Topic: Mario Bava marathon

[Jimmy]

Don't worry each boxset had a lesser Bava's film, it was this one for this set so the rest of the movies are much better. I will try to watch it today, but I ain't in a hurry to watch this one again.

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Roy Colt & Winchester Jack (1970)

Genre: Western
Director: Mario Bava
Rating: Unrated
Length: 1h25
Video: Widescreen
Audio: Italian & English
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Brett Halsey
Charles Southwood
Marilù Tolo
Teodoro Corrà
Giorgio Gargiullo

Plot:
In perhaps the most atypical film of his career, director Maria Bava combines elements of THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY and BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID for one of the first tongue-in-cheek comedies of the 'Spaghetti Western' genre. Brett Halsey (FOUR TIMES THAT NIGHT), Charles Southwood (FISTFUL OF LEAD) and Marilù Tolo (DJANGO, KILL!) star in a tale of two good-natured outlaws, one wily Native American prostitute, and a fortune in gold that triggers the greed of ruthless gunmen, dyspeptic clergymen, and even a Sergio Leone look-alike. Teodoro Corrà (5 DOLLS FOR AN AUGUST MOON) co-stars in this little-seen charmer blending rousing action and bawdy humor with inventive visuals that remain undeniably Bava.

My Thoughts:

I will be fast for this film. I don't like the western genre those movies are boring and uninteresting for me, I know that this genre had many fans but it doesn't suit my taste at all. In fact I've only find 2 westerns interesting in my life : The Scavengers and Hot Spur. The only things that I've liked is the character played by Marilù Tolo who is funny and different and the way the film end.

That's all. waste of time for me, Call-TV that was on air at the same time was a more exciting watch.

Rating :

[Achim]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Reazione a catena
Year: 1971
Director: Mario Bava
Rating: NR
Length: 84 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Mono, Commentary: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles:

Stars:
Claudine Auger
Luigi Pistilli
Claudio Volonté
Anna M. Rosati
Chris Avram

Plot:
What begins as a simple giallo about greed and murder at a secluded bayside estate soon explodes into an odyssey of carnage that would single-handedly trigger the entire 'body count' genre. Claudine Auger (THUNDERBALL), Luigi Pistilli (THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY) and Laura Betti (HATCHET FOR THE HONEYMOON) star -- along with nearly a dozen landmark gore effects -- in Bava's epic of cruelty that remains as reviled as it is acclaimed. But to brand this legendary shocker -- best known under its alternate title TWITCH OF THE DEATH NERVE -- as merely 'The Granddaddy Of Slasher Films' is to dismiss its impact as a nihilist tour-de-force that stands as one of the greatest movies in horror history.

Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Trailers
Gallery
Radio Spots

My Thoughts:

I had been looking forward to watch this film as it was one of the reasons I bought the mario Bava Collection box sets in the first place. As such it was a bit of a letdown

The giallo elements worked quite satisfactory, the murders were interesting, gory and varied, the body count high, the music matching. It was unfortunately the story that was overly confusing to me; some of the cast looking somewhat similar to each other certainly didn't help (you know how foreigners practically look the same ). I got repeatedly lost in thinking how certain people related to each other and what their motives were. The ending is strange and almost laughable, although that might possible be intentional.

But as I said, on the bright side we have a sufficiently well made giallo with high body count, good gore, good music, decent acting, good camera work (by Bava himself) and several twists on the way to the end.

.5

[Jimmy]

Usually that's what happen when the expectations are too high. I'll try to watch it tonight if I'm not too tired or tomorrow if it's the case.

Next week will be a great pleasure with Four Time That Night my favorite Bava's movie and an all-time top 10 for me. In fact a real unknown gem

Just hope that I don't set your expectations too high this time

[Achim]

Just hope that I don't set your expectations too high this time

Nah, don't worry.

I am enjoying this marathon quite a bit. Just that apparently Bava did not quite make "favorite film"  material for me...

[Najemikon]

Finally! I watched Kill Baby Kill last week, but kept running out of time to post the review... 

[Najemikon]

Kill, Baby... Kill! (1966)
4 out of 5



This is a rather enigmatic and intriguing oddity, yet also tends to be a little mundane at times. The set-up is similar to The Wicker Man, but it pulls its punches and settles for a more straightforward plot by the end. Still it has some stunning moments and I wouldn’t be surprised if this was an influence on Robin Hardy. Certainly you can see elements that might have inspired Guillermo Del Toro, with similarities to both The Devil’s Backbone and The Orphanage which he produced.

The key to the film is Melissa, the innocent looking girl who embodies the curse that has the village crippled with fear. The little hands pressed against the glass are as likely to give you the shits as anything else in this boxset! The other characters are not as memorable except for the sultry Sorceress, but the story has a surreal and persistent edge that refuses to be ignored. I did enjoy the atmosphere of the story and found it very convincing.

Working with a low budget, Bava goes for inventive shots to give the film character and some are very inventive. Look closely when the Doctor first arrives and is walking into the town; there’s a moment which seems to be made up of two pieces of overlapping film! Later there is point-of-view shot from a swing and it all means that this little film may just get under your skin and stay there.

Whereas the films it may have influenced are better in many ways, Melissa’s laugh and bouncing ball will probably haunt you for far longer.

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Bay of Blood (1971)

Genre: Horror
Director: Mario Bava
Rating: Unrated
Length: 1h24
Video: Widescreen
Audio: English
Subtitles: None

Stars:
Claudine Auger
Luigi Pistilli
Claudio Camaso
Anna Maria Rosati
Chris Avram

Plot:
What begins as a simple giallo about greed and murder at a secluded bayside estate soon explodes into an odyssey of carnage that would single-handedly trigger the entire 'body count' genre. Claudine Auger (THUNDERBALL), Luigi Pistilli (THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY) and Laura Betti (HATCHET FOR THE HONEYMOON) star -- along with nearly a dozen landmark gore effects -- in Bava's epic of cruelty that remains as reviled as it is acclaimed. But to brand this legendary shocker -- best known under its alternate title TWITCH OF THE DEATH NERVE -- as merely 'The Granddaddy Of Slasher Films' is to dismiss its impact as a nihilist tour-de-force that stands as one of the greatest movies in horror history.

My Thoughts:

Like I've said the first time I've reviewed this film I don't consider it as a Giallo, since this isn't a murder mystery but clearly a serial killer on the loose film. This movie is the most violent of the Bava's movies I've seen and none of the characters can't be seen as a good or innocent person. Everyone is more or less involved in the initial murder and the participation of each is reveal throughout the movie by flashback or hint phrase. The special effects are particularly well done (at least 2 of the killing way will be stolen years later and used in the Friday the 13th serie). The camera works is interesting too and use mostly the killer point of view trick (a way that will became usual in the eighties slasher movies). An interesting fact to notice is that the little girl at the end is played by Nicoletta Elmi who will appear later in Who Saw Her Die? and Deep Red. Contrary to Achim I don't find the end "almost laughable", for me it means that no one is innocent even the one who look the most (they commit the most dispicable act in this film). Sure it's possible that my explanation make absolutly no sense...

The only deception is the fact that we don't get the Italian track on the disc and that no subtitles are included (I've no problem to watch an english movie, but it's easier for me when they are present)

Rating :

[Jimmy]

Next movie for this week :

Four Times That Night (1972)
Baron Blood (1972)
   

[Achim]

Like I've said the first time I've reviewed this film I don't consider it as a Giallo, since this isn't a murder mystery but clearly a serial killer on the loose film.

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That was one of the things that kept confusing me. I had the impression that there was more than one killer; besides the fact that there was obviously two killers in the first two minutes... While I actually liked that concept it created a bit of a consusion to me.

(at least 2 of the killing way will be stolen years later and used in the Friday the 13th serie)

Not sure to say "stolen" is fair. There is only so many ways you can kill a person on screen... Which kills you refer to? E.G., I would clearly say that the famous axe murder from Friday the 13th should not be considered stolen goods...

Contrary to Achim I don't find the end "almost laughable", for me it means that no one is innocent even the one who look the most (they commit the most dispicable act in this film). Sure it's possible that my explanation make absolutly no sense...

What I found "almost laughable" was the way it was executed. While I agree with your explanation and actually like that idea, the way the kids react is just a little too much over the top. Not that that's entirely a bad thing, it does walk a thin line though.

[Jimmy]

Not sure to say "stolen" is fair. There is only so many ways you can kill a person on screen... Which kills you refer to? E.G., I would clearly say that the famous axe murder from Friday the 13th should not be considered stolen goods...

You're right, borrowed would have been a better word to use

(click to show/hide)

The axe murders from the first one and the one with the "fishing harpoon". I'm sure that a couple was killed the same way in one of the movies, but maybe I'm confused and this is from a different film... Sometimes it's hard to remember wich slasher movie is wich... Unless we're Pete and know them all

[Achim]

(click to show/hide)

The axe murders from the first one and the one with the "fishing harpoon". I'm sure that a couple was killed the same way in one of the movies, but maybe I'm confused and this is from a different film... Sometimes it's hard to remember wich slasher movie is wich... Unless we're Pete and know them all

(click to show/hide)

That "fishing harpoon" (it's a spear, actually, I think...) thing may even be in the first Friday film; it's the only one I have seen and I seem to remember such kill. Pete, if you read this, you remember if Jason ever use a spear-like weapon to kill a couple at once while they were making love?

[Achim]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Quante volte... quella notte
Year: 1972
Director: Mario Bava
Rating: NR
Length: 83 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78:1
Audio: Italian: Dolby Digital Mono
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Daniela Giordano
Brett Halsey
Dick Randall
Valeria Sabel
Michael Hinz

Plot:
For his sole foray into the sex comedy genre, Mario Bava delivers a swinging orgy of mod design, leering humor and daring late '60s erotica. American leading man Bret Halsey and former Miss Italy Daniela Giordano star in this Rashomon-inspired tale of a playboy and a virgin's first date that may or may not have included rape, nymphomania, lesbianism, and groovy inflatable furniture.

Extras:
Scene Access

My Thoughts:

I have yet to see Kurasawa's Rashomon (now rather sooner than later) to judge just how close this film was to it, but Bava's inspiration is undeniably clear ( only after typing this sentence did I realize that the cover blurb actually gives it away ). The same story is told from 4 perspectives (hence the title), with each one shedding a different light on how and why things happened. Saying much more about the plot would spoil it for first time viewer, so I'll stay away from that.

Bava starts out (again, as per cover blurb) in telling the story like a sex comedy which were so popular in Europe at the time. However, then the tone shifts and everything seems rather dark when the claims to her mother that she's almost been raped. Only when we head into the second telling of the events do we realize, that things may not be as they seemed and begin trying to put the puzzle together to find the truth.

I highly enjoyed the witty dialog, especially in the beginning; it fell partly flat in later parts The film is shot with some inventive camera work, giving the limited locations a sufficiently fresh fell throughout the film. It has not entirely aged well, but ignoring some signs of the times it was made in it's still much enjoyable today.

[Jimmy]

(click to show/hide)

The axe murders from the first one and the one with the "fishing harpoon". I'm sure that a couple was killed the same way in one of the movies, but maybe I'm confused and this is from a different film... Sometimes it's hard to remember wich slasher movie is wich... Unless we're Pete and know them all

(click to show/hide)

That "fishing harpoon" (it's a spear, actually, I think...) thing may even be in the first Friday film; it's the only one I have seen and I seem to remember such kill. Pete, if you read this, you remember if Jason ever use a spear-like weapon to kill a couple at once while they were making love?

Pete doesn't read our review

[Najemikon]

(click to show/hide)

The axe murders from the first one and the one with the "fishing harpoon". I'm sure that a couple was killed the same way in one of the movies, but maybe I'm confused and this is from a different film... Sometimes it's hard to remember wich slasher movie is wich... Unless we're Pete and know them all

(click to show/hide)

That "fishing harpoon" (it's a spear, actually, I think...) thing may even be in the first Friday film; it's the only one I have seen and I seem to remember such kill. Pete, if you read this, you remember if Jason ever use a spear-like weapon to kill a couple at once while they were making love?

Pete doesn't read our review

No, he doesn't wander far from the marathon threads. I even had to send him a PM the other day otherwise he'd have missed the Sandra Bullock interview I posted in the YouTube thread!