Maestro Of The Macabre ~ Mario Bava

[strtfghtr]

I'll type one up for the Girl who knew too much when I get some slack time today

[FrighT MasteR]

**continues waiting**

w00den

Agreed

[strtfghtr]

The Girl Who Knew too Much

One of the earliest examples of a giallo, this film basically set the standard. In fact, when we first meet the protagonist she’s reading a giallo book and explains that its her favorite type of book. Despite the lack of gore this movie still has some good tense spots thanks to Bava’s ability to build tension with lighting and camera work. The actors do their job well but in the Italian language version I watched, John Saxon’s deep somber voice was replaced with a high pitched whiney Italian one, oh well you can’t win them all. It is a classic murder mystery, a who-done-it, that makes you think you have it all figured out until the end that throws a few twists on you. It isn’t the most ingenious plot I’ve ever seen but it keeps you interested the whole way through. In all I thoroughly enjoyed this movie though it does have a few dull spots, in those I focused more on the scenery and lighting both of which were spectacular throughout the entire movie. I’d recommend this to anyone especially gialli fans to get a taste of where the subgenre came from. Also note that it is in black and white, so if you don’t like black and white…get better taste in movies because you suck.

[steelba]

Black and White iz bitch

Movie sounds mediocre to me, but then again I don't much care for Bava.

[strtfghtr]

Yeah in terms of gialli you are right steelba, it isnt one of the greatest, however its worth checking out just because of how early it is in the genre...just like how The Town That Dreaded Sundown is a super early slasher but pretty mediocre in the genre

[steelba]

I do have an interest in checking out 'town', loved that cover art

[woodenheart]

**continues waiting**

w00den

This weekend, I promise.

I have pineapple favoured vodka!

[FrighT MasteR]

I have pineapple favoured vodka!

I guess that means you'll be paying a visit in chat

[steelba]

This weekend, I promise.

I have pineapple favoured vodka!

[Creature]

Bava is King. My favorite film of his is "Black Sunday".

[woodenheart]

This is my favourite so far:

Shock 1977

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075651/



Shock (also known as Schock, and Beyond the Door II) This was Bava's last film before he died of a heart attack in 1980.The movie was actually started by Mario Bava but finished by his son Lamberto Bava. The film starred Daria Nicolodi, John Steiner, and David Colin, Jr.



This film had a very eerie feeling to it. My favourite moment of the film was when

Spoiler...

Marco ran towards his mother, threw open his arms, and transformed into long-dead Carlo.

Elegant, effective, and simply frightening. Gave me a start too. There's such a grace in the way this film is edited together, particularly in the last act. The ending moment has a neat special effect and is crafted well. Very fitting to the movie. It's full of memorable imagery. That, in my mind, is very important part of a horror film.

[Necromancer]

I just ordered this through Amazon. Can't wait to see this

[Necromancer]

Okay , and here we go. Shock aka Beyond the Door 2 has the elements of being a giallo film. I must warn giallo fans even this film isn't for you unless you're very forgiving for what you have to put up with. This film has a running time of a mere 92 minutes, but I'll be brutally honest the film feels like twice that. The first half of the film is mind numbingly boring, and really makes no sense what-so- ever.
The acting is quite unbelieveable as well; which I had found surprising since some of the actors and actresses had performed rather well in previous ventures with Mario Bava. Possibly the director was so ill that he couldn't perform his duties as usual.

Could have done without the child as well he always looked angry when I suspect he was trying to come across as being menacing...............yea right. There are a couple of brief hallucination / delusional scenes which are decent at best, and since they're so few , and far between it really doesn't make the film any better.

The last half the film actually gets better. I am going to assume this is where Lamberto Bava takes over and makes this a better film. The film boasts of a secret past to the house........it's only a secret to to the viewer as will be revealed in the conclusion. Don't be too surprised since you should have figured it out in the first jumbled half. There is a twist as well, and again if you'd been paying attention it wouldn't surprise or shock you. There's plenty of action in the last half hour which makes this an ok film.

Not a whole lot of blood, murder or even suspense, but gives you then opportunity to evaluate your deductive reasoning.

Summing up : Nothing much in the way of violence , nudity, or suspense. But you can always skip the first 50 minutes , and enjoy a short or be as forgiving as myself and give this 5 / 10

[woodenheart]

Nice write up even though we didn't see eye to eye on this film.

How about that large porcelain hand..the camera angle on the lovers on the couch...it made it look like their naked bodies were in it's grip....Brilliant!

[strtfghtr]

Great writeup Necro! I didn't realize the alternate title was Beyond the Door 2...I have that VHS!! Gonna have to watch it when I get a chance.

I'm gonna post one on Knives of the Avenger and Kill, Baby...Kill soon

[steelba]

Okay , and here we go. Shock aka Beyond the Door 2 has the elements of being a giallo film. I must warn giallo fans even this film isn't for you unless you're very forgiving for what you have to put up with. This film has a running time of a mere 92 minutes, but I'll be brutally honest the film feels like twice that. The first half of the film is mind numbingly boring, and really makes no sense what-so- ever.
The acting is quite unbelieveable as well; which I had found surprising since some of the actors and actresses had performed rather well in previous ventures with Mario Bava. Possibly the director was so ill that he couldn't perform his duties as usual.

Could have done without the child as well he always looked angry when I suspect he was trying to come across as being menacing...............yea right. There are a couple of brief hallucination / delusional scenes which are decent at best, and since they're so few , and far between it really doesn't make the film any better.

The last half the film actually gets better. I am going to assume this is where Lamberto Bava takes over and makes this a better film. The film boasts of a secret past to the house........it's only a secret to to the viewer as will be revealed in the conclusion. Don't be too surprised since you should have figured it out in the first jumbled half. There is a twist as well, and again if you'd been paying attention it wouldn't surprise or shock you. There's plenty of action in the last half hour which makes this an ok film.

Not a whole lot of blood, murder or even suspense, but gives you then opportunity to evaluate your deductive reasoning.

Summing up : Nothing much in the way of violence , nudity, or suspense. But you can always skip the first 50 minutes , and enjoy a short or be as forgiving as myself and give this 5 / 10

I agree with everything except the rating. Awful Film, shame on you w00den

[FrighT MasteR]

weetch recommending a sheet film, what a surprise

[Necromancer]

Thanks all. I did say I was forgiving , and possibly the last 30-50 minutes upgraded the rating. The tone of the film was quite noticable, so that's where I figure they made the change in directors. Would I watch it again? Yes, but it's going to be awhile before I do so.

[fizgig]

Watched Black Sunday last night. One of my fav's and i'm gonna watch Black Sabbath later after about 15 yrs. Bet its still as good as i remember.

[strtfghtr]

Knives of the Avenger

One of Bava’s many non-horror films, this one is interesting as it plays out much like a western but takes place in Viking times. We all know the tired western cliché of a loner wandering into a town, saving a damsel, and fighting off a bad guy looking to take the place over. All of this with the assistance of a local saloon keeper, a young boy and a not-so-colorful cast of characters. Though it’s been done hundreds of times I’ve never seen it in Viking times so its just entertaining enough to keep you watching. The movie’s action is hilarious at times as the hero uses knives in place of a gun and seems to have 1000s of these knives under his cloak and never seems to go back and grab one after he puts down a bad guy. The final battle is especially lame and doesn’t even match the excitement of one scuffle that happened just minutes previous to it.

The acting is decent with the exception of the kid in the movie…but that’s not unusual as child actors are normally 100% terrible. Though there’s always something odd about the hero of the film, like many westerns our hero is very dark with a brooding past yet this guy seems just a bit on the edge like he can snap at any moment. Not cool and collected like a traditional John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, or even Franco Nero.

Directing-wise this is definitely the weakest of Bava’s films I’ve watched so far with only one stand out seen in a saloon *oops I mean an inn* where the hero faces off with the main bad guy and the lights go out. Genuine tension arises and some really dramatic camera shots are done. I wish the whole movie played at this pace.

In all it is not a completely terrible movie but certainly not one I’d recommend to anyone interested in Bava. Though from what I understand it’s not really his fault as Bava took over production from someone else then re-wrote the script and shot the entire thing in only 6 days!

Sorry Mario, you can’t win them all.

3/10