take a step out of the film's world and think too hard about it. Still, the gay element is particularly unusual for the era/genre and Tyrell's performance is compelling enough to really drive the film beyond its limitations. Love it, hate it or just find it baffling, you'll never see another film quite like this one. ***

Who Saw Her Die? (1972)

Dir: Aldo Lado

This above average giallo set in Venice sees George Lazenby and Anita Strindberg playing a couple whose young daughter (the ubiquitous but always brilliant Nicoletta Elmi) is killed and dumped in the canal. The local cops are about as incompetent as they are in any given giallo so it's down to George himself to unravel the mystery that led to his child's murder. The reveal of the killer isn't exactly unexpected or amazing and there's far too much attention paid to red herrings but the plot still manages to be darker and more emotionally engaging than usual for the genre. Perhaps this is because the murder victims are children but, coupled with a truly ferocious, near hallucinatory Morricone score, some hysterical photography and the moody atmosphere of Venice in the fog, the overall effect is a strong one. If I had to pick this or the near-identically-themed "Don't Look Now", I'd go for this one every time. ***

The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh (1971)

Dir: Sergio Martino

Edwige Fenech plays the curiously-spelled title character in this lively giallo from Sergio Martino. She lives a quiet enough life in Vienna - married to an ambassador and everything! - but beneath the upper-class veneer, she's embroiled in a bizarre love square involving a sadomasochistic ex-lover and a mysterious handsome stranger named George (played, appropriately, by George Hilton). This steamy melodrama plot eventually, crosses its streams with another about a razor-toting pervert who's running around in trademark black leather gloves slicing up women, and the result is a satisfyingly watchable cocktail of sex and violence. The mystery here is a decent one too, although arguably there's one twist too many. If it'd ended about 5 minutes earlier than it does, it would've probably been the best giallo ending ever. I should probably say something like "Fenech sizzles as always" but you know this already, don't you? ***

The Perfume of the Lady in Black (1974)

Dir: Francesco Barilli

The delightfully named Mimsy Farmer stars as some kind of industrial scientist who starts to believe she's losing her mind after a creepy friend talks to her about witchcraft and she experiences some bizarre hallucinations. The story unfolds in the same surreal, occasionally dreamlike manner as other "women on the edge"-style gialli like "Footprints" or "All The Colors Of The Dark" and, at times, this becomes frustratingly oblique. The beautiful photography (Barilli seems to frame every shot like a painting) carries it through the most puzzling sections but almost nothing about what's going on is revealed until the very end, at which point (conveniently) the sudden, unexpected gore and nudity kicks in too. However, the ending is one Hell of a kicker and pulls it back from the brink majestically. If you manage to guess what happens, I'll be amazed. I also probably wouldn't want to run into you in a dark alley. The climax shares a sombre, nightmarish tone with some of David Lynch's work and, if you've the patience to stick with the rest of the film, you'll be richly rewarded. ***

Vamp (1986)

Dir: Richard Wenk

Irresistible 80s comedy-horror with a trio of dorks needing to hire a stripper in order to get into the frat house of their choice. Unfortunately, they end up at the After Dark Club where the dancers (led by the inimitable Grace Jones) are perhaps a little TOO exotic. Bloodsucking mayhem (that undoubtedly inspired "From Dusk 'Til Dawn") ensues. Although she's only onscreen for maybe 15 minutes of the run time, Jones steals the show with her hypnotic dancing and jaw-dropping costumes (a dress made of wire!) but this isn't to say the rest of the film isn't worthwhile. The whole thing is neon-lit in pornographic pinks and greens that look gorgeous. The lead actors have good chemistry which helps the jokes fly high and the horror, when it happens, is full of splattery, rubbery goodness. Stylish and zippy, "Vamp" holds its own and hasn't dated as badly as many of its peers. Still worth a bite. ***

Death Smiles At Murder (1973)

Dir: Aristide Massaccesi (aka Joe D'Amato)

Notable for being the only film directed by Joe D'Amato in which he used his real name on the director's credit, this one is, in his own words, "special". It's a gothic period piece and the stunning Ewa Aulin plays a girl whose memory disappears after her horse-drawn carriage crashes in front of a rich couple's mansion. From there, the plot spins off in several directions that take in the usual D'Amato themes of necrophilia, obsession and violent death, with a little bit of "Mad Science With Klaus Kinski" thrown in for good measure. Perhaps mismarketed as some kind of giallo, this bears far more relation to dreamy, abstract pieces like "Lisa & The Devil" or "La Vampire Nue". It doesn't make a lot of sense on first viewing but there's a feeling encouraged by the film's fervour that, beneath the madness and the leaden pacing, are the seeds of a brilliant, serious vision that perhaps D'Amato never got chance to fully realise as his career became ever less adventurous. Beautifully shot and loaded with bizarre imagery, this may not be his most watchable film but it's undoubtedly his most ambitious and the one to show to non-believers who doubt his artistry. ***

Footprints (1975)

Dir: Luigi Bazzoni

Unusual sort-of giallo in which a woman who may or may not be named Alice (Florinda Bolkan) wakes up after three days, unable to remember where she's been or what she's done. The only clue is a torn up postcard on her kitchen floor from a place called Garma. Naturally, she heads to Garma to try and unravel the mystery and everything gets weird and dreamlike from there... It's a curious premise and one that works well. Sadly, it leads to a fairly obvious twist (which eagle-eyed gialli viewers will recognise as being similar to one in another of Bolkan's films from the era), the way in which it's presented is eerie and original. The film was "lost" for years until recently which is surprising given the incredible pedigree (Bazzoni and Vittorio Storaro behind the cameras... Bolkan, Klaus Kinski and a young Nicoletta Elmi in front of them...) and the fact that, despite being a little ponderous, "Footprints" has something about it that really sticks in your mind. The dream sequences are subtly disturbing, the island of Garma is spooky as Hell and those final images are hard to shake. It's a shame Bazzoni did so little genre work because he clearly understood what he was doing and had a unique vision for it. ***

All The Colors of the Dark (1972)

Dir: Sergio Martino

A group of Satanic creeps stalk the scarcely-more-stunning Edwige Fenech around London, trying to indoctrinate her into their weird cult. It's not really much of an offer since all they seem to do is paint their faces white, drink fox blood and do this weird shuffly line-dance thing. But hey. At least they all have really shit tattoos of an eye in a triangle scrawled on their wrists. Am I selling it? No? Well, needless to say, Fenech ain't buying it either so she spends much of the film trying to out-run them while slowly becoming convinced that she's losing her mind. This is a stylish, entertaining and unpredictable giallo with more beautiful women, cool location shoots and crazy 70s Satanists than you can shake your magic wand at and, as a result, is well worth seeking out. ***

What Have You Done To Solange? (1972)

Dir: Massimo Dallamano

Fabio Testi plays an Italian gym teacher working at an all-girl private school in London and he's having it away with one of the pupils (which it's tough to judge him for when said pupil is played by Cristina Galbo). This idyllic situation turns bad when they're out necking in the woods one day and she accidentally witnesses a brutal murder by a black-gloved killer. D'oh. The mystery solving that follows is above average giallo stuff and holds together well while managing to squeeze in as many sleaze/exploitation touchstones as possible. There's almost wall-to-wall nudity, a crackin' Morricone soundtrack, some pretty nasty stabbings and a haunting turn by Camille Keaton as the title character. It's held together with skill by Dallamano, who's got to be one of the most underrated directors of his era. Although it's pure pulp, one always gets the feeling he's striving for something deeper and Solanage is a strong effort and one of the better gialli out there. ***

Saint (2010)

Dir: Dick Maas

Super-stylish Dutch Christmas horror in which Saint Nicholas turns out to be a zombie bastard with an army of black orc slaves who kill indiscriminately, steal children and ship them off to Spain in giant flying ships. No, really. I'm not making this up. Worse still, this is loosely based on a real Dutch Christmas story. Still, in this film, it's up to the obligatory rebel teenager and an alcoholic cop-on-the-edge to save the day. There's not much in the way of surprises once you've digested the premise but the film's absolutely beautiful to look at, the prosthetic gore FX are squishy, plentiful and effective, and the monster designs are pretty cool. It can never quite decide how serious it wants to be (the rooftop horse chase scene is particularly hilarious) but I'd say go into this one for the yuks and you won't be disappointed. Definitely one of the better Christmas horrors. ***

The Fifth Cord (1971)

Dir: Luigi Bazzoni

Franco Nero plays a grizzled alcoholic journalist who becomes embroiled in a series of murders that start with an assault at a groovy psychedelic New Year party and continue every Tuesday with shocking regularity. Nero becomes prime suspect and the typically giallo race against time is soon on for him to prove his innocence. The plot is a bit ropey (no cord pun intended) but there are some nice flourishes and the tone is both consistent and deadly serious. There's a pretty tremendous chase sequence at the end too. However, what elevates "The Fifth Cord" above so many gialli from its era is the photography, courtesy of Vittorio Storaro (who'd later go on to shoot "Apocalypse Now"). Almost every scene is aesthetically breathtaking. You could freeze frame it just about anywhere and get something that looked like a still worth framing on your wall. Definitely a worthy addition to any giallo fan's collection. ***

Inferno (1980)

Dir: Dario Argento

Beautifully barmy, this gothic horror from Argento's halcyon period is definitely his most abstract and Bava-esque creation (unsurprisingly since Bava worked, uncredited, on the set design). There's a story in there somewhere about the architect who built the houses for The Three Mothers (the demonic witches from Suspiria) and some keys that must be found are an adequate MacGuffin to drag a group of characters through a whirlwind of surreal, violent imagery. The script's approach to matters magical and esoteric is surprisingly perceptive but it's less effective when it comes to linear storytelling. Looking better than ever on Blu Ray, I feel the only way to properly digest Inferno is to detach it from reality and just go with it. It's not a film for everyone but it is a fascinating and unique entry into Argento's oeuvre. ***

The Good Sisters (2010)

Dir: JimmyO Burril

"The Good Sisters" tells a strange tale of two witch sisters (scream queens April Monique Burril and Debbie Rochon) living in a boarding house full of people who may or may not be out to kill them and it's a rare example of what can be achieved when small-scale indie horror takes itself seriously. While I'm sure as Hell not averse to balls-out gonzoid splatter played for yuks, it does sometimes feel as though filmmakers are writing themselves a get-out clause, lest anyone criticise their efforts ("well, we weren't taking it seriously, so nyah!"). This is why, despite its limitations and the odd flaw, "The Good Sisters" really impressed me. It has the balls to be a smart, character-driven and mostly quite sombre film even though it clearly didn't cost much to make. Writer/director Burril excels at penning good, naturalistic dialogue and the film's increasingly paranoid atmosphere lends weight to the punch that's delivered when the gore kicks in. Don't go into it expecting glossy cinematic perfection but do keep an eye on Forbidden Pictures because, if this is anything to go by, greatness is very much on the horizon for them. ***

Children of the Corn 3 : Urban Harvest (1995)

Dir: James D.R. Hickox

Two country boys - creepy little jerk Eli and loveable lummox Joshua - get fostered by a nice middle-class family in Chicago and bring with them the unspeakable horrors of Gatlin, which you may remember from the original Stephen King story. There's not much else to connect it, mind. All Hell breaks loose, quite literally, in this one and it all goes completely batshit in the final reel, veering into the realms of zombie scarecrows and gigantic slime monsters. But these things? I like! A threequel that's actually the best in the series, "Urban Harvest" is a solid supernatural horror with a strong script, some mad ideas, a tremendous amount of gore and wicked prosthetics courtesy of Screaming Mad George. If you only watch one "Children of the Corn" movie, make it this one, basically. ***

Behind the Mask : The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)

Dir: Scott Glosserman

Post-modern slasher film in which a documentary crew follows a serial killer as he chooses and stalks a new group of teenage victims. Although it owes a little to the superior "Man Bites Dog", the twist here is that, rather than being a straight killer, our titular Leslie Vernon is a horror movie slasher. There are some truly laugh-out-loud hilarious sequences where he deconstructs all the familiar film tropes for the audience and explains of the difficulty of things like running really fast but making it look like you're walking. Writer/director Glosserman has obviously watched a lot of movies and his film works both as a clever pastiche and a suspenseful slasher in itself. It won't change your life but it's fun, whip-smart stuff that turns the Fourth Wall to rubble - basically the film that "Scream" could've been if it only had a brain. ***