THE NIGHT CHILD aka The Cursed Medallion

(Massimo Dallamano, 1975)

Another personal favorite here.
I must begin by stressing that no matter what you may have heard about this being an Exorcist or Omen rip-off, it is NOT. Possession and the Devil were very popular topics at the time (thanks to aforementioned fright flicks) and Italy had its share of REAL knock-offs (Beyond the Door, The Antichrist, The Eerie Midnight Horror Show), but this isn't one of them!

Richard Johnson plays Michael Williams, who is filming a special on diabolic art for the BBC. One frightening painting in his slide collection fascinates him, and he decides he wants to see the original. Before going he gifts an old medallion to his daughter Emily (Nicoletta Elmi), who then has nightmares of being hunted by torch and pitchfork- wielding peasants. Their doctor recommends Michael take his daughter with him on his trip to locate the painting as it might do them some good to get away together (with the new wife and nanny in tow).

Emily's bad behavior and nightmares increase the closer Michael gets to discovering the meaning of the painting, as do other supernatural occurrences. Only when the nanny "accidentally" dies does Michael consider the possibility that something sinister may be working through his daughter.
Anyone expecting lewd and vulgar possession mayhem should steer clear of this. It is a beautiful, slow moving film with breathtaking photography, locations, and music by Stelvio Cipriani. The scares are subtle, and may not register with some viewers the first time through. It is well-written, filled with symbolism, and has no cheap "fright" scenes to spoil the mood. Like any truly creepy film should, it builds to a shocking climax and has a downbeat ending.

The actual scary bits and flashbacks do have a slight *hint* of The Omen taste, but with a much sunnier look to counterbalance all the shadowy scenes. If you made it through (and liked) Aliprandi's A Whisper in the Dark, this might be right up your alley.

FOOTPRINTS aka Le Orme

(Luigi Bazzoni, 1975)


Here we have another of the Top Ten Gialli To See!
Florinda Bolkan plays Alice Cespi, a woman who has strange nightmares about a man being left on the moon as part of an experiment. When she awakens, she is startled to learn that she has been missing for 3 days, and cannot recall anything that might have happened then. Some clues surface in the form of a town named Garma, and a mysterious yellow dress.

She travels to Garma, and while on the beach meets a young girl (Nicoletta Elmi) who tells her she's met her before, but with a different name. I won't give away much more of the story, as you can see where this is going. Like Barilli's Perfume of the Lady in Black, Footprints is masterpiece of paranoia and dread, as we are never sure exactly what the threat is, or it's source. The film moves at a languid pace, but the intrigue and fantastic photography keep one alert.

What a look to this movie! If you look at the opening title card, THAT is the color scheme. It predates the 80's Giallo in its use of mostly neutrals tones, which really sets off key items (the yellow dress), or intense scenes (Alice's confrontation at the end). Great use is made of black and white scenes as well. The music is also one of the film's strengths, switching from creepy organ to sensitive classical without being distracting.

The cast is quite impressive, boasting the likes of Florinda Bolkan, Evelyn Stewart, and Nicoletta Elmi (the creepy ginger girl from so many Italian horror movies!). The acting is much better than in your average giallo, as are the script and story. Fans of the genre may lament the lack of blood and nudity, but true fans will stick it out to see what's really going on. Highly recommended.

THE RED QUEEN KILLS 7 TIMES

(Emilio Miraglia, 1972)



Ah, one of my favorite Gothic gialli. This one's about a family cursed by the Red Queen, a murderous ancestral spirit who returns every 100 years to claim 7 victims. As children, Kitty and her sister Evelyn were fascinated by the legend, Evelyn so much that in the opening to the film she decapitates Kitty's doll with a pair of shears. Fast forward to present day (1972 being present day). Kitty is all grown up and has a garish new wardrobe, but is plagued by the guilt of having accidentally killed Evelyn. She is also being blackmailed by a greasy little fellow in leather who was hot for her sister. When someone starts killing her friends and loved ones, rumors go about that the Red Queen has returned.



I'm a fan of pretty much any Gothic giallo (7 Deaths in the Cat's Eye, Murder Mansion, Something Creeping in the Dark, Murder Obsession, etc), but this one stands out a little bit. The film itself is quite dark, and makes good use of shadow and contrast. The Red Queen herself is quite the antagonist, striking out randomly with her dagger before running off cackling insanely. There is a decent amount of gore to be seen here, the highlight being one unfortunate character falling on an iron fence and catching herself with her jaw!



The standard Giallo elements are all present: black gloves, a straight razor, blackmail, and a trillion red herrings. The lovely Barbara Bouchet and Marina Malfatti star, and there are a couple other familiar faces among the cast. The wardrobes are especially disturbing in this, and anyone with an aversion to plaid should steer clear. The score by Bruno Nicolai is catchy and appropriate, and the sets are bright and ultramod (though one was obviously bought off Sergio Martino when he was done with it!) Recommended for intermediate viewers.

BURIAL GROUND The Nights Of Terror

(Andrea Bianchi, 1981)



If you are reading this and you haven't yet seen Burial Ground, do place your order right now. If I can't convince you, maybe THIS stellar cast will!



Still not convinced? How about the groundbreaking special effects?



When the zombies are smarter and more physically attractive than the actors, you KNOW it's gotta be good! Mystery Science Theater EAT YOUR HEART OUT good! Where to begin? How about the incest? OK fine, how about the lousy dubbing? Or the even lousier dialogue? Favorite quotes include "Mama, this cloth smells of death!" and "You look just like a little whore...I like that! The makeup and other effects are incredibly thrifty, to put it kindly. And the zombies are pretty organized in this movie! They all have matching green robes and use a variety of farming implements to break into the house. I learned that zombies are also expert knife throwers, can scale walls, and have pinatas for heads!



Ahhhh, the cast. Other than Maria Angela Giordan aka Mariangela Giordano aka the woman who gets a firepoker in her hoo-hoo in Patrick Still Lives, where did they find these people? Whose barrel did they scrape? Judging from the fact that they shot most of this during the day, presumably to save on lighting, there probably wasn't much in the budget for the cast. I'm almost positive the actors drew matches nightly to see who didn't get to eat! Oh, and I should probably mention Peter Bark, the adult in a floppy wig who is supposed to be a kid in this. There, I just did. See to Believe.



Oh ya, and the story...three semi-retarded couples and a mature-looking kid go to stay at their archaeologist friend's villa, which happens to be situated close to some Etruscan tombs that are filled with zombies. Much stupidity ensues. HIGHly recommended for the non-stop laughs and schizophrenic soundtrack!

Buy It Now!