The best way to approach a screening of this decidedly non-Hollywood fare is to not have any expectations. Bava succeeds to an extent in terms of bringing us the ambiance of the classic horror flick because there are definitely some weird/creepy scenes that do stand the "horror" test. But the script/dialogue/pacing/editing was so badly done that they completely drown the few virtues (which are):
1) interesting "chemistry" between Harring and the actor who plays the baby. The baby is actually very well chosen. The actor -- I guess without any real intent -- had an interesting face: that of a man-child. In his key scenes of interaction with his "mother", right after he did the "naughty" stuff (i.e., biting his mom's breast, vomiting on her, and then, of course, the... ahem... shower scene in which he has a little "accident", the camera focuses on his face and we see that he has this sort of mischievous smile on his face and his eyes are extremely "aware" of his deeds. I don't know but these may have been the only times I got a kick out of this movie -- watching that kid's face. So whomever edited/directed that bit did an okay job.
2) The cinematography was simply superb (despite the choppiness of some cuts) but then even this is a problem as the African landscape is criminally underused.
3) Laura Harring's er.. figure (for the boys watching the thing) ;)
Anyway, the virtues are few and far between. The whole thing is an exercise in frustration and futility as all it made me do was regret ALL of the choices not made. Perhaps Bava was trying to not be predictable and so not use certain horror elements... but, hey, using green vomit is pretty much a standard horror element, so why not use some other ones to better effect? For instance, we don't ever get to see or hear Thandi's mom. Why not?! I mean, this is a GHOST story and you don't do anything with the oft-mentioned ghost in the tale? It's just, well, frustrating.
So, yes, this is not a movie even five bucks will cover. So don't even try to buy it in a bottom of the pile sale. Use that fiver elsewhere. Just watch this thing on cable when they show it (which is quite often, actually).
1) interesting "chemistry" between Harring and the actor who plays the baby. The baby is actually very well chosen. The actor -- I guess without any real intent -- had an interesting face: that of a man-child. In his key scenes of interaction with his "mother", right after he did the "naughty" stuff (i.e., biting his mom's breast, vomiting on her, and then, of course, the... ahem... shower scene in which he has a little "accident", the camera focuses on his face and we see that he has this sort of mischievous smile on his face and his eyes are extremely "aware" of his deeds. I don't know but these may have been the only times I got a kick out of this movie -- watching that kid's face. So whomever edited/directed that bit did an okay job.
2) The cinematography was simply superb (despite the choppiness of some cuts) but then even this is a problem as the African landscape is criminally underused.
3) Laura Harring's er.. figure (for the boys watching the thing) ;)
Anyway, the virtues are few and far between. The whole thing is an exercise in frustration and futility as all it made me do was regret ALL of the choices not made. Perhaps Bava was trying to not be predictable and so not use certain horror elements... but, hey, using green vomit is pretty much a standard horror element, so why not use some other ones to better effect? For instance, we don't ever get to see or hear Thandi's mom. Why not?! I mean, this is a GHOST story and you don't do anything with the oft-mentioned ghost in the tale? It's just, well, frustrating.
So, yes, this is not a movie even five bucks will cover. So don't even try to buy it in a bottom of the pile sale. Use that fiver elsewhere. Just watch this thing on cable when they show it (which is quite often, actually).