nippy-4 Reviews

Strange Behavior (1981)

A fascinating offbeat horror movie.

[10/10 · 6 October 1999]

Don't let the unpleasant title put you off, this is an excellent little movie that I actually found quite scary. The acting is top class especially from Dan Shor and Michael Murphy who star. Louise Fletcher is also on top form and all three bring a realistic almost 'cinema veritie' feel to the proceedings. The film works because of Michael laughlins direction that develops the film on many levels. On the one hand there is lots of atmosphere and a suspenseful intensity that builds up to the films climax yet Laughlin also concentrates on character development and relationships giving us insights in to Chief Bradys (Michael Murphy) mysterious past and the close father/son relationship him and Pete (Dan Shor) have. The film also pays close attention to small town life. In this small Louisiana town everyone knows everyone there are lots of nice little touches by Laughlin to point this out. Laughlins direction also has a humorous edge to it and the good acting adds to this. There is one incredibly surreal scene in the movie at a party where all the 'party-goers' start dancing in unison! They are all in 50's style fancy dress and dance in a hyperbolic 50's fashion! Although it is hard to decipher Laughlins motives here this scene seems incredibly inspired to me personally. Although some scenes in this film are quite shocking I cannot comment on the amount of gore in this film because I have only seen the UK 18 cert release which has been cut considerably and panned and scanned. If only there was a widescreen version available I for one would instantly snap it up!

Shock Waves (1977)

cool pulp zombie movie

[10/10 · 5 October 1999]

The is a very atmospheric film with little gore (unique for the zombie genre in that respect)yet it never gets boring and this does not detract from the films overall effect. The pulpy style adds to the enjoyment as does the score....In practice the plot is not as ridiculous as it seems and the film actually manages to deliver a few well orchestrated scares, such as when the Nazi aquatic zombies are first seen raising from their watery graves. This is a real horror movie based around atmosphere and suspense and is very unique and bizarre. Its tone is very different to that of the Italian zombie films which rely on widescreen style and gore yet it stands up next to any of these films even if its low budget shows.

The Perfume of the Lady in Black (1974)

bizarre, disturbing yet brilliant!

[9/10 · 5 October 1999]

This really is a bizarre horror/Giallo but I like it! Ultra-stylish and with a great score this film is well directed and has great cinematography IMO. However the plot is totally incoherent. At first this really annoyed me but then I began to see the film in another light and it was the ambiguous nature of the film which I began to love. The viewer is never surposed to know whether the world around the female star is going crazy and something supernatural is taking place or whether the female star is just going mad and we are seeing it from her perspective. The film spirals into a delirium and shocks beyond belief with the finally that is complete 'madness'. It refuses to draw conclusions and the viewer is left having experienced a transition from reality to abstract obscurity not knowing why or how. The way that the film is constructed as a string of bizarre images with no consistent narrative coherence reminds me of Fulci's excellent THE BEYOND (1981) and Argento's INFERNO (1981). The films score is similar to that in ROSEMARYS BABY (1968) as is the tone of the whole movie. Sorry if that sounded a bit pretentious!

Don't Torture a Duckling (1972)

Fulci goes Giallo!

[5 October 1999]

I really enjoyed this film although I have only had a chance to watch it once. It's a great Giallo IMO and just as enjoyable as Fulci's later films. The direction was perhaps a bit rough around the edges but on the whole I thought the film worked really well and the ending was great (a real cliff hanger!). I thought one scene was particularly disturbing when the locals beat the hell out of a poor women while the radio played in the background. The inappropriate music made the images even harder to swallow but also gave the scene an emotional punch uncommon in a Fulci movie. I also felt that the story worked coherently and that the twist at the end was great. Fulci obviously has a rather low opinion of rural Italy's inhabitants because in this film all the villagers are presented as simpletons prone to mass-hysteria who live by their own backward laws (illustrated by the remorseless killing of the women) and religious beliefs.

Who Saw Her Die? (1972)

one of the best gialli

[10/10 · 5 October 1999]

WHO SAW HER DIE (1971)is a classic and very underrated giallo. I think it is excellent packing an emotional punch due to Ado Lado's skilful direction and the haunting Ennio Moriconne score. It is very stylish and due to the striking appearance of the killer who wears a veil over the face there are some truly striking images. Also the acting is better than in you usual giallo. IMO ,ex-James Bond, George Lazenby is particularly convincing as the mourning father obsessed with finding the murderer of his young daughter. The most impressive aspect of this film however is the way the location, Venice, is manipulated by the excellent cinematography. It is transformed into a sombre, claustrophobic maze consisting of Renaissance-esque buildings peering through the mist and surrounded by calm, soothing waters. IMO there is a very apparent influence on the famous art-house thriller DON'T LOOK NOW (1973). Apart from the obvious plot and location (Venice) similarities, there is a sex scene featuring Lazenby's character and his wife which is intercut with the two lying in bed next to each other weeping and reflecting on their childs death. In DON'T LOOK NOW there is a similar scene with Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie in the role of Lazenby's character and his characters wife. The only difference being the sex scene is intercut with the two getting dressed afterwards. The way the scenes are shot is also very similar, both using jagged editing. A classic movie that is hard to find and challenging to watch.

Tombs of the Blind Dead (1972)

Classic Spannish zombie flick

[8/10 · 5 October 1999]

I really love this film due to the morbid atmosphere that is sustained throughout it. Amando De Osorio's direction is brilliant and the Spanish countryside landscape is the perfect setting with the solitary railway line going through it like as ghost in the night.The way the deserted village is used is brilliant especially when the Knight Templars ride through. I really like the slow motion camerawork and the whole thing just works really well especially the ending which is actually pretty suspenseful. I have only had the time to watch it once but its definitely one of my favourites.