The Nun
7 years ago
Showing posts with label riccardo freda. Show all posts
Showing posts with label riccardo freda. Show all posts
Thursday, November 17, 2011
COMING SOON
It's been a bit of a wait, but two obscure gialli are soon to be released: Riccardo Freda's Murder Obsession, a personal favorite of mine, and Lamberto Bava's surprisingly entertaining Body Puzzle. It's been far too long since any new Italian horror or gialli films have been released, what with the demise of so many independent labels, so now's your chance to snap 'em up! And not to sound preachy, but BUY these titles, so as to ensure future releases. It only makes sense!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
THE IGUANA WITH THE TONGUE OF FIRE
(Riccardo Freda, 1971)
A woman, disfigured by acid, is found with her throat slit in the trunk of Swiss Ambassador Sobieski's (Anton Diffring) Rolls Royce. Inspector Lawrence is called to the scene and begins questioning Sobieski and his staff of shifty individuals. When this leads only to dead ends, he hires former police detective John Norton (Luigi Pistilli), a man still suffering from the guilt of a past tragedy that ended his career.
Shortly after a threatening exchange with the ambassador, his mistress, a nightclub singer, is found dead in her dressing room with her throat cut. Sobieski's daughter Helen (Dagmar Lassander) runs into John outside the club in the ensuing panic, and he escorts her back to the embassy. By unorthodox means, and with help from his quirky, mystery-loving old mother, John continues his investigation, but soon finds the lives of his nearest and dearest threatened by the acid-wielding madman. So whodunit? Was it the busybody maid? The secretive, sweaty butler? How about the light-sensitive chauffeur, or the ambassador himself? Or was it Mrs Peacock in the library with the lead pipe?
Freda's first giallo, TIWTTOF, was obviously inspired by the then-recent success of Dario Argento's The Bird With The Crystal Plumage. Among the parallels are the use of an animal in the long-winded title, the black gloves and razor, a sinister redhead, and even a silly being-shaved-with-a-straight-razor scene. In fairness, though, Brian De Palma must have seen this, or at least it's ending, prior to making Dressed To Kill.
All the trademark Freda-isms are present in TIWTTOF, from the kooky camera angles to the messy, though unrealistic, gore. There's a fair amount of the red stuff here, a decent amount of action, and a cringe-inducingly mean ending that includes elderly abuse and underage nudity (talk about opposite ends of the spectrum!). It's too bad the entire film couldn't keep this pace; there's far too much investigation and chatter going on to keep one's interest for long.
The humor also detracts a fair bit from what suspense Freda was hoping to create, though it does give Norton's mother and daughter enough substance and sympathy to make the viewer fear for them. It's not a bad giallo, but definitely not the best place to start.It has yet to have a north American DVD or BluRay release, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed because *shhhtttt, don't tell ANYone!* I actually kinda like Freda's films. So sue me.
A woman, disfigured by acid, is found with her throat slit in the trunk of Swiss Ambassador Sobieski's (Anton Diffring) Rolls Royce. Inspector Lawrence is called to the scene and begins questioning Sobieski and his staff of shifty individuals. When this leads only to dead ends, he hires former police detective John Norton (Luigi Pistilli), a man still suffering from the guilt of a past tragedy that ended his career.
Shortly after a threatening exchange with the ambassador, his mistress, a nightclub singer, is found dead in her dressing room with her throat cut. Sobieski's daughter Helen (Dagmar Lassander) runs into John outside the club in the ensuing panic, and he escorts her back to the embassy. By unorthodox means, and with help from his quirky, mystery-loving old mother, John continues his investigation, but soon finds the lives of his nearest and dearest threatened by the acid-wielding madman. So whodunit? Was it the busybody maid? The secretive, sweaty butler? How about the light-sensitive chauffeur, or the ambassador himself? Or was it Mrs Peacock in the library with the lead pipe?
Freda's first giallo, TIWTTOF, was obviously inspired by the then-recent success of Dario Argento's The Bird With The Crystal Plumage. Among the parallels are the use of an animal in the long-winded title, the black gloves and razor, a sinister redhead, and even a silly being-shaved-with-a-straight-razor scene. In fairness, though, Brian De Palma must have seen this, or at least it's ending, prior to making Dressed To Kill.
All the trademark Freda-isms are present in TIWTTOF, from the kooky camera angles to the messy, though unrealistic, gore. There's a fair amount of the red stuff here, a decent amount of action, and a cringe-inducingly mean ending that includes elderly abuse and underage nudity (talk about opposite ends of the spectrum!). It's too bad the entire film couldn't keep this pace; there's far too much investigation and chatter going on to keep one's interest for long.
The humor also detracts a fair bit from what suspense Freda was hoping to create, though it does give Norton's mother and daughter enough substance and sympathy to make the viewer fear for them. It's not a bad giallo, but definitely not the best place to start.It has yet to have a north American DVD or BluRay release, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed because *shhhtttt, don't tell ANYone!* I actually kinda like Freda's films. So sue me.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
THE HORRIBLE DR HICHCOCK aka The Frightening Secret of Dr Hichcock
(Riccardo Freda, 1962)
Sadly overlooked in favor of Gothic Bava favorites Black Sunday and The Whip & The Body, The Horrible Dr Hichcock is easily one of the best Italian horror films in many respects. It's heavy on the dark Victorian atmosphere, with expert use of colour and lighting. It features the stunning Barbara Steele, as well as American actress (and Italian horror veteran) Harriet Medin, who both appeared in a few Freda and Bava productions. Most importantly, it was likely the first film ever to delve unflinchingly into the realm of necrophilia!
Set in Victorian England, THDH follows the titular doctor's descent into madness and depravity. Bernard Hichcock has a nasty habit of getting frisky with the corpses of the recently deceased, and even goes so far as to drug his wife Margheretha and make love to her "corpse". During one such game, he unwittingly administers a fatal overdose and kills her, whereupon he leaves his home and profession for quite some time.
Years later he returns to the mansion with his neurotic new wife Cynthia (Barbara Steele), who is terrorized from the onset by the maid Martha (Medin), unexplained noises, and what she initially believes to be frightening hallucinations. Dr Hichcock too is plagued by demons of his own, and his colleagues soon grow suspicious of his nocturnal visits to the morgue. As the Dr's perverse lust and Cynthia's nervousness both spiral out of control, one begins to fear whether Cynthia will meet the same fate as Margeretha, or something much worse.
Though currently out of print, this title is fairly easy to find for the purpose of downloading, and I highly recommend one does so. One does need a decent attention span, though, as The Horrible Dr Hichcock is a bit on the slow side. Still, it's essential viewing for fans of Gothic Italian horror.
Sadly overlooked in favor of Gothic Bava favorites Black Sunday and The Whip & The Body, The Horrible Dr Hichcock is easily one of the best Italian horror films in many respects. It's heavy on the dark Victorian atmosphere, with expert use of colour and lighting. It features the stunning Barbara Steele, as well as American actress (and Italian horror veteran) Harriet Medin, who both appeared in a few Freda and Bava productions. Most importantly, it was likely the first film ever to delve unflinchingly into the realm of necrophilia!
Set in Victorian England, THDH follows the titular doctor's descent into madness and depravity. Bernard Hichcock has a nasty habit of getting frisky with the corpses of the recently deceased, and even goes so far as to drug his wife Margheretha and make love to her "corpse". During one such game, he unwittingly administers a fatal overdose and kills her, whereupon he leaves his home and profession for quite some time.
Years later he returns to the mansion with his neurotic new wife Cynthia (Barbara Steele), who is terrorized from the onset by the maid Martha (Medin), unexplained noises, and what she initially believes to be frightening hallucinations. Dr Hichcock too is plagued by demons of his own, and his colleagues soon grow suspicious of his nocturnal visits to the morgue. As the Dr's perverse lust and Cynthia's nervousness both spiral out of control, one begins to fear whether Cynthia will meet the same fate as Margeretha, or something much worse.
Though currently out of print, this title is fairly easy to find for the purpose of downloading, and I highly recommend one does so. One does need a decent attention span, though, as The Horrible Dr Hichcock is a bit on the slow side. Still, it's essential viewing for fans of Gothic Italian horror.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Mini Bio: Riccardo Freda (1909 - 1999)
Riccardo Freda was born in Alexandria, Egypt, on February 24, 1909. He was educated first at the university of Milan, then at the Centro Sperimantale di Cinematografia. Prior to film, Freda worked as a sculptor and an art critic. In 1937 he began screenwriting, then worked as production supervisor before his directorial debut in 1942. He dabbled in all genres, from historical dramas to spy films, sword and sandal pictures, and even a western, but our focus here is his contributions to the world of horror. His film I Vampiri (1956) is considered the first Italian horror film created since the silent era. Credit is duly given to Mario Bava, as he completed directing the then half-finished film after Freda stormed off the set. Freda worked steadily through the 60s and 70s, but his directorial career came to a complete halt after 1981. In 1994, he was to direct La Fille d'Artagnan, but was fired and only given minor credit. Riccardo Freda died in 1999 in Rome, Italy.*Aliases*
Robert Hampton, George Lincoln, Willy Pareto
*Selected Filmography*
I Vampiri (1957)
Caltiki, the Immortal Monster (1959)
The Horrible Dr Hichcock (1962)
The Ghost (1963)
Double Face (1969)
The Iguana With the Tongue of Fire (1971)
Tragic Ceremony (1972)
Murder Obsession (1981)
Zombiethon (1986) (VHS horror compilation by Wizard Video featuring the nightmare sequence from Freda's Murder Obsession)
Thank you, IMDB and Italica Rai Internazionale Online for info and photo.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
MURDER OBSESSION aka The Wailing
(Riccardo Freda, 1981)
This was Freda's final film, which is a shame as it's one of his best and, despite its many flaws, is an unsung giallo classic with elements of the supernatural and a Gothic sheen.
After having spent a number of years under psychiatric care for the murder of his father, Michael (Stefano Patrizi) has become a successful actor. One day, seemingly out of the blue (or on a gust of wind, as it happens) Michael calls up his girlfriend Deborah (Silvia Dionisio) and invites her to come visit his ailing mother (Anita Strindberg), whom he has not seen for some time. There he finds his mother bedridden and unwell, tended to only by the family butler, Oliver. Once settled in , he invites Dr Hanz Schwartz, his gal Shirley, and actress Beryl (Laura Gemser) for a weekend of relaxation and location scouting.
It isn't long before Michael is blacking-out and growing distant from his girlfriend, all the while feeding the oedipal relationship with his mother. When Beryl is nearly drowned in the tub, all signs point to Michael as her assailant, an assumption that is only strengthened after he regains consciousness beside her mutilated corpse shortly after. Dr Schwartz, however, manages to take a picture of the real murderer, and hastens back to the house to contact the police. Does he make it? Do they ever? Watch and find out!
As I've said before, one either loves Freda's films or despises them; there's not much middle ground. On the down side, this film may confuse most viewers with its hodgepodge of a story that touches on elements of murder, religion, superstition, and the esoteric. The story meanders a fair bit, and we are never properly introduced to any of the characters, which makes this a rather impersonal affair. And then there are the effects. Papier-mache zombie masks, rubber heads, plastic skulls, giant fuzzy spiders and bats on strings all put in an appearance in Murder Obsession. In spite of all this, I still find the pros outweigh the cons.
For starters, I adore the soundtrack. It's the same spooky synth score you find in most horror films from the early 80s, but in a giallo! Also nicely integrated are orchestral cues, which add a touch of decayed class to a tale of familial decay.
This theme is further expounded by the dark, rich sets and barely-there lighting which flickers at the hint of thunder. The villa itself is a dark, moldering maze with unexplored crypts and shadowy corners; a perfect setting for murder. The deaths, I mentioned, are quite unconvincing, but are still worth their short screen-time. We get two stabbings, an axe to the head, and a chainsaw to the neck... and a real chicken gets its head cut off in a dream sequence, a scene that might not sit well with some viewers.
Finally, I should probably expand upon the dream sequence, as it IS the highlight of the film. It was even featured in the old VHS compilation, "Zombiethon", though there's really only two zombies in it. Through a watery, rippling lens we follow Deborah as she runs through the crypts, first pursued by crusty-faced ghouls in robes, then assaulted by wind, leaves, and bats. She gets stuck in a giant spider web, but breaks free and runs through a briar patch, where she is spattered with blood by skulls leaking it from above. She ends up back in the crypt, tied to a large cross (with breasts exposed), and forced to drink blood from a freshly slaughtered chicken. If you're a fan of those old satanic cult-themed movies, you should be all over this! I recommend it, but only for intermediate viewers.
This was Freda's final film, which is a shame as it's one of his best and, despite its many flaws, is an unsung giallo classic with elements of the supernatural and a Gothic sheen.
After having spent a number of years under psychiatric care for the murder of his father, Michael (Stefano Patrizi) has become a successful actor. One day, seemingly out of the blue (or on a gust of wind, as it happens) Michael calls up his girlfriend Deborah (Silvia Dionisio) and invites her to come visit his ailing mother (Anita Strindberg), whom he has not seen for some time. There he finds his mother bedridden and unwell, tended to only by the family butler, Oliver. Once settled in , he invites Dr Hanz Schwartz, his gal Shirley, and actress Beryl (Laura Gemser) for a weekend of relaxation and location scouting.
It isn't long before Michael is blacking-out and growing distant from his girlfriend, all the while feeding the oedipal relationship with his mother. When Beryl is nearly drowned in the tub, all signs point to Michael as her assailant, an assumption that is only strengthened after he regains consciousness beside her mutilated corpse shortly after. Dr Schwartz, however, manages to take a picture of the real murderer, and hastens back to the house to contact the police. Does he make it? Do they ever? Watch and find out!
As I've said before, one either loves Freda's films or despises them; there's not much middle ground. On the down side, this film may confuse most viewers with its hodgepodge of a story that touches on elements of murder, religion, superstition, and the esoteric. The story meanders a fair bit, and we are never properly introduced to any of the characters, which makes this a rather impersonal affair. And then there are the effects. Papier-mache zombie masks, rubber heads, plastic skulls, giant fuzzy spiders and bats on strings all put in an appearance in Murder Obsession. In spite of all this, I still find the pros outweigh the cons.
For starters, I adore the soundtrack. It's the same spooky synth score you find in most horror films from the early 80s, but in a giallo! Also nicely integrated are orchestral cues, which add a touch of decayed class to a tale of familial decay.
This theme is further expounded by the dark, rich sets and barely-there lighting which flickers at the hint of thunder. The villa itself is a dark, moldering maze with unexplored crypts and shadowy corners; a perfect setting for murder. The deaths, I mentioned, are quite unconvincing, but are still worth their short screen-time. We get two stabbings, an axe to the head, and a chainsaw to the neck... and a real chicken gets its head cut off in a dream sequence, a scene that might not sit well with some viewers.
Finally, I should probably expand upon the dream sequence, as it IS the highlight of the film. It was even featured in the old VHS compilation, "Zombiethon", though there's really only two zombies in it. Through a watery, rippling lens we follow Deborah as she runs through the crypts, first pursued by crusty-faced ghouls in robes, then assaulted by wind, leaves, and bats. She gets stuck in a giant spider web, but breaks free and runs through a briar patch, where she is spattered with blood by skulls leaking it from above. She ends up back in the crypt, tied to a large cross (with breasts exposed), and forced to drink blood from a freshly slaughtered chicken. If you're a fan of those old satanic cult-themed movies, you should be all over this! I recommend it, but only for intermediate viewers.
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