All The Colors Of The Dark (Martino, 1972)

"They exist. They bear the mark of the devil inside them. They may be your neighbors. They may be your wife, husband, sweetheart. They may even be your children. Their time has come."

Sergio Martino's dizzyingly stylistic film - deeply influenced by Rosemary's Baby - with its mounting, omnipresent paranoia and its evil cult, belongs near the top of the giallo heap. Gialli have always been about style and aesthetics first and foremost, and not only does All the Colors of the Dark have ample amounts of both - including one of the most stunningly audacious opening scenes I have ever seen - it also fares admirably in a department which is usually lacking in this sub-genre (acting), with Edwige Fenech giving a committed performance as the film's troubled protagonist.

Film Rating: B+/A-
Scare Factor: C

View Date: 10/31
Shocktober Horrorfest View Date: #31

Lisa And The Devil (Bava, 1972)

I can confidently guarantee one thing about Lisa And The Devil*. Watching it for the first time, no matter how intelligent you are, or how well versed in Euro-horror you are, you will be confused. You will struggle to decipher the film's nonsensical narrative, and in your attempts, you will feel like you are grasping at straws. You will also get the sense that the film is the perfect approximation of a waking dream. Mario Bava's much maligned "art horror" masterpiece is a surreal hallucination put directly to celluloid. Sure, it might not make much sense at all upon first viewing, but give the film time (and a couple more viewings) and suddenly all the puzzle pieces fall beautifully into place.

*There are two extant versions of the film. Lisa And The Devil is Bava's preferred version. The other version is titled The House Of Exorcism, and it is a completely re-edited version, made to cash in on the success of The Exorcist.

Film Rating: A-
Scare Factor: D

View Date: 10/25
Shocktober Horror Film Count: #21

Anthropophagus (D'Amato, 1980)

"It's not fear that tears you apart...it's him!"

Anthropophagus is my introduction to the exploitation cinema of Joe D'Amato, and I can't say that I'm impressed. In an interview on the DVD, George Eastman, star and co-writer of the film says, "the film was made in order to make money, there wasn't any other artistic purpose." This statement sums up the reason for the ultimate failure of Joe D'Amato's amateurish gore flick perfectly. It can't really be seen as a proper film. With such threadbare characterizations and plotting, it is more like a rather a crudely assembled collection of scenes of shocking violence. And though there are some effective, atmospheric bits and pieces, they are so few and far between that they are more likely the product of luck rather than any real skill. Watching this on the heels of Let's Scare Jessica To Death further illuminates the vast divide between quality low-budget filmmaking, and work done fast and cheap, simply to turn a buck. Considering its reputation, there is nothing really commendable about D'Amato's cult shocker, and that is quite a disappointment.

Film Rating: D+
Scare Factor: C

View Date: 10/24
Shocktober Horror Film Count: #19

The Bird With The Crystal Plumage (Argento, 1970)

"If you think you are being followed home from this movie, keep telling yourself that it's all in your mind."

What surprises most about Dario Argento's first film, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, is the sheer control Argento displays over the medium. In his first directorial outing, his visual style already seems mature and fully formed. The film is flush with beautiful compositions and stylish, inventive camera movement, and if it sometimes falls prey to meandering exposition and the occasional clumsy scene, it is still never less than enthralling. And Ennio Morricone's jazz inflected score is wonderful, the perfect aural compliment to the film's stylized aesthetic.

Film Rating: A-/B+
Scare Factor: C-

View Date: 10/17
Shocktober Horror Film Count: #11

Nightmare City (Lenzi, 1980)

In an interview on the DVD, director Umberto Lenzi discusses his film in relation to the AIDS epidemic and refers to it as realistic with some fantastical elements. This misplaced seriousness, also evident in the film itself, is perhaps the primary reason why Nightmare City fails. It manages none of the wit, charm, or low-budget ingenuity one always hopes to find in exploitation/cult cinema. As a result, the colorless, expository screenplay and stilted acting are impossible to overlook. Aside from the opening minutes, and a tense scene involving a helicopter rescue attempt, there is little else to recommend. Lenzi has crafted a horror film without scares that feels repetitive within the first ten minutes. Amongst Italian horror films this is certainly a lesser work. Nevertheless, it is mildly entertaining, moves quickly, and elicits quite a few laughs, though I doubt they were intended.

*Special mention must be made of the inconsistent gore effects. There are a few appropriately gruesome scenes, but by and large, this film contains some of the most laughably awful effects I have ever seen.