Reviews

Book of Love is one of my favorite comedies: the cast is very good, and the performance of the actors is surprisingly fine for a film of that kind. It would have deserved more fortune than it had because it's far better than other acclaimed movies such as "American Pie" or "There's something about Mary".

Jake La Motta's story is no doubt the best movie about boxing of all times together with Robert Wise's The Set-Up. Besides the legendary performance of Robert De Niro, there are many things in this film that will remain in my heart forever: the splendid black & white, the contrast between the slow moving scenes and the frenetic ones, the choice of the music and the sense of loss which entangles the whole movie. De Niro faces another "born loser" role (after Travis Bickle, John Rubin, Johnny Boy) and strikes again; Martin Scorsese is the most poetic director of the last 30 years.

"This is the story of a soul", someone said and I agree because loneliness is here described through a slow moving plot and endless silences which make us see Kaspar Hauser not as a man but as something more sulfuric, almost a being from outer space. The performance of Bruno S. is simply moving and caused me a lot of tears and the use of time through the narration is perfect for a film of this kind. The poetic vision of Werner Herzog is very peculiar and unique and you can love it or hate it but you cannot ignore it. Herzog doesn't care about the audience, he tells what it wants in the way he likes and that's the praise and the defect of European cinema and it's what makes the difference between European authors and American ones.

Cimino doesn't picture the war directly, yet "The Deer Hunter" is the most profound film about war of all times. Maybe it's just because the war is so untellable in its atrocity that Cimino prefers to underline apparently external aspects of the Vietnam tragedy. Anyway no war-movie has been more poignant and shocking than this one and not only thanks to the performances of Robert De Niro and Christopher Walken but above all for the magniloquent and passionate direction of Michael Cimino, who concentrate the narration on the sense of inevitability of loss and does it through unforgettable sequences (the wedding, the Russian roulette), which render the movie extraordinarily exciting. To be brief, one of the best and most important movie of ever.

This is my favorite movie, absolutely. I never felt so near to a fictitious character before. Travis Bickle is simply the most charming character of movie history: he's not a hero, he's not intelligent nor good looking, nor tragic in the traditional sense of the term, yet no one before him has entered into possession of the screen with such power and naturalness. It's useless to quote particular scenes in a movie which from the beginning to the end carves its name on the rock of history, proclaiming itself as an absolute masterpiece and Robert De Niro as one of the greatest actors of all times, surely the best of the last 25 years. No other movie has pictured so pregnantly the loneliness of a man and of "the man", and no other movie has showed better what it means to be sensitive in a cold world of lies. In my opinion, the best American film of the last 50 years.

Mario Bava's essay on horror: the three episodes face three different subgenres of horror-movie: gothic drama, psychological thriller and ghost story. The best one is surely "Il telefono" which upset many of the cliches of the genre, but anyway the other episodes are very interesting and full of the macabre irony typical of the director. The movie in its entirety is well acted and the double role of Boris Karloff (as the head of the family in "I wurdalak" and the narrator) gives it the status of a cult movie. If Bava was American, he would be considered an indisputable genius of horror movie.

I think this movie is really interesting and deserves its space in horror history. Okay, it's not a Cronenberg's film but it works anyway. And Rick Herbst's performance shows more closely than in other movies what is addiction. The plot is right, though the characters are not perfectly molded, but anyway it's a good job, considering the budget.

Every time I watch this movie I can't help but think that Romero is really one of the best directors of all times, and not only in horror genre. Everything in this film is perfect, the use of time, the choice of settings, the controlled acting of the players, the disgusting special effects by Tom Savini. And all this without the support of a high budget or a numerous crew. I really couldn't choose a sequence which particularly struck me in this film, because from the beginning to the end (TV studios, Supermarket, etc.) I remained enthralled, without being able to take my eyes off the screen. No doubt one of the best film of all times.

Together with the similar "The abominable dr. Phibes" and "L'ultimo uomo della Terra", this is one of the best performance of Vincent Price, in my opinion one of the more charismatic actor of all times. The idea of the plot is really unforgettable, but what struck me most is the general good shape of all the actors, and that's important for a movie about acting. Congratulations to Hickox for his chromatic choices always perfect. A little masterpiece in its own genre.

Despite a quasi-dilettante technical approach and a sometimes ridiculous acting, this movie is important for the way it faces various interesting themes such as family, constituted power, friendship, sex, etc. The social satire is evident and materializes in a strong disapproval of the Reagan administration's mentality (like Carpenter's They Live). Anyway, the final orgy is visually unforgettable and deserves its space in horror history. The whole film is entangled by a strong sense of irony which makes you forget the many imperfections of the plot and the seeming hurry of the director. Surely, Brian Yuzna is technically able to do something better so I can't help but think that the TV look of the film is put on specially by him to accentuate the irony of his mise en scène. However, it's one of the most interesting movies of the 80's.

Here is the perfect horror movie! From the beginning to the end it keeps you in high tension and sometimes you feel like living a frightening, completely new experience. The first part of the film is disseminated by little clues that makes your pressure build up, while the second one is a total refreshing and cathartic explosion of terror and blood (though the violence is suggested more than widely showed). It doesn't take a lot of money to do a masterpiece and Tobe Hooper showed it. I'll never forget the mad characters of the film (in particular Leatherface and the grandpa) and the refined settings (above all the squalid house in which "the family" lives). If the horror movie of the 70's had only one voice, it would be Tobe's!

I saw this movie more than 10 years ago and it really struck me. Despite its limited artistic value, owed to its TV realization, "Bad Ronald" is a fine psychological analysis of a man who became a maniac, a dangerous criminal almost without a blame but just because of his tormented infancy and, partly, because of her oppressing mother. This figure of intruder who lives in a hidden room of a house dwelled by a perfect bourgeois family is one of the most interesting subject I've ever seen in horror movies. I can't remember exactly the technical characteristics of the film (I saw it only once and a long time ago), but I recall the impressive performance of the protagonist. Anyway "Bad Ronald" really frightened me in some of its parts, and that's enough for a low-budget movie, especially meant for "night's lovers".

Maybe the Italian horror movie that's most famous abroad, Profondo Rosso seems to absolutely deserve its popularity. The thrilling setting of Rome by night (the lesson of Mario Bava's "La ragazza che sapeva troppo" surely influenced Argento), the typical violent murders and a well made plot make the fortune of this movie, no doubt one of the best horror movies of the 70's. Great performances, although sometimes theatrical of the actors: in particular, the leading actor David Hemmings (Blow-Up), Gabriele Lavia (Zeder) and Glauco Mauri. Special mention for Clara Calamai, Italian movie star of the 40's, in the role of Carlo's mother.

Is it a thriller or is it a horror? I don't know; the only thing I'm sure of is that this Freddie Francis' movie is a little jewel in its own genre. Supported by a solid plot and well acted, "The Psychopath" has got a real thrilling atmosphere, owed to the experience of its director. After starting as a detective story, towards the end it becomes a horror, cleverly avoiding a ridiculous or banal ending. In my opinion, Freddie Francis at his peak.

Watching this film has been one of the most straining experience of my life. The plot is completely absurd, but I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. Visually fantastic in a very fine black and white, with its almost total lack of dialogue, it's the most original, unique movie I've ever seen. Above all I enjoyed the man of the mechanical chicken, who immediately entered my inner life and often came to visit my dreams. Thank You David!

Here's a demonstration of what you can do when you don't have money but you've got good ideas and a great sense of narration. Ubaldo Ragona's masterpiece is surely one of the greatest Italian movie of all times, in particular thanks to the fantastic performance of Vincent Price. Made with a handful of dimes in a summer deserted Rome, this movie has been the inspiration of hundreds of movies, from Romero's Zombie trilogy, to the new horror of the 70's.

I think this is one of the best Italian horror movies of the 70's: the setting is one of the best-chosen (northern Italy, not southern, as someone said). It's a real thrilling film, from the very start, having the best beginning I've ever seen. Maybe the final surprise is a little disappointing, but I think it doesn't spoil the rest of the movie. Great performance of the leading actor Lino Capolicchio, surely the best of his career.