Dir: Pupi Avati
If you're longing for the crawling flesh and rising goosebumps you got the last time you watched a properly creepy ghost story, and it's been way too long, then look no further. Pupi Avati's underrated gem, "The Arcane Sorcerer", is exactly what you're after. Set in the 16th century, a young student is disgraced by a sex scandal and sent away to become secretary to a defrocked priest who lives in a remote country house and is known for his collection of esoteric, occult books and his recently deceased former assistant - an apparent black wizard. I don't want to say too much else about the plot. It's largely a two-hander between the excellent leads - Carlo Cecchi and Stefano Dionisi - and packed with twists and scares. A film of great craftmanship, depth and understated beauty, Avati shoots in warm, earthy, autumnal tones and packs his screenplay with rich exploration of his themes (ol' favourites death and sin, mostly). The gothic atmosphere enhances some very creepy moments indeed and, despite a slightly rushed-feeling final five minutes, this is a strong example of a master horror director at work. If you like ghosts or intelligent occult horror, seek it out at once. ***1/2
Showing posts with label Satan Satan Satan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Satan Satan Satan. Show all posts
Thursday, 12 April 2012
Monday, 19 March 2012
Howl of the Devil (1987)
Dir: Paul Naschy
Paul Naschy (who also writes, produces and directs this) plays a pair of brothers, Alex and Hector Doriani. Alex is a B-Movie horror actor. Hector is a serious thespian. They hate each other but when Alex dies, his son Adrian (played by Naschy's own son) is placed into Hector's care. Hector beats the boy, abuses the servants and has a habit of abducting and drugging prostitutes for his weird sex games, so Adrian (understandably) retreats into a world of fantasy based on the characters played by his late father. This turbo-paced movie plays a little like an overheated, X-rated Spanish soap opera on fast-forward but with the mind-boggling bonus of Paul Naschy playing no fewer than 12 roles. Besides Alex and Hector, he is also Rasputin, Quasimodo, Bluebeard, Frankenstein's Monster, Fu Manchu, The Phantom of the Opera, Mr Hyde, his own wolfman creation Waldermar Daninsky (in one of the film's rare moments of poignancy), a mummy/zombie and, ultimately, Satan. On one hand "Howl of the Devil" is a glorious mess; a feverish kaleidoscope of misogynistic shouting, gratuitous nudity and ever-increasing absurdity. On the other, taken as part of Naschy's oeuvre, it's a heartfelt love letter to the artform he mastered and a furious lashing-out at the audience who rejected his genius. There's even political allegory in there; a disparaging of both tyrannical government (bear in mind Naschy's career began under General Franco's regime) and the Catholic church. What's weirdest is that, if you take out the fact that no one would/could ever behave like any of these characters do, the story - within its own universe - actually makes sense and has a really good twist. This kind of intensely personal cinema is rarely so entertaining as it is here and "Howl of the Devil" has the added bonus of watching Naschy - for perhaps the only time - completely off leash and wildly indulging every B-Movie fantasy he's ever had. For those who appreciate his genius, this is stuff that will really raise the goosebumps. Why this has never had a proper DVD release is beyond me. ***1/2
Paul Naschy (who also writes, produces and directs this) plays a pair of brothers, Alex and Hector Doriani. Alex is a B-Movie horror actor. Hector is a serious thespian. They hate each other but when Alex dies, his son Adrian (played by Naschy's own son) is placed into Hector's care. Hector beats the boy, abuses the servants and has a habit of abducting and drugging prostitutes for his weird sex games, so Adrian (understandably) retreats into a world of fantasy based on the characters played by his late father. This turbo-paced movie plays a little like an overheated, X-rated Spanish soap opera on fast-forward but with the mind-boggling bonus of Paul Naschy playing no fewer than 12 roles. Besides Alex and Hector, he is also Rasputin, Quasimodo, Bluebeard, Frankenstein's Monster, Fu Manchu, The Phantom of the Opera, Mr Hyde, his own wolfman creation Waldermar Daninsky (in one of the film's rare moments of poignancy), a mummy/zombie and, ultimately, Satan. On one hand "Howl of the Devil" is a glorious mess; a feverish kaleidoscope of misogynistic shouting, gratuitous nudity and ever-increasing absurdity. On the other, taken as part of Naschy's oeuvre, it's a heartfelt love letter to the artform he mastered and a furious lashing-out at the audience who rejected his genius. There's even political allegory in there; a disparaging of both tyrannical government (bear in mind Naschy's career began under General Franco's regime) and the Catholic church. What's weirdest is that, if you take out the fact that no one would/could ever behave like any of these characters do, the story - within its own universe - actually makes sense and has a really good twist. This kind of intensely personal cinema is rarely so entertaining as it is here and "Howl of the Devil" has the added bonus of watching Naschy - for perhaps the only time - completely off leash and wildly indulging every B-Movie fantasy he's ever had. For those who appreciate his genius, this is stuff that will really raise the goosebumps. Why this has never had a proper DVD release is beyond me. ***1/2
Sunday, 11 March 2012
The Devil's Rock (2011)
Dir: Paul Campion
The screenwriters of The Devil's Rock obviously did some interesting research on both witch trials in the Channel Islands and the Nazi occupation there many years later. There's a good idea somewhere in combining these two elements and having occult-obsessed Nazis on Guernsey messing with ancient grimoire and summoning a demon. Unfortunately, no one bothered to actually learn screenwriting technique. The script is an unstructured, leaden-paced mess devoid of characterisation and crammed with clunky dialogue that's heavy on exposition, low on sounding remotely natural and never tells us anything about the two leads beyond clichéd shortcuts and signposts (ie: "here's your cue to feel sorry for this guy because he has a dead wife"). It's never a good thing when there's more meat on the bones of the skinned corpses that litter the set than there is on the actual living characters. It's a pity because the acting and the (prosthetic) special effects are both way above average for this kind of low-budget product but the fact I'm even thinking of it as "product" kind of says it all. *
The screenwriters of The Devil's Rock obviously did some interesting research on both witch trials in the Channel Islands and the Nazi occupation there many years later. There's a good idea somewhere in combining these two elements and having occult-obsessed Nazis on Guernsey messing with ancient grimoire and summoning a demon. Unfortunately, no one bothered to actually learn screenwriting technique. The script is an unstructured, leaden-paced mess devoid of characterisation and crammed with clunky dialogue that's heavy on exposition, low on sounding remotely natural and never tells us anything about the two leads beyond clichéd shortcuts and signposts (ie: "here's your cue to feel sorry for this guy because he has a dead wife"). It's never a good thing when there's more meat on the bones of the skinned corpses that litter the set than there is on the actual living characters. It's a pity because the acting and the (prosthetic) special effects are both way above average for this kind of low-budget product but the fact I'm even thinking of it as "product" kind of says it all. *
Sunday, 26 February 2012
Black Magic Rites (1974)
Dir: Renato Polselli
(aka The Reincarnation of Isabel)
I'm not even sure where to begin with trying to explain this. There's a witch/vampire called Isabella who gets burnt at the stake in some nebulous past where everyone wears funny hats. 500 years later, a cult of old dudes in red morphsuits try to ressurect her by killing naked virgins in a castle. Maybe? It's hard to tell because half of the actors play multiple roles and, thanks to fit-inducing editing, no shot lasts for more than a second or two. There's constant fire, psychedelic lighting, whips, chains and abundant nudity from some pretty ladies, yet somehow the total lack of coherence and technical ineptitude makes this near-unwatchable. The denouement includes 3-way sex with a podgy vampire who can't stop blinking, two naked girls prodded by pensioners with sticks for what seems like forever, a hunchbacked Donald Pleasance lookalike thrown into a snake pit with only two snakes in it, and a peculiar vision of Hell that's all red lycra and girls chained to stepladders. This film was lost for decades and, watching it now, it's not hard to see why. It is like staring directly into the mind of a complete lunatic. EL BOMBA!
(aka The Reincarnation of Isabel)
I'm not even sure where to begin with trying to explain this. There's a witch/vampire called Isabella who gets burnt at the stake in some nebulous past where everyone wears funny hats. 500 years later, a cult of old dudes in red morphsuits try to ressurect her by killing naked virgins in a castle. Maybe? It's hard to tell because half of the actors play multiple roles and, thanks to fit-inducing editing, no shot lasts for more than a second or two. There's constant fire, psychedelic lighting, whips, chains and abundant nudity from some pretty ladies, yet somehow the total lack of coherence and technical ineptitude makes this near-unwatchable. The denouement includes 3-way sex with a podgy vampire who can't stop blinking, two naked girls prodded by pensioners with sticks for what seems like forever, a hunchbacked Donald Pleasance lookalike thrown into a snake pit with only two snakes in it, and a peculiar vision of Hell that's all red lycra and girls chained to stepladders. This film was lost for decades and, watching it now, it's not hard to see why. It is like staring directly into the mind of a complete lunatic. EL BOMBA!
Sunday, 19 February 2012
Satan's Blood (1978)
Dir: Carlos Puerto
(aka Don't Panic!)
This atmospheric and low-key piece from the 70s starts with a young couple, Andres and Ana, being accosted in the street by a pair of swinger-looking types named Bruno and Berta. Bruno insists that he and Andres went to school together but Andres has no recollection of this. In order to see a photograph that Bruno swears he has from back then, Andres and Ana drive out with them to an isolated house in the country and terrible, terrible things ensue. On one hand, Satan's Blood is original, creepy and actually rather harrowing in parts and the limited but uninhibited cast work well with their roles. On the other, it seems to purposely abandon logic, plausibility or any kind of explanation for the horror in favour of an abstract, nightmarish approach. The film plays like one long anxiety dream and, sadly, that's not an altogether good experience. Rather than being tense, it's just somewhat stressful for the most part. I praise it for its mood and the fact that I probably won't forget it in a hurry but I can't say I genuinely liked it. **
(aka Don't Panic!)
This atmospheric and low-key piece from the 70s starts with a young couple, Andres and Ana, being accosted in the street by a pair of swinger-looking types named Bruno and Berta. Bruno insists that he and Andres went to school together but Andres has no recollection of this. In order to see a photograph that Bruno swears he has from back then, Andres and Ana drive out with them to an isolated house in the country and terrible, terrible things ensue. On one hand, Satan's Blood is original, creepy and actually rather harrowing in parts and the limited but uninhibited cast work well with their roles. On the other, it seems to purposely abandon logic, plausibility or any kind of explanation for the horror in favour of an abstract, nightmarish approach. The film plays like one long anxiety dream and, sadly, that's not an altogether good experience. Rather than being tense, it's just somewhat stressful for the most part. I praise it for its mood and the fact that I probably won't forget it in a hurry but I can't say I genuinely liked it. **
Saturday, 11 February 2012
Alucarda (1978)
Dir: Juan López Moctezuma
Batshit crazy Mexican horror that had me muttering "they don't make 'em like this any more" at the screen more than just about anything else I've ever seen. An innocent orphan named Justine (of COURSE she's named Justine!), who looks a bit like a young Carol Vorderman only more naked, enters a bizarre convent that seems to have been built inside a cave. It's covered in dangling Christ statues and candles, the nuns all dress in bloodied bandages and flagellate frequently, so it's really no surprise when fanaticism leads to lesbianism leads to Satanism leads to the dark side, etc... It is, however, a surprise when you throw in a bunch of vampirism, zombie nuns, blood rain, nuns on fire and goat-faced demons. Words can't describe how hysterical much of Alucarda is. It finally delivers on the promise of so many "all sizzle, no steak" nunsploitation films of its era. The truly insane gypsy black mass sequence alone wipes the floor with much of the subgenre. If you like 70s occult/psychedelic imagery, you'll find very little that will quell the hunger like this one. A lost classic. Just don't expect it to actually make sense (the film's only real flaw) and you'll love it! ***1/2
Batshit crazy Mexican horror that had me muttering "they don't make 'em like this any more" at the screen more than just about anything else I've ever seen. An innocent orphan named Justine (of COURSE she's named Justine!), who looks a bit like a young Carol Vorderman only more naked, enters a bizarre convent that seems to have been built inside a cave. It's covered in dangling Christ statues and candles, the nuns all dress in bloodied bandages and flagellate frequently, so it's really no surprise when fanaticism leads to lesbianism leads to Satanism leads to the dark side, etc... It is, however, a surprise when you throw in a bunch of vampirism, zombie nuns, blood rain, nuns on fire and goat-faced demons. Words can't describe how hysterical much of Alucarda is. It finally delivers on the promise of so many "all sizzle, no steak" nunsploitation films of its era. The truly insane gypsy black mass sequence alone wipes the floor with much of the subgenre. If you like 70s occult/psychedelic imagery, you'll find very little that will quell the hunger like this one. A lost classic. Just don't expect it to actually make sense (the film's only real flaw) and you'll love it! ***1/2
Sunday, 29 January 2012
Devil's Nightmare (1971)
Dir: Jean Brismée
Dated gothic chiller in which a group of seven tourists find themselves careening around the candlelit corridors of a creepy castle at the mercy of a sultry succubus (Erika Blanc, in various states of undress). As cool as that sounds, there's not much to rave about in "Devil's Nightmare". The plotting is slow, the murders are kinda hokey (although I have to admit, the "drowning in gold glitter" one is flamboyant and original enough to warrant mention!) and the touted-all-over-the-sleeve lesbian sex scene is not as exciting as several overheated IMDB reviewers would have you believe. There's the odd touch of class here and there (each of the seven tourists represents one of the Deadly Sins if you're paying attention) and the atmosphere is nice but it's mostly quite dull, uneventful stuff. If you're going to watch it for anything, Daniel Emilfork's super-spooky turn as Satan is the best bit but otherwise this is a time-filler at best. **
Dated gothic chiller in which a group of seven tourists find themselves careening around the candlelit corridors of a creepy castle at the mercy of a sultry succubus (Erika Blanc, in various states of undress). As cool as that sounds, there's not much to rave about in "Devil's Nightmare". The plotting is slow, the murders are kinda hokey (although I have to admit, the "drowning in gold glitter" one is flamboyant and original enough to warrant mention!) and the touted-all-over-the-sleeve lesbian sex scene is not as exciting as several overheated IMDB reviewers would have you believe. There's the odd touch of class here and there (each of the seven tourists represents one of the Deadly Sins if you're paying attention) and the atmosphere is nice but it's mostly quite dull, uneventful stuff. If you're going to watch it for anything, Daniel Emilfork's super-spooky turn as Satan is the best bit but otherwise this is a time-filler at best. **
Tuesday, 10 January 2012
The Night Child (1975)
Dir: Massimo Dallamano
(aka The Cursed Medallion, Perche?!)
This low-key Italian chiller tells the story of Emily (Nicoletta Elmi), a young girl whose documentary-making father (Richard Johnson) is working on a piece about "diabolical art". Intrigued by a photograph of a rare painting, he drags Emily and her nanny to Italy for a look at the ghastly thing (a Bosch-like panorama of demons, crazy-eyed peasants and women on fire) up close. Needless to say, there's a curse involved and Emily finds herself at the centre of it, exhibiting increasingly weird and violent behaviour as the family spiral towards certain doom. Lavishly photographed in opulent locations and punctuated by a delicate musical score, The Night Child is Dallamano's take on the "classic" ghost story model and it holds up beautifully next to the best of 'em. Nicoletta Elmi, in a rare lead role, gives it her all and turns in a creepy, show-stealing performance. The pacing takes a little patience and the characters could maybe use some fleshing-out but it's worth the wait for the bleak and heartbreaking finalé. A subtle, serious horror film. ***1/2
(aka The Cursed Medallion, Perche?!)
This low-key Italian chiller tells the story of Emily (Nicoletta Elmi), a young girl whose documentary-making father (Richard Johnson) is working on a piece about "diabolical art". Intrigued by a photograph of a rare painting, he drags Emily and her nanny to Italy for a look at the ghastly thing (a Bosch-like panorama of demons, crazy-eyed peasants and women on fire) up close. Needless to say, there's a curse involved and Emily finds herself at the centre of it, exhibiting increasingly weird and violent behaviour as the family spiral towards certain doom. Lavishly photographed in opulent locations and punctuated by a delicate musical score, The Night Child is Dallamano's take on the "classic" ghost story model and it holds up beautifully next to the best of 'em. Nicoletta Elmi, in a rare lead role, gives it her all and turns in a creepy, show-stealing performance. The pacing takes a little patience and the characters could maybe use some fleshing-out but it's worth the wait for the bleak and heartbreaking finalé. A subtle, serious horror film. ***1/2
Thursday, 29 December 2011
The Shrine (2010)
Dir: Jon Knautz
A bonehead journalist drags her photographer boyfriend (who could do a whole lot better, all things considered) and her cannon fodder intern on an unsanctioned trip to Poland. They try (badly) to track down a number of American backpackers who've gone missing but instead find a spooky cloud of fog in the forests, a bleach-blonde gym-rat farmer who LOVES TO SHOUT and a statue of the Devil with eyes that cry blood! Yeah! Now we're talking. The Shrine is above average for this kind of horror as it takes a couple of risks - from the three significant tonal shifts in the film to the fact that there's a whole 15 minute section with dialogue entirely in unsubtitled Polish - and they pay off for the most part. The photography is that horrible washed-out blue that's a touchstone for "HORROR!" nowadays but otherwise, this is a zippy, gory little B-feature that'll pass the time on a lazy afternoon. **1/2
A bonehead journalist drags her photographer boyfriend (who could do a whole lot better, all things considered) and her cannon fodder intern on an unsanctioned trip to Poland. They try (badly) to track down a number of American backpackers who've gone missing but instead find a spooky cloud of fog in the forests, a bleach-blonde gym-rat farmer who LOVES TO SHOUT and a statue of the Devil with eyes that cry blood! Yeah! Now we're talking. The Shrine is above average for this kind of horror as it takes a couple of risks - from the three significant tonal shifts in the film to the fact that there's a whole 15 minute section with dialogue entirely in unsubtitled Polish - and they pay off for the most part. The photography is that horrible washed-out blue that's a touchstone for "HORROR!" nowadays but otherwise, this is a zippy, gory little B-feature that'll pass the time on a lazy afternoon. **1/2
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. ***
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. ***
Lisa and the Devil (1974)
Dir: Mario Bava
Elke Sommer parades around a gothic mansion in a series of gorgeous outfits in this most surreal and personal Mario Bava film. There's a soapish web of family secrets, dead lovers littering the house like dustmites and Telly Savalas as a spooky mannequin-bothering butler who may or may not be the Devil. The dreamlike nature of the film makes it hard to really discern exactly what's happening (and if you get a bad DVD transfer like the R1 Image Entertainment one it's even harder as the audio track is virtually inaudible) but there's something to it nevertheless. The photography is beautiful, Sommer and Savalas play their parts perfectly and some of the weird imagery is unforgettable. Shame it's marred by the fact that there really isn't a decent print available anywhere. This one really needs a lovingly restored Blu Ray version to happen soon so it can be enjoyed as intended; a beautiful kaleidoscopic nightmare. **1/2
Elke Sommer parades around a gothic mansion in a series of gorgeous outfits in this most surreal and personal Mario Bava film. There's a soapish web of family secrets, dead lovers littering the house like dustmites and Telly Savalas as a spooky mannequin-bothering butler who may or may not be the Devil. The dreamlike nature of the film makes it hard to really discern exactly what's happening (and if you get a bad DVD transfer like the R1 Image Entertainment one it's even harder as the audio track is virtually inaudible) but there's something to it nevertheless. The photography is beautiful, Sommer and Savalas play their parts perfectly and some of the weird imagery is unforgettable. Shame it's marred by the fact that there really isn't a decent print available anywhere. This one really needs a lovingly restored Blu Ray version to happen soon so it can be enjoyed as intended; a beautiful kaleidoscopic nightmare. **1/2
Sunday, 25 April 2010
Zombeak! (2006)
Dir: Sam Drog
This killer "chick" flick's as low-budget as they come but there's an endearing enthusiasm to it that almost helps it fly (no pun intended). Some Satanists are trying to bring about the coming of the Devil but they get interrupted by local rednecks out to kick evil's ass. As a result, it all goes cock-eyed (no pun intended) and the Devil winds up in the body of a sacrificed chicken. This lively and inventive premise is enriched by some very funny dialogue ("This blasphemy! It's like razors in my brain!") in the first half but sadly loses its way a little when the gore kicks in. The chicken puppet itself is great fun at but most of the splattery stuff is very, very bad CGI. It's a shame because, in a film like this one, the red stuff has to be the pay-off and here it's woefully lacking. I'm sure there are legitimate budgetary reasons for using CGI but I can't begin to imagine how a few Super-Soakers full of corn syrup would cost more? Still, there are way worse movies out there. At least this has some cool ideas and a cast who seem to be having a ball with it. **
This killer "chick" flick's as low-budget as they come but there's an endearing enthusiasm to it that almost helps it fly (no pun intended). Some Satanists are trying to bring about the coming of the Devil but they get interrupted by local rednecks out to kick evil's ass. As a result, it all goes cock-eyed (no pun intended) and the Devil winds up in the body of a sacrificed chicken. This lively and inventive premise is enriched by some very funny dialogue ("This blasphemy! It's like razors in my brain!") in the first half but sadly loses its way a little when the gore kicks in. The chicken puppet itself is great fun at but most of the splattery stuff is very, very bad CGI. It's a shame because, in a film like this one, the red stuff has to be the pay-off and here it's woefully lacking. I'm sure there are legitimate budgetary reasons for using CGI but I can't begin to imagine how a few Super-Soakers full of corn syrup would cost more? Still, there are way worse movies out there. At least this has some cool ideas and a cast who seem to be having a ball with it. **
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
End of the Line (2007)
Dir: Maurice Devereaux
I wouldn't want to speak too soon having only seen two of his films but I'm fast becoming convinced that Canadian director Maurice Devereaux is one of the leading lights of the horror genre right now. "End of the Line" is wonderful. The twisty-turny plot concerns a group of travelers on a subway train, trapped underground with a crazed doomsday cult who believe the apocalypse is occurring above them. This skillfully uses conventions of survival horror while at the same time offering something new and exciting that's as creepy as it is gory. My one small complaint with the script is that the ending (although still unsettling) is given away far too early and I'd've probably had my mind completely blown beyond repair if I hadn't seen it coming. But this is a small price to pay for all the wonderful roving long takes, the finger-chewing tension, the chilling atmosphere, the unflinching gore and the above-average characterisation. I wish all indie horror was this inventive, disturbing and brilliant. Kinda reminds me of the buzz I got the first time I watched "The Descent". ***1/2
I wouldn't want to speak too soon having only seen two of his films but I'm fast becoming convinced that Canadian director Maurice Devereaux is one of the leading lights of the horror genre right now. "End of the Line" is wonderful. The twisty-turny plot concerns a group of travelers on a subway train, trapped underground with a crazed doomsday cult who believe the apocalypse is occurring above them. This skillfully uses conventions of survival horror while at the same time offering something new and exciting that's as creepy as it is gory. My one small complaint with the script is that the ending (although still unsettling) is given away far too early and I'd've probably had my mind completely blown beyond repair if I hadn't seen it coming. But this is a small price to pay for all the wonderful roving long takes, the finger-chewing tension, the chilling atmosphere, the unflinching gore and the above-average characterisation. I wish all indie horror was this inventive, disturbing and brilliant. Kinda reminds me of the buzz I got the first time I watched "The Descent". ***1/2
Sunday, 4 October 2009
Short Night of the Glass Dolls (1971)
Dir: Aldo Lado
The so-nearly palindromic Aldo Lado began his illustrious career in horror with this incredibly strange giallo. Jean Sorel plays Gregory Moore, a recently deceased journalist whose corpse is, uhhh, convinced it isn't really dead. Immobile on its slab in the morgue, it tries to solve its own murder by piecing together various scenes from its last few days alive. If you think that's weird, rest assured it gets weirder. The backdrop of early 70s Prague provides a suitably eerie and oppressive backdrop but the film loses points for being slow and, at times, incoherent. That said, this may be a result of the horrific English dubbing on the print I saw. Gregory's friend Jack, in particular, is utterly incomprehensible; his accent a growly, nasal mix of Scottish, Jamaican, Russian and Irish. I didn't understand a word he said so it's entirely possible I missed some of the plot on account of this. Still, the climactic scenes are shocking and weird enough to leave a fairly good impression, even if it's a bit of a chore getting there. **1/2
Saturday, 9 December 2006
The Day of the Beast (1995)
Dir: Álex de la Iglesia
A theologian priest discovers, through extensive study, that the Book of Revelations is a cryptogram which, when deciphered, announces the birth of the Antichrist on December 25th, 1995. Convinced that this is to occur in Madrid, the priest enlists the help of a death metal record shop owner and a fraudulent TV spiritualist in order to prevent the Apocalypse by tricking Satan. Far from being as crude or exploitative as this sounds (especially when coming from the director of the raucous "Accion Mutante"), "The Day of the Beast" is strangely sensitive towards its subject matter. A 'buddy movie' with a difference, this modern masterpiece is intelligent, lively, loaded with hysterical gallows humour and a constant flow of inventive madness that never descends into schlock. The twisty screenplay is watertight and considered; the photography is breathtaking; the three leads (Alex Angulo, Armando De Razza and Santiago Segura) play their parts phenomenally so by the end, you're not only endeared to them but convinced that their insane mission is somehow bonafide. Quite frankly, this is one of the best films I've seen in any genre and a double-bill with this and "Gremlins" would be the best Christmas present you could give to someone. ****
A theologian priest discovers, through extensive study, that the Book of Revelations is a cryptogram which, when deciphered, announces the birth of the Antichrist on December 25th, 1995. Convinced that this is to occur in Madrid, the priest enlists the help of a death metal record shop owner and a fraudulent TV spiritualist in order to prevent the Apocalypse by tricking Satan. Far from being as crude or exploitative as this sounds (especially when coming from the director of the raucous "Accion Mutante"), "The Day of the Beast" is strangely sensitive towards its subject matter. A 'buddy movie' with a difference, this modern masterpiece is intelligent, lively, loaded with hysterical gallows humour and a constant flow of inventive madness that never descends into schlock. The twisty screenplay is watertight and considered; the photography is breathtaking; the three leads (Alex Angulo, Armando De Razza and Santiago Segura) play their parts phenomenally so by the end, you're not only endeared to them but convinced that their insane mission is somehow bonafide. Quite frankly, this is one of the best films I've seen in any genre and a double-bill with this and "Gremlins" would be the best Christmas present you could give to someone. ****
Thursday, 13 April 2006
Evilspeak (1981)
Dir: Eric Weston
Clint Howard (then just known for being the wee boy from "Gentle Ben") stars in this early 80s nasty, playing the geeky Stanley Coopersmith, a military academy misfit who is bullied by both his superiors and his fellow cadets. By chance, he discovers a Satanic chapel that was built beneath the school, hundreds of years before (how conveeeeenient... muhahaha!) and, somehow, manages to program his computer into helping him perform a Black Mass (bear with me here). Obligatory unholy vengeance on his enemies follows. "Evilspeak" starts slowly and very little happens for the first hour, but this is excusable through an above-average script with decent characterisation. The insane final reel, however, is well worth ANY wait and seriously has to be seen to be believed - a righteous splatterfest of epic proportions that manages to be actually quite chilling, in spite of the film's low budget and occasional absurdity. Also, the old-skool computer graphics are nothing short of wild and you'll be willing to trade in your own Grandma's soul for an "ESTEBAN ESTEBAN ESTEBAN" screensaver by the end. Anyway, what really pushes "Evilspeak" out of the 80s video glut and into the realms of the genuinely unusual is its inherent darkness and total lack of the normally ever-present moralising. The final shot (which I won't ruin) is disturbing, bleak and yet, oddly, beautiful. One really gets the impression that writer/director Weston had a score to settle with the hypocrisy of both the church and the military and "Evilspeak" feels like a passionately delivered sword in the skull of both. ***
Clint Howard (then just known for being the wee boy from "Gentle Ben") stars in this early 80s nasty, playing the geeky Stanley Coopersmith, a military academy misfit who is bullied by both his superiors and his fellow cadets. By chance, he discovers a Satanic chapel that was built beneath the school, hundreds of years before (how conveeeeenient... muhahaha!) and, somehow, manages to program his computer into helping him perform a Black Mass (bear with me here). Obligatory unholy vengeance on his enemies follows. "Evilspeak" starts slowly and very little happens for the first hour, but this is excusable through an above-average script with decent characterisation. The insane final reel, however, is well worth ANY wait and seriously has to be seen to be believed - a righteous splatterfest of epic proportions that manages to be actually quite chilling, in spite of the film's low budget and occasional absurdity. Also, the old-skool computer graphics are nothing short of wild and you'll be willing to trade in your own Grandma's soul for an "ESTEBAN ESTEBAN ESTEBAN" screensaver by the end. Anyway, what really pushes "Evilspeak" out of the 80s video glut and into the realms of the genuinely unusual is its inherent darkness and total lack of the normally ever-present moralising. The final shot (which I won't ruin) is disturbing, bleak and yet, oddly, beautiful. One really gets the impression that writer/director Weston had a score to settle with the hypocrisy of both the church and the military and "Evilspeak" feels like a passionately delivered sword in the skull of both. ***
Tuesday, 24 January 2006
The Antichrist (1974)
Dir: Alberto Martino
Laughable Italian possession story in which Carla Gravina plays a paralysed woman who curses God and winds up possessed by Satan Himself. Satan, here, talks with a ridiculous accent and in the third person, which makes him sound like a cross between a bad James Bond villain and Jar Jar Binks. He also makes Gravina spew up copious amounts of spinach soup on the maid, her family, several priests and some weird old voodoo guy who threatens her with sausages. It's possibly even more ludicrous than it sounds though distinctly less enjoyable. Snail-paced and illogical beyond belief (especially the talky scenes, in which the priests try to convince us that it's a well-established scientific fact how sexual frustration leads to demonic possession), "The Antichrist" has very little to recommend about it. Even "the notorious goat orgy" promised on the back cover of the DVD is merely a bunch of naked hippies bouncing around in a field with a goat. Avoid. EL BOMBA!
Laughable Italian possession story in which Carla Gravina plays a paralysed woman who curses God and winds up possessed by Satan Himself. Satan, here, talks with a ridiculous accent and in the third person, which makes him sound like a cross between a bad James Bond villain and Jar Jar Binks. He also makes Gravina spew up copious amounts of spinach soup on the maid, her family, several priests and some weird old voodoo guy who threatens her with sausages. It's possibly even more ludicrous than it sounds though distinctly less enjoyable. Snail-paced and illogical beyond belief (especially the talky scenes, in which the priests try to convince us that it's a well-established scientific fact how sexual frustration leads to demonic possession), "The Antichrist" has very little to recommend about it. Even "the notorious goat orgy" promised on the back cover of the DVD is merely a bunch of naked hippies bouncing around in a field with a goat. Avoid. EL BOMBA!
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