Retrospective: The Whip and the Body (1963)

29 Tuesday Aug 2023

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1963 would prove to be an instrumental year for the Master of Macabre, Mario Bava. Having kick started with the giallo flick The Girl Who Knew Too Much, before teaming up with Boris Karloff for the horror anthology Black Sabbath, he would round things off with the stylised and sadomasochistic film starring Christopher Lee called The Whip and the Body.

A somewhat convoluted tale, Lee stars as Kurt Menliff, a man who has been kicked off the family will because of his relationship with a servant girl, who committed suicide. When Menliff returns to reclaim his title, he is later found murdered, but mysterious sightings lead locals to believe that he has returned as a ghost to seek vengeance. 

The Whip and the Body is probably most known for its sadomasochistic themes that dominate through the middle period of the film, causing Italian censors to slap an 18 rating on it, only for it to be seized for charges of obscenity. The movie would be heavily cut down for American and British audiences along with being heavily dubbed by none of the original actors, which then demolished any clear narrative, reducing it to a complex mess.

There are some genuinely interesting scenes on show, but due to the nature of its release, the film is pale in comparison to the other two movies that Bava released that year, despite being at the peak of his filmmaking. 

Despite all this, Bava still manages to capture his visual style, working alongside cinematographer Ubaldo Terzano once more having previously combined for Black Sunday. Lee too provides a magnanimous presence on screen that proves he was born to be a leading man.  

  • Saul Muerte

Movie review: Perpertrator (2023)

28 Monday Aug 2023

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Quite rightfully Jennifer Reeder is taking great, confident strides in her directorial role following the Holy Hell segment in V/H/S/94’ and Night’s End. In her latest outing behind the lens, Perpetrator, Reeder takes a bold approach in the realms of a patriarchal dominated society through the eyes of female suppression. She combines this with a coming-of-age tale where as a young woman, Jonny Baptiste (Kiah McKirnan – Mare of Easttown) finds a road to empowerment and the ability to change her proceedings.

When Jonny is taken in by her estranged Aunt Hildie (Alicia Silverstone – The Lodge) she has to adapt to a new way of life; one that is tempered by a strange school run by an overzealous principal (Chris Lowell – My Best Friend’s Exorcism, Promising Young Woman) who insists on forcing the girls in the school to undertake self protection classes and extreme drill practises that allow him to dress up as a masked vigilante, running amok in the classrooms and hallways, hunting them down. This is a fucked up world, that is painted so deeply in a male-controlled domain, even the local enforcement is run by an equally screwed up officer, Sterlin (Josh Bywater – Utopia).
The girls in the school are being forced to conform to a certain way of life, even the idolisation of school heartthrob Kirk (Sasha Kuznetsov) is an expected ritualisation for them to have made out with. All of which goes against the grain of Jonny’s own beliefs and with the disappearance of girls in the area, she feels that she must root out the evil within. 

As with any reaching maturity tale, with a supernatural twist, Jonny has to go through her own form of metamorphosis that challenges her own perceptions of needing to fit in and not necessarily meeting her own wellbeing. In her search for answers, she finds that support comes from the curious form of her Aunt Hildie and what she describes as the Forevering; one that will transport Jonny into a journey of discovery, self-regulation, and enhancing her female spirituality.

The Prognosis:

Jennifer Reeder’s focus on the stifling of female empowerment through the gaze of a young lady’s transformation into adulthood is carefully scrutinised with a supernatural element. With an awakening of femininity comes a presage of advocacy, which slowly transcends throughout the movie. The energy from which it ascends is a murky one however, and the message gets a little lost in the myriad of imagery and impedimenta.

  • Saul Muerte

Perpertrator is streaming Exclusively on Shudder and AMC+ from Friday 1st Sept.

Retrospective: The Haunting (1963) 60th anniversary

25 Friday Aug 2023

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There is something vividly unsettling about Robert Wise’s cinematic interpretation of the novel The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. The reason for this chilling viewing is down to a number of combinations that lead to a thrilling, psychological and paranormal experience that still haunts today, 60 years after its initial release. Beyond the subject itself which Jackson had been able to create in her novelisation of psychic researchers investigation ghostly encounters in a supposed haunted location, screenwriter Nelson Gidding (who had previously worked with Wise on I Want To Live!), had misinterpreted the story’s premise and read it as a window into the protagonist, Eleanor Vance’s (Julie Harris) mental breakdown. This happy accident would lend weight to the narrative, pushing the audience to continuously question whether the events are indeed paranormal or the subject of Eleanor’s broken mind. 

Another component is Harris’s performance of Eleanor, a shy woman who becomes gradually possessed by the house. Eleanor’s reclusiveness is what makes her so compelling and estranged from the other occupants in the house. Harris at the time was battling depression and found herself naturally withdrawn from her peers, and it is this portrayal that makes her so captivating to watch.

Wise and his cinematographer Davis Boulton had also acquired an untested and warped 30mm anamorphic, wide-angle lens Panavision camera which distorted the visual results of the film. The set too was deliberately well lit, to highlight every nook and cranny, with a low ceiling to add to the claustrophobic feeling the characters go through, trapped within the walls of Hill House. 

At the time of its release, The Haunting garnered mixed reviews, but time has been kind to this feature, its presence capturing the hearts and minds of viewers for cinephiles and movie lovers. In 1999, a remake was released starring Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Owen Wilson and Lily Taylor but lacked the depth and emotive feeling of its predecessor. Filmmaker Mike Flannagan would come the closest with his TV series adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House, but Robert Wise would pave the way for what some have described as one of the greatest ghost stories of all time.

  • Saul Muerte

Movie review: Malum (2023)

20 Sunday Aug 2023

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There is something suitably eerie in the way Antony Diblasi (Dread) unravels his psychologically disturbing portrayal of trauma and isolation. Set in a police station run by a skeleton staff, Malum draws comparisons to John Carpenter’s Assault on Precinct 13 with a supernatural Manson-esque occultist, hellbent on bringing all who come into their wake to ruin. 

When rookie police officer Jessica Loren (Jessica Siula – Split) takes up the graveyard shift at the afore-mentioned, decommissioned police station, she does so in search of answers to her father’s brutal demise and its connection to a vicious cult who undertook a suicide pact within its walls a few years ago.

Upon arrival however, Jessica soon realises that not only does she get a frosty reception from her supervisor, but throughout the night she may not be alone. Diblasi plays out an evening filled with tension where the audience is left guessing whether or not the demons of the past have culminated in tormenting all those whole encounter the police station, hanging in the air and projecting a world of horror into the fold; or figments of a traumatised mind.

The Prognosis:

Diblasi does well to carve out a warped world within the confines of an isolated space. Jessica Siula does well to portray the victimised protagonist which is essential as the narrative rests solely on her shoulders. There are however, too many questions left unanswered and you can’t help but feel that more time could have been invested in the universe to draw out the tense-riddled paranormal instead of the few jump scares that we’re provided with. Yes, there are some strange occurrences that lay groundwork to the atmosphere that has been generated, but considering Malum is a re-working of Diblasi’s previous feature, Last Shift, you’d think that he would have been able to develop something a lot more intrinsic and with a lot more depth.

  • Saul Muerte

Malum is currently streaming on ShudderANZ.

Movie review: Bad Things (2023)

13 Sunday Aug 2023

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It’s fairly obvious from its setting that inspiration is drawn from The Shining and the subject of trauma is at the heart of this feature with promise of disturbing reflection on the impact that this has on all who come into its path. The slow, meandering start to this movie however leaves one a little misguided by what is about to unfold. There is a lot of time spent on the quartet of female characters who are all going through various stages of turmoil and are leaning into a false desire to reach enlightenment. So embroiled are they though in their embittered lives that they neglect to remedy their own healing. 

Pulling them deeper into their conflict is the narratives’ protagonist (Gayle Rankin – Men) who has inherited a snowy resort from her Grandmother. There is however a continuing threat from her mother (Molly Ringwald – Cut) who may or may not be unhinged, but definitely is the bearer of some traumatic psychological scars. 

These ongoing conflicts between the group and their own demons play a part in the web of confusion as the labyrinth of the resort surrounds them and consumes their fears, only to spew it back out upon them. An indicator that they can not seem to deal with their suffering. 

It’s a shame though that the story too gets lost and the intentions of the characters are too murky for the audience to bear any commonality with nor find solace in their plight.

The Prognosis:

The elements embedded in Bad Things are a clear homage to The Shining, but where Stanley Kubrick embarked in a deeply psychological and traumatic narrative, helmed by the depth of character that Jack Torrance embodied and wonderfully portrayed by Jack Nicholson, the realms of insanity on display here are thwarted by a shallow interpretation of persona.

Stewart Thorndike does attempt to steer the inspiration into a new direction with an avenue of intrigue and entropy, but her characters are already lost at the start and without hope of resolving their internal conflict.

  • Saul Muerte

Bad Things is streaming in Shudder from Fri 18th August.

Movie review: Dracula: Voyage of the Demeter

10 Thursday Aug 2023

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Sandwiched between the opening act of Bram Stoker’s Dracula where Jonathan Harker is imprisoned by the titular dark lord, and the events that unfold in London, there is a chapter centred on the transportation of the Count across the seas to Whitby. For four pages we read the account of this perilous trip courtesy of the captains’ log on the ship The Demeter.

For such a small amount in the novel, the diarised account would have a profound impact on the reader as the crew are picked off one by one before the ship finally reaches its destination, so it’s little wonder that it would draw inspiration in the celluloid artform. The concept holds a lot of promise, with the original narrative detailing a treacherous voyage with a crew of nine sailors, all prey for the beast that has boarded the ship. One can imagine a similar telling to Alien, where a confined space where there is nowhere to run other than to confront the demon can elevate the fears, driving a wedge between sanity and madness, thrusting the crew to fall deeply into the latter.

And so we embark on Director André Øvredal’s vision of this tale, who is no stranger to paranormal and twisted stories in a remote setting as The Autopsy of Jane Doe can attest to. Boasting a strong cast at its helm, leading with Corey Hawkins (Straight Outta Compton) as the trained doctor Clemens, marred in society because of the colour of his skin, bargaining his way on board the ship for the chance to return to his homeland; There’s Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones) as the stoic captain; David Dastmalchian (The Boston Strangler) as the loyal-yet-disbelieving first mate, Wojchek; Jon Jon Briones (Ratched) as the cook and religious zealot; and Aisling Franciosi (The Nightingale) as the stowaway Anna, who has an intricate connection to the predator. But it is Woody Norman as the young cabin boy Toby who pivots the heart of the story and portrays a captivating character that belies his years.

As for the titular villain of the piece… his presence is always felt throughout the film but his impact is not as telling, nor confronting as one would have hoped for, despite some decent effects.

The Prognosis:

There is plenty of intrigue from a fairly untapped segment in one of Gothic literature’s finest tales, one that would pull me into the arena with willing anticipation. Yet, for all the talent on screen, there is surprisingly little in the way of building up the ambience and dread from someone as fearful as Dracula. So focused are the writers in embellishing the plot with background and character development, (some with the licence that creatives can afford to keep the audience captivated) that they neglect to draw out the fear and trepidation that the Prince of Darkness deserves. While the journey is still an enjoyable one, the course is easily traversed and never delves into the realms of immorality in order to stir the senses, or shake you to the core.

  • Saul Muerte

Dracula: Voyage of the Demeter is currently screening in cinemas nationwide.

Movie review: Wolfkin (2023)

09 Wednesday Aug 2023

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I’ve always been lured in to lycanthrope movies, perhaps because they generally arc back to a tormented soul, cursed by a torturous, shape-shifting, life-altering event that threatens to rip apart the physical self in order to destroy the last ebbs of humanity.

So, upon hearing that Luxembourger film director, Jacques Molitar was offering up a fresh slice of the werewolf folk story, I was gripped with eager anticipation.

Elaine (Louise Manteau) is a single mother, following the disappearance of the father after a naked romp during the films prologue (typical guy, right?)

Cut to 8 years or so later, and Elaine’s son, Martin, is starting to present some unusual physical and psychological traits that lead him to biting a schoolfriend. Shocked and ashamed, Elaine intends to find out the root cause of this odd behaviour and heads back to the paternal grandparents in search for answers, who I might add are significantly well off, casting an automatic divide that juxtaposes the rough suburban lifestyle that Elaine and Martin have been living.

When she gets there though, there are some curious happenings which raise further questions and family secrets that she may have wished remained buried. Elaine must then decide which path her son should take in order for him to survive in the real world.

The Prognosis:

Whilst Wolfkin does boast some decent practical effects, this is a slowburn story that does little when it tries to finally ignite.

Where Let The Right One In and The Hatching (both movie which it has been likened to in promotions) have depth and tension to fill the void, Wolfkin simmers along with plenty to say but little impact in the way that it’s presented.

Hats off to Molitar for attempting to take an age-old tale into a new direction but it ultimately lacked enough bit to sink your teeth into.

– Saul Muerte

Wolfkin is currently available on DVD and Digital platforms.

Movie review: The Communion Girl (2023)

07 Monday Aug 2023

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As I started watching The Communion Girl, my immediate reaction was one of enjoyment. It had all the hallmarks of an intriguing horror flick with strong religious avenues; a mysterious woman in white; ghostly apparitions that drive one to the grave; and perilous teens on the brink of rebellion but treading ever so closer to the reaper.

The feature does well to entice you in with its central female protagonist, Sara (Carla Campra – Veronica) who is relatively new to the province of Tarragona. Socially awkward, Sara relies on her best friend, Rebe (Aina Quiñones) an extrovert who wears her heart and soul on her sleeve, but all this bravado hides a troubled household that she is struggling to climb out of. The two of them hit the town in search of some deeper connection to the world around them, and getting their kicks from some illicit antidote. 

On their journey home though with a couple of guys they meet at the nightclub, Pedro (Marc Soler) and Chivo (Carlos Oviedo) they encounter a little girl who carries a doll and is dressed for her first communion, before disappearing into the night. Was she an apparition or just a figment of their imagination? Before long, they all become haunted by the girl and must find the root cause of this ghostly cause or else it will consume them in her wake.

The Prognosis:

Spanish film director, Victor Garcia is no stranger to the horror genre, having worked on Mirrors 2 and Hellraiser: Revelations, and he weaves his craft with delight in his latest venture. Carla Campra also captivates on screen as the ‘final girl’, but as the narrative unfolds it becomes apparent that The Communion Girl borrows heavily from other successful features, such as Ringu, or folk tales like The Curse of the Weeping Woman. We know that the vengeful spirit has a vendetta that needs to be brought to a satisfying conclusion, and so we walk familiar terrain to get there. Despite this, the feature does still entertain and offers a slight twist in the tale albeit a slightly confusing one.

The Communion Girl is streaming Exclusively on Shudder and AMC+ Film Premieres Friday 11 August

  • Saul Muerte

Movie review: Talk To Me (2023)

04 Friday Aug 2023

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Now that the dust has had time to settle and the litmus test has had the opportunity to really sink in and absorb the quality of this year’s most hyped and discussed Aussie horror flick, I’ve taken stock of my own initial impression of the RackaRacka brothers debut feature, Talk To Me and feel ready to weigh in with my verdict.

There was always going to be plenty of eyeballs on this venture with the amount of support that Danny and Michael Philippou bring with their strong social following. That’s before it went off the dial with a huge reaction at Sundance and A24 nabbing the rights to a cinematic release.

Could the RackaRacka boys pull off their debut directorial feature to back up their social credibility?

The answer to that is a firm yes, but with a caveat, albeit a slight one.

The choice for their playing field lies in an age-old tale of communication with the afterlife; How grief can dictate and steer your emotions to make rash decisions in the wake of the loss; and the lengths that someone is willing to go to in order to find relief no matter what the cost made to those around you. 

Driving this perspective through to its bitter conclusion is Mia (Sophia Wilde), whose mother passed away a year prior, but the memory is still ripe and the sorrow lingers with harrowing dread. Mia has been drifting through life on the periphery and as a drifter has struggled to connect to those around her. Her one lifeline to humanity is through her best friend Jade (Alexandra Jensen) and Jade’s family. They accept her for who she is and Jade’s brother Riley (Joe Bird) is almost smitten by her.
When the trio become embroiled with a group who have discovered how to conjure the dead through an embalmed hand, they are soon hooked, and drawing the spirits forth like some crazed drug fix. By inviting the souls into their own body for a short time, our protagonists are compelled to dive deeper, treating the whole episode as a light-hearted affair That is until Mia’s mother finds a brief way to connect with her, and with one quick stroke, our protagonist is willing to open Pandora’s Box and breaking all previous agreed conventions in order to connect one last time.

The Prognosis:

The RackaRacka brothers have not only exceeded expectations but have produced a solid effort for their first feature length outing, calling the shots from behind the camera. While arguably they have produced a fairly safe outing when it comes to narration, the captivating part comes through their strength in character combined with Sophia Wilde’s performance. Also, the blend of humour and horror peppered throughout helps to flip the juxtaposition of polarizing extremes to tie you to the chair forcing you to grip the hand of darkness. 

  • Saul Muerte

Movie review: The Pope’s Exorcist (2023)

18 Tuesday Jul 2023

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If you’re familiar with the works of Julius Avery, you won’t be surprised that his latest endeavour starring Russell Crowe is filled to the brim with cigar chomping action sequences that stretch the realms of believability to the nth degree. Whether it;s gold heists in Son of a Gun; American soldiers taking on experimental Nazi zombies in Overlord; or Superhumans in Samaritan, Avery likes to bend our receptions and tantalise the visual senses with implausibility and a mixture of delight. You’re alway guaranteed to have an entertaining time, no matter what subject the Australian director turns his attention onto.

For his latest outing, The Pope’s Exorcist takes inspiration from the real life personality Father Gabrielle Amorth, an Italian Catholic priest who was an exorcist for the Diocese of Rome. The tales that Amorth has to tell and his endeavours with the paranormal are to the extreme, so a perfect playing field for Avery and for Crowe to portray the titular character.

Amorth is introduced as a down-to-earth, practical man whose methods are questionable (as highlighted in the opening scene when he tricks a demon to possess a pig and then promptly shoots it) and a constant ache in the heart of those wishing to wield power in the Vatican community. When he is asked to investigate the curious possession of a boy in Spain, Amorth uncovers something much darker lurking beneath the refurbished castle abode, something that the Vatican had wished to remain dormant. 

The Prognosis:

Avery tempts us in with a curious tale, weaving together a buddy relationship between the cavalier veteran, Amorth and the local priest Father Tomas Esquibel (Daniel Zovatto) and the mother in plight, Julia (Alex Essoe – a little underused here playing second fiddle to the testosterone on show). 

If you’re willing to let the far-fetched, and attempted humour of an action-packed exorcism, then you will definitely be entertained. Crowe certainly appears to be having fun chewing up the scenery at any given opportunity, but the fanciful and extreme measures taken to amuse jolts far too often, thrusting you out of the picture in the process.

  • Saul Muerte

The Pope’s Exorcist is available to Rent or Buy from Jul 19.