October Horror Challenge 2021 - My list of what i've watched (done!!!)
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Sophievirus — 4 years ago(October 23, 2021 09:31 AM)
Alucarda
(J.L. Moctezuma, 1977)
A young girl's arrival at a convent after the death of her parents marks the beginning of a series of events that unleash an evil presence on the girl and her mysterious new friend, an enigmatic figure known as Alucarda. Demonic possession, Satan worship, and vampirism follows.
it's not just a bad movie, albeit it is in conventional terms. it's so completely nonsensical, so bizarre and hysterical that it becomes much more than it is. it's somewhere between Jess Franco's lesbian vampire films and, subconsciously, Jodorowsky and the Pythons. the nice thing about it is that you can read it at your own logic. or rather, the logic is so stupid here compared to the anarchic joy that it breaks.
my preferred reading of the cacophonic mess is something between Justine's fears of being choked on her sexuality by motherhood (viewed through a Catholic prism), mischief caused by two young nuns on the back seats during Sunday school, imagined perhaps, perhaps blown up into "possession" by the teacher and a confession of teenage thoughts.
it's all completely theatrical but unselfconscious, which is why its chaos works. everyone is acting crazy, nuns fall out of the blue. one book (supposedly about demonology) simply reads "Satan". it's all disconnected, we visit one place and then another. there is a satanic ritual and an orgy for no good reason. there's so much screaming, there's screaming even inside the screaming. it's awesome! 8/10
suck it. -
Sophievirus — 4 years ago(October 23, 2021 09:39 AM)
full movie is also on YouTube if u are interested:
https://www.filmboards.com/board/t/this-horror-movie-is-so-much-fun!-3367104/
(scroll down)
suck it. -
Sophievirus — 4 years ago(October 23, 2021 01:05 PM)
Don't Torture a Duckling
(Lucio Fulci, 1972)
despite the identity of the killer being one that the audience can take a good shot at guessing, director/co-writer Lucio Fulci's screenplay is riddled with a fascinating number of subtexts which lead to the film becoming a paranoid soaked Giallo. placing the murders in a deeply rural southern Italian village, the writers dig deep into the north/south divide, with the residences all being as deeply uncomfortable over any 'outsiders' entering their land. taking on the strongly held religious beliefs in Italy with a real force, the writers show the deep flaws in each of the religious and government departments of the village to be ones that are simply over looked by the residence, thanks to the police and the church each filling the power vacuum which is to be found at the village.
for the whereabouts of the killer identity, the writers do incredibly well at giving the chances of Martelli finding the killer a strong sense of doubt, due to the rural setting being something which is shown to be prepared to crush any voices which speak out of line. displaying a surprising amount of subtle notes, Fulci (mostly) restrains himself from over exaggerating the gore, by smartly taking a matter of fact approach which emphasis the unsettling mood placed in the screenplay. for the killings in this excellent Giallo, Fulci shows an unflinching eye, with the rather daring on-screen child murders placing psychological terror on the viewer, rather then drowning the audience in buckets of blood.
taking full advantage of the rural setting, Fulci counters the bursts of violence with a hauntingly poetic atmosphere, with the brilliant icy score of Riz Ortolani backing Fulci's elegant wide tracking shots, which Fulci superbly uses to show the rural isolation which the 'outsiders' are met by. the mystery here is truly intriguing. excellent film. 8/10
suck it. -
cryptoflovecraft — 4 years ago(October 23, 2021 04:15 PM)
Oct. 20 - The Beyond (L. Fulci, 1981) 9/10
Oct. 20 - Don't Torture a Duckling (L. Fulci, 1972) 8/10
Oct. 20 - Seven Black Notes aka The Psychic (L. Fulci, 1977) 7/10
The Beyond is my favorite Fulci film. Zombie, City of the Living Dead, House By the Cemetery, A Lizard in a Woman's Skin, Don't Torture a Duckling and The New York Ripper are great too. Touch of Death (aka When Alice Broke the Mirror) is his most mean-spirited and misogynistic film. I like it but it's not for all tastes. The Black Cat is his most moody and atmospheric horror film. Demonia is probably the worst Fulci film I've ever seen but it still has its moments. He was truly a unique director with an original style and perverse sense of humor.
Schrodinger's Cat walks into a bar, and doesn't. 
