Reviews

An early example of Italian sci-fi, Wild,Wild Planet could have been a lot more fun had the story dealt with less abstract issues. What ultimately prevents one from enjoying this film full-on is Tony Russell in the lead who just can't elevate his primitive character saddled with lousy dialogue above the average 'good guy action hero' level. Some awful costume design and occasionally too-predictable sound design don't help things, either. Massimo Serato acquits himself well as a mad scientist, too bad his character is absent throughout the middle section the film. Very nice to see Umberto Raho in a supporting role, not to mention the rising star Franco Nero. There are lots and lots of obvious yet still amazing miniature shots some of which are integrated into the rest of the footage with commendable ingenuity. Margheriti saves the pyrotechnics display for the grand finale.

Watch Wild Wild Planet for the cinematography, sporadic and drawn-out fisticuffs and amusing futuristic designs. It's all a bit boring but worth a look for Margheriti enthusiasts.

'The Rape of the Vampire' is split up into two parts. While the first segment is rather linear and 'normal', with super-expressive, daring camera angles, the second part, "La Reine Des Vampires" is a lot more confusing, while exhibiting the same level of visual excellence and dreamlike, naive atmosphere. The story is very fragmented and it's hard to follow the ever-multiplying characters. I find films like Franco's 'Succubus' or Jodorowsky's 'Holy Mountain' to be slow and pretentious, but I didn't have have any problem with the similarly haphazard and unstructured 'The Rape of the Vampire' doesn't feel artificial because it's got its heart in the right place, which can be said about majority of Rollin's films. He may not have professional actors, but he nevertheless gets them to deliver emotional performances and create moving, if not realistic, characters. The acting may be unpolished, but Rollin has a gift for drama which he displays more consistently then the other Eurotica directors(Franco, D'Amato) with whom he often gets bundled as a sexploitation director. The story is a mess, but a poetic one, and images are arresting. In terms of cinematography 'The Rape of the Vampire' is more more adventurous than director's more popular films 'Fascination' and 'La Morte Vivante'. I have the warmest feelings for this very brave film and will be re-watching it again.

"Troubled" was the first Jason Impey picture I've seen and it remains one of his more unusual and interesting works for me. Impey is doing for Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire what George Romero did for Pittsburgh back in the day – constantly shooting low-budget pictures that are recognisably set in the region. Freddy Salmon is one of the more complex and memorable characters you'll find in the Impey oeuvre. Director himself appears in the role of a seemingly unstoppable antagonist who is chasing Freddy in his nightmares. Among the film's weaknesses is the pacing, a problem plaguing 90 percent of indie films. It's very hard to make a coherent narrative film of any length all by yourself and it's a mission to make a feature. If you appreciate independent digital product, you may find "Troubled" of interest. It's a stab at character-driven drama in the vein of Cassavetes' 'Shadows' and Dogme films from a young director known mainly on the sexy trash horror market. I prefer "Troubled" to his later, more technically polished films because it is touching and as close to "personal cinema" as this exploitation prodigy has gotten so far.

I've grown a bit too familiar with Fulci's most famous gore films, but I am still very much interested in the man himself. Whenever I'm in a Fulci state of mind, I put this interview compilation on. Chatty entries from Venantino Vanantini and Farbrizio Jovine are worth the DVD price alone, while Hal Yamanuchi and Massimo Vanni barely muster a word. Paolo Malco seems genuinely saddened by the director's untimely departure. Cosimo Cinieri's screen presence is amazing, considering it's just an interview he's in and not a film. Carla Cassola goes on and on painfully. It's amazing to finally hear Al Cliver's real voice(doesn't sound like Nick Alexander at all!). Shockingly, Malisa Longo seems to look even more attractive than she did in either of two Fulci's films she's been in 30 years previously (ah, those Italian actresses!) Looking forward to second part.

I used to own an average quality VHS tape of this film. Lots of hand-held, shaky but interesting shots(D'Amato's trademark style). Mark Shannon discovers he has got some sort of disease which requires his genitals completely removed. So he heads off to the Caribbean to try and make the most of the time that's left before the operation. There's a weird dream/foursome scene, where Mark Shannon is watching his ex-girlfriend and some older woman service two black guys(perhaps the same two guys as in Porno Holocaust, I don't remember). Overall this is much darker then either "Papaya" or "Orgasmo Nero". Shannon gets to play a really unpleasant type - perhaps the closest he ever got to "proper acting". Some moody music by Nico Fidenco plus a great final scene. I think the "Champagne bottle girl" from "Erotic Nights of the Living Dead" is in this one as well(and in a better shape), playing the hotel maid. George Eastman(who also wrote this) has a small role as Shannon's friend. There are some overlong unexciting sex/filler scenes, but D'Amato fans will understand. I wouldn't mind to have "Sesso Nero" on DVD.

Maniac Killer is a typically surreal Eurociné production. There's no gore, in case you're hoping director Bianchi would repeat his blood feast from Burial Ground. There is an extremely unconvincing shootout, everyone seems to get shot in the the stomach(most convenient place to strap on a squib?) Robert Ginty (the Exterminator) crushes a glass in his hand - of course he's evil. There's a shaky hand-held shot of the Eiffel tower. There's also a village idiot reminiscent of Bob in City of the living dead. Maniac Killer is as low on any action as Gianni Martucci's the Red Monks. Nothing happens. Still, there is certain weirdness to the film.

Saw this on TV several years ago. While the overall dozy atmosphere and uncertain, lingering camera-work may suggest this was yet another film by Jess Franco,'The Last Harem' was actually helmed by an Italian director. Still a few of Franco regular actors are featured(Uschi Buchfellner from Sadomania). The soundtrack by Stelvio Cipriani re-uses rhythmic bass line from 'Nightmare city'. The film was on late at night, and I quite enjoyed it's low-key mixture of soft-core nudity and simple melodramatic plot that was going nowhere. It's a less exotic film than, say, 'Orgasmo Nero', but better developed than 'Sexy Sisters' or 'Voodoo Passion'. 'The Last Harem' is so generic that I'm not surprised to be the first person to comment on this film.

The beginning of the film - deserted town and railway station sequences are a delight. When the characters eventually enter the cemetery, 'The Iron Rose' gets somehwat tedious, with the heroes merely wondering amid the tombstones, uttering nonsensical lines from time to time. There's little for them to do there. The film was clearly made purely out of Rollin's love for cemetery ambiance,its decay and desolation: multiple shots of crosses and tombstones, strange characters who don't understand each other. Conversations they have lead nowhere and end abruptly. Rollin populates the cemetery with his favourite heroes: a vampire is seen entering the crypt, and a creepy clown bringing some flowers to one of the graves. The acting is rather questionable, also because the script doesn't provide the leads who actually seem to be quite capable actors, with any material to work with. Therefore their behaviour in the film seems really weird as they switch from nearly catatonic state to mad fury for no reason and then become mild and gentle again within seconds. Rollin never ever tells conventional stories with his films, instead he just films what he wants to see, and then puts it together in editing, as a result his subconscious is on display. There's no such thing as pace in his films, he doesn't try an give his films rhythm and structure via editing, he only uses it to put the scenes together (hence the frequent jarring cuts in most of his works). The director's aim is to put you in a particular mood, not to deliver some concrete message. Atmosphere is his ultimate aim, for Rollin admits his films are moving paintings. I was disappointed when I first watched the film, but I rewatch it often. Although lacking any dramatic tension, 'The Iron Rose' is a very beautiful and atmospheric film.

Susan Scott of "Death walks at midnight" and "Orgasmo Nero" fame stars in this fairly unremarkable entry into the giallo genre directed by Maurizio Pradeaux. She witnesses a murder of a girl through a telescope, but fails to see the killer's face (who's dressed in typical giallo fashion). With the help of her boyfriend (Robert Hoffman from Umberto Lenzi's "Spasmo") she starts her investigation, while the killer proceeds to cut the witnesses' throats with a straight razor. There's nothing special about 'Death Walks With a Cane', it's a routine giallo with little originality about it. You've got all the usual stuff here: violent murders, weird characters,crazy plot twists, but there's still something missing. Firstly - suspense, the movie is pretty damn low on thrills. Secondly - sense of style. What kind of giallo is this without stylish locations? The story is supposed to be taking place in Rome, but the action mainly revolves in some un-photogeic back streets. No gorgeous architecture,just old shacks. The most upsetting thing about the film is the camera-work: flat and uninspired, with lots of pointless zooms and occasionally out of focus. Only during the murder scenes do the proceedings look a little more lively with some nice camera angles. The murders are gory and quite well executed. The score for the film composed by Roberto Pregadio isn't progressive or groovy or pounding or anything at all. Merely generic. There's a good deal of nudity in 'Death Walks With a Cane'. Robert Hoffman (who was just excellent in "Spasmo") and Scott do what they can with the material they're given, battling through some hysterically funny dialogue. The supporting cast includes Simon Andreu and Luciano Rossi who's always played demented creeps in westerns and police films. Sadly, this time Luciano Rossi is wasted as just one more red herring. The film isn't great, still worth a look for giallo fans but had a potential to be a lot better. If you want to see the same cast in a decent film, watch "Death walks at midnight".

A young teacher tries to find out something about "the Game" that her pupils play in an abandoned wing of the school building after classes. The cliché-ridden script was co-written by overly prolific Dardano Saccetti('Demons', 'Zombi 2' and half a billion other Italian horror films) so do expect plot situations and twists lifted right out of 'The Beyond', 'The Ogre', and other films he scripted. It's a TV movie, so there's no gore in it, as in Bava's similar gore-free pseudo-horror shlock 'Graveyard Disturbance'. On a positive side, I'd point out the atmospheric opening sequence and nice music by the always reliable Simon Boswell(Stagefright).

In this fourth instalment of cult series Fantozzi's monkey-like daughter Uga gets pregnant, causing quite some trouble for her miserable father, at one point Fantozzi even gets castrated! There are some truly unforgettable characters in this film, such as the homeless philosopher with the hairiest armpits ever. Women find his charm irresistible and men find his smell unbearable! It's really nice to spot TV host and actor Michele Mirabella, who's occasionally appeared in 80's gory horror films(his face was eaten by tarantulas in The Beyond by the great Lucio Fulci and you can also spot him in small roles in Demons 2 by Lamberto Bava and Baba Yaga Kiss Me Kill Me by Corrado Farina) in a supporting part.

After an old witch is burned at the stake by the inquisition her two nun daughters execute a revenge which amounts to them seducing every man and woman that comes their way. Dealing with lust and anguish (frequent themes in Franco work),'Les démons' is quite a polished work by Franco's standards. Widescreen compositions are impressive and psychedelic music outstanding(a catchy guitar tune starts playing every time there is a bare flesh on the screen). Sadly Jess Franco didn't bother to hire a good cameraman, so some shots are out of focus, especially during zooms. Still, the camera-work in 'Les démons' is much better then in such later Jess Franco movies as 'White cannibal queen', for example. Regular Jess Franco actor Howard Vernon ("The awful Dr. Orloff") has a supporting role. Recommended for Franco admirers and those who find the idea of lesbian nuns hot.

Slow-moving, low on gore but packing plenty of sex and sleaze, 'Cold-Blooded Beast' boasts stylish Cinemascope compositions and strong atmosphere. The plot is simple: a masked killer terrorises an asylum for rich women. The basic story doesn't seem to progress any further throughout the film. The scenes ofwith the nymphomaniac patient( the gorgeous Rosalba Neri) seducing everyone who comes across, mostly asylum staff members("I'm just a gardener!") and nurse having sex with another patient are the main selling points of the film. If you don't like like Eurosleaze, read no further, go watch something less controversial, because Fernando Di Leo doesn't shy away from softcore sex here! Top-billed Klaus Kinski as Dr.Keller appears on the screen for the whole of fifteen minutes(just like he did in D'Amato's "Death smiles at murder")and doesn't put much effort in his role. If you like your movies tight-plotted, and furnishing logical explanations for all the events, skip 'Cold-Blooded Beast'. This movie makes little sense, but is packed full of wild sexual and homicidal emotions instead. If you like movies like Renato Polselli's "Delirium" or Mario Landi's "Patrick Still Lives", check this one out.