A Slightly Misleading Title

I needed a break from Italian 70's cinema so I sat down and watched:

All Quiet on the Western Front (2022).

This is not a remake of either Lewis Milestone's 1930 adaptation or Delbert Mann's 1979 version, but rather a direct adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque's 1929 book of the same name.

I have not seen either of the earlier movies or indeed read the book, so I went in with as open a mind as one can have concerning such a famous work. I of course knew it is set in WWI from the German point of view and that it is staunchly anti war. Beyond that I knew nothing.

The movie starts with four students that naively volunteer for the army and proudly and with a belly full of propaganda march off to the western front. All their inflated dreams of honor and glory are immediately punctured upon arriving at the trench. Everything is downhill from there.

The movie can be broken up into four different elements.

1. Gruesome battle scenes.

2. Generals and politicians talking.

3. Soldiers having a conversation.

4. Amazing nature scenes.

First off, All Quiet on the Western Front is a cinematic masterpiece but only from a visual point. This visual point is however magnificent, no questions and no doubts. It is stupidly pretty. The battle scenes are horrific, brutal and really well done. The rest is meaningless and boring.

As stated, I knew the movie is anti war, and I have no problem with that. My problem lies in how it tries to convey that message. Yes, the slaughter is horrible, but we already know it is. The truth is that war is the ultimate horror humanity can orchestrate. The slaughter is senseless and tragic, and the only ones who want it are the ones who don't need to participate, I.E. generals and politicians. I get that the filmmakers probably didn't want to diverge from the original material too much, but beyond a basic “war is bad and awful” this movie has nothing to say.

This brings me to point 3. We don't really get to know the characters at all. There is a handful of scenes where the soldiers are talking and they unfortunately don't really do anything for the narrative or character development. We learn that they yearn for home and their families, that they really don't want to be in the trenches and that they miss female company. Well so what? Sure these are valid feelings but every soldier feels this unless they are complete psychopaths. Any competent maker of thrillers know that they have to make you feel for the characters before the killer comes creeping or the tension is lost. In All Quiet on the Western Front there is no tension to speak of. Without the personal touch, the tragedy devolves into statistics. Sure, I did feel a little for the poor guys, but it could have been so much better. Their deaths could have meant something.

Point 2 is almost completely pointless and in my opinion does very little for the movie as a whole. This brings us to point 4. The movie is interspersed with the most beautiful shots of nature. Every shot is like a painting and could be the pride of any calendar. What I don't get is why they are there in the first place. Contrast to all the mud and blood? Maybe, I have no idea, but they are worth seeing just for their sheer beauty.

Otherwise, the movie is fine. The actors do a great job, the soundtrack is weird but good and as I said, the cinematography is A+.

So, do I recommend this movie? Yes and no. I'm sure you noticed that I have a lot of harsh criticism and I stand by that. All Quiet on the Western Front is two hours and twenty eight minutes long, and despite that, I had no trouble sitting through it. I guess what it boils down to is that it could have been a masterpiece and instead we get a pretty snooze fest broken up by complete carnage. If you like war movies or if the subject matter has some other appeal, then by all means watch it, but otherwise I'd say give it a miss.

That is that and all that. Join me again next time and until then, have a great week!

 

Why is it so creepy?

 Today I want to talk about J-Horror, or Japanese Horror. 

It's a style of horror that I'm passingly familiar with. Ringu (1998), The Grudge (2004), Ju-On: The Grudge 2, Dark Water (2002) and One Missed Call (2008) are all excellent examples of J-horror, and I enjoyed them a great deal. 

There is something special with these kinds of movies, but rather than repeat what others have said, and said better at that, I'm going to present you with two Youtube videos.

The first one is A Short History of Japanese Horror by the channel One Hundred Years of Cinema. I recommend you watch this first to get a good overview of horror in Japan. This video can't be embedded, so just follow the link.

Then watch The Grudge & Ringu: What Makes Japanese Horror Creepy? by Blulavasix.

Both videos have disturbing footage, so if you are sensitive, be careful. Then again, if you are sensitive, you probably aren't interested in Japanese Horror to begin with. Either way, you are warned and my conscience is clear.

 

So enjoy and all that. Join me again next time and until then, have a great and ghost free week!  

 

Torso

This week I watched:

Torso (1973).

This Giallo, directed by Sergio Martino, who also directed last week's entry, caused a bit of a stir upon its release. Some critics to this day speak of its “graphic carnal violence”. My reaction to that is, really?

The movie is set in Perugia, at the international university. We meet a group of art students, most of whom are lovely young ladies. One in particular, Daniela, is being courted, or should I say stalked, by one of the male students who doesn't know when to quit. Another likes to party with some pretty out there people. Pretty soon the first murders happen, putting everyone on edge. It becomes clear that some of the students harbour dark secrets, and the list of suspects grows steadily. The one lead the police have is a red and black scarf, but it is difficult to remember who was seen wearing it. Daniela gets a threatening phone call one evening, warning her to stop trying to remember who had the scarf. Her uncle suggests that she go to his villa in the country with her friends in order to feel safer. Naturally, the killer follows and we get a tense race to the finish.

First off, lets address the carnal violence aspect. There is quite a bit of carnal nudity in Torso, but the violence is mostly just glimpsed. A knife flashes and a bit of red is shown, a limb is severed but the camera cuts away so fast you have a hard time really seeing what was sliced off. I suppose the more hinted at violence can be more effective than lingering on the gore, but frankly I expected more from the supposed carnal violence. Luckily this doesn't actually matter. Maybe it was a cost cutting decision.

Like Martino's, Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key, Torso is nicely shot. Again, he doesn't seem to go for anything too dramatic for the shots and angles, but instead achieves a more gritty and realistic feel. Many Gialli have a dreamlike quality which can be good, but I appreciate Martino's style. The actors range from good to great, reinforcing the overall vibe. There are also several scenes of someone spying on the women through half drawn curtains, something that is common enough in Giallo, but Martino takes it to another level, by showing a group of men, from lecherous old geezers to young studs, openly commenting and drooling over the girls as they head up to the villa. This was a really uncomfortable scene, and I got the feeling that it somehow made me complicit in just watching the movie. I don't know if that was Martino's intent, but he almost forced me to be a part of the final part of the movie. I haven't experienced that before.

What is different is the unmasking of the killer. Typical for many Gialli is the investigative element, but in Torso it is more a question of survival. We do learn the killers identity and motives, but they are almost secondary. Torso also plays around a bit with viewpoint characters which can be a dangerous technique, but it is done with style and heightens the idea that you don't know who is going to survive.

So, do I recommend this movie? Yes, I do. Torso is a bit slow at first, but the final third is up there with the greats in pure tension. I would even say that you don't need to be a Giallo fan to enjoy it, as it works on many different levels. Due to the large amount of sexual content, I'd be choosy who I watch it with, but you do you. Overall, I enjoyed Torso, and any thriller fan could do so as well.

That's that and all that. Join me again next time, and until then, have a great week!

 

This Movie Title is too Long.

I have swum deeper in the interesting and murky waters of Giallo and this week's entry is:

Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972), henceforth known here as Locked Room.

This movie with it's cumbersome title is directed by Sergio Martino, who can safely be said, was a big shot in the Giallo genre. Not as big as Mario Bava and Dario Argento, but nevertheless a name to be reckoned with.

Some spoilers ahead.

Oliviero Rouvigny (Luigi Pistilli, Bay of Blood), is a previously successful author suffering from writers block. He treats his depression with copious amounts of alcohol and takes out his frustrations on his long suffering wife Irina (Anita Strindberg, Who Saw Her Die). They live in a crumbling mansion in northern Italy with their maid Brenda. One day, a young woman is murdered and Oliviero is a suspect since the police knows he had a secret rendezvous with her. Irina backs up his false alibi but soon another woman is killed. Then, Oliviero's niece Floriana (Edwige Fenech) arrives for a visit and things really spiral out of control.

Locked Room is a hard movie to watch. Beyond the murders which are quite tame for a Giallo, Oliviero really is rough on Irina. He assaults her both physically and sexually on more then one occasion and it is nasty. That said, Locked Room presents a very different kind of mystery. Is Oliviero the unwitting killer, so deep in his whiskey bottle that he himself doesn't even know it? What is Floriana out to get as she plays every angle at once? There are other mysterious elements as well, that makes Locked Room a worthwhile movie despite its unpleasant domestic abuse.

Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key is solidly shot. Not perhaps a masterpiece of cinema but sturdy and without any major flaws. I can't comment on the soundtrack as I never noticed it. It might be good, but despite my best attempts, I can't recollect it.

What really sells this movie though are the actors. Luigi Pistilli is in good form as he goes from drunken sullenness to furious rage. Anita Strindberg does an amazing job showing her fear and fury at the way she is treated and Edwige Fenech is a perfect Femme Fatale. I saw a documentary on Giallo yesterday called All the Colors of Giallo and apparently Edwige Fenech is one of the Queens of the Giallo genre together with Barbara Bouchet that has appeared a lot on this blog. I look forward to seeing more of Fenech's work.

The biggest critique I have against Locked Room is that the middle of the movie is a bit weak. Not catastrophically weak, it just looses a bit of momentum. Also, if you are familiar with the works of Edgar Allan Poe, you will see the ending coming a mile away. But, seeing as the filmmakers acknowledge this, I can't really fault them for it. A homage is a homage after all.

So do I recommend Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key? To Giallo fans, yes, absolutely. Non Giallo fans will likely wonder what they are watching. Horror fans will probably be a bit bored, but general thriller fans might like it. I think it says something that despite the grimy abuse, this is still a good Giallo and worth it in my opinion.

That's that and all that. Join me again next time, and until then, have a great week!

 

Let Sleeping Corpses Lie

This week I was in the mood for something different and chose a zombie movie with a lot of titles. The one IMDB uses is:

Let Sleeping Corpses Lie (1974).

It is also known as The Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue (misleading title), Don't Open the Window (fair enough but pointless title) and Don't Disturb the Sleeping Dead (spot on).

This Spanish-Italian production was shot in Italy and England and directed by Jorge Grau, with an international cast of whom most are Italian.

Minor Spoilers ahead!

A young antique dealer, George, closes up his shop and heads north. While stopping for gas, a young woman, Edna, accidentally rams his motorcycle and bends the wheel. As a way to make amends she agrees to take him to his location as she is on her way to visit her sister. They are soon lost and stop for directions and while George is talking to a farmer, a zombie attacks Edna. Some scientists are busy on the farmers field testing a new machine that uses some kind of radiation waves to eliminate pests and the movie makes no attempts to hide that this machine is indeed the reason why the dead are waking back up with murder in their red pitiless eyes. What follows is a desperate struggle for George and Edna to not only survive but to put a stop to the horror. A task made extra difficult since the police, led by an old fashioned sergeant is convinced that George and Edna, fueled by drugs and satanism are the murderers.

Synopsis and Spoilers over.

I have in my time seen more than my fair share of zombie movies. From the stars of the genre like Dawn of the Dead (Original and remake), to obscure low budget flicks I can't even remember the names of. But what I haven't seen before is a movie quite like Let Sleeping Corpses Lie. It almost achieves an intimate Hammer Horror feel while still using all the grisly gore only a group of hungry zombies can achieve.

The actors are all good, the plot is good and the atmosphere is a cut above what many can do. The soundtrack or should I say soundscape is great but grating on headphone users. It is hard to describe, maybe electronic whine is correct, but it did make my ears hurt after a while. That said, I wouldn't be without it either as it fits perfectly with the scientific resurrection of the dead and the dread of new, poorly tested technology .

In fact, the only thing I really disliked is the police sergeant. He is completely unprofessional, and lets his prejudices lead him around instead of actually doing his job. Now, I'm sure this is the intent of both script and director, but he goes too far and becomes more of a caricature of the conservative bully snarling at everything he sees as the moral decay of society, like men with long hair. Still, since the character fit the movie well enough, is it worth complaining about?

So, do I recommend this movie? Yes, to horror fans I do. It is solidly a 70's horror movie so if that isn't your cup of tea, move along, but for everything else... It's not quite a must see, but not far from it. All in all I really liked Let Sleeping Corpses Lie. Non horror fans should give it a wide berth though. There is nothing there for you.

That's that and all that. Join me again next time, and until then, have great week!

 

A Bay of Blood

This week I watched:

A Bay of Blood (1971)

aka. Twitch of the Death Nerve, this movie by legendary Italian director Mario Bava is one of the major prototypes for the Slasher genre.

The story takes place in the eponymous bay, a lovely quiet place with small but cozy villas. It is owned by Countess Donati who is promptly murdered which sets off a long, and I do mean long string of murders. In an almost Agatha Christie like fashion, all the characters have motives for the killings, at least until they themselves get killed. If you wonder why I didn't include a spoiler warning, it's very simple. This isn't really a whodunit. The identity of a killer or killers is only a minor part of the plot itself. Or as much of a plot this movie even has. The rest is pretty much murders. When I say that it is a prototype for the Slasher genre, I'm not joking.

Some claim the Hitchcock's Psycho (1960) is the father of the Slashers, but I'd say Psycho is the grandfather and A Bay of Blood is the father. Ultimately you will have to make up your own mind on the subject, since there isn't really a right answer.

As I watched it, it struck me that some of the kills wouldn't look out of place in a Friday 13^th movie (Jason with the hockey mask), and it turns out that one of the kills in the first Friday 13^th and one in Friday 13^th Part Two are in homage to A Bay of Blood.

Despite the plethora of murders, there is very little blood. Some yes, but considering the amount of graphic killings, I expected more of the red stuff, so if you are a little bit sensitive, no need to worry too much. I suppose there may exist a gorier cut of the movie, but the one I watched was quite tame.

Mario Bava directed the movie as well as being the co-author and the films cinematographer due to an extremely low budget of $500.000. Most was shot in and on locations owned by Bava or other crew members. Instead of a real camera dolly used to get smooth shots, Bava used a child's wagon. Other tricks included setting up branches for the camera to move through in order to make the area seems forested. All in all, it is a bit of a case study in how to work within a small budget. Many filmmakers could learn a thing or two...

Beyond the lovely cinematography, the movie is fine. Actors, music etc. are all fine, nothing to complain about. Interestingly, Dario Argento loved the movies so much he got a friend who worked at a cinema to steal it for him, but legendary horror icon Christopher Lee left the theater in disgust.

That is about all I can say without going into detail, and if you want that, you have to watch it yourself. Do I recommend this movie? Yes. It was actually a pretty good movie, despite its simple premise. Part giallo, part slasher, Bava leaned on his experience in horror cinema to produce a surprisingly good film. Not for the squeamish, but anyone who is looking for a gruesome and fun experience should enjoy it.

That is that and all that. Join me again next time, and until then, have a great and safe week!

 

Four Flies on Grey Velvet

Since giallo movies have been on my mind a lot lately, I began to question whether I had in fact seen Dario Argento's:

Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971).

Turns out that if I saw it back in the day I have completely forgotten everything about it. Minor spoilers going forward.

We are introduced to Roberto Tobias (Michael Brandon), a rock drummer who is being stalked by a man in a black suit. One evening after band practice, Roberto follows his stalker to an old theater and confronts him. The stalker pulls a knife and in the struggle, gets stabbed. A stranger in a cartoon mask takes pictures of the killing before Roberto flees home. Soon after, things get grim. The house he shares with his wife Nina (Mimsey Farmer) is burgled, he finds pictures of the killing in his home, he finds threatening notes, people are killed etc. With his friend God (Bud Spencer) he tries to figure out what is going on. Everything looks like a case of blackmail, but no one has asked for any money...

As stated above, the movie is directed by Dario Argento, and expertly directed at that. The shot composition is first class, and despite the movie not having all that many lavish locales, the movie is gorgeous. The music is by Ennio Morricone, and is pretty good. The actors are fine, in fact I have nothing to complain about from a technical standpoint.

I do have a couple of complaints about the story. Without spoiling anything, I'll just say that two of the murders are illogically set up and feels more like killings for the sake of killings even though there is are story reasons they were murdered. Now plot holes aren't the biggest deal breaker in the world, but in my personal opinion, Four Flies on Grey Velvet is boring, and that is pretty bad.

I can't even really put my finger on it. Objectively, the story from start to finish is pretty interesting and the ending was odd but alright, I even deduced the killers identity, but the movie just feels so slow and plodding. Another aspect that I wasn't a big fan of was the humorous elements. Giallo movies rarely try to be funny, and it's not like Four Flies on Grey Velvet tried to be a comedy, but there are clear comedy elements at work here, and together with the general dullness, I wasn't amused.

That is really all I can say about it. Do I recommend Four Flies on Grey Velvet? Yes and no. It's not like it's awful so if you are on a giallo or Argento binge, do give it a shot. It could just be me that don't like it, so give it a shot if you're in the mood.

That's that and all that. Join me again next time and until then, have a great and safe week!