I like giallos a lot, and this one was pretty good, but in some ways it could have been better. I still need to see "What Have They Done To Your Daughters" and "What Have They Done To Solange", as I've heard those two entries are a lot better than this concluding entry, which is also known as "Trauma", "Rings of Fear", and "Virgin Terror". It starts out pretty good, with the mutilated body of a teen girl named Angelo being discovered, and Inspector Di Salvo (Fabio Testi) is assigned to find her killer, before he "carves up someone else". Basically, it goes on with him questioning Angelo's friends and family and finding strange clues, such as a diary, a strange cat sketch, a lot of money, as well as many secrets kept hidden by Angelo's friends, a bunch of slutty schoolgirls named Franca, Paola, and Virginia, who call themselves the inseparables. Di Salvo does more digging and recovers many more strange things. There is a funky groovy score by Riz Ortolani, lots of red herrings, good acting, and a fun first half, but then the second half of the film kind of falls apart. The motives of the killer(s) are confused and come off as kind of laughable. Then, there are a few more strange events that lead up to a conclusion that leaves you uttering one single word: "What?". It is basically confusing. I had to rewind the last fifteen or twenty minutes and watch it again. Overall, if you're a hardcore giallo fan, go for it...but for others, you may just be bored. Hopefully the other entries in the series are better than this one!
Reviews
74 Reviews
American Psycho
(2000)
Huge disappointment basically
19 April 2001
I was really looking forward to "American Psycho", but it didn't live up to its hype. True, it was well-directed and superbly-acted, but overall it was flat, boring, and only had a few scenes that were enjoyable to watch. Everything else in the film was really silly, including Bateman describing to us what he showers with and how he puts all this face wash junk on his face, and there are always the long, boring scenes of Bateman with his snobby friends. This was really dull overall. Reese Witherspoon was good but should've been in the film more. The one standout scene takes place well into the film, and it involves closets and rooms full of dead bodies, a screaming prostitute, and a nude, snarling, chainsaw-wielding Bateman---the only exciting scene pretty much in the whole film.
Opera
(1987)
Not a classic, but still cool stuff
18 April 2001
I am a huge Argento fan, and I was somewhat disappointed with this film (especially the ending), but overall it is really cool and stylish. The plot deals with a beautiful opera diva named Betty being terrorized by a mysterious hooded killer after she makes her debut as Lady MacBeth. Soon, her boyfriend is savagely knife-murdered, and the killer makes her watch the whole thing by tying her up and pinning her eyes open. More murders occur as Betty tries to figure out who the mystery maniac is. The good parts about this movie: the cool music, the artsy, stylish camerawork, the lush colors, the gore murders, suspenseful scenes, great scenery, etc. The bad parts: the awful dubbing, motive of the killer unclear, and disappointing ending, a few other minor quibbles. The last few minutes are really kind of silly. Oh well. This is a really good movie though. If you are an Argento fan, do not miss it! Go for the unrated version!
The Zodiac Killer
(1971)
Cheesy and cheap
15 April 2001
This 1971 horror/crime film is really low-budget. The acting is bad and the direction is flat. It doesn't really shed any new insight into the Zodiac case. It basically is just 86 minutes of people getting shot, stabbed, sliced, beaten, and killed in a a variety of bloody ways. Pretty much all the names of the victims have been changed and we know who the killer is early on, and it basically just follows him as he claims his victims. It is pretty boring, has bad music, and lots of cheesy 70s fashions (I just love the part with that guy's wig at the beginning, haha!). The scene with the sunbathers getting stabbed to death in the woods is creepy and bloody, but everything else is laughable. "The Zodiak Killer" is a cheap, low-budget effort that some may like and others may despise.
Murder Syndrome
(1981)
Awesome Italian horror!
15 April 2001
This is a must-see! It is absolutely great! The story deals with a troubled actor named Michael traveling with his girlfriend Deborah, a director named Hans, and two actresses named Shirley and Beryl to his mother Glenda's eerie villa in the isolated countryside. Once there, disturbing things begin to happen. A black-gloved killer begins prowling around the house, trying to drown Beryl in the bathtub. Also, Deborah dreams she is the victim of a Black Mass (an eerie sequence). The next day, gory murders occur, including: a hunting knife slitting open a belly, an axe hacking out a guy's brains, and a chainsaw decapitation. Then, there's a huge thunderstorm as Deborah is stalked by the killer. This is a truly frightening movie. The direction is creative, and it is very atmospheric and moody. The musical score is creepy! The plot is also excellent! There are many great twists near the end of the film, which keep you on the edge of your seat! I won't give them away, they are too good! Just watch this movie, especially if you like Italian horror films! It is a mixture of an Italian giallo and an American slasher film, with a few supernatural elements thrown in. This movie rocks! Oh, and the actress who plays Deborah is very, very hot! Oh, and so is Laura Gemser! There is a lot of nudity, sex, gore, and violence in this movie, but it is very atmospheric and interesting. A classic piece of Italian horror cinema, which deserves a video re-release, uncut, and in letterbox format! See this one!!!
Run If You Can
(1988)
Standard and sleazy
8 April 2001
This was pretty disappointing. The cover on the video looks cool, but the movie itself is standard, sleazy, and pretty dull, dealing with a sicko psycho killer killing nude women in LA and somehow their deaths are broadcast on television. Soon, he begins to terrorize a young girl named Kim, and well, you can pretty much figure out how things will end up. Predictable, sometimes boring, not really recommended. Lots of nudity. However, there is one scene near the climax that made me jump out of my socks ("I'm gonna kill you NOW!"). If you have the spare 2 bucks, rent it some night, just don't expect anything special.
A Blade in the Dark
(1983)
Pretty good giallo
23 March 2001
I love giallos. This one isn't superb, but it is pretty enjoyable. It is a good murder mystery type thriller mixed in with slasher elements, involving a knife-wielding maniac. THe plot revolves around a composer named Bruno renting a villa in the countryside, to work on composing a musical score for his friend Sandra's new horror film. Soon, strange events begin to occur, such as a knife out of place, drops of blood appearing, weird phone calls, a prowler lurking in the shadows. Soon, Bruno is convinced there is a murderer after him for some reason. The film goes on, with a few good, effective twists. I love the music for this movie, it is great, and there is one really effective, jolting gore murder (the demise of a character named Angela) which is really frightening and gory. The murderer was very freaky too. Surprising, creepy, atmospheric thriller. If you love giallos, try to find this one!
Killer's Moon
(1978)
Avoid!!!
9 March 2001
Man, this was awful!!! I thought it would be a lot of fun. I picked it up for like 2 bucks at an antique show at Gibraltar Trade Center. Well, I have to tell you, it was a pitiful waste of two bucks. I couldn't stand sitting through this movie. It was slow, boring, and low on gore. The quality of the video was crappy, the acting bad, oh, and did I mention the very slow pace? Avoid this film at all costs. It has nothing going for it, just cheap exploitation with a bunch of really bad actors. The plot, dealing with four escaped killers raping and killing schoolgirls, sounds good, but trust me: it's not!!! The schoolgirls are whiny and annoying, the killer's act like the three stooges on acid. Can you imagine that? Geez...I usually like movies like this, but this one was awful!!! AVOID!!!
Deadly Blessing
(1981)
My favorite Craven flick!
24 February 2001
This was awesome fun! I totally loved it, from beginning to end. I don't see why this got such mixed and/or bad reviews! This was great. Yes, the script could've used another polish, but after I saw it once I figured out what was happening. Maren Jensen, Sharon Stone, and Susan Buckner are bodacious babes living in a farmhouse in the remote countryside, surrounded on all sides by a religious cult known as the Hittites. Soon weird things start happening and people begin to die. Who is responsible? Is it the Hittites? Or something else? This is great! Rent it! Buy it! Cherish it! There are such great scenes, such as the scene in the barn (I swear, this scene had me jumping out of my socks!), the bathtub sequence, the double murder in the car, the peeping tom sequence, and the finale which was awesome! See this one, you won't be disappointed!
Fear
(1990 TV Movie)
Creepy
21 January 2001
I liked this movie, and I was freaked out when I caught it on Lifetime the other day. It has a really creepy atmosphere, good plot, and an excellent performance from Ally Sheedy, who plays Cayce. Cayce is a psychic who has helped the police track down kidnappers and serial killers for years. However, she soon faces an even tougher case when she tries to catch a serial killer who himself is a psychic. This has some creepy scenes with eerie blue lighting. Also, the beginning sequence is very creepy (I always feel shudders go down my spine when I hear the murderer humming while we watch the girl squirming in the backseat). I like this movie a lot, and I recommened that you go out and rent it, your video store should carry it.
Satan's School for Girls
(1973 TV Movie)
Underrated, spooky film
21 January 2001
I caught this on USA while I was home sick with the flu. Even though I was half awake and in a daze, I enjoyed it. Pamela Franklin was likable as a young woman who enrolls in the exclusive Salem Academy under a false name, in order to investigate the strange death of her sister Martha, who had gone to school there. Once she arrives, she meets up with strange faculty and students, and eerie occurences. There are great shots of Pamela crawling the hallways at night with a lantern in her hand as a storm rages outside, and there is an eerie climax. Catch this one if you can. I haven't seen the remake yet.
The Last House on the Left
(1972)
Definitely disturbing
21 January 2001
This isn't a great movie, and it isn't totally a horror film either, it seems like more of a crime documentary, a shocking tale of rape and murder. Mari Collingwood and Phyllis Stone are two teen girls on their way to a Bloodlust concert. They are looking for some marijuana, and accidentally meet up with four criminals, Krug, Weasel, Sadie, and Junior. The foursome are a group of nasty lowlifes who proceed to terrorize the two girls. I won't ruin anything else for you, because what follows is what the film is all about. It is gritty, grim, and grainy. The characters are realistic and the direction is raw. You really feel for Mari and Phyllis when they are terrorized. It really gets to you. See this movie. Don't expect a masterpiece, don't expect to jump out of your seat and scream, just expect this film to get under your skin and stay there for days.
Better than 2, but still not great
16 January 2001
Ok...I kind of liked this better than the 2nd one, but it still wasn't too great. Leatherface looks really cheesy and the whole thing is just a big mess. The story is nothing new...two couples traveling through Texas get lost and encounter the psychotic cannibal Sawyer family headed by Leatherface. There are new members to the family, who are more annoying than scary. Ken Foree is pretty good, but everybody else is only ok. There are so many alternate versions, deleted scenes, cut and uncut versions, different footage...that there could be like 10 different versions of this movie. Uneven...sloppy...gory, not a very good film but worth a watch or two.
Cruddy, a big disappointment
16 January 2001
The original movie was a classic, a genuinely frightening horror film. This sequel is an unscary, spoofy gore bore loaded with splattery special effects by Tom Savini. It was overlong, tedious, and pretty much boring. I didn't particularly like the characters either. Where is that Marilyn Burns when you need her? Boy was she great. It starts out pretty good, gets boring, picks up again, and then the finale gets really out of hand. Just stick to the original, rent it, buy it, whatever, but stay away from this one. Ick.
Squirm
(1976)
Boring
16 January 2001
I thought this movie was really boring. I mean, it wasn't a total bomb, but it definitely disappointed me. It had a creepy theme song, but it was too slow and didn't have enough action and the effects weren't too hot. I didn't really like the characters either. Oh well. Lieberman also directed "Just Before Dawn" which was a cool movie. He also directed "Blue Sunshine" which I haven't seen yet, but hopefully will soon.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
(1974)
Gut-wrenching, white-knuckle terror!!!
16 January 2001
Wow...this is one scary movie. I mean that. It is gritty, harsh, scary, violent, but not overly gory...creatively directed, good acting from an unknown cast...this is just one of the best exploitation horror films ever made. I first watched it alone in the dark. Boy, did I have nightmares. From the opening sequence to the final frame, I was terrified. The story is simple: five teens driving through rural Texas, who stumble upon a houseful of homicidal, cannibal killers, lead by obese, cackling, transvestite Leatherface, who enjoys torturing his victims before he murders them, and taunting heroine Sally. The chase sequences are literally gut-wrenching. You will be on the edge of your seat. The murders are quite shocking, and there is some splatter, but don't expect buckets of gushing blood. Mallets crack skulls, meathooks are shoved through bare backs, chainsaws carve up bodies and plunge into twitching torsos...not for the weak of heart, obviously. One of the scariest, most powerful horror films ever made. Don't see the sequels. They all stink.
Foxes
(1980)
Great movie...unforgettable
12 January 2001
I adore this movie. It is one of the best teen movies ever! Jodie Foster, Cherie Currie, Marilyn Kagan, and Kandice Stroh were awesome! The whole movie seems realistic, and is very interesting and thoughtful. It concerns four teenage girls struggling with problems as they live their lives in the San Fernando Valley. Jeanie (Foster) is fighting with her divorced mother, Annie (Currie) is a teen runaway who drinks and pops pills, and runs away from her abusive father. Madge (Kagan) is a young girl who is overweight and mad that she is a virgin. Plus, her parents are overprotective and she has annoying younger siblings. Then there is Deirdre (Stroh) who is not as developed as the other characters, she is basically one of their friends who likes boys and has a lot of boy troubles. I like the music, the acting, and there were some scenes that were great...the party and the ending were standout scenes. The concert scenes were funny as well. The ending is a tearjerker, but I won't give it away. See for yourself and rent or buy this great film.
The Blue Lagoon
(1980)
Always enjoyable, sweet and moving film
12 January 2001
I have always liked this film, and don't like it when it is criticized so much. Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins did a wonderful job, they were excellent. Brooke is a beautiful, talented actress. The scenery was just gorgeous, it makes you want to fly off to Fiji where they filmed most of the movie to see what it is really like. The music is also very good. The story starts out with a ship which catches fire, and everyone is forced to abandon ship. Two young children, Richard and Emmeline, as well as a drunken cook named Paddy, get on a lifeboat together and drift on the sea for many days, until they discover land, a bunch of little remote tropical islands. They build a home there. Time passes, and Paddy passes away, but Richard and Emmeline continue growing up together. They get older, and new feelings come over them. They discover many things about adolescence and sex. This is a great love story, sweet and lovable. Brooke and Chris make a great onscreen couple. The sex/nudity scenes are not really that bad at all, they're rather mild. There is more nudity in the underwater swimming sequences, but mostly all of that was done by Brooke's stand-in, a professional diver. I really like this movie, and even though there are a few logic loopholes, it is still enjoyable. My only complaint: I think this film could've gone on for about 5 more mins. or so and explained things a little bit better.
Black Christmas
(1974)
One of the most frightening slasher movies EVER!!!
9 January 2001
I stumbled across this at a local video store, and read the tagline, "If this movie doesn't make your skin crawl, then it's on too tight!". It looked frightening, so I picked it up and rented it. Went home, turned off all the lights (I was alone in the house too) and watched this film. I'll tell you honestly, I couldn't sleep after I finished watching this movie. I was so incredibly scared by this film. Sometimes, it even scared me more than "Halloween" did. Plus, there is a good mystery to this film because we don't really know who the killer is. It starts out with introducing to us several girls living in a sorority house during their Christmas Break. We are also aware that a psycho killer is lurking outside the house, and makes his way in through a window in the attic. Soon, he begins his reign of terror which includes threatening phone calls (oh god, I was freaking out during those scenes!)...and murderous attacks on the girls. There isn't a lot of blood or nudity, but this film is so incredibly frightening and scary and pumped with atmosphere, every horror fan should love it. Let's not forget that creepy piano score and the lovely girls, Olivia Hussey as beautiful heroine Jess (man, that girl can scream!!!), Margot Kidder (who does a hilarious job as Barb, an alcoholic chain smoker), and there is also Lynne Griffin (who was in "Curtains") and Andrea Martin ("Cannibal Girls"). This is an absolutely awesome movie! Rent it! Buy it! Cherish it!
Oh man...
4 January 2001
This movie is really, really bad. Eew. I could write a 200-page essay about the awfulness of this movie. The plot is lost again. Julie is an unhinged, annoying weirdo who has too many closeups and can't hold the film. No one else helps either. Freddie is just his same old self. Dull, boring, nothing more. Brandy was alright, likable at least, and there were a few others that weren't bad but weren't great either. There is more gore, but it is fakey and forced. There are too many murders of characters that are underdeveloped. And the surprise twist? Oh god. Your 2-year-old sister could figure it out in the first few minutes of the film. Geez. Do the filmmakers really think audiences over America are this stupid? Of course, there are the clueless teenagers who rush out to see this movie and squeak, "Like Oh my gosh, this is like gonna be like so scary like,". Then, BANG! The movie makes millions of dollars. Oh god, and I've heard there might be a 3rd one to this cruddy series. Somebody get me a gun...or maybe a hook.
Absolute garbage
4 January 2001
You're wasting your time if you watch this hunk of junk. It is cheap and unscary. What about the script? It was confusing, full of logic loopholes, and just plain bad. And the four main actors and actresses? Ahh yes. Sarah and Jennifer are very pretty. Too bad neither of them can act and the real stars of the movie are their big melons, which keep threatening to pop up out of their cleavage in every other scene or so. I could go on for hours about what is bad about this movie. The direction...eew yuck don't get me started, and the annoying rock and roll soundtrack which keeps blasting every few minutes. Hollywood horror films really do stink. They're all about fresh-faced teen stars and #1 pop or rock and roll songs. This film is bloodless, too confusing for its own good, and what about the ending? Oh man what a stinker. Jennifer Love Hewitt is the most horrible actress I have ever seen. Her character Julie is irritating, selfish, and unlikable. Even more annoying than Sarah Michelle Gellar's Helen, the ditzy prom queen or whatever who runs around and does nothing for the movie. Then, there's Freddie and Ryan. They just stand around and look and talk macho...doing nothing for the movie at all. This is such a waste of time. Horrible, horrible, horrible...oh god, and don't even get me started on the sequel!!!
Hellraiser
(1987)
Original, gory horror
4 January 2001
Well I finally saw "Hellraiser", and I didn't think it was going to be that great...but boy was I surprised!!! It starts out pretty slow, but the last half is gory, frightening, as well as perverted and bizarre. A couple, Larry and Julia, move into an old, eerie house in England which holds deadly and shocking secrets. Soon, weird things begin to happen. Well...it is kind of hard to explain. Plus, I don't want to give anything away. Just see it. It is a great movie, full of atmosphere, gushing blood, and frightening scenes.
Night of the Living Dead
(1968)
Stomach-lurching terror!!!
4 January 2001
I can't say this strongly enough...this has got to be one of the scariest horror films ever made. The black and white photography, eerie music, flesh-munching ghouls...and that farmhouse!!! The unlikable characters stranded in an old farmhouse in the countryside while ghouls attack is claustrophobic and frightening. The actors aren't the greatest, but that doesn't really matter. Romero knows what he is doing. And boy does he do a good job. This film has given me nightmares for years. Every horror fan should cherish this movie.
Scary, underrated slasher fun
27 December 2000
Wow. I was impressed by "Halloween: H2O", as was my cousin. The beginning of the film is suspenseful and sends chills down your spine. In this film, Michael Myers is very frightening and menacing. The plot is simple and not that original, but who cares. This movie delivers. Jamie Lee Curtis is back and the movie is kickin'. She has changed her name to Keri Tate and is the headmistress of an exclusive high school in Northern California. It is Halloween, 20 years after the original massacre in Haddonfield. Laurie is trying to put her demons behind her. We also learn that she is a heavy drinker. Well, wouldn't you know it? Michael is back and he is scarier than ever. He targets Laurie's son Jon, his girlfriend Molly, and their friends Charlie and Sarah. The sequences in the school are very scary, and the most graphic, gruesome murder happens to Jodi Lyn O' Keefe, who plays Sarah. Man, he really gives it to her! Ouch, that's gotta hurt. There are also some good chase sequences and a great ending, this is definitely worth the rent/buy.
Scary Movie
(2000)
A definite guilty pleasure!!!
24 December 2000
When I first rented "Scary Movie", I didn't know what to expect. Some said it was funny, others said it wasn't too great. So, I popped it in. I'll tell you honestly....I laughed so hard there were tears in my eyes and my stomach was hurting. Yes, the jokes were vulgar and vile. Lots of drug content, sex/nudity...but it is all mostly played for laughs and not to be taken too seriously. I mean, it's just a spoof anyway. I loved the opening sequence ("Oops...I farted"), as well as the scene in the movie theater and of course, we cannot forget Miss Mann ("Come in dear, sit down...take off your bra if you'd like,"). I absolutely adore this movie. It was a funny, 89-minute treat. Anna Faris and Shannon Elizabeth are hot. The whole thing was hilarious. Just rent it!!!
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