The Night of the Virgin

THE NIGHT OF THE VIRGIN  ((La noche del virgen (original title)) is a wild, wild ride. Director Roberto San Sebastián and writer Guillermo Guerrero really hit a home run with this horror comedy playing on SHUDDER at the time of this posting. Man...I love SHUDDER! :)

It's a story told in basically one location. Poor Noco (Javier Bódalo) is stuck at a club alone on New Years Eve. His hopes of "hooking up" for the new year are a mere countdown away from never happening. But then he sees Medea (Miriam Martín) and things start to look up. Sure, she's older than him, but she has a great body and....well....she's looking right at him.
They go back to her place and that's where we're going to camp out for the rest of the film. Medea's apartment is a wreck. Dirty, filled with roaches, and horrid. Medea herself seems to be running hot and cold - being sweet to Nico one moment, then being harsh with him the next. But, poor Nico is still hanging in there for the promised sexual encounter, no matter how horrible the apartment or Medea's actions.
But, what is it that Medea really wants from him? And, will her boyfriend, "Spider" (Víctor Amilibia) eventually get through the front door to kill poor Nico?

The film hits on all cylinders. When SHUDDER and the viewers there were talking about how disturbing and gross it was, I had to roll my eyes. I mean, horror folks here this kinda crap all the time. "It was SO GROSS that people left the theater.....passed out....threatened to take the makers to court!" Most of the time, this is far from the case for a horror movie lover. We've usually seen it done before - more often than not done better as well. But, this film delivers. It does get pretty gross.

I believe the comedy elements work really well, even if you're not usually a lover of foreign comedy. They are simple, cute, and sometimes painful.  Javier Bódalo is a show stealer with his wild teeth and crazy facial expressions and motions. The physical humor is hilarious as well as we watch our hero get battered and abused on screen. As the action ratchets up, so did my laughter and mutterings of, "Ok...yeah...that's really gross!" while I laughed and winced at the same time.

This is a slow burn, but it's SO worth a viddy. It's a funny and gross journey you'll really dig.

The trailer isn't TOO spoilery, but I'd probably aim to watch the film without looking at the trailer. That being said, the trailer is a fun edit! :) 

Blade of the Ripper

Blade of the Ripper aka The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh is a 1971 giallo film directed by Sergio Martino and staring the fabulous....Edwige Fenech. :::sigh:::

Ok, now that that's out of the way. :::grin:::

When the film started, I had a bit of an eye roller moment. A woman is killed horribly with a razor and I wasn't sure I wanted to see another TORSO-like hack and slash film. This film was directed by Sergio Marino of TORSO fame, so I wasn't sure if it was in the same arena. Then, poor Edwidge gets slapped around and her dress ripped off and I did another eye roll. However, once that business is out of the way, things started getting rather interesting.

Edwige plays Julia Wardh - the wife of a diplomat. They get along, but are not fab together. Not as well as she gets along with George Hamilton - her lover George Corro. She plays the game of being the good wife and even better lover, going from one man to the other in a kind of dance. When her old lover resurfaces, she's scared of just what he's capable of. As more murders happen around her, she starts to think that one of these men may be madman with the blade. But, which one?

I don't want to say much more about the plot here. It would be rather easy to spoil.  Suffice it to say that this is a great offering and well worth a watch. It's shot well, there are some fun set pieces, and there is a lot going on.

This film really turned around for me. I was half paying attention through much of the first act, but as things start to shift, I got a happy little smile on my face. "Ahhhh...I see what you're up to, movie. I see." I loved the shifts through the film and it's definitely a new gialli fave.

Suspiria 4K Restored Version at The New Parkway Theater

I got to check out the 4K restored version of Suspiria showing at The New Parkway Theater in Oakland CA  last night with my wife and it was...fantastic. Crisp, bright, and lush - like watching a completely new film.  For those of you who have not been to the New Parkway, it's quite an experience. It's the "local theater" that I remember going to as a child growing up in Novato California - small, sweet, and friendly. Not big box branded. Not filled with glitz and Coke ads. Just two theaters showing current and past films. And, there's more. Much more. 

One theater has cool theater style seats with a selection of other seats and bean bag chairs on two levels. The other theater has an even more eclectic collection of seats, booths, sofas, and chairs in a large theater space. It's super comfortable. Like watching in your living room. But...that's NOT all! 

They also have beer, wine, various other beverages, fresh popcorn, and full meals. In short, the ideal date place. A one stop shop for the film lover who wants things to be more plush than polished...generic. And the staff is super friendly.  Ya need to go if you're in the area. But, enough about them! hehehe

Suspiria on the big screen was a first for me. My wife and I went and I wasn't sure how she was going to take it. She's not a horror fan, but she does like films, so I was curious to see what her take away was going to be. Turns out she enjoyed the film and thought many aspects were interesting. She also knew that I loved it, so I think she was even more forgiving. Seeing as the film started at 10:30pm (when we're usually in bed), I was extra pleased that she made it through. 

I saw things in this restored version that I had never noticed before. Up until now, many aspects of the film were either too dark or too grainy to make out. The level of detail and the crispness of the images were fantastic. The audio quality was fantastic as well and I was able to really sink into the experience on all fronts. Literally like watching a new film. 

The one thing that I wasn't 100% on was the red level at the theater. I wasn't sure if it was the theater's projection or if I just happened to be seeing the film the way it was SUPPOSED to be rather than how I've been seeing it up until now. I remembered the red being far more punchy, but maybe the restored version is a bit more tame. That didn't stop me from enjoying the HELL out of the viewing, however. 

If you get a chance to see the restored version in the theater - GO!

Now, I pre-ordered the SYNAPSE FILMS version of the 4K steelbook, so I'm not feeling bad about using their images below! :)   I can not wait to get this baby. I'm not sure what it is about this film, but I just love it to death. I can't wait to see a non-projected version of the film in my home...in the deep dark. Of course, I may need to get a better TV.....hmmmm...   :)

Eyes Without a Face (1960) (Les yeux sans visage)

I managed to make it out to see the wondrous French film Eyes Without a Face at a 9:15pm showing at the New Parkway Theater in Oakland (More on that later) and I was very happy that I did. I've seen the film before, but seeing it on the big screen was a real treat and well worth being a little tired the next day! Looking back on it, the film really isn't solely a horror film. I see it as more of a sad drama with some horrific elements.


We have Docteur Génessier who is trying to make things right after causing a terrible accident that's disfigured his daughter, Christiane, leaving her with a disturbing, mangled face. With the help of his assistant Louise, the doctor kidnaps young women and removes their faces to transplant onto his daughter using a technique he's trying to perfect. Grim, indeed, for it seems like every attempt goes wrong, but the doctor's guilt drives him on.

The film is shot beautifully and the scenes take on various feelings from beautiful to nightmarish. And the sadness of the film weighs on you - almost physically. The doctor is awful - killing women to fix his daughter, but you understand what's driving him . His assistant does what he says without much thought about it because she longs to help him any way she can.

 

And poor Christiane is the saddest of all. She watches as these horrible things are done to other women to help her and has to watch as the efforts fail over time. Her new face fails and withers away forcing her back into the mask to cover her ruined visage - an expressionless, sad face with eyes that stare out at her small world sadly. And more sadness is added when she slips away to calls her fiancé so she can hear his voice again knowing that he thinks she's dead.


Georges Franju's direction paired with the fairy tale soundtrack of Maurice Jarre tops things of wonderfully. The music is slightly off and creates a dreamy, nightmare landscape when paired with beautiful shots of Christiane gliding around the house in her long coat and sad mask. And of course, Eugen Schüfftan's cinematography was at play here as well.

I can see this being a Criterion purchase in the future. I really love the film. If you have not seen it, check it out when you're in the mood for an atmospheric, sad, dark fairy tale. 


ABOUT THE NEW PARKWAY THEATER:

I forgot how much I love the New Parkway Theater. They had shut down at one point and I was so sad. The theater was filled with sofas, comfy chairs, and a general eclectic mix of places to sit. Paired with their pizza, beer, and fresh popcorn, it was a GREAT night out. When they reopened in a new location, I kept thinking it was far away and didn't really think about it much. When I went last night, I realized that it was only 11 short minutes away and it still had the great mix of seating, the food and beer, and the FANTASTIC popcorn - served in a real bowl, not a paper one. The theater prides itself on cutting back on waste this way, being one of the "greenest" theaters in the Bay Area, And being able to have at home comfort sitting on a sofa, but still having the giant screen to view the film is a winning combination!

THE IRON ROSE

I'm a Jean Rollin fan. I get that his works isn't for everyone - totally makes sense. I've watched a handful of his films and love the strange storylines and pace choices. I'm all in. However, the IRON ROSE had me blinking blankly at the screen and questioning whether or not I was going to fast forward or simply switch films.

When I looked it up later, I saw that many sites bill it more as a fantasy rather than a horror film.

We have The Girl and The Boy who see each other at a party and make plans to go for a bike ride together. The ride around and play flirty games. It's very sweet. Then they decide to take a break from cycling for a bit and do a bit of exploring in this large, beautiful cemetery. Now, you may want to call shenanigans here, but I could totally see doing the same thing. The place was beautiful.

Here's where things run a bit off the rails. They decide to get some privacy by climbing down into this crypt and end up making love. Spoiler. :) Well, they stay down so long that day turns to night and all the visitors have left. They can't find their way out and slowly slip into a hysterical state as they try to find their way.

And they wander, pontificate, scream, explore.....

All the while, it's very pretty, but it's also so arthouse it hurts. I was happy that I got to see the film that was called out as one of his best. It is gorgeous. But, man is it an odd one! heh Knowing what I know now, I'd settle in for more of a fantasy or self exploration film and wouldn't expect horror elements. I believe that that is what confused me more than anything. I thought one of the characters was going to be the "villain" or that the dead would rise or something, but it really never goes there.

Françoise Pascal, though. My goodness. She's one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen. She's amazing and mysterious and super interesting. 

There are some rather haunting images in the film as well. It never goes into "horror", but they can be creepy and scary in their own way for sure!

I do recommend watching the film, but make sure you check out some of his other films as well - like THE GRAPES OF DEATH or THE LIVING DEAD GIRL if you're looking for true horror. THE IRON ROSE is a beautiful and poetic film and well worth a viddy!

Inner Demon

I caught INNER DEMON (2014) on Prime and thought that it warranted a mini-review.

This was a very watchable film, though I think it might suffer a bit due to the poster. Looking at it, I was thinking that this was a "demon tale" or something to do with possession, but it's really not. There's the other issue - Im not sure the film knows what it is, either. :::grin:::

From Amazon:
A teenage girl is abducted by a serial killer couple and manages to escape and find refuge in an isolated farmhouse, only to discover it is home to greater horrors and a malevolent spirit.


Yeeeeeeeeah....it has those elements in there. But, it leans way over to the serial killer couple stuff for what feels like 75% of the film. Now, it's done well and there are some good performances from the films leads, so even though I'm not a big fan of that sub-genre, it still held my interest and attention. However, I had the poster in my head and kept waiting for this demon thing which I found distracting. This happens - I get it. You have to sell the movie. And to be honest, if it leaned toward a serial killer poster, I probably would not have watched.




That being said, this "thriller, mystery, horror" (from Amazon's description) is well worth a viewing. Ursula Dabrowsky's writing and direction show really well in this. There are no wasted moves as we see things play out. There are interesting subsets of plot as well that had me questioning what it was I was seeing as well which made me sit up and pay attention in a good way. I'm looking forward to seeing more from Dabrowsky - she currently only has this film and another film called Family Demons (2009) to her credit.

Sarah Jeavons, Kerry Ann Reid, and Andreas Sobik are SUPER solid in the film, turning in emotional and sometimes brutal performances that really rang true. (You did a great job too, Todd Telford!) Interestingly enough, I can't seem to see the younger child actress in the IMDB listing She was grand as well and didn't fall into the painful child actor arena, thank goodness. The situations are riveting and had me chortling at the uncomfortable nature of them from time to time.

And, when things do ramp up, they do so in a fun way that payed off, so all was well when I rolled out of this. I didn't feel like time was wasted and had a great time with it once I got over my "but, where's the demon hand coming out of her mouth come in?" poster drama. hehehehe

The Case of the Bloody Iris

"Wait till I try to make it with you and you find out what a bastard I am." 

While this is not high on my gialli list, it's still a fun watch...mostly because I'm in love with Edwige Fenech! hehehehe

The film is a bit sloppy and slow, but there are scenes that resonate for sure. Classic giallo tropes abound in this clunky, awkward mystery.

Basically, two models move into an apartment where a woman was murdered. The murderer - a classic black hat, black coat, mask and tan rubber glove wearing maniac - is still prowling around the apartment and our models are stalked and frightened...for a long time. Like....a long time. :)

We have a ton of people roaming around the screen as well.

Edwige Fenech....the damsel. :::purr::::   Who always seems to be getting her clothes off...or ripped off.

Wacky roommate whose kinda like Goldie Hawn who just LOVES joking around - even about the former tenant who died in their apartment.  #TooSoon

Weak at the sight of blood architect who's taken an interest in the girls. 

The grumpy, pissed off Commissioner who's just pissed off about everything.

The gay Woody Allen photographer who has taken photos of the two models...and the girl who was killed in the apartment. 

Shitty old lady neighbor. 

Over the top jealous ex-husband. An obvious nutter.

 Lecherous lesbian neighbor and her grumpy Father.  

And the murderer with a cool black hat and mask. 

 

The story stumbles around and people show up dead and you just start ticking off boxes until you find out who the murderer is, but it's still a fun ride all the same. The soundtrack and the way the film is shot does keep things moving along while watching. It's kinda like watching a carousel go around and around with people being interviewed, questioned, walking, watching OTHER people, visiting, chasing, eating.... and a really awkward lovemaking scene which goes on WAY too long that has one of the best one liners attached to it.

 

 "It's Forenzi, Boss. Those two are really going at it. Don't be surprised if instead of a corpse we have a birth on our hands." 

Give it a viddy, but know that it's all over the place in a wondrous way.   It has a charm and heart to it that makes it a fun watch.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Well, in light of Mr. Tobe Hooper's passing, I decided to re-watch the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It has been ages since I've watched and I really wanted to see it now that I'm older....maybe wiser? And I actually found things I had not seen in my youth. It's a film with a lot going on. Much more than a non-existent "massacre".









With a budget of $300,000, he cranked this film out as fast as he could - often shooting seven days a week. The film's lead - Marilyn Burns - must have been mute by the end of the shoot with all the screaming she does here.

I'm not going to go over the basics in too much detail. I'm sure if you're reading this, you've seen the film already. You've had over 40 years to watch it, lazy bones. :)  In short....



College folks in a van head to their family home in Texas, they give a ride to the WRONG hitchhiker, they get involved with the wrong folks, and most of them are dispatched quickly and horribly.

The film has several iconic scenes that come up in almost every horror documentary you can see. heheheh  Some of them are chilling to this day. Hooper's direction is fantastic. Scenes are shot well with a ton of thought put into the framing and execution. You can see the vision behind the shots. They are worked out brilliantly with a lot of work put in to get them looking right.

This shot for instance.....

The character of Pam played by Teri McMinn is sitting on a rocker outside and stands when her boyfriend doesn't answer her from inside the house. (Yeah...this doesn't end well....)  She makes her way to the house and the camera follows, slipping under the rocker and gliding with her as she walks to the house. As she gets closer, the house looms up - bigger and bigger as it blocks out the blue sky. GREAT shot. 

There are other shots where the framing is spot on.  Sally (Marilyn Burns) runs for help and, as she waits for the person to get their car, she's blocked in on the far right of the screen with an open room behind her. This creates a TON of tension. I really thought someone was going to creep up behind her. But, no, just tension. Fun stuff.

The grinding, banging, discordant soundtrack helps build that tension as well. With the screaming madness of the Family, Burns' desperate screams, and the insane soundtrack, things are ramped up quickly and you get a feeling of nails on a chalkboard.

And overall, for a film called Texas Chainsaw Massacre, there's not a ton of death and violence in here, but what IS there is really, really awful and terrifying. Hammer blows, meat hooks, and the titular CHAINSAW come into play and the visceral, violent goings on are cringe worthy.

There's also an attention to detail that kinda blew me away. I mean...$300,000 in 70s cash is nothing to shake a stick at, but it's also not a TON of money. There is so much work done to the sets and little details in the characters that I noticed this round that it's a little mind-blowing. Even down to Leatherface's serrated teeth. It adds to the creep factor. There are some aspects that didn't do as well - like Grandpa's old age makeup, but it's still a sight to see.

I didn't really pick up on the supernatural elements until this viewing. They almost elude to the happenings happening due to the Hitchhiker's actions - the bloodletting and writing of a symbol on the van as it drives away. Did he bind the van folks to him through magical means? Did the items left of the porch drive the van folks to the horrific ends they met? Kinda interesting to think about.


There are a LOT of people that need to thank Mr. Hooper for their successes. At least giving him MAJOR props for ideas and styles. (You know who you are, horror filmmakers!) I think I'll be running through more of Tobe Hooper's work in the near future.  I just caught the film I'M DANGEROUS TONIGHT - a solid 1990's made for TV film, and his work is super solid and interesting. I think SALEM'S LOT will be next if I can track it down!

Thanks for reading!