Thursday, 29 November 2007
A QUIET WEEK?
Not been able to post for a while. Unfortunately, a torrid 10 days at work have taken every ounce of my physical and mental strength. As soon as things turn round, I'll be back with a look at UK cult classic WITHNAIL AND I.
Tuesday, 20 November 2007
NOSFERATU RISES AGAIN
Shot in 1921 and released a year later, F.W. Murnau's NOSFERATU: A SYMPHONY OF TERROR remains a chilling horror classic, with a chequered history. Murnau's film was actually the first and last production of Proma-Film GMbH who became bankrupt after being sued for copyright infringement. Bram Stoker's estate, following instructions from his wife Florence, also ordered the original negative and all existing prints be destroyed. Thankfully, a few of the prints had been sent overseas, giving generations the chance to view this eerie silent movie. The film itself is a genuine monochrome nightmare, with Max Schreck's skeletal Count Orlok casting the darkest shadow over the lives of Thomas and Ellen Hutter. Setting the film some 50 years earlier than Stoker's novel, Murnau deposits us in a plague-infested Europe with Schreck symbolising the decease and decay. While Hammer's Dracula would later cast Christopher Lee as 
an imposing figure with considerable sexual attraction, Murnau's Count is a carrier of death, and resurrection is not on the agenda. My most memorable viewing of this film goes back to November 1995, where a restored colour-tinted print played before a packed auditorium at the National Film Theatre during the London Film Festival. On the big screen, Murnau's decision to use outside locations rather than studio-bound sets comes over stronger than ever, and live piano accompaniment added to the experience.
an imposing figure with considerable sexual attraction, Murnau's Count is a carrier of death, and resurrection is not on the agenda. My most memorable viewing of this film goes back to November 1995, where a restored colour-tinted print played before a packed auditorium at the National Film Theatre during the London Film Festival. On the big screen, Murnau's decision to use outside locations rather than studio-bound sets comes over stronger than ever, and live piano accompaniment added to the experience. Here in the UK, a 2 disc DVD has just been released; the result of 
the recent Wilhelm/Murnau/Stiftung restoration. This release sees the DVD premiere of a score composed for the original NOSFERATU by Hans Erdmann, and the restored print has removed many of the visual imperfections. Extras include a commentary track, a 53 minute featurette titled 'The Language Of Shadows' (taking in Murnau's early career and a tour of Nosferatu's locations) and a restoration demonstration showing how much work went into this project. There's also an 80 page booklet containing essays and an article on Vampirism from Albin Grau. Definitive? Well, it certainly appears to be the version to buy, for the moment at least.
the recent Wilhelm/Murnau/Stiftung restoration. This release sees the DVD premiere of a score composed for the original NOSFERATU by Hans Erdmann, and the restored print has removed many of the visual imperfections. Extras include a commentary track, a 53 minute featurette titled 'The Language Of Shadows' (taking in Murnau's early career and a tour of Nosferatu's locations) and a restoration demonstration showing how much work went into this project. There's also an 80 page booklet containing essays and an article on Vampirism from Albin Grau. Definitive? Well, it certainly appears to be the version to buy, for the moment at least. Murnau perished in a car accident before 
the premiere of TABU, which has also just been released in the UK. Both releases are on the Eureka/Masters Of Cinema label. I'll be taking a longer look at NOSFERATU as soon as I get a copy.
the premiere of TABU, which has also just been released in the UK. Both releases are on the Eureka/Masters Of Cinema label. I'll be taking a longer look at NOSFERATU as soon as I get a copy. Sunday, 18 November 2007
MORE TEA, VICAR? #3
Mier Zarchi's I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE is available on DVD in the UK via a butchered version, missing over 7 minutes of footage and the Ebay UK site have banned sellers from listing the Region 1 DVD. Larry Clark's KEN PARK is another title to fall foul of Ebay's listing policies.
Definitely another film our resident Vicar advises you don't screen at the next family gathering.
I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE
Meir Zarchi 1978
Camille Keaton, Erin Tabor, Richard Pace, Anthony Nichols, Gunter Kleemann, Alexis Magnotti, Tammy Zarchi, Terry Zarchi
The bright lights of New York have inspired many artists, but Jennifer Hills (Keaton) leaves her native city, choosing a cabin in the woods as the perfect place to write her first novel. Her arrival in a small, quiet locale does not go unnoticed, and the tranquility she seeks is soon shattered when four men subject her to a series of brutal rapes. Driven by a burning desire for revenge, Jennifer decides to mete out her own brand of savage justice.Back in the mists of time, I Spit on your Grave (aka Day of the Woman) encountered unbelievable amounts of hostility as the likes of Siskel and Ebert led an army of critics bent on engineering the destruction of the film and its director. In the UK, Day of the Woman (Zarchi's preferred title and, from this point onwards, my own) was consigned to the infamous 'Video Nasties' list, and only became legally available here again in 2002, shorn of more than seven minutes of footage. Easily the most misunderstood film on this censorious slate, Day of the Woman has been ripe for re-apraisal for a good 20 years and Elite Entertainment's Millennium DVD is the perfect vehicle to add a lot more grist to the mill of Zarchi, his film and those of us who hail it a classic. On-screen sexual violence can be criticised on a number of levels and Day of the Woman went head-to-head with all of them, slowly converting those who opted to make up his/her own mind, rather than accept the blinkered prejudice of others. The bottom line is that rape should not be an entertaining spectator sport: any depiction should make you sick to your stomach, and the gruelling scene in Day of the Woman (lasting over 20 long minutes) certainly has this effect. It cannot be seen as either titilating nor as a vehicle to prompt men to go out and violate women. It's dirty, bloody, not in the least erotic and borders on unwatchable, forcing the viewer to share this degrading experience. I guess we have to look at both sides of the coin here, so let's begin by examining some of the theories held by those who cast a shadow over Keaton's character, and blithely ignored her performance.When Hills arrives at her summer retreat, she's immediately eyeballed by gas pump attendant Johnny (Tabor) who takes a long look at her shapely legs, while his two hangers-on, Andy and Stanley ( Kleemann and Nichols) amuse themselves with childlike games. So, while Jennifer isn't exactly advertising her body, there's enough on display to give Johnny a few ideas. Next up is Mathew (Pace); a retarded delivery boy who drops by with some groceries and encounters Jennifer in provocative attire. When Mathew cycles back to his friends with a glowing, if slightly exagerated report, the gang swiftly decide this aspiring author will be Mathew's first fuck. By this time, Andy and Stanley, having caught sight of Hills' bikini-clad body, are also up for some action. The rest, as they say, is history, with Jennifer turning into a seductive murderess. In the second 
half of this film, Keaton is asked to completely transform her character, and does this brilliantly. She's now a femme fatale in the truest sense of the term; simply oozing sex appeal, and using her body and those remarkable eyes to trap them and kill them. First Mathew, who finally loses his virginity, only to be denied an orgasm by Hills' carefully constructed mantrap: if we believe that oft-repeated theory that death-by-hanging results in an orgasm, then perhaps Mathew did come during his last few seconds on earth - something Jennifer would not allow during their coupling.Next on the list is Johnny: Mr. Married-with-children, who bleeds to death in a locked bathroom while Jennifer calmly listens to some opera on her hifi. Then, it's on with the bikini again for a double-header finale on the Hoosatonic river. Goodbye Andy and Stanley. Throughout the second half, Jennifer does enough to suggest she's a sexually active woman and well versed in the art of seduction. Indeed, her words and actions during the opening minutes may well have been intended as a signal that she was available, though certainly not inviting the gang savagery she later experiences. Another possibility is she's done this sort of thing before; giving guys the come-on, before literally moving in for the kill: a risky business, but one that can bring its own rewards for those investing in the sex-and-death kick.Of course, the most common theory - and the one a good many of us subscribe to - is that Jennifer Hills is simply a woman who is completely at ease with her own body, and totally unaware of her power over men; particularly in a place where a pretty woman is rare as snow in July. Yes, she's naive, but merely conducts herself the way all women should be allowed to. Perhaps she was a bit too wrapped up in those magazine stories (the line, "I have many boyfriends" could well have come from one of her literary competitors) and became further embroiled by lifting her subsequent 'Angel of Vengeance' persona from a story or novel that had previously struck a chord (or hit a nerve).Elite's Millennium DVD gives us further food for thought with the inclusion of two commentary tracks. Director Meir Zarchi has maintained a deafening silence concerning his thoughts on this film (save for one interview in 1984), but considered the time was right to bare his soul. The result is a fascinating account of the making of this film, and the many obstacles that littered its path; before, during and after. We learn how Meir was forced to make extensive cuts in order to avoid the dreaded 'X' rating; why Keaton threw a fit during one particular scene; Zarchi's postive reaction to his critics, and his painstaking audition process which introduced him to his leading lady, who was destined to become his wife. The real highlight of this commentary - and the reason why EVERY critic of this film should listen - is the real-life horror story that motivated Zarchi to make this film. It's a supremely upsetting account of the day Zarchi, his daughter, and his friend Alex Pfau encountered a badly beaten woman who had just been raped by two men. It's almost as hard to listen to as the film is to watch, and Zarchi is obviously moved by the telling; particularly when he reads out a letter of thanks from the girls parents who were grateful for all he did to help. Just listen to this, and then tell me the director is a 3rd-rate hack with a perverted agenda!The second track sees cult movie guru Joe Bob Briggs take the microphone, delivering a lively, humourous talk that's littered with some very astute observations. While Joe Bob does point out when and where events get a little hard to swallow, he's clearly a supporter of this film and his interpretation certainly enriched my viewing experience.Elite's presentation of Day of the Woman also reaches heights of excellence: it's great to see this film afforded the THX treatment. For horror movies, this mark of respect began with Elite's Night of the Living Dead laserdisc, and Zarchi's classic certainly benefits. Picture quality is remarkably sharp, providing a fitting showcase for Yuri Haviv's terrific photography. Purists will appreciate the presence of the original mono track amongst the surround options, although one of this films many strengths is that it has no music score, save for a lonely harmonica and an excerpt from an opera which Jennifer plays as Johnny loudly laments the loss of his penis from a locked upstairs room. "Sola Perduta Abandonatto" - from Giacomo Puccini's "Manon Lescaut" - concerns a woman who is imprisoned after her affair with a married man. She escapes, hoping to cross the desert to British territory and is abandoned by her lover. He eventually returns to find her dying, after her search for water proves futile. Although Zarchi doesn't mention this opera, I'm convinced it ties in with his film: Jennifer effectively abandons each of the four men, whose deaths are all connected with water. It's an inspired choice of music in a film that optimises a 'silent score', making the rape and subsequent slaughter even harder to witness. So, what of the final image of Jennifer heading downstream with that strange look on her face? I think she may well have found a new career. Perhaps if Zarchi and Keaton ever resume their professional relationship, we may one day see Day of the Woman II , with a female 'Travis Bickle' returning to New York for a one-woman clean-up operation. In many ways, I hope not. Day of the Woman is truly a one-off and should remain that way.Did Zarchi go too far? I think the answer has to be 'yes', but sometimes we need films that go too far. Films that remind us that there is a harsh, ugly world outside the soft, sanitised Hollywood product that regularly clogs up our screens. Great film, great disc.
half of this film, Keaton is asked to completely transform her character, and does this brilliantly. She's now a femme fatale in the truest sense of the term; simply oozing sex appeal, and using her body and those remarkable eyes to trap them and kill them. First Mathew, who finally loses his virginity, only to be denied an orgasm by Hills' carefully constructed mantrap: if we believe that oft-repeated theory that death-by-hanging results in an orgasm, then perhaps Mathew did come during his last few seconds on earth - something Jennifer would not allow during their coupling.Next on the list is Johnny: Mr. Married-with-children, who bleeds to death in a locked bathroom while Jennifer calmly listens to some opera on her hifi. Then, it's on with the bikini again for a double-header finale on the Hoosatonic river. Goodbye Andy and Stanley. Throughout the second half, Jennifer does enough to suggest she's a sexually active woman and well versed in the art of seduction. Indeed, her words and actions during the opening minutes may well have been intended as a signal that she was available, though certainly not inviting the gang savagery she later experiences. Another possibility is she's done this sort of thing before; giving guys the come-on, before literally moving in for the kill: a risky business, but one that can bring its own rewards for those investing in the sex-and-death kick.Of course, the most common theory - and the one a good many of us subscribe to - is that Jennifer Hills is simply a woman who is completely at ease with her own body, and totally unaware of her power over men; particularly in a place where a pretty woman is rare as snow in July. Yes, she's naive, but merely conducts herself the way all women should be allowed to. Perhaps she was a bit too wrapped up in those magazine stories (the line, "I have many boyfriends" could well have come from one of her literary competitors) and became further embroiled by lifting her subsequent 'Angel of Vengeance' persona from a story or novel that had previously struck a chord (or hit a nerve).Elite's Millennium DVD gives us further food for thought with the inclusion of two commentary tracks. Director Meir Zarchi has maintained a deafening silence concerning his thoughts on this film (save for one interview in 1984), but considered the time was right to bare his soul. The result is a fascinating account of the making of this film, and the many obstacles that littered its path; before, during and after. We learn how Meir was forced to make extensive cuts in order to avoid the dreaded 'X' rating; why Keaton threw a fit during one particular scene; Zarchi's postive reaction to his critics, and his painstaking audition process which introduced him to his leading lady, who was destined to become his wife. The real highlight of this commentary - and the reason why EVERY critic of this film should listen - is the real-life horror story that motivated Zarchi to make this film. It's a supremely upsetting account of the day Zarchi, his daughter, and his friend Alex Pfau encountered a badly beaten woman who had just been raped by two men. It's almost as hard to listen to as the film is to watch, and Zarchi is obviously moved by the telling; particularly when he reads out a letter of thanks from the girls parents who were grateful for all he did to help. Just listen to this, and then tell me the director is a 3rd-rate hack with a perverted agenda!The second track sees cult movie guru Joe Bob Briggs take the microphone, delivering a lively, humourous talk that's littered with some very astute observations. While Joe Bob does point out when and where events get a little hard to swallow, he's clearly a supporter of this film and his interpretation certainly enriched my viewing experience.Elite's presentation of Day of the Woman also reaches heights of excellence: it's great to see this film afforded the THX treatment. For horror movies, this mark of respect began with Elite's Night of the Living Dead laserdisc, and Zarchi's classic certainly benefits. Picture quality is remarkably sharp, providing a fitting showcase for Yuri Haviv's terrific photography. Purists will appreciate the presence of the original mono track amongst the surround options, although one of this films many strengths is that it has no music score, save for a lonely harmonica and an excerpt from an opera which Jennifer plays as Johnny loudly laments the loss of his penis from a locked upstairs room. "Sola Perduta Abandonatto" - from Giacomo Puccini's "Manon Lescaut" - concerns a woman who is imprisoned after her affair with a married man. She escapes, hoping to cross the desert to British territory and is abandoned by her lover. He eventually returns to find her dying, after her search for water proves futile. Although Zarchi doesn't mention this opera, I'm convinced it ties in with his film: Jennifer effectively abandons each of the four men, whose deaths are all connected with water. It's an inspired choice of music in a film that optimises a 'silent score', making the rape and subsequent slaughter even harder to witness. So, what of the final image of Jennifer heading downstream with that strange look on her face? I think she may well have found a new career. Perhaps if Zarchi and Keaton ever resume their professional relationship, we may one day see Day of the Woman II , with a female 'Travis Bickle' returning to New York for a one-woman clean-up operation. In many ways, I hope not. Day of the Woman is truly a one-off and should remain that way.Did Zarchi go too far? I think the answer has to be 'yes', but sometimes we need films that go too far. Films that remind us that there is a harsh, ugly world outside the soft, sanitised Hollywood product that regularly clogs up our screens. Great film, great disc.THE KEEP RESURRECTED
Fast approaching its 25th anniversary, Michael Mann's 1983 film THE KEEP remains unavailable on DVD. Paramount Pictures hold the rights to this film but, according to Anchor Bay UK's Marc Morris, have no plans for a release and are unwilling to sub-licence this title.
THE KEEP appears to have as many detractors as fans, with those based in the former camp preferring F. Paul Wilson's novel to the film. In Mann's defence, it has to be said that the released 97 minute cut wasn't to his liking and rumours of a Director's Cut running between 3 - 4 hours certainly stimulate the imagination.
January 26th 2008 will see the resurrection of this film via a one-off screening at The Prince Charles Cinema on London's Leicester Square. In consultation with Paramount Pictures, the evening will commence with the screening of a brand new 35mm print of this film, followed by a Q & A session with cast and crew and a discussion relating to the missing footage. Fans are promised that the cinema's interior will be decorated to resemble the Keep's interior and there will be a full-size Molosar on the loose. I've been to The Prince Charles on several occasions, and they pull out all the stops to ensure special events are even more special. Of course, the vast majority of KEEP buffs will be unable to attend this event, but its significance may well surface in the near future. Perhaps Paramount's interest has been rekindled? We can but hope that a DVD release is not too far away. THE KEEP was available on CIC video here in the UK and on Laserdisc in the US. Can't remember the last time it played on TV here, so with that anniversary on the horizon, what better time for its DVD debut? I'd say it deserves a second chance in a longer version.
Those of you wishing to keep track of developments regarding this event should put this site in your browser: http://www.manhunter.net/
Tuesday, 13 November 2007
MORE TEA, VICAR? #2
Another film that you may not wish to screen for an elderly relative
THE STORY OF SIN. 1975
Walerian Borowczyk
Grazya Dlugolecko, Jerzy Zelnik, Olgierd Lukaszewicz, Roman Wilhelmi, Marek Walczewski, Karolina Lubienska, Zdzislaw Mrozewski, Mieczyslaw Voit
Sefon Zeromski’s literary classic provided the inspiration behind Walerian Borowczyk’s first (and last) feature to be shot in his native country of Poland.Working under the strict regime of the Catholic church, Borowczyk was forced to tone down the more sexually explicit elements of his source, and yet constructed an erotic melodrama that may yet turn out to be the film he’ll be remembered for. In her feature debut, Grazya Dlugolecko plays Ewa - a young woman who falls in love with a lodger at her parents home. When Lukas Niepolomski (Zelnik) turns out to be a married man, Ewa embarks on a tragic journey; her path littered by a succession of men who bring lust, deception, jealousy and death.Those who associate Borowczyk with little more than boobs ‘n’ bums would do well to investigate this stately account of a life less ordinary which strides purposefully forward to the music of Mendelssohn. Here, Borowczyk shows a remarkable eye for detail in his socio-political condemnation of 70s Poland, while largly leaving his cast to grow with the story. The men in Ewa’s life - a wholly unsympathetic bunch - are well portrayed by a capable troupe of performers (Zelnik, in particular, is excellent as Ewa’s guardian devil) but it’s Dlugolecko who should receive the lion's share of the praise.Her remarkable performance wrings every last drop of emotion from the words and images of this film, compelling one to wonder why she failed to reach the heights of her profession (more on that later). With an approach to her art and a style that reminds me of Fassbinder’s Hanna Schygulla, Grazya commands sympathy for her deeds and her suffering, taking us through several emotionally intense scenes, including a shattering event that you really will not want to witness: watch out for the roses scene, too, which surely inspired that much-talked about scene from American Beauty. Apart from a rather messy final scene (partially rescued by a beautiful closing shot), The Story Of Sin remains a timeless, harrowing study of the exploitation of sin and the innocent. Indeed, it inhabits the same block as Terence Davis’ The House Of Mirth and Harry Kumel’s extraordianary Eline Vere, while not being quite so moving. Full marks, then, to Nouveaux Pictures for their release of a Region 2 DVD which honours this important work.In lieu of a full restoration, picture quality is as good as one could hope for, with a 
generally stable, colourful transfer. Extras are also well catered for, and include a commentary track and interviews with two key figures from the film.The still-gorgeous Dlugolecko takes part in a 6 minute interview, during which she explains how she got the role sans audition; why The Story Of Sin remains her biggest film, and her profound regret that she failed to push her career in foreign markets “until it was too late”. Borowczyk also gets 6 minutes of face time; giving us some background on his film; commenting that Disney features are more erotic than his own productions, and countering accusations of being “a big pervert” from a rather forward interviewer.While it’s a matter of regret that both interviews are so short in length, it’s a genuine pleasure to see and hear the participants.The audio commentary track, from Daniel Bird, is restricted to comments on selected scenes with valuable information on Borowzyk’s career and a breakdown of Polish life during and prior to the making of this film. Unfortunately, there is a huge amount of ‘dead air’ which Bird could have effortlessly filled. Daniel is a wonderfully gifted writer, an expert on Borowczyk’s career, and also possesses an articulate vocal delivery that is tailor-made for this line of work. So, it’s a crying shame that he did not elect/wasn’t commissioned to undertake a two hour track that would have further enriched our appreciation of this film.
generally stable, colourful transfer. Extras are also well catered for, and include a commentary track and interviews with two key figures from the film.The still-gorgeous Dlugolecko takes part in a 6 minute interview, during which she explains how she got the role sans audition; why The Story Of Sin remains her biggest film, and her profound regret that she failed to push her career in foreign markets “until it was too late”. Borowczyk also gets 6 minutes of face time; giving us some background on his film; commenting that Disney features are more erotic than his own productions, and countering accusations of being “a big pervert” from a rather forward interviewer.While it’s a matter of regret that both interviews are so short in length, it’s a genuine pleasure to see and hear the participants.The audio commentary track, from Daniel Bird, is restricted to comments on selected scenes with valuable information on Borowzyk’s career and a breakdown of Polish life during and prior to the making of this film. Unfortunately, there is a huge amount of ‘dead air’ which Bird could have effortlessly filled. Daniel is a wonderfully gifted writer, an expert on Borowczyk’s career, and also possesses an articulate vocal delivery that is tailor-made for this line of work. So, it’s a crying shame that he did not elect/wasn’t commissioned to undertake a two hour track that would have further enriched our appreciation of this film.ALWAYS BE CLOSING
GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS
"And to answer your question, pal, why am I here? I came here because Mitch and Murray asked me to. They asked me for a favour. I said the real favour, follow my advice and fire your fucking ass because a loser is a loser"
. And there we have the tail-end of a savage wake-up call from a character named Blake, sent in by the heads of real estate firm Mitch and Murray to give their sales force the bollocking of a lifetime. In fact, this is a bollocking royale and, as Blake, Alec Baldwin has probably never been better. Here, Blake marches out from the office of "company man" Williamson (Kevin Spacey) and delivers a shattering assault on the senses of three v-e-r-y tired men. We have Sheldon Levene (Jack Lemmon); a veteran salesman whose better days are behind him and the double act of Dave & George (Ed Harris, Alan Arkin); a pair of inveterate whiners who are destined to perform the bar sketch, mimed by Blake, in the not-too distant future. Missing in action is one Richard Roma (Al Pacino), who is attempting to persuade James Lingk (Jonathan Pryce) to buy some land, with his other 'office' (a nearby bar), ensuring Lingk literally enters into the spirit of things. 6 0r 7 doubles later and Roma has his man, seducing him into signing on the line that is dotted with a bewitching combination of hooch, personal anecdotes and philosophies. This really is prime time Pacino: one moment calm, laidback and persuasive, the next raging at colleagues and even the police who are called in to investigate the theft of some gold-plated leads. Pacino becomes the epitome of a smooth-talking salesman who really does have a gift, coupled with an outrageous line in bullshit. Indeed, it's clear that in another 4 or 5 years, his character will mutate into Blake with fancy cars and extreme pep talks on the horizon. On the surface, Roma seems a caring guy, praising Sheldon when he finally closes the Nyborg sit, but take a closer look at his face and you'll see he's really not interested in Levene's 'war stories'. In short, he's ultimately an unlikeable individual and the same can be said of the rest of this cast. The fact that GLENGARRY is totally absorbing and entertaining from start to finish with no sympathetic characters, is a tribute to director and cast who help fashion a production 
that gets better with each viewing. Hard-nosed Williamson; living-in-the-past Levene with a sick daughter in hospital, and who still makes me squirm with his old school mentality; Dave and George borrowing Al's megaphone to amplify their incompetence and anger at themselves. Hell, even Lingk fails to command any respect, allowing himself to be sucked in and painfully building up to a half-hearted stand-off during a hilariously bogus partnership between Sheldon and Ricky. This really is a masterclass in acting and the script - penned by David Mamet - must have been a real joy to deliver. There are other 'characters' in this film that we never get to see: the Nyborg's whose signatures briefly put Shel back in the big time ("Put me on the Cadillac board!"), and Jerry Gross: the latter being mentioned by every member of the sales force, coming over like some bogeyman who would be only to willing to employ this motley crew of cheats, spivs and, yes, losers should they care to simply walk across the street. Foley's film really does take the lid off the precarious world of sales where, for every high flyer, there's a 
dozen poor souls who don't cut it. Lies, petty actions, intense rivalry and the worst kind of jealousy rule this world of pain but, for the odd few like Roma, the rewards are massive. If you have yet to see this film and enjoy wonderful ensemble acting, I recommend it highly. To those who prefer something a little less intense... well, I'd go out and buy you a copy but you wouldn't know what to do with it.
. And there we have the tail-end of a savage wake-up call from a character named Blake, sent in by the heads of real estate firm Mitch and Murray to give their sales force the bollocking of a lifetime. In fact, this is a bollocking royale and, as Blake, Alec Baldwin has probably never been better. Here, Blake marches out from the office of "company man" Williamson (Kevin Spacey) and delivers a shattering assault on the senses of three v-e-r-y tired men. We have Sheldon Levene (Jack Lemmon); a veteran salesman whose better days are behind him and the double act of Dave & George (Ed Harris, Alan Arkin); a pair of inveterate whiners who are destined to perform the bar sketch, mimed by Blake, in the not-too distant future. Missing in action is one Richard Roma (Al Pacino), who is attempting to persuade James Lingk (Jonathan Pryce) to buy some land, with his other 'office' (a nearby bar), ensuring Lingk literally enters into the spirit of things. 6 0r 7 doubles later and Roma has his man, seducing him into signing on the line that is dotted with a bewitching combination of hooch, personal anecdotes and philosophies. This really is prime time Pacino: one moment calm, laidback and persuasive, the next raging at colleagues and even the police who are called in to investigate the theft of some gold-plated leads. Pacino becomes the epitome of a smooth-talking salesman who really does have a gift, coupled with an outrageous line in bullshit. Indeed, it's clear that in another 4 or 5 years, his character will mutate into Blake with fancy cars and extreme pep talks on the horizon. On the surface, Roma seems a caring guy, praising Sheldon when he finally closes the Nyborg sit, but take a closer look at his face and you'll see he's really not interested in Levene's 'war stories'. In short, he's ultimately an unlikeable individual and the same can be said of the rest of this cast. The fact that GLENGARRY is totally absorbing and entertaining from start to finish with no sympathetic characters, is a tribute to director and cast who help fashion a production 
that gets better with each viewing. Hard-nosed Williamson; living-in-the-past Levene with a sick daughter in hospital, and who still makes me squirm with his old school mentality; Dave and George borrowing Al's megaphone to amplify their incompetence and anger at themselves. Hell, even Lingk fails to command any respect, allowing himself to be sucked in and painfully building up to a half-hearted stand-off during a hilariously bogus partnership between Sheldon and Ricky. This really is a masterclass in acting and the script - penned by David Mamet - must have been a real joy to deliver. There are other 'characters' in this film that we never get to see: the Nyborg's whose signatures briefly put Shel back in the big time ("Put me on the Cadillac board!"), and Jerry Gross: the latter being mentioned by every member of the sales force, coming over like some bogeyman who would be only to willing to employ this motley crew of cheats, spivs and, yes, losers should they care to simply walk across the street. Foley's film really does take the lid off the precarious world of sales where, for every high flyer, there's a 
dozen poor souls who don't cut it. Lies, petty actions, intense rivalry and the worst kind of jealousy rule this world of pain but, for the odd few like Roma, the rewards are massive. If you have yet to see this film and enjoy wonderful ensemble acting, I recommend it highly. To those who prefer something a little less intense... well, I'd go out and buy you a copy but you wouldn't know what to do with it.It's for closers.
As a small footnote, my wife and I were in London recently for the Film Festival screening of EASTERN PROMISES, and noticed GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS is just one of the plays lighting up London's vibrant theatreland. Unfortunately, time and money did not permit us to attend a performance but we did discover that Jonathan Pryce is in the cast. He plays Sheldon Levene.
Saturday, 10 November 2007
ENGLAND'S FINEST BACK AGAIN
ENGLAND'S DREAMING
Oh God save history.God save your mad parade.Oh Lord God have mercy,all crimes are paid
When there's no future,how can there be sin.We're the flowers in the dustbin.We're the poison in your human machine.We're the future, your future.
Fans of The Sex Pistols can look forward to a new DVD release titled "Never Mind The Sex Pistols which will contain interviews with band members and influential commentators on the UK punk scene. There's also a flurry of activity on the vinyl front, with a re-release of one certain classic title from a long, long time ago.
Oh God save history.God save your mad parade.Oh Lord God have mercy,all crimes are paid
When there's no future,how can there be sin.We're the flowers in the dustbin.We're the poison in your human machine.We're the future, your future.
Fans of The Sex Pistols can look forward to a new DVD release titled "Never Mind The Sex Pistols which will contain interviews with band members and influential commentators on the UK punk scene. There's also a flurry of activity on the vinyl front, with a re-release of one certain classic title from a long, long time ago.
28th October, 1977 saw the release of possibly the most eagerly awaited album ever to come out of England. 
"Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols" soon reached number 1 in the UK album charts, combining a glorious wall of sound with Johnny Rotten's venomous vocals . I'd been eagerly awaiting this release ever since the day I turned on the radio, heard "Anarchy In The UK" for the first time, and wondered what the hell had hit me. Happily, the album did not disappoint. Along with "Anarchy" and 3 more singles ("God 
Save The Queen", "Pretty Vacant" and "Holiday In The Sun"), we were treated to a further 8 tracks, including "Bodies", "No Feelings" and that vicious closing track "EMI". This was what we'd been waiting for. Going to gigs and buying records had been a joyless experience for some time, but it took something like this to wake us up. Seeing the likes of Budgie, Man, Curved Air and other minor-league bands got me into a rut, and I didn't even realise just how desperate things were until punk smashed things up and got us all actually thinking and questioning. Soon, there would be exciting new record releases every single week, with bands such as 999, X Ray Spex, The Banshees and The Clash recording vital vinyl and treading the boards every night of the week. Of course, the media here did their best to break the spirit, but The Pistols, and manipulative manager Malcolm Maclaren, just kept on going with some truly great music and outrageous publicity stunts: A brilliant marketing campaign for their "God Save The Queen" single (released to coincide with her Jubilee helped propel the record to number 2 in the UK charts, and we all know it would have been number 1 save for some blatantly obvious chart rigging); the infamous gig on a boat on the River Thames; the incident on Bill Grundy's show when the band were encouraged to use obscene language, and all the furore with record labels... brilliant marketing but all this added grist to the mill of those who claimed the band were all hype and no substance. Well, the records proved them wrong and now, on the 3oth anniversary of this cla
ssic album's release, "Never Mind The Bollocks" has once again hit record shelves, accompanied by those 4 singles. The original line-up is also touring again, with 5 gigs in London, 1 in Manchester and 1 in Glasgow. Unfortunately, work and financial commitments make it impossible for me to attend but I'll be there in spirit. One of the biggest disappointments of my gig-going career is that I never got to see The Pistols live, thanks mainly to Derby City Council. On 4th December 1976, The Sex Pistols were booked to play at the Kings Hall, Derby. For £1.50, ticket holders could see The Pistols, The Clash, The Damned and Johnny Thunders And The Heartbreakers. Sad to say, the gig was called off as Derby City Council insisted on The Pistols playing a pre-concert set which would be vetted by council members before they would give the green light. Rotten and co refused, and we all got refunds. So, a 19 date tour was whittled down to just 3 gigs with towns and cities in the UK banning The Pistols from playing. Subsequent secret gigs went ahead under the pseudonym 'Spots' (Sex Pistols On Tour). Years later, I was lucky enough to see Public Image Ltd live in nearby Nottingham, where a great set was crowned by a blistering version of "Anarchy In The UK"; a memorable night and still the weirdest concert atmosphere I've ever encountered (the house lights were kept on for the duration of the gig due to fears of violence 
between rival groups of fans). Now, years later, Lydon/Rotten is back . Just like that magnificent album, he refuses to go away and I hope he sticks around for a long time to come.
Save The Queen", "Pretty Vacant" and "Holiday In The Sun"), we were treated to a further 8 tracks, including "Bodies", "No Feelings" and that vicious closing track "EMI". This was what we'd been waiting for. Going to gigs and buying records had been a joyless experience for some time, but it took something like this to wake us up. Seeing the likes of Budgie, Man, Curved Air and other minor-league bands got me into a rut, and I didn't even realise just how desperate things were until punk smashed things up and got us all actually thinking and questioning. Soon, there would be exciting new record releases every single week, with bands such as 999, X Ray Spex, The Banshees and The Clash recording vital vinyl and treading the boards every night of the week. Of course, the media here did their best to break the spirit, but The Pistols, and manipulative manager Malcolm Maclaren, just kept on going with some truly great music and outrageous publicity stunts: A brilliant marketing campaign for their "God Save The Queen" single (released to coincide with her Jubilee helped propel the record to number 2 in the UK charts, and we all know it would have been number 1 save for some blatantly obvious chart rigging); the infamous gig on a boat on the River Thames; the incident on Bill Grundy's show when the band were encouraged to use obscene language, and all the furore with record labels... brilliant marketing but all this added grist to the mill of those who claimed the band were all hype and no substance. Well, the records proved them wrong and now, on the 3oth anniversary of this cla
ssic album's release, "Never Mind The Bollocks" has once again hit record shelves, accompanied by those 4 singles. The original line-up is also touring again, with 5 gigs in London, 1 in Manchester and 1 in Glasgow. Unfortunately, work and financial commitments make it impossible for me to attend but I'll be there in spirit. One of the biggest disappointments of my gig-going career is that I never got to see The Pistols live, thanks mainly to Derby City Council. On 4th December 1976, The Sex Pistols were booked to play at the Kings Hall, Derby. For £1.50, ticket holders could see The Pistols, The Clash, The Damned and Johnny Thunders And The Heartbreakers. Sad to say, the gig was called off as Derby City Council insisted on The Pistols playing a pre-concert set which would be vetted by council members before they would give the green light. Rotten and co refused, and we all got refunds. So, a 19 date tour was whittled down to just 3 gigs with towns and cities in the UK banning The Pistols from playing. Subsequent secret gigs went ahead under the pseudonym 'Spots' (Sex Pistols On Tour). Years later, I was lucky enough to see Public Image Ltd live in nearby Nottingham, where a great set was crowned by a blistering version of "Anarchy In The UK"; a memorable night and still the weirdest concert atmosphere I've ever encountered (the house lights were kept on for the duration of the gig due to fears of violence 
between rival groups of fans). Now, years later, Lydon/Rotten is back . Just like that magnificent album, he refuses to go away and I hope he sticks around for a long time to come. Tuesday, 6 November 2007
THE LIVES OF OTHERS
Every now and then, a film comes along that stops you in your tracks. For me and I suspect, many others, these events do not occur on an annual basis. Indeed, Kieslowski's THREE COLOURS:RED was the last time a film really floored me. Yesterday evening, it happened again.
THE LIVES OF OTHERS (Das Leben der Anderen) is set in East Berlin in - very appropriately - 1984. Then, the population of the German Democratic Republic were kept under strict control by the Stasi - East German secret police who used 100,000 employees and 200,000 informants to curtail any subversive activity; real or imagined. THE LIVES OF OTHERS infiltrates these turbulent times, focusing on Stasi agent Wiesler (the late Ulrich Muhe) who is instructed to monitor the activities 
of a playwright and his actress girlfriend (Sebastain Koch and Martina Gedeck), with the aid of audio surveillance equipment. As events unfold, Wiesler's attitude and commitment begins to change, with exposure to the lives of others introducing beliefs and philosophies which had been previously denied. One of the most astonishing things about this production is that it marks the feature debut of Florian Henckel Von Donnersmarck, and won him the Oscar for Best Foreign Film at the 2007 Academy awards. Von Donnersmarck knew exactly who he wanted for the key roles, and his faith and eye for superb actors was rewarded with some marvellous performances. The multi-layered screenplay - penned by Muhi and his director - provided the cast with some wonderful dialogue, while the score becomes an extra performer, weaving around the scenes like some celestial overseer. Donnersmarck explores political doctorine, its effects on those who serve and those forced to follow, and also says a lot about human nature and how people are changed by the simple act of observing and listening. It would be especially harsh to select any highlights from a film that is totally absorbing from start to finish as key moments are many, en route to the most beautiful finale I've seen in years. And years. Special mention must go to Ulrich Muhe, who sadly died 
in July 2007 from stomach cancer. He was just 54 years old. Michael Haneke buffs will be familiar with this fine actor who appeared in FUNNY GAMES and BENNY'S VIDEO. Muhe was successfully sued by his former wife as a result of a book which detailed his experiences as a victim of surveillance during 6 years as an East German citizen: the fact that his book provided cast-iron proof of his story accounted for nothing. Thanks to Muhe and his director, we now have a better understanding of a harsh political regime; of how good people were hounded and spied on by those whose vision couldn't or wouldn't see the madness in their area.
of a playwright and his actress girlfriend (Sebastain Koch and Martina Gedeck), with the aid of audio surveillance equipment. As events unfold, Wiesler's attitude and commitment begins to change, with exposure to the lives of others introducing beliefs and philosophies which had been previously denied. One of the most astonishing things about this production is that it marks the feature debut of Florian Henckel Von Donnersmarck, and won him the Oscar for Best Foreign Film at the 2007 Academy awards. Von Donnersmarck knew exactly who he wanted for the key roles, and his faith and eye for superb actors was rewarded with some marvellous performances. The multi-layered screenplay - penned by Muhi and his director - provided the cast with some wonderful dialogue, while the score becomes an extra performer, weaving around the scenes like some celestial overseer. Donnersmarck explores political doctorine, its effects on those who serve and those forced to follow, and also says a lot about human nature and how people are changed by the simple act of observing and listening. It would be especially harsh to select any highlights from a film that is totally absorbing from start to finish as key moments are many, en route to the most beautiful finale I've seen in years. And years. Special mention must go to Ulrich Muhe, who sadly died 
in July 2007 from stomach cancer. He was just 54 years old. Michael Haneke buffs will be familiar with this fine actor who appeared in FUNNY GAMES and BENNY'S VIDEO. Muhe was successfully sued by his former wife as a result of a book which detailed his experiences as a victim of surveillance during 6 years as an East German citizen: the fact that his book provided cast-iron proof of his story accounted for nothing. Thanks to Muhe and his director, we now have a better understanding of a harsh political regime; of how good people were hounded and spied on by those whose vision couldn't or wouldn't see the madness in their area.A masterpiece, no less.
Sunday, 4 November 2007
DRAC'S BACK
To mark the 50th anniversary of Hammer Horror, The British Film Institute have provided a restored print of the 1958 classic DRACULA, which is currently playing at selected UK cinemas. While none of the venues are within reasonable travelling distance for me, I'm heartened by this restoration. For many of us, Hammer films, and this film in particular, were a part of our formative movie-watching years and it's good to see the BFI giving this film the treatment it deserves. Early indications are that the film now boasts more vibrant colours and includes an extra 4 seconds of footage originally excised by our old 'friends' at the BBFC. We can all look forward to a DVD of this restoration in the very near future.
While we're on the subject of Dracula, the cloak worn by Christopher Lee in his first appearance as the count has been found at a London fancy dress store. It was discovered during an inventory and had been returned to the store because the film was not expected to be a hit. On one occasion, it was actually hired out for a childrens nativity play, and was used in other films as well as being hired out to members of the public. The cloak has been valued at more than £24,000 (around $50,000 US). An overcoat worn by Peter Cushing has also been discovered and is currently being valued.
Friday, 2 November 2007
BOLLYWOOD PSYCHIC
22nd November sees the welcome release of Lucio Fulci's THE PSYCHIC on Region 1 DVD. At last I'll be able to retire my US videotape of this film, and also remember a colourful Bollywood remake of this film.
100 DAYS. Partho Ghosh 1991
Madhuri Dixit, Jackie Shroff, Javed Jaffery, Moon Moon Sen, LaxmikantBerde, Sabeeha
During a decidedly non-competitive game of tennis, Devi (Madhuri Dixit) experiences the first in a series of terrifying premonitions: a gun-toting man clad in a black leather trenchcoat; a girl drying her hair who will soon hit the floor after taking a bullet at point blank range. While further visions fail to reveal the killer's face, Devi discovers the victim will be her sister, Rama (Moon Moon Sen), and desperately tries to save her. 5 years later, with Rama missing, presumed dead, Devi marries businessman Ram Kumar (Jackie Shroff). While renovating their newly acquired bungalow, Devi discovers the skeleton of her sister after taking a pickaxe to an interior wall.If the plot sounds strangely familiar, then you may well be a disciple of the late Lucio Fulci, because this is a 160 minute remake of The Psychic. Overall, Partho Ghosh follows the source material fairly closely, with Devi's visions including a distinctive brand of cigarettes, a magazine photo (this time with a horse on the cover - a nod to the equestrian suspect in the original) and stolen works of art. We also have another limping man to contend with, and a broken mirror: as neither figure in Devi's premonitions, one assumes they serve as further acknowledgement of Fulci's tight-as-a-drum giallo. One valuable plot addition concerns a videotape which contains the identity of the killer, and whose hastily conceived title (100 Days) is a reference to the opening 13 weeks of Devi's marriage. Partho Ghosh unveils a few more surprises before the credits roll - particularly during the suspense-driven final act - though Bollywood newcomers may find the first hour to be heavy going in places, as romantic interludes force the nicely developing plot to frequently grind to a halt.'Go with the flow' has to be the message here, as there are several extremely funny scenes to savour, and some wonderful song and dance numbers which are a riot of gorgeous colours and infuriatingly catchy tunes. Kumar's presence at a wedding offers the film's most humerous moments, when he's accused of theft, thanks to his bungling assistant, while "Ladiki Ladiki" (the first of 5 songs) features pistol-packin' babes dancing down graffiti-infested corridors, while their male partners indulge in shaving foam wars, washed down by a spot of kung fu. While such moments are well worth the admission price, 100 Days does, on occasion, enter the realms of the absurd with a couple of staggeringly inept fight scenes, and a finale that features at least two-twists-too-many.While one can only speculate as to what Fulci would have made of this, those gorgeous Indian babes would surely have brought a twinkle to his eye and, one suspects, Lucio would at least applaud the concept of combining romance, thriller, horror and musical into one colourful package.A Region 0 DVD is currently available on the Eros International label (around $7 plus shipping, from www.indiaweekly.com). Although there is some print damage, the transfer is mostly stunning with cool aqua blues and warm undistorted reds making this a feast for the eyes; indeed, it's hard to imagine it looking much better. Although 100 Days was shot in Cinemascope 2.35:1, the 1.85:1 ratio used here is more than acceptable, and Raam Laxman's score - supremely spooky in places - is well served by a clear, up-front audio mix.As usual, the English subtitles suffer from translation, often providing hilarious reading ("By slipping, I've reached till here") and you'd better brush up on your speed-reading as dialogue has often moved on before you can blink.Not, then, an unqualified success but 100 Days is entertaining for the most part, and a decent introduction to Bollywood delights.
100 DAYS. Partho Ghosh 1991
Madhuri Dixit, Jackie Shroff, Javed Jaffery, Moon Moon Sen, LaxmikantBerde, Sabeeha
During a decidedly non-competitive game of tennis, Devi (Madhuri Dixit) experiences the first in a series of terrifying premonitions: a gun-toting man clad in a black leather trenchcoat; a girl drying her hair who will soon hit the floor after taking a bullet at point blank range. While further visions fail to reveal the killer's face, Devi discovers the victim will be her sister, Rama (Moon Moon Sen), and desperately tries to save her. 5 years later, with Rama missing, presumed dead, Devi marries businessman Ram Kumar (Jackie Shroff). While renovating their newly acquired bungalow, Devi discovers the skeleton of her sister after taking a pickaxe to an interior wall.If the plot sounds strangely familiar, then you may well be a disciple of the late Lucio Fulci, because this is a 160 minute remake of The Psychic. Overall, Partho Ghosh follows the source material fairly closely, with Devi's visions including a distinctive brand of cigarettes, a magazine photo (this time with a horse on the cover - a nod to the equestrian suspect in the original) and stolen works of art. We also have another limping man to contend with, and a broken mirror: as neither figure in Devi's premonitions, one assumes they serve as further acknowledgement of Fulci's tight-as-a-drum giallo. One valuable plot addition concerns a videotape which contains the identity of the killer, and whose hastily conceived title (100 Days) is a reference to the opening 13 weeks of Devi's marriage. Partho Ghosh unveils a few more surprises before the credits roll - particularly during the suspense-driven final act - though Bollywood newcomers may find the first hour to be heavy going in places, as romantic interludes force the nicely developing plot to frequently grind to a halt.'Go with the flow' has to be the message here, as there are several extremely funny scenes to savour, and some wonderful song and dance numbers which are a riot of gorgeous colours and infuriatingly catchy tunes. Kumar's presence at a wedding offers the film's most humerous moments, when he's accused of theft, thanks to his bungling assistant, while "Ladiki Ladiki" (the first of 5 songs) features pistol-packin' babes dancing down graffiti-infested corridors, while their male partners indulge in shaving foam wars, washed down by a spot of kung fu. While such moments are well worth the admission price, 100 Days does, on occasion, enter the realms of the absurd with a couple of staggeringly inept fight scenes, and a finale that features at least two-twists-too-many.While one can only speculate as to what Fulci would have made of this, those gorgeous Indian babes would surely have brought a twinkle to his eye and, one suspects, Lucio would at least applaud the concept of combining romance, thriller, horror and musical into one colourful package.A Region 0 DVD is currently available on the Eros International label (around $7 plus shipping, from www.indiaweekly.com). Although there is some print damage, the transfer is mostly stunning with cool aqua blues and warm undistorted reds making this a feast for the eyes; indeed, it's hard to imagine it looking much better. Although 100 Days was shot in Cinemascope 2.35:1, the 1.85:1 ratio used here is more than acceptable, and Raam Laxman's score - supremely spooky in places - is well served by a clear, up-front audio mix.As usual, the English subtitles suffer from translation, often providing hilarious reading ("By slipping, I've reached till here") and you'd better brush up on your speed-reading as dialogue has often moved on before you can blink.Not, then, an unqualified success but 100 Days is entertaining for the most part, and a decent introduction to Bollywood delights.
Wednesday, 31 October 2007
A HALLOWEEN HORROR
Happy Halloween to everyone out there. Time for a spot of movie viewing now, so I'll sign off with this review of a Mexican chiller. Have a good one!
SPIRITISM Benito Alazraki 1961
Nora Veryan, Louis Fernandez, Diana Ochoa, Rene Cardona jnr
A middle class dinner party takes a turn for the worse when Louis and Mary Howard (Veryan and Fernandez) take part in a seance. Their host, medium Elvira (Ochoa), warns the couple that April 8th will mark the beginning of a tragic period in their lives, and goes on to mention an encounter with inhuman creatures wielding extraordinary powers. The date in question happens to be their 20th wedding anniversary and at the end of an evening of celebration, their son, Rodolpho (Cardona jnr), asks for a loan of $4,000 to finance a new business venture. Sure enough, the first tragedy occurs soon after, eventually prompting the initially sceptical Mary to attempt to hold her family together by doing business with the ultimate
loan shark.By the time we reach the one hour mark, Spiritism may come across as an overly-talkative piece that only moves on to crowd-pleasing familiar territory during the final act, which is based on W.W. Jacob's "The Monkey's Paw". This viewpoint, while understandable in some respects, actually does the film a great disservice, as this is really a quality drama about a family falling apart at the seams. Amongst a cast of performers who often leave a lot to be desired, it's Norma Veyran who takes centre stage, wringing every ounce of emotion from her role of concerned wife and increasingly desperate mother.The second seance is probably the main source of ammunition for critics of this film: it's a lengthy scene where Mary - now a commited believer following a wonderfully eerie vision on hallowed ground - attempts to halt the spectre of doom that threatens her family. The troubled abode of Elvira again plays host to a communication with the dead, beginning with some expanded theories regarding the dear departed, and moving to a shattering climax with an unquiet spirit who does not realise she's dead. Perhaps this scene is a little dialogue-heavy, but subsequent viewings may well reveal the script to be less ponderous than first impressions suggest. The only other gripe concerns some terminally dodgy less-than special effects, which suggest a two-way split between paucity of budget and lack of imagination; chief offenders being scare-free apparitions and a botched stand-off between Christ and Satan, though one has to at least applaud the audacious concept of the latter.Overall, Spiritism is a successful portrait of a family afflicted by the spectre of bad luck, and it's ill-advised attempts to use unconventional means as a way of stopping the rot. Jealousy, lifelong friendships put under intolerable strain, the pain of losing loved ones and the very real fear of growing old and dying poor will doubtless strike a chord with many viewers, while the last 20 minutes deliver the goods for anyone with a spine demanding to be chilled.The English dubbed version of Spiritism (directed in 1965 by Manuel San Fernando) was another K. Gordon Murray pick-up, and part of Beverley Wilshire's Mexican horror collection on DVD. Although B.W. were forced to cease trading, their back catalogue of Mexican magic can easily be acquired via ebay, and Spiritism is close to being the cream of the crop. As usual, B.W's disc reveals instances of scratches, splices and poor contrasts but the image is tolerable, and should not detract too much from your enjoyment.
SPIRITISM Benito Alazraki 1961
Nora Veryan, Louis Fernandez, Diana Ochoa, Rene Cardona jnr
A middle class dinner party takes a turn for the worse when Louis and Mary Howard (Veryan and Fernandez) take part in a seance. Their host, medium Elvira (Ochoa), warns the couple that April 8th will mark the beginning of a tragic period in their lives, and goes on to mention an encounter with inhuman creatures wielding extraordinary powers. The date in question happens to be their 20th wedding anniversary and at the end of an evening of celebration, their son, Rodolpho (Cardona jnr), asks for a loan of $4,000 to finance a new business venture. Sure enough, the first tragedy occurs soon after, eventually prompting the initially sceptical Mary to attempt to hold her family together by doing business with the ultimate
loan shark.By the time we reach the one hour mark, Spiritism may come across as an overly-talkative piece that only moves on to crowd-pleasing familiar territory during the final act, which is based on W.W. Jacob's "The Monkey's Paw". This viewpoint, while understandable in some respects, actually does the film a great disservice, as this is really a quality drama about a family falling apart at the seams. Amongst a cast of performers who often leave a lot to be desired, it's Norma Veyran who takes centre stage, wringing every ounce of emotion from her role of concerned wife and increasingly desperate mother.The second seance is probably the main source of ammunition for critics of this film: it's a lengthy scene where Mary - now a commited believer following a wonderfully eerie vision on hallowed ground - attempts to halt the spectre of doom that threatens her family. The troubled abode of Elvira again plays host to a communication with the dead, beginning with some expanded theories regarding the dear departed, and moving to a shattering climax with an unquiet spirit who does not realise she's dead. Perhaps this scene is a little dialogue-heavy, but subsequent viewings may well reveal the script to be less ponderous than first impressions suggest. The only other gripe concerns some terminally dodgy less-than special effects, which suggest a two-way split between paucity of budget and lack of imagination; chief offenders being scare-free apparitions and a botched stand-off between Christ and Satan, though one has to at least applaud the audacious concept of the latter.Overall, Spiritism is a successful portrait of a family afflicted by the spectre of bad luck, and it's ill-advised attempts to use unconventional means as a way of stopping the rot. Jealousy, lifelong friendships put under intolerable strain, the pain of losing loved ones and the very real fear of growing old and dying poor will doubtless strike a chord with many viewers, while the last 20 minutes deliver the goods for anyone with a spine demanding to be chilled.The English dubbed version of Spiritism (directed in 1965 by Manuel San Fernando) was another K. Gordon Murray pick-up, and part of Beverley Wilshire's Mexican horror collection on DVD. Although B.W. were forced to cease trading, their back catalogue of Mexican magic can easily be acquired via ebay, and Spiritism is close to being the cream of the crop. As usual, B.W's disc reveals instances of scratches, splices and poor contrasts but the image is tolerable, and should not detract too much from your enjoyment.
Tuesday, 30 October 2007
IT'S ARRIVED!
The Mario Bava Collection Volume 2 arrived today, all the way from the US.
Thanks to DVD Pacific for getting to it to me so quickly. I've had a busy day off work today and it's late now so I think I'll start checking out the contents tomorrow. Of course, it's October 31st tomorrow and my wife
and I plan to watch John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN after I get done with work tomorrow evening. This may seem a predictable choice of film, but it was a particular favourite of my wife and I before we met and we've never watched this film together. After we've dealt with Myers and co, I think some Bava would be a good choice and BARON BLOOD will perfectly suit such an occasion. Whatever you're doing or viewing, enjoy your evening.
THINGS THAT GO BUMP #2
THE HAUNTING
Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson, Russ Tamblyn, Lois Maxwell, Fay Compton, Rosalie Crutchley, Valentine Dyall
Borley Rectory, Epworth Parsonage, Glamis Castle……. names that will be familiar to students of British haunted houses. Film buffs could also volunteer Ettingham Park as an addition to a lengthy list. This imposing structure – now a hotel – features in Robert Wise’s take on Shirley Jackson’s famous novel, The Haunting Of Hill House.Richard Johnson fills the role of Dr. Markway; a psychic investigator who views Hill House as “The key to another world”, and assembles a team of assistants who may stimulate the house. Eleanor Lance (Julie Harris),
Theo (Claire Bloom) and Luke (Russ Tamblyn) accomplish that little task in spades although their collective experience is hardly steeped in the supernatural: Theo has powers of ESP, Eleanor may have experienced (or caused) poltergeist phenomena as a young girl and Luke is a ‘doubting Thomas’ who only accepts the spirits found in bars and clubs.The history of their temporary (?) new home is a ghost-hunters delight: a 90 year-old New England abode, built by a man named Hugh Craine and host to scandal, murder and insanity. Before long, the history of this undesirable residence appears to cast its shadow over the land of the living: thunderous bangings, unearthly cries and whispers, footsteps in empty corridors, doors that bend inwards and a desperate message scrawled in chalk on the wall (“Help Eleanor come home”). There’s enough material here for a score of psychic conferences…… or is there?Eleanor’s precarious state of mind (fuelled by guilt over her mother’s recent death) and Theo’s jealousy regarding the attraction between Markway and her own intended provide a cocktail of emotions which trigger telekinesis and group hallucinations. Imaginations run riot here, generating enough electricity to power a small town, never mind a creaky old house where the deaths of previous occupants lie heavy in the air, and on the mind.The cast all run with Nelson Giddings’ screenplay, confirming that Robert Wise chose well: Bloom is terrific as “one of nature’s mistakes”, shamelessly pursuing Eleanor while injecting just the right levels of icy calm and near-hysteria while Lance slides further and further towards self-destruction. Johnson and Tamblyn – initially poles apart in attitudes and beliefs – gain in stature with each viewing; Tamblyn may seem to be overshadowed by the stately Johnson but he does get one of the best lines in the film (and earns it) and there’s a marvellous moment when he quite literally ‘bottles it’ towards the end of the film. Watch out too for Lois Maxwell as Markway’s wife, who could be excused for wondering just what James Bond would have made of it all.Maybe he would simply have run out screaming, because the house had enough tricks up its sleeve to scare even the hardiest of souls. Was it really haunted?Probably not, though I feel things had certainly changed by the end when Eleanor Lance deliberately drove her car into a tree, and passed from this life to the next. I can just picture her walking the corridors of Hill House, only to find it completely devoid of spirits.Alone again, naturally.Warner Brothers’ Region 2 DVD offers a 2.40:1 widescreen rendering, and is currently the best way to experience this film outside of any isolated theatrical screenings. Picture quality, in lieu of a complete restoration, is fairly sharp and the widescreen format really does open things up, giving us a far greater appreciation of the set design and cinemaphotography. Ardent fans will be delighted by the inclusion of an audio commentary track, featuring Wise, Giddings, Johnson, Tamblyn and, briefly, Bloom and Harris. Recorded separately, these six key figures provide plenty of anecdotes and observations: Harris revealing he worked on The Haunting by day and appeared in The Devils stageplay in the evenings, and generally meditating on his approach to acting (and how he turned his back on the chance to play James Bond before Connery got the role, while Tamblyn explains why he initially turned down the role of Luke and relates a ghostly experience that occurred one evening on the set.Giddings and Wise also make for good company, agreeing their film has not dated, clearly proud that audiences are still keeping Hill House alive.Perfect viewing for a cold winter’s evening. Just make sure your doors stay sensibly shut.
Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson, Russ Tamblyn, Lois Maxwell, Fay Compton, Rosalie Crutchley, Valentine Dyall
Borley Rectory, Epworth Parsonage, Glamis Castle……. names that will be familiar to students of British haunted houses. Film buffs could also volunteer Ettingham Park as an addition to a lengthy list. This imposing structure – now a hotel – features in Robert Wise’s take on Shirley Jackson’s famous novel, The Haunting Of Hill House.Richard Johnson fills the role of Dr. Markway; a psychic investigator who views Hill House as “The key to another world”, and assembles a team of assistants who may stimulate the house. Eleanor Lance (Julie Harris),
Theo (Claire Bloom) and Luke (Russ Tamblyn) accomplish that little task in spades although their collective experience is hardly steeped in the supernatural: Theo has powers of ESP, Eleanor may have experienced (or caused) poltergeist phenomena as a young girl and Luke is a ‘doubting Thomas’ who only accepts the spirits found in bars and clubs.The history of their temporary (?) new home is a ghost-hunters delight: a 90 year-old New England abode, built by a man named Hugh Craine and host to scandal, murder and insanity. Before long, the history of this undesirable residence appears to cast its shadow over the land of the living: thunderous bangings, unearthly cries and whispers, footsteps in empty corridors, doors that bend inwards and a desperate message scrawled in chalk on the wall (“Help Eleanor come home”). There’s enough material here for a score of psychic conferences…… or is there?Eleanor’s precarious state of mind (fuelled by guilt over her mother’s recent death) and Theo’s jealousy regarding the attraction between Markway and her own intended provide a cocktail of emotions which trigger telekinesis and group hallucinations. Imaginations run riot here, generating enough electricity to power a small town, never mind a creaky old house where the deaths of previous occupants lie heavy in the air, and on the mind.The cast all run with Nelson Giddings’ screenplay, confirming that Robert Wise chose well: Bloom is terrific as “one of nature’s mistakes”, shamelessly pursuing Eleanor while injecting just the right levels of icy calm and near-hysteria while Lance slides further and further towards self-destruction. Johnson and Tamblyn – initially poles apart in attitudes and beliefs – gain in stature with each viewing; Tamblyn may seem to be overshadowed by the stately Johnson but he does get one of the best lines in the film (and earns it) and there’s a marvellous moment when he quite literally ‘bottles it’ towards the end of the film. Watch out too for Lois Maxwell as Markway’s wife, who could be excused for wondering just what James Bond would have made of it all.Maybe he would simply have run out screaming, because the house had enough tricks up its sleeve to scare even the hardiest of souls. Was it really haunted?Probably not, though I feel things had certainly changed by the end when Eleanor Lance deliberately drove her car into a tree, and passed from this life to the next. I can just picture her walking the corridors of Hill House, only to find it completely devoid of spirits.Alone again, naturally.Warner Brothers’ Region 2 DVD offers a 2.40:1 widescreen rendering, and is currently the best way to experience this film outside of any isolated theatrical screenings. Picture quality, in lieu of a complete restoration, is fairly sharp and the widescreen format really does open things up, giving us a far greater appreciation of the set design and cinemaphotography. Ardent fans will be delighted by the inclusion of an audio commentary track, featuring Wise, Giddings, Johnson, Tamblyn and, briefly, Bloom and Harris. Recorded separately, these six key figures provide plenty of anecdotes and observations: Harris revealing he worked on The Haunting by day and appeared in The Devils stageplay in the evenings, and generally meditating on his approach to acting (and how he turned his back on the chance to play James Bond before Connery got the role, while Tamblyn explains why he initially turned down the role of Luke and relates a ghostly experience that occurred one evening on the set.Giddings and Wise also make for good company, agreeing their film has not dated, clearly proud that audiences are still keeping Hill House alive.Perfect viewing for a cold winter’s evening. Just make sure your doors stay sensibly shut.
ENGLAND'S MOST HAUNTED
It's time to lock your doors, draw the curtains and settle back. The clocks have gone back here, and it's dark by 5.00pm. Tomorrow, it's the 31st of October where dark forces hold sway. Some folks will dust off those ouija boards and attempt to communicate with those who have long passed on. Some will attempt to spend the night in haunted houses, while others will indulge in The Black Arts. If your Halloween kicks are inspired by less radical activities, a night in front of the TV watching your own all-night movie choices seems a whole lot safer. Whatever you decide to do, spare a moment to consider your own locale and and any buildings that may come to life on this particular night of the year. I'm sure most of you live near to places that supposedly play host to supernatural phenomena. Here are a few of the myths and legends that surround the area where I live, and boy do we have a lot going on!
HALLOWEEN HORRORS
(The haunted Gaol in Derby)
(The churchyard where the ghost of a young girl is seen)
Halloween. Samhain. A time of the year when the worlds of the living and the dead are closest. Many years ago, bonfires were lit the length and breadth of England in the belief they would help guide spirits to their final resting place. Candles were put in windows with the same intention, and pumpkins could be found on many a windowsill, with the aim of warding off evil spirits. It's a good time to remind ourselves that England is full of supernatural lore, and the city of Derby, just 14 mile
s from my hometown, is officially the ghost capital of England.
s from my hometown, is officially the ghost capital of England.With a population of approximately 235,000, Derby has just unveiled a £340 million shopping centre, with dynamic new stores and a 12 screen 3,000 seater cinema due to open Spring 2008. With well over 1,000 paranormal incidents recorded, it's the older part of Derby we need to focus on, with historical occurrences from as early as 1556 casting the darkest of shadows over modern day beliefs. Witches burnt at the stake, men hanged and then beheaded for crimes ranging from burglary to murder, legends of a vampire stalking the city by night, a ghostly choir who disappear into thin air, the spirit of a policeman murdered in 1879, ghostly figures in World War II regalia, a man in black who wishes people a merry xmas before fading from view... just a few of the reported sightings down the years.
The increasingly popular Derby Ghost Walk takes in many locations, from haunted pubs to the site of the old Derby Gaol which lies under the city streets. Prisoners who were executed are said to haunt the catacombs under the city, with the condemned cell being the centre of psychic activity. For a price, people are invited to spend the night in this cursed place, and as an extremely interested party, it's only the cost involved that scares me off taking part. One of my favourite cinemas - the old Metro Cinema - is reputed to be haunted, as is the old Bell Hotel where I enjoyed many a pint before stepping out to the Kings Hall to see the likes of The Clash play. Here, room 29 is said to be haunted by the ghost of a serving girl who died there many years earlier. The dead come back to life all over Derby if all those stories are to be believed, but a few miles outside the city, things are just as scary. On the borders of Derbyshire and Staffordshire, legend tells of a family who were executed for murdering and then eating poor unfortunates who had got lost on the moors, and there are multiple tales of ghostly sightings in church's, hotels and schools in the Derbyshire area. My hometown - population 10,000 - also boasts spooks in abundance. There was a local family of aristocrats who once had acres of land which is now covered by houses. The daughter of this family had a lover who quickly became disliked by her parents. When she was ordered never to see him again, she chained herself to the railings at the local pond and drowned. On winter evenings, a lady in white can sometimes be seen walking across the cold waters, and I know 
two level headed people who claim to have seen her ghost. There's also a story concerning a young girl who was buried alive in our local churchyard. Her unquiet spirit has often been seen amongst the tombstones, perhaps looking for her unborn child. There's no escape at local inns, either. One former coach house has guests reporting the sound of a horse-drawn carriage in the street outside, and ghost armies of Roman centurions have also been seen nearby, marching some 4 feet above ground level. One story which sticks in my mind concerns a stately home some two miles way. Here, a murder occurred many years ago, and the bloodstains in the bathroom are regularly scrubbed away, but always return. Another place on my to-visit list is an old airfield, 20 miles away. Local residents tell of lights on the airfield, accompanied by sounds of aircraft taking off and voices singing old war songs. Perhaps a psychic echo of aircrew about to embark on a mission from which some of them would not return? My wife and I recently took a walk down an old railway tunnel. The network shut down around 40 years ago, and there are tales of spectral figures who can be seen in the tunnel. Speakers positioned at various points replay the sounds of trains rolling along the tracks, which only adds to the atmosphere of unease. I used to go there in my childhood years, and a friend of mine swore he saw the figure of a man holding a lamp near the end of the tunnel. I wish I could say that I've seen something, anything, to substantiate these tales but I never did. However, for me, the most chilling location is a wood some half a mile from where we live. During my childhood, my friends and I heard tell that a witch lived in a cottage deep in the wood. The trees were so dense in this particular area that near-dusk conditions prevailed, even on the brightest summer's day. Sure enough, there were remains of what appeared to be a dwelling place for someone, something. Although we returned many times - usually for a dare - we never saw anything, but on a couple of occasions we did hear strange gutteral laughs that saw us take flight as fast as we could go.
two level headed people who claim to have seen her ghost. There's also a story concerning a young girl who was buried alive in our local churchyard. Her unquiet spirit has often been seen amongst the tombstones, perhaps looking for her unborn child. There's no escape at local inns, either. One former coach house has guests reporting the sound of a horse-drawn carriage in the street outside, and ghost armies of Roman centurions have also been seen nearby, marching some 4 feet above ground level. One story which sticks in my mind concerns a stately home some two miles way. Here, a murder occurred many years ago, and the bloodstains in the bathroom are regularly scrubbed away, but always return. Another place on my to-visit list is an old airfield, 20 miles away. Local residents tell of lights on the airfield, accompanied by sounds of aircraft taking off and voices singing old war songs. Perhaps a psychic echo of aircrew about to embark on a mission from which some of them would not return? My wife and I recently took a walk down an old railway tunnel. The network shut down around 40 years ago, and there are tales of spectral figures who can be seen in the tunnel. Speakers positioned at various points replay the sounds of trains rolling along the tracks, which only adds to the atmosphere of unease. I used to go there in my childhood years, and a friend of mine swore he saw the figure of a man holding a lamp near the end of the tunnel. I wish I could say that I've seen something, anything, to substantiate these tales but I never did. However, for me, the most chilling location is a wood some half a mile from where we live. During my childhood, my friends and I heard tell that a witch lived in a cottage deep in the wood. The trees were so dense in this particular area that near-dusk conditions prevailed, even on the brightest summer's day. Sure enough, there were remains of what appeared to be a dwelling place for someone, something. Although we returned many times - usually for a dare - we never saw anything, but on a couple of occasions we did hear strange gutteral laughs that saw us take flight as fast as we could go.
If you're interested in the supernatural, then the county of Derbyshire has more to offer than anywhere else in England but, wherever you are, I wish you a Happy Halloween.
Saturday, 27 October 2007
LET'S 'AVE IT!
Sport can often inspire extreme emotions amongst its followers, whether it's football, rugby, baseball or any other team game. My wife has often told me about the fan rivalry that exists between supporters of American football and baseball but she was certainly shocked by the terrifying off-the pitch violence that surrounds English football. I started going to games in the late 60s as a child and by the time the 70s were in full swing, following your local team could be a dangerous occupation. Whether you were attending a home game or travelling to see your team, there were almost always several fights between rival fans, sometimes numbering up to one thousand people on each side with harrassed police officers trying to keep both sets apart, often using police dogs and horses. Making your own way to and from games could be particularly dodgy, but travelling as part of a large group could also attract unwanted attention which meant it was more and more difficult not to get drawn in. Thankfully, things have calmed down over the years, thanks to surveillance cameras, longer judicial sentences and banning orders on suspected gang ringleaders and members which require them to 'sign in' at their local police station on the day of the game and forbids them from entering a certain area between designated times. When the conflict was at its height, rival fans would use bricks, bottles, fists and boots to sort out their differences which were often carried down from father to son. Now, the rival gangs, smaller in numbers, use the Internet and mobile phones to arrange meetings, often miles away from stadiums, and although violent encounters have diminished in number, the ferocity is even worse with knives, baseball bats and machettes being used on occasion. Practically every football team in the country has a 'firm'; a term which describes a collection of violent followers who seek to establish a reputation for being the most feared in the country. Although many older members have 'retired', a new breed is coming through and giving cause for concern to the authorities. Films such as THE FIRM, ID and GREEN STREET have all got to grips with the subject of football violence but, for me, Nick Love's THE FOOTBALL FACTORY is the most successful at telling it like it really was.
THE FOOTBALL FACTORY
Danny Dyer, Billy Bright, Frank Harper, Neil Maskell, Roland Manookian, Jamie Foreman, Tarmar Hassan, Dudley Sutton, Anthony Denham, John Junkin
Boro's Frontline, Pompey's 657 crew, West Ham's Inter City Firm; just a few of the infamous gangs who established reputations as some of the most feared and active mobs in English football. Chelsea’s Headhunters and Millwall’s Bushwackers both played their part in the war on and off the terraces, and Nick Love’s film follows the build-up to an FA Cup tie between these fierce rivals.Based on John King’s excellent book, The Football Factory centres on a group of Chelsea fans, examining the comradeship and bitter feuds that exist between the ‘top boys’ and their troops. Here, the theory that football violence only attracts the disenfranchised is finally laid to rest, courtesy of solid characterisation. We have Tommy Johnson (Danny Dyer) – an average joe whose common decency is marred by his willingness to damage fellow human beings when match days come around.His best friend is Rod (Neil Maskell); another member of the firm, whose loyalty to the cause is threatened when love comes to town. No such conflict of interest for Bill Bright (Frank Harper) – a successful businessman who would pick a fight with himself in the absence of any willing/unwilling persons who find themselves within a 50 metre radius. Bright – a thoroughly nasty piece of work – resents the fact that Harris (Anthony Denham) is the leader of the firm, and sets out to terrorise Zeberdee (Roland Monookian); a younger member who seeks to rise up through the ranks and strengthen his bond with Harris. The older generation is also represented, with Dudley Sutton excelling in the role of Farrell – Tommy’s grandfather – a war veteran who is bound for Australia with his lifelong pal, each hoping to enjoy the time they have left.The Football Factory successfully explores the generation gap, taking in hopes, aspirations and the differing and changing attitudes of men who have literally gone to war, albeit for causes that lie poles apart. As an accurate depiction of football violence, Love’s film also scores highly. The opening assault on a pub full of Spurs fans; the violent revenge attack on a couple of Stoke supporters, en route to an appointment with the red half of Liverpool, and the shattering confrontation between Milwall and Chelsea, deep in ‘bandit country’. It’s all in there, together with ‘spotters’, ‘lookouts’, business transactions between rival thugs (a throwback to thos
e clubbing nights when everyone mixed freely), and watch out for those famous Scouse blades! Granted, The Football Factory does tip its hat to Trainspotting in several areas, and Tommy’s fearful premonitions crop up a few times too many, but this should not detract too much from its overall effectiveness. Raw, violent, compassionate and often extremely funny, The Football Factory will appeal to all those who played (and still play) the game, whether they be old-timers who participated in those often brief 500 per side brawls in days gone by, or the current firms who use technology to organise smaller, more violent ‘offs’. In 2007, the problem still exists and, as this sort of thing has been present in our game for over 40 years, it's unlikely it will disappear anytime soon.
THE FOOTBALL FACTORY
Danny Dyer, Billy Bright, Frank Harper, Neil Maskell, Roland Manookian, Jamie Foreman, Tarmar Hassan, Dudley Sutton, Anthony Denham, John Junkin
Boro's Frontline, Pompey's 657 crew, West Ham's Inter City Firm; just a few of the infamous gangs who established reputations as some of the most feared and active mobs in English football. Chelsea’s Headhunters and Millwall’s Bushwackers both played their part in the war on and off the terraces, and Nick Love’s film follows the build-up to an FA Cup tie between these fierce rivals.Based on John King’s excellent book, The Football Factory centres on a group of Chelsea fans, examining the comradeship and bitter feuds that exist between the ‘top boys’ and their troops. Here, the theory that football violence only attracts the disenfranchised is finally laid to rest, courtesy of solid characterisation. We have Tommy Johnson (Danny Dyer) – an average joe whose common decency is marred by his willingness to damage fellow human beings when match days come around.His best friend is Rod (Neil Maskell); another member of the firm, whose loyalty to the cause is threatened when love comes to town. No such conflict of interest for Bill Bright (Frank Harper) – a successful businessman who would pick a fight with himself in the absence of any willing/unwilling persons who find themselves within a 50 metre radius. Bright – a thoroughly nasty piece of work – resents the fact that Harris (Anthony Denham) is the leader of the firm, and sets out to terrorise Zeberdee (Roland Monookian); a younger member who seeks to rise up through the ranks and strengthen his bond with Harris. The older generation is also represented, with Dudley Sutton excelling in the role of Farrell – Tommy’s grandfather – a war veteran who is bound for Australia with his lifelong pal, each hoping to enjoy the time they have left.The Football Factory successfully explores the generation gap, taking in hopes, aspirations and the differing and changing attitudes of men who have literally gone to war, albeit for causes that lie poles apart. As an accurate depiction of football violence, Love’s film also scores highly. The opening assault on a pub full of Spurs fans; the violent revenge attack on a couple of Stoke supporters, en route to an appointment with the red half of Liverpool, and the shattering confrontation between Milwall and Chelsea, deep in ‘bandit country’. It’s all in there, together with ‘spotters’, ‘lookouts’, business transactions between rival thugs (a throwback to thos
e clubbing nights when everyone mixed freely), and watch out for those famous Scouse blades! Granted, The Football Factory does tip its hat to Trainspotting in several areas, and Tommy’s fearful premonitions crop up a few times too many, but this should not detract too much from its overall effectiveness. Raw, violent, compassionate and often extremely funny, The Football Factory will appeal to all those who played (and still play) the game, whether they be old-timers who participated in those often brief 500 per side brawls in days gone by, or the current firms who use technology to organise smaller, more violent ‘offs’. In 2007, the problem still exists and, as this sort of thing has been present in our game for over 40 years, it's unlikely it will disappear anytime soon.
THINGS THAT GO BUMP....
As I have a rare weekend off work, I thought I'd take time out to immerse myself in James Foley's wonderful GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS and it's a real treat to be checking out the 2 disc Region 2 DVD.
However, the countdown to Halloween is well underway so it's perhaps time to take a look at a few movies that seem made for that particular night. Unfortunately, this celebration of the darkside is somewhat muted in the UK compared to the US and that's a crying shame. Nowadays, TV and radio seem to have diluted their coverage and programmes that would appeal to horror fans are few and far between. I'll be posting a few reviews of superior spookers throughout the week and thought I'd begin with a film that became a regular on UK TV in the 70s.
THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE
Roddy McDowall, Pamela Franklin, Clive Revill,
Gayle Hunnicutt, Peter Bowles, Ronald Culver, Michael Gough
Review:
"May you find the answer that you seek. It is here, I promise" Emeric Belasco.Welcome to Hell House. The "Mount Everest of haunted houses" according to Dr. Barrett (Revill), who accepts a challenge from businessman Rudolph Deutsch (Culver) to produce evidence of survival after death. Accompanied by his wife Ann (Hunnicutt), and mediums Florence Tanner (Franklin) and Ben Fischer (McDowall), Barrett's party enter the house on 20th December, intending to remain there for 5 days and collect £100,000 for a positive result.I suppose it's entirely reasonable to compare The Legend Of Hell House to what could be termed the 'Mount Everest' of haunted house movies: I refer, of course, to Robert Wise's The Haunting. Both films pitch their audience into a house allegedly alive with psychic phenomena, where a team of investigators will attempt to deliver irrefutable proof that the spirits of the dead are often unwilling to depart from the land of the living. For me, the most fascinating similarity between the two films is that neither Hell House nor
Hill House provide the aforementioned evidence. In short, the various events that take place may well have been unwittingly (The Haunting) or intentionally (Hell House) caused by the living, rather than the dead.We'll take a look at The Haunting some time soon, but let's concentrate on the house owned by Emeric Belasco which, years earlier, played host to vampirism, sadism, necrophilia, drug addicition, orgies and other unsavoury activities. In 1927, just 8 years after the house was built, Belasco disappeared without trace and Hell House was boarded up for over 20 years, with its master missing presumed dead. During two attempts to discover whether Belasco really was responsible for the reported ghostly manifestations, eight people died: on both occasions, Ben Fischer was the only person to emerge in one piece. As the film progresses, Dr. Barrett's expedition appears to encounter a barrage of supernatural phenomena, including a ferocious assault where the good Doctor has practically everything bar the kitchen sink thrown at him, and a spine tingling seance that really sets the nerves on edge when Florence begins to speak with a gruff male voice apparently belonging to Belasco's son, Victor. Later in the film, Florence is attacked by a supposedly possessed cat and allows Victor's spirit to have sex with her, while Dr. Barrett's wife - also seemingly possessed - invites Ben to get down and extremely dirty with her.As with The Haunting, there are some very strong human emotions gathered together here: fear, sexual repression, rage, jealousy.....enough to move mountains, never mind a few tables and sundry household appliances. The sexual angle is particularly interesting. Ann Barrett, who clearly suggests her husband is no longer interested in what lies beneath ("He's sleeping"); Florence, who likely experiences a wet fevered dream in lieu of her first (?) sexual encounter, with scratch marks from Victor's alleged violation probably caused by the feline from hell, and what about Ben? The only person to walk out in one piece from two previous investigations! In both cases, practically every male participant had their legs crushed in some form of 'accident', and either died or suffered permanent paralysis. Did Ben harbour some dark secret that turned his mind against both sexes? Was this self-confessed 'physical' medium compelled to use 
psychokinisis to kick up a real storm directed at his temporary companions, and were his powers sufficient to cause Florence to hallucinate,and to bring Ann's sexual urges to the surface? To put it bluntly, if Fischer couldn't get laid he'd make darn sure no-one else would. Dr. Barrett clearly believed his own brand of science - including a machine designed to 'drain' the house - succeeded in clearing almost every room, but maybe Hell House had always been devoid of energy.....until Fischer walked through the door. First-time viewers will have to see for themselves whether he makes it back to the outside world for the third time, or perishes during a showdown in the chapel - the nerve centre of Hell House, or so Fischer would have us believeWhether or not the Belasco place really was haunted is very much open to interpretation, but even the sternest disbeliever will surely agree that John Hough's direction realises many flesh-crawling moments, with every shadow, each creaking door bringing an icy chill that seems to reach out beyond the screen. Even the presence of one wholly inappropriate line, uttered during an ectoplasm display at the seance, ("Leave a specimen in the jar, please") fails to dispel the tension for more than a few seconds.20th Century Fox's Region 2 DVD delivers the best looking small screen version of this film, with a nice 1.85:1 transfer revealing that Hough and his team used every inch of the screen to explore the nooks and crannies of Hell House, turning damn near every room into a snapshot from some gothic hell. While this film retains its 70s look - due, no doubt, to the filmstock - colour reproduction is good and shadow detail is well rendered, making the £5.99 price tag for this disc seem like daylight robbery; in our favour for once.On a performance level, it's pretty much 'as you were' with McDowall and Franklin both excellent, Hunnicutt remaining an attractive piece of window dressing and Revill still struggling after all these years to draw any feelings of dislike or concern from either side of the camera. While The Legend Of Hell House was never quite good enough to enter the upper echelon of classic spookers, it does remain a fascinating film; possibly for what it may be, rather than what is has long been perceived as
However, the countdown to Halloween is well underway so it's perhaps time to take a look at a few movies that seem made for that particular night. Unfortunately, this celebration of the darkside is somewhat muted in the UK compared to the US and that's a crying shame. Nowadays, TV and radio seem to have diluted their coverage and programmes that would appeal to horror fans are few and far between. I'll be posting a few reviews of superior spookers throughout the week and thought I'd begin with a film that became a regular on UK TV in the 70s.
THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE
Roddy McDowall, Pamela Franklin, Clive Revill,
Gayle Hunnicutt, Peter Bowles, Ronald Culver, Michael Gough
Review:
"May you find the answer that you seek. It is here, I promise" Emeric Belasco.Welcome to Hell House. The "Mount Everest of haunted houses" according to Dr. Barrett (Revill), who accepts a challenge from businessman Rudolph Deutsch (Culver) to produce evidence of survival after death. Accompanied by his wife Ann (Hunnicutt), and mediums Florence Tanner (Franklin) and Ben Fischer (McDowall), Barrett's party enter the house on 20th December, intending to remain there for 5 days and collect £100,000 for a positive result.I suppose it's entirely reasonable to compare The Legend Of Hell House to what could be termed the 'Mount Everest' of haunted house movies: I refer, of course, to Robert Wise's The Haunting. Both films pitch their audience into a house allegedly alive with psychic phenomena, where a team of investigators will attempt to deliver irrefutable proof that the spirits of the dead are often unwilling to depart from the land of the living. For me, the most fascinating similarity between the two films is that neither Hell House nor
Hill House provide the aforementioned evidence. In short, the various events that take place may well have been unwittingly (The Haunting) or intentionally (Hell House) caused by the living, rather than the dead.We'll take a look at The Haunting some time soon, but let's concentrate on the house owned by Emeric Belasco which, years earlier, played host to vampirism, sadism, necrophilia, drug addicition, orgies and other unsavoury activities. In 1927, just 8 years after the house was built, Belasco disappeared without trace and Hell House was boarded up for over 20 years, with its master missing presumed dead. During two attempts to discover whether Belasco really was responsible for the reported ghostly manifestations, eight people died: on both occasions, Ben Fischer was the only person to emerge in one piece. As the film progresses, Dr. Barrett's expedition appears to encounter a barrage of supernatural phenomena, including a ferocious assault where the good Doctor has practically everything bar the kitchen sink thrown at him, and a spine tingling seance that really sets the nerves on edge when Florence begins to speak with a gruff male voice apparently belonging to Belasco's son, Victor. Later in the film, Florence is attacked by a supposedly possessed cat and allows Victor's spirit to have sex with her, while Dr. Barrett's wife - also seemingly possessed - invites Ben to get down and extremely dirty with her.As with The Haunting, there are some very strong human emotions gathered together here: fear, sexual repression, rage, jealousy.....enough to move mountains, never mind a few tables and sundry household appliances. The sexual angle is particularly interesting. Ann Barrett, who clearly suggests her husband is no longer interested in what lies beneath ("He's sleeping"); Florence, who likely experiences a wet fevered dream in lieu of her first (?) sexual encounter, with scratch marks from Victor's alleged violation probably caused by the feline from hell, and what about Ben? The only person to walk out in one piece from two previous investigations! In both cases, practically every male participant had their legs crushed in some form of 'accident', and either died or suffered permanent paralysis. Did Ben harbour some dark secret that turned his mind against both sexes? Was this self-confessed 'physical' medium compelled to use 
psychokinisis to kick up a real storm directed at his temporary companions, and were his powers sufficient to cause Florence to hallucinate,and to bring Ann's sexual urges to the surface? To put it bluntly, if Fischer couldn't get laid he'd make darn sure no-one else would. Dr. Barrett clearly believed his own brand of science - including a machine designed to 'drain' the house - succeeded in clearing almost every room, but maybe Hell House had always been devoid of energy.....until Fischer walked through the door. First-time viewers will have to see for themselves whether he makes it back to the outside world for the third time, or perishes during a showdown in the chapel - the nerve centre of Hell House, or so Fischer would have us believeWhether or not the Belasco place really was haunted is very much open to interpretation, but even the sternest disbeliever will surely agree that John Hough's direction realises many flesh-crawling moments, with every shadow, each creaking door bringing an icy chill that seems to reach out beyond the screen. Even the presence of one wholly inappropriate line, uttered during an ectoplasm display at the seance, ("Leave a specimen in the jar, please") fails to dispel the tension for more than a few seconds.20th Century Fox's Region 2 DVD delivers the best looking small screen version of this film, with a nice 1.85:1 transfer revealing that Hough and his team used every inch of the screen to explore the nooks and crannies of Hell House, turning damn near every room into a snapshot from some gothic hell. While this film retains its 70s look - due, no doubt, to the filmstock - colour reproduction is good and shadow detail is well rendered, making the £5.99 price tag for this disc seem like daylight robbery; in our favour for once.On a performance level, it's pretty much 'as you were' with McDowall and Franklin both excellent, Hunnicutt remaining an attractive piece of window dressing and Revill still struggling after all these years to draw any feelings of dislike or concern from either side of the camera. While The Legend Of Hell House was never quite good enough to enter the upper echelon of classic spookers, it does remain a fascinating film; possibly for what it may be, rather than what is has long been perceived as
Monday, 22 October 2007
RANDOM REVIEWS #2
Over at Cinebeats, Kimberly has just posted a great piece on Roger Vadim's BLOOD AND ROSES. Inspired by this, I thought I'd post a review of the DVD of one of my favourite vampire movies.
DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS
For many years, Harry Kumel's DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS played catch-me-if-you-can with a small, expectant audience who longed to witness the full, uncut version. Shorn of approximately 12 minutes of footage, this slow-burning tale of a vampire finally became available in all its original glory via a series of releases on VHS, Laserdisc and DVD. Blue Underground released a splendid special edition DVD which makes all previous versions redundant, though one aspect of this package proves a tad disappointing.Kumel's journey into darkness begins abroad The Orient Express where newly weds Stefan (Karlen) and Valerie (Ouimet) encounter their first obstacle in married life; an argument over advising Stefan's 'mother' of their tryst: later on, his telephone call provides an unsavoury revelation regarding the other person in his life.When the couple arrive at a deserted Ostend hotel, any hope of anonymity is shattered by Countess Elizabet Bathory (Seyrig) and
her secretary, Ilona (Rau). Both the hotel concierge (Esser) and a police inspector- investigating a series of murders in nearby Bruges - remember the Countess from a previous visit some 40 years ago. Both men observe that she hasn't aged a day.There's more than a touch of Seyrig's beloved Marienbad at play here, though the beauty of a wintry Ostend (the film was shot during a chilly June/July) is close to the terrain captured in Nic Roeg's Don't Look Now. As Kumel's inspired direction weaves its spell, the two couples' become virtually a mirror image: Valerie and Ilona both desperately unhappy with their respective partners behaviour, while Stefan and the Countess join hands to relive past atrocities. While it's hard to pick out any one performance from a quartet of pitch perfect turns, Andrea Rau's portrait of despair takes top honours (just); a lady without a past and precious little future. Though we never learn how long she's spent with the Countess, it's probably safe to assume Ilona is the latest in a line of 20th century girls who are tossed aside when the next beauty arrives. Seyrig is excellent as her cruel employer, using her powers to manipulate Stefan and his wife en route to a couple of death scenes that pay homage to traditional vampire lore - water, sunlight and stakes.Blue Underground's special edition disc presents this film in its original aspect ratio (1.85:1) with image quality perhaps not as good as one would have hoped for. While interior scenes are often sharp and reasonably colourful, there are many instances of grain and some of Kumel's compositions come over on the soft side, with flesh tones occasionally veering towards pale. While the overall look can possibly be attributed to film stock, one can't help but wonder if BU and/or Kumel decided to leave things as they were, unwilling to alter the film's original look. This is the best looking version available for home viewing, but it perhaps could have looked a bit better. As far as extras are concerned, BU have done us proud, with two commentary tracks and a short Andrea Rau interview. The first audio track - Karlen in conversation with David Del Velle - has been ported over from the earlier Laserdisc release. All in all, it's an informative, often humourous talk, with Karlen in, let's say, playful mood. While his comments are totally devoid of malice, he does perhaps come down a little too hard on Danielle Ouimet, with little or no credit regarding her considerable contribution. We learn that Karlen and Seyrig became firm friends during filming, and this much-missed lady could do no wrong in his eyes: a striking contrast to his relationship with Kumel. According to Karlen, the pair did not part as friends and Ouimet is also said to have had problems with her director.The second commentary track ses Kumel himself take the microphone for an informative talk, moderated by BU's David Gregory. Here, Kumel holds forth on various directorial choices (including a minor difference of opinion with Seyrig); takes us through some of the more notorious scenes (including the "impossible sex scene"), and explains why he opted for the "Evil is eternal" finale. An absolute pleasure to listen to, with practically no 'dead air' - just a talented director speaking with pride about a "style exercise" that really does rise above the horror genre. Happily, Kumel doesn't have a bad word to say about his four splendid main characters, and ends his commentary with a friendly invitation to listeners, recommending the Hotel Astoria where we may just encounter the ghost of a beautiful lady who died too young.The Karlen and Kumel tracks rate highly at a time when every other disc seems to offer twin commentary tracks of varying levels of interest. It's worth pointing out that watching this film with the sound turned down does enrich the viewing experience. Without the wonderfully poetic dialogue, the senses are firmly fixed on the sumptuous sets and four brilliantly tuned performances: magical exterior scenes and action/reaction shots all come over stronger than ever as a series of paintings, whether in the artificial light of the hotel or the dusk and darkness of the world outside.Blue Underground's supplementary features also treat us to an 8 minute Andrea Rau interview, where this delightful lady touches on her training for classical ballet; her formative acting steps in soft porn and her thoughts on working with Seyrig and Kumel.This most special edition is rounded off with a nice selection of stills, posters and artwork, together with a theatrical trailer which looks sharper and more colourful than the main feature.It's good to see Kumel involved with this sort of project, and one can only hope he performs similar assists on the remarkable Eline Vere. For the time being, however, DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS is a fine showcase for his undoubted talents. DAUGHTERS is also available as part of a double bill on DVD with THE BLOOD SPLATTERED BRIDE., though I'm currently unsure as to whether image quality has been improved.
DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS
For many years, Harry Kumel's DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS played catch-me-if-you-can with a small, expectant audience who longed to witness the full, uncut version. Shorn of approximately 12 minutes of footage, this slow-burning tale of a vampire finally became available in all its original glory via a series of releases on VHS, Laserdisc and DVD. Blue Underground released a splendid special edition DVD which makes all previous versions redundant, though one aspect of this package proves a tad disappointing.Kumel's journey into darkness begins abroad The Orient Express where newly weds Stefan (Karlen) and Valerie (Ouimet) encounter their first obstacle in married life; an argument over advising Stefan's 'mother' of their tryst: later on, his telephone call provides an unsavoury revelation regarding the other person in his life.When the couple arrive at a deserted Ostend hotel, any hope of anonymity is shattered by Countess Elizabet Bathory (Seyrig) and
her secretary, Ilona (Rau). Both the hotel concierge (Esser) and a police inspector- investigating a series of murders in nearby Bruges - remember the Countess from a previous visit some 40 years ago. Both men observe that she hasn't aged a day.There's more than a touch of Seyrig's beloved Marienbad at play here, though the beauty of a wintry Ostend (the film was shot during a chilly June/July) is close to the terrain captured in Nic Roeg's Don't Look Now. As Kumel's inspired direction weaves its spell, the two couples' become virtually a mirror image: Valerie and Ilona both desperately unhappy with their respective partners behaviour, while Stefan and the Countess join hands to relive past atrocities. While it's hard to pick out any one performance from a quartet of pitch perfect turns, Andrea Rau's portrait of despair takes top honours (just); a lady without a past and precious little future. Though we never learn how long she's spent with the Countess, it's probably safe to assume Ilona is the latest in a line of 20th century girls who are tossed aside when the next beauty arrives. Seyrig is excellent as her cruel employer, using her powers to manipulate Stefan and his wife en route to a couple of death scenes that pay homage to traditional vampire lore - water, sunlight and stakes.Blue Underground's special edition disc presents this film in its original aspect ratio (1.85:1) with image quality perhaps not as good as one would have hoped for. While interior scenes are often sharp and reasonably colourful, there are many instances of grain and some of Kumel's compositions come over on the soft side, with flesh tones occasionally veering towards pale. While the overall look can possibly be attributed to film stock, one can't help but wonder if BU and/or Kumel decided to leave things as they were, unwilling to alter the film's original look. This is the best looking version available for home viewing, but it perhaps could have looked a bit better. As far as extras are concerned, BU have done us proud, with two commentary tracks and a short Andrea Rau interview. The first audio track - Karlen in conversation with David Del Velle - has been ported over from the earlier Laserdisc release. All in all, it's an informative, often humourous talk, with Karlen in, let's say, playful mood. While his comments are totally devoid of malice, he does perhaps come down a little too hard on Danielle Ouimet, with little or no credit regarding her considerable contribution. We learn that Karlen and Seyrig became firm friends during filming, and this much-missed lady could do no wrong in his eyes: a striking contrast to his relationship with Kumel. According to Karlen, the pair did not part as friends and Ouimet is also said to have had problems with her director.The second commentary track ses Kumel himself take the microphone for an informative talk, moderated by BU's David Gregory. Here, Kumel holds forth on various directorial choices (including a minor difference of opinion with Seyrig); takes us through some of the more notorious scenes (including the "impossible sex scene"), and explains why he opted for the "Evil is eternal" finale. An absolute pleasure to listen to, with practically no 'dead air' - just a talented director speaking with pride about a "style exercise" that really does rise above the horror genre. Happily, Kumel doesn't have a bad word to say about his four splendid main characters, and ends his commentary with a friendly invitation to listeners, recommending the Hotel Astoria where we may just encounter the ghost of a beautiful lady who died too young.The Karlen and Kumel tracks rate highly at a time when every other disc seems to offer twin commentary tracks of varying levels of interest. It's worth pointing out that watching this film with the sound turned down does enrich the viewing experience. Without the wonderfully poetic dialogue, the senses are firmly fixed on the sumptuous sets and four brilliantly tuned performances: magical exterior scenes and action/reaction shots all come over stronger than ever as a series of paintings, whether in the artificial light of the hotel or the dusk and darkness of the world outside.Blue Underground's supplementary features also treat us to an 8 minute Andrea Rau interview, where this delightful lady touches on her training for classical ballet; her formative acting steps in soft porn and her thoughts on working with Seyrig and Kumel.This most special edition is rounded off with a nice selection of stills, posters and artwork, together with a theatrical trailer which looks sharper and more colourful than the main feature.It's good to see Kumel involved with this sort of project, and one can only hope he performs similar assists on the remarkable Eline Vere. For the time being, however, DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS is a fine showcase for his undoubted talents. DAUGHTERS is also available as part of a double bill on DVD with THE BLOOD SPLATTERED BRIDE., though I'm currently unsure as to whether image quality has been improved.
Sunday, 21 October 2007
THE YEAR OF THE BAVA
Over at MOON IN THE GUTTER, Jeremy has reminded us that Volume 2 of The Mario Bava collection has just started shipping. I've had my copy on order for some weeks now and am greatly looking forward to seeing pristine transfers for, amongst others, LISA AND THE DEVIL and BARON BLOOD; two films that have not fared well on DVD in terms of visual quality. While I patiently wait for this set, I'm working my way through Tim Lucas' staggering book on this great director. This really is the year of the Bava, so I thought I'd post a review of my own favourite film from the vol 1 Bava set. It's a review I wrote a few years back and has been updated with regard to the gorgeous transfer from the aforementioned box.
KILL, BABY...KILL!
That wafer-thin line between the living and the dead has been crossed by many directors but few, I'll wager, could walk the walk like Mario Bava. With the sole exception of Lisa And The Devil, Bava had to work with meagre budgets and tight schedules, relying on ingenuity, imagination and those painterly eyes that created some of the most vivid nightmares ever committed to celluloid.Kill, Baby...Kill! pits science and law against the forces of evil when Dr. Paul Eswai (Rossi-Stuart) and Inspector Kruger (Lulli) arrive at the small Transylvanian village of Kremingen; the latter in response to a letter from one extremely frightened girl who was found impaled on iron railings before Kruger could reach the village. Eswai is asked to perform an autopsy, aided by Monica (Blanc), an ex-local girl who returns home to find her birthplace gripped by fear. As Bava works his magic, we slowly discover the legend of Melissa Graps (played by a young boy , Valeri) , a 7 year old
girl who, many years earlier, bled to death following an accident while drunken villagers ignored her cries for help. Now, those who catch sight of her unquiet spirit suffer a similar fate while her mother (Vivaldi) presides over the family villa, surrounded by memories and fuelled by hate.Although Bava is often cited as a master of style over substance, Kill, Baby...Kill! is a veritable feast for lovers of the macabre who like nothing better than a tale well told. A frightened coach driver who reluctantly delivers Eswai into a place of evil; terrified villagers who form a wall of silence; a sorceress (Dali', echoing Rada Rassimov's character in Bava's Baron Blood) who uses 'the old ways' to ward off the dead; wonderful mist-shrouded night scenes where a tolling bell signals another impending death.... a familiar storyline with stock characters? To an extent, yes, but even though we're on familiar ground, the soil seems firm and fresh, thanks to Bava's supreme technical skill, coupled with his unerring ability to get under the skin of what really scares us. Here, the spectral figure of Melissa Graps takes centre stage, emerging as one of Bava's eeriest and most imitated creations. This 'bambino diavolo' has inspired the likes of Martin Scorsese (The Last Temptation Of Christ) and Federico Fellini (Toby Dammit, from Spirits Of The Dead), who took note of the images of a child clad in white, emerging from the shadows of half-lit corridors, peering through windows with a malevolent, death-dealing stare or, most chilling of all, perched on a swing, her laughter peeling through the cold night air: wish I had a gold coin (embedded in the heart, perhaps?) for every film that wheels on a child's ball bouncing down the stairs to land at the feet of the living.Melissa's evil mother also succeeds in quickening the pulse rate, at first commanding our sympathy and then moving to the other end of the scale as her part in this story becomes apparent. Long-time admirers/potential newcomers to this film can now choose between several DVD releases, though Kill, Baby...Kill! has yet to receive the red carpet treatment it so richly deserves. My first encounter ocurred several years ago, courtesy of a 3rd gen bootleg tape, followed by a poor quality print shown at London's NFT during their wonderful Mario Bava retrospective. The release of VCI's Region 1 DVD finally hinted that Kill, 
Baby...Kill! could turn out to be another piece of Bava eye candy. While it's nice to see a version of this film with acceptable colour saturation, it must be noted that flesh tones are on the dull side and there are many instances of grain and print damage. Brentwood Home Video's Fright Night collection (approx $15) contains 10 movies of varying a/v quality, but their presentation of Kill, Baby...Kill! was the best I'd seen. As one would expect, Brentwood have not delivered a pristine version, but the colours are much bolder than on the VCI disc with more detail in those macabre set designs. Unfortunately, both the Brentwood and VCI discs are pan-and-scan, hampering Bava's widescreen compositions.Happily, the situation was corrected earlier in 2007 via Anchor Bay's marvellous Mario Bava collection Volume 1. Here, you'll find a truly beautiful transfer, in the correct aspect ratio. This reverential treatment ensures we can at last be privy to Bava's original vision and the film look a good deal more eerie, thanks to this long-awaited release. Aka: Curse of the Dead, Die Toten Augen des Dr. Dracula, Operazione Paura
KILL, BABY...KILL!
That wafer-thin line between the living and the dead has been crossed by many directors but few, I'll wager, could walk the walk like Mario Bava. With the sole exception of Lisa And The Devil, Bava had to work with meagre budgets and tight schedules, relying on ingenuity, imagination and those painterly eyes that created some of the most vivid nightmares ever committed to celluloid.Kill, Baby...Kill! pits science and law against the forces of evil when Dr. Paul Eswai (Rossi-Stuart) and Inspector Kruger (Lulli) arrive at the small Transylvanian village of Kremingen; the latter in response to a letter from one extremely frightened girl who was found impaled on iron railings before Kruger could reach the village. Eswai is asked to perform an autopsy, aided by Monica (Blanc), an ex-local girl who returns home to find her birthplace gripped by fear. As Bava works his magic, we slowly discover the legend of Melissa Graps (played by a young boy , Valeri) , a 7 year old
girl who, many years earlier, bled to death following an accident while drunken villagers ignored her cries for help. Now, those who catch sight of her unquiet spirit suffer a similar fate while her mother (Vivaldi) presides over the family villa, surrounded by memories and fuelled by hate.Although Bava is often cited as a master of style over substance, Kill, Baby...Kill! is a veritable feast for lovers of the macabre who like nothing better than a tale well told. A frightened coach driver who reluctantly delivers Eswai into a place of evil; terrified villagers who form a wall of silence; a sorceress (Dali', echoing Rada Rassimov's character in Bava's Baron Blood) who uses 'the old ways' to ward off the dead; wonderful mist-shrouded night scenes where a tolling bell signals another impending death.... a familiar storyline with stock characters? To an extent, yes, but even though we're on familiar ground, the soil seems firm and fresh, thanks to Bava's supreme technical skill, coupled with his unerring ability to get under the skin of what really scares us. Here, the spectral figure of Melissa Graps takes centre stage, emerging as one of Bava's eeriest and most imitated creations. This 'bambino diavolo' has inspired the likes of Martin Scorsese (The Last Temptation Of Christ) and Federico Fellini (Toby Dammit, from Spirits Of The Dead), who took note of the images of a child clad in white, emerging from the shadows of half-lit corridors, peering through windows with a malevolent, death-dealing stare or, most chilling of all, perched on a swing, her laughter peeling through the cold night air: wish I had a gold coin (embedded in the heart, perhaps?) for every film that wheels on a child's ball bouncing down the stairs to land at the feet of the living.Melissa's evil mother also succeeds in quickening the pulse rate, at first commanding our sympathy and then moving to the other end of the scale as her part in this story becomes apparent. Long-time admirers/potential newcomers to this film can now choose between several DVD releases, though Kill, Baby...Kill! has yet to receive the red carpet treatment it so richly deserves. My first encounter ocurred several years ago, courtesy of a 3rd gen bootleg tape, followed by a poor quality print shown at London's NFT during their wonderful Mario Bava retrospective. The release of VCI's Region 1 DVD finally hinted that Kill, 
Baby...Kill! could turn out to be another piece of Bava eye candy. While it's nice to see a version of this film with acceptable colour saturation, it must be noted that flesh tones are on the dull side and there are many instances of grain and print damage. Brentwood Home Video's Fright Night collection (approx $15) contains 10 movies of varying a/v quality, but their presentation of Kill, Baby...Kill! was the best I'd seen. As one would expect, Brentwood have not delivered a pristine version, but the colours are much bolder than on the VCI disc with more detail in those macabre set designs. Unfortunately, both the Brentwood and VCI discs are pan-and-scan, hampering Bava's widescreen compositions.Happily, the situation was corrected earlier in 2007 via Anchor Bay's marvellous Mario Bava collection Volume 1. Here, you'll find a truly beautiful transfer, in the correct aspect ratio. This reverential treatment ensures we can at last be privy to Bava's original vision and the film look a good deal more eerie, thanks to this long-awaited release. Aka: Curse of the Dead, Die Toten Augen des Dr. Dracula, Operazione Paura
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