Howard Lawrence (Gordon Jackson) the esteemed biographer of romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and his wife Mary, enters the Club of the Damned, (a London based secret society that admits only those whose stories of the supernatural are believed as true) to regale the members with his truly shocking story. A story, he tells them that can never be published, such is its horror. His story begins near Geneva, where while travelling with his wife Elsbeth and daughter Mary, he was researching the aforementioned biography of Shelley. Shelley, his wife to be Mary and author of Frankenstein, along with Lord Byron had made some names for themselves across Europe, especially their renowned escapades at the Villa Deodatti. Lawrence had long dreamed of writing the definitive story of Shelley's life and had long been a believer that due to her worldly writings and her young age, her influence for Frankenstien had not come from a dream, but from another more real source. Lawrence's travels had proved fruitless and he was resigned to writing another successful, but unremarkable tome on the renowned author. So it was that on his way home, he and his family stopped at an Inn, The Ritterhoff, to shelter from the incumbent cold weather, there they are welcomed by the owner Herr Hubert (Vladek Sheybal) an odd personage, of cool demeanour and pale complexion, whom if one were to guess, would probably say he had noble blood. Elsbeth cannot settle in the Inn, her sleep is disturbed by strange visions and soon she wants to leave, but Mary has fallen in love with the Inn, it has an air about it, that transfixes her and prompts her to return to her writings with gusto. Lawrence himself would have been happy to abide by his wifes wishes had he not stumbled upon some old complimentary books provided in his room, that would seem to belong to Percy Shelley, he also finds a copy of Frankenstein there, his imagination runs riot, what if the three famous poets had stayed here on their travels, they had after all lived close by, maybe this is where he will find his holy grail. The deciding point for his decision is that their host Herr Hubert is putting on a show in their own theatre, a show as Herr Hubert puts it, "with a difference", the Marionettes contained within having somewhat of a reputation locally as do the productions. The family gathers in the small put packed theatre, full of local colourful characters, it is lit by candlelight, that glistens in the cobwebs in the rafters above, a perfect setting for an unusual show? The lights dim, the show begins, a pale white princess is at home in her bedroom, unseen by her, outside her window lurks a demon. Back in the demons lair, he contrives to give life to a tall, burly dark haired creature, with a pale white face, he is dressed in black and white clothes, a striking image, the creature stirs into life and is soon at the princess's room where he proceed to defile her before killing her. Lawrence is convinced this is the influence Shelley's Frankenstein and confronts Herr Hubert, little knowing the truth is far worse than the fiction.
Night of the Marionettes is an enjoyable twist on the Frankenstein tale, the setting is excellent, a labyrinthine Gothic guest house with plenty of odd characters, not least Herr Hubert, whose pale skin and gaunt bone structure would strike fear into anyone. Gordan Jackson plays the troubled biographer Lawrence, supremely well, calling on all his experience to give a rather unique performance in his filmography. The highlight of the film is undoubtedly the Marionette show, which one soon realises is done with real people and not puppets, the demon is Japanese in origin and boasts a mask with a terrifying facial expression, one to even rival that from Kaneto Shindo's classic Onibaba (1964). The monster is also certainly one with a memorably striking image, despite the film being in colour, the monsters monochrome image will remain in your memory for some time. Overall there's a decent atmosphere built up, but the video quality lets it down somewhat. Night of the Marionette's had previously been derided as a bad film from a bad series, i wholeheartedly disagree, its a unique tale given a delightful Gothic touch.
Oh and i nearly forgot, you may want to know how Lawrence got on in the Club of the Damned, did they believe his story, remember those not accepted faced death, hey its a horror flick you work it out? ]
Night of the Marionettes is an enjoyable twist on the Frankenstein tale, the setting is excellent, a labyrinthine Gothic guest house with plenty of odd characters, not least Herr Hubert, whose pale skin and gaunt bone structure would strike fear into anyone. Gordan Jackson plays the troubled biographer Lawrence, supremely well, calling on all his experience to give a rather unique performance in his filmography. The highlight of the film is undoubtedly the Marionette show, which one soon realises is done with real people and not puppets, the demon is Japanese in origin and boasts a mask with a terrifying facial expression, one to even rival that from Kaneto Shindo's classic Onibaba (1964). The monster is also certainly one with a memorably striking image, despite the film being in colour, the monsters monochrome image will remain in your memory for some time. Overall there's a decent atmosphere built up, but the video quality lets it down somewhat. Night of the Marionette's had previously been derided as a bad film from a bad series, i wholeheartedly disagree, its a unique tale given a delightful Gothic touch.
Oh and i nearly forgot, you may want to know how Lawrence got on in the Club of the Damned, did they believe his story, remember those not accepted faced death, hey its a horror flick you work it out? ]