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The fractured Europe post-World War II is perfectly captured in Carol Reed's masterpiece thriller, set in a Vienna still shell-shocked from battle. Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten) is an alcoholic pulp writer come to visit his old friend Harry Lime (Orson Welles). But when Cotton first arrives in Vienna, Lime's funeral is under way. From Lime's girlfriend and an occupying British officer, Martins learns of allegations of Lime's involvement in racketeering, which Martins vows to clear from his friend's reputation. As he is drawn deeper into postwar intrigue, Martins finds layer under layer of deception, which he desperately tries to sort out. Welles's long-delayed entrance in the film has become one of the hallmarks of modern cinematography, and it is just one of dozens of cockeyed camera angles that seem to mirror the off-kilter postwar society. Cotten and Welles give career-making performances, and the Anton Karas zither theme will haunt you. --Anne Hurley ... Read more

Reviews (128)

A landmark Film Noir. Seldom equalled: will not be beaten.
The Third Man is, unquestionably, one of the greatest films of all time. It is probably the greatest British film of all too. Based on a screenplay by Graham Greene, set amidst the rubble of post-war Vienna and starring Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten and Trevor Howard, this one was always going to be good. It was, for many years, regarded as the film noir to beat all others and is my favourite movie. Radical in it's cinematic concept and brilliantly shot by Robert Krasker, the film has more atmosphere than any film I have seen before or since.

It all starts with Holly Martins (Cotten), a drunkard who writes the type of books which used to be known as "penny dreadfuls", arriving in Vienna not long after the end of WWII on the promise of a job. It turns out that his prospective employer, Harry Lime (Welles), has been killed in an accident and Martins has arrived just in time for the funeral. Lime's friends soon make contact with the wayward Martins, who becomes convinced that his friend has been murdered, and eventually through a series of encounters, he winds up in the hands of the Military Police.

In the opinion of this reviewer, this is Cotten's best film and though I've never been a big fan of his, he suits the role admirably. I also believe this is Trevor Howard's finest performance. So good is Howard that there is little doubt over his conviction that Martins is wrong and the scene where all is revealled to him is a feature of the film. Orson Welles was an acting giant in anyone's terms although by this time he was almost universally regarded as box office poison. His characterisation of the psychopathic Lime has been the model for so many film baddies and in may ways is as sinister as Hannibal Lecter.

The cinematography is superb. Shot on the streets of bombed-out Vienna and using minimal lighting, it gives definition to the film noir genre. The lighting reflected off wet cobblestone roads and the hard shadows created by single brute arcs create a cold, stark landscape for Carol Reed's direction and the underlying suspense of the plot. Much of the film; certainly the majority of the interiors as well as nearly all the sewer scenes, were actually shot in studio in the UK but all the location stuff is real, so much so that you can even do a "Third Man" tour if you are in Vienna.

The Criterion transfer is the sharpest B&W I have ever seen and rather than being merely technically precise, really adds to the atmosphere of the film. There was an enormous number of repairs made to the original print (something like 22,000, if my memory serves me correctly) and the ultimate product is almost seemless and has a beautiful grey scale. There are a few added features, including a rather comical short of Anton Karas playing the famous theme on his zither in a London club. Karas, incidentally, a Gypsy who could not read music, was first spotted in a seedy Vienna nightclub and contracted to do the film more-or-less on the spot. It is extraordinary how much the zither adds to the film.

Reckoned by many to be the finest suspense film ever made and containing more cinematic innovation than almost anything which came afterward it, until the arrival of the French New Wave, this film wants for nothing. The acting performances are top notch, the pictures are beautiful and the plot is terrific. There is even a little wry humour at the expense of Viennese society. A cinematic gem not to be missed and essential to any serious film buff's library.

Arguably the greatest British film ever made
One could make an exceptionally good case for this being the best film ever made by a British production company. Certainly, it is at worse one of the very best. The film impeccably freezes in our imaginations images of post-war Europe in general and Vienna in particular. And anyone who has seen this will discover scene after scene emblazoned in his or her memory. Indeed, this film is a succession of stunning images and scenes: the first time we see Harry Lime (Orson Welles), lurking in the shadows of a doorway, hands in pockets, an ambiguous, almost apologetic yet amused smile. The Ferris wheel towering over Holly Martins (Joseph Cotton) as he waits to meet Harry Lime. The extraordinary "Cuckoo Clock" speech that Harry delivers as he and Holly ride the Ferris Wheel high above the "ants" below. The chase through the sewers. The unforgettable as Anna Schmidt (Valli) walks towards and then past Holly as Anton Karas plays utterly unforgettable zither piece known today as "The Third Man" theme.

An enormous amount of great talent was involved in this picture, and nearly all were at the height of their powers. Graham Greene produced one of the great scripts the movies has seen, about an hack writer who has arrived in post-war Vienna to take a job that has been offered him by his old friend Harry Lime, only to discover that he has died in a car wreck. In talking with various friends, the friend, Holly Martins, discovers that the various stories told about Lime don't quite mesh with one another. The climax of the movie comes when Holly learns that Harry not only didn't die but also is making a fortune on the black market. Joseph Cottons turned in perhaps the finest performance in his career as the good natured, but always-one-step-behind Holly Martins. Orson Welles was never better as an actor than he was in this film as the enigmatic Harry Lime, managing to be both thoroughly charismatic and completely reprehensible at the same time. Trevor Howard was as solid as always as Harry Lime's nemesis Major Calloway. Many, many of the minor characters turn in memorable performances. Today, Carol Reed is not well remembered in the United States. This is unfortunate, because he was a truly first rate director with many very fine movies to his credit (among which I do not include the hard-to-take OLIVER). Part of the reason for this has been the widespread influence of French auteur criticism, which pretty much tarred all British cinema with the same inconceivably broad brush, excepting perhaps only the work of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. As much as I enjoy the work of the latter (jointly known as "The Archers"), I believe that Carol Reed is not as appreciated as he deserves. This film certainly is highly regarded, but he left behind many, many other superb films that also deserve continued viewing. At any rate, regardless of the amount of attention his work as a whole received, this film incontestably remains one of the truly great films in the history of cinema.

By far one of the top films ever made!
First at all , the ravishing presence of Orson Welles is felt all along this movie in such level you may well state this film was four hands directed . The powerful and menacing atmosphere that surrounds Vienna after the WW2 , the expressionist style , the superb photograph , the bitter and clever dialogues , the high caliber acting level , the somber passages under Vienna's streets , the sideral beauty and presence of Alida Vali , the extraordinary performance given by Joseph Cotten , the unforgettable zither music of Anton Karas and the dark secrets all along the story demands from you special attention. This film won Cannes Festival 1949.
You will never get tired of watching over and over this giant work. A Cold War spy classic. From Graham Greene novel.
Magnificent!

One of the all-time great films
This was one of the very first films I purchased on DVD. I was lucky enough to see this on the big screen when it was re-released to theatres after the restoration. The quality of this DVD is outstanding. Seeing the widescreen version is truly sublime. Robert Krasker's cinematography is stunning. The Anton Karas score is haunting. The direction of Carol Reed and the screenplay by Graham Greene could not be improved upon. (film lovers will also want to see "The Fallen idol" by Reed and Greene). Cotten, Howard and Valli are great in their parts, but Orson Welles as Harry Lime steals the film - he should have won the Oscar for his brilliant work here. A work of art.

Simply the best ...
What can be said about a movie that has stood the test of time, in that it still has the power to move, intrigue, amuse and simply entertain the viewer even *55* years later??!! Do you think that anyone will want to watch "Kill Bill" in 55 years? I don't even want to watch it now. The Third Man was made in Vienna at the end of WWII .. so much is clear from the date of the movie, and the very realness of the bombed out city within which the story is set. The horrible effects of war are seen both in the surroundings, and within the dark hearts of the racketeers. I'm so grateful that this movie has never been "colored up" because that would have taken away the wonderful use of shadows and light. There are so many truly awesome moments - pick your own! - which just wouldn't be the same in color. I'm thinking of the doorstep scene, when the cat finds Harry, and his smug little smile is highlighted by the light coming from an opened window. And, my favorite ever movie scene, in the last quarter of the movie, where Holly is waiting in the cafe to betray Harry, and he steps out on the roof top above. There is something about the way that Welles moves, and the interplay of shadow and light, that is just beautiful.

The actors are all magnificent. Welles' Harry Lime is a cynical, uncaring horror - a very "dirty" Harry indeed (pun intended!) Joseph Cottens as Holly Martins starts out naive and foolish, a total buffoon and innocent, who falls in love with Welles' mistress overnight, but he soon hardens as the full magnitude of his friend's crimes become clear to him. Trevor Howard is the (stereo)typically English Major Calloway. (When Holly addresses him as "Callaghan", he brusquely corrects him and barks that "I'm not Irish" .. lol!) There are such wonderful moments in the script. Not just Welles' cuckoo clock speech, but moments such as the one where Anna, Harry Limes' beautiful Czechoslovakian girlfriend is arrested for possible deportation to Russia, she says sadly "Sometimes he said I laughed too much." That line, so beautifully delivered, always brings a tear to my eye.

I loved this cleaned up DVD. There were subtitles - very necessary in my household, and the zither music was as clear as day (a little bit too clear at times in fact). A very necessary purchase for anyone who appreciates a bloodless, yet deeply thrilling mystery classic. ... Read more

Description

Enjoy the fun of this sexy comedy winner! At a luxurious lakeside resort, an attractive red-headed guest (Vanessa Redgrave -- THE PLEDGE; GIRL, INTERRUPTED) has her eye on a handsome, well-to-do bachelor. But when he's more interested in a beautiful young flirt (Uma Thurman -- KILL BILL, VATEL), the mischievous redhead goes to outrageous lengths -- including a fling with a passionate younger man -- to reel in her wealthy catch! Filled with laughs and riotous comic confusion -- everyone's sure to love this delightfully sexy comedy! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

British Romantic Comedy in Italy
Set in gorgeous surrounding at Lake Come pre-WWII, it is tale about a British lady and major, with the triangle formed by an American girl who is a nanny to some Italians. Mix in a young Italian who falls in love with the older British lady and someone named "candlestick" and walla, a interesting film.

At times the plot droans and moans, but overall it is worth the watch. Redgraves is her exceptional fine actress, here has to carry much, with her grace and dignity and timing.

This is of another time and generation, so takes some patience and hanging in there.

Lake Como
A wonderul romantic comedy set in summer prior to WWII. Starring Vanessa Redgrave & Uma Thurman. The scenery and cinematography are simply beautiful, an Older Girlie Flick.

Nice Scenery
The acting and screen-play are poor (i could be wrong), but the scenery, and cinematography that captures it, are beautiful.

I would suggest Enchanted April.

Perfect Entertainment
Vanessa Redgrave is brilliant and absolutely gorgeous in this
fine film about spending a month in Italy. Uma Thurman comes
into the picture as a nanny for a couple of kids and she and
Vanessa vie for the attention of Edward Fox. I am basing this
review on the laserdisc which enchanced the movie considerably
and I imagine the dvd will be even better. One of those movies
that gets more enjoyable every time you watch it. And of course
I want to go back to Italy every time I see it. A perfect
companion piece to ENCHANTED APRIL (when will that be on DVD?)

VANESSA REDGRAVE TRUMPS UMA THURMAN...
This is a charming film about an older, free spirited English woman, an expatriate who in 1937 Italy is interested in an older, stuffy Englishman who is on vacation at the same lakeside resort. A young American nanny, who is at the resort with the family for whom she works, catches the same Englishman's eye. Their love triangle provides many interesting moments for the viewer.

Vanessa Redgrave, who only gets better with age, is charming as the older woman, Miss Bentley, who finds herself competing for the attentions of Major Wilshaw, curmudgeonly played by Edward Fox. Miss Beaumont, played with a certain repellent insousciance by Uma Thurman, capriciously tosses in her hat into the romance stakes. Miss Bentley finds herself playing second fiddle to Miss Beaumont. A young, attractive Italian, however, sees the charms that Major Wilshaw initially fails to appreciate, and Miss Bentley uses his interest in her to great advantage. When Major Wilshaw finally gets his wakeup call, all is well that ends well.

Miss Bentley's wardrobe and style is simplicity itself. Clearly, she is not a woman to follow fashion trends. Yet, she is clearly a woman who will follow where her heart will lead. The young and nubile Miss Beaumont is much more of a fashion maven, yet she lacks the depths of beauty that Miss Bentley naturally has, a beauty that grows from within rather than from without. This is a lovely movie that will make the viewer dream of a time long past. ... Read more

Reviews (261)

Stylish, beautiful, and mesmerising
I first saw Suspiria a few years ago as a VHS rental but I couldn't remember too much about it. But suddenly, the world of Italian horror has been broken wide open so I picked up this three disk limited edition. Watching Suspiria is sort of like dreaming awake. Colored lighting is used to great effect and the sound track just sort of lulls one into submission. The plot makes about as much sense as a dream, that is to say, the movie all makes sense while watching but looses cohesion quickly once one returns to the "real" world. I think that is why I only remember watching the VHS rental but not too much of the movie.

The three disc set includes a newly made documentary and a Goblin soundtrack from the movie. The documentary suffers from subtitles that are sometimes washed out against a light background. Otherwise, it is informative. The Goblin CD is a lot fun to listen to and I find myself humming the main theme all the time. Unfortunately, I do not find a listing for the names of the songs. The main disk also includes trailers and radio spots and a Goblin music video of Demonia, which appears to be the main theme song.

Terrific DVD for a terrific movie
What many claim is the definitive Dario Argento movie(some say "Deep Red" but I say this), has been put into a wonderful DVD. I waited for weeks for the limited edition. It was well worth the wait. The limited edition throws in everything, but the kitchen sink. While the laserdisc was in letterbox, the colors were washed out. Pity too, since that was they used a technique which enhanced the colors into a deeper, richer texture (in letterbox to show the entire picture). Thankfully, the DVD lets us see this wonderful enhancement beautifully. On the second disc, we see interviews with the filmakers and stars of the film. We also get a bit of a hint why we still haven't seen the conclusion of "Three Mothers" Trilogy. It also has an interesting interview of the composer of the bizarre music to the movie. The third disc is a CD soundtrack to the movie, which contains a terrific updated version of the theme song (a music video of the song is in the first disc). All in all, an excellent DVD set. Bravo to Anchor Bay!

"SUSPIRIA"-Dario Argento's stylishly artistic masterpiece!
Okay, to all those fans of the Italian horror genre (or 'giallo' films as some would call them) I'd like to say that I am a longtime fan of horror movies and am also new to the Italian horror genre. I'd have to say as strange as it is, "Suspiria" (1977) was actually the first one to get me into the Italian horror films. Considering that I personally do NOT like any of Lucio Fulci's work (e.g. "Zombie") Dario Argento is quite better and the atmosphere of his movies are a lot better to draw you into.

Jessica Harper (a very talented actress indeed!) plays the heroine, Suzy Banyon, a young female American ballet dancer who attends a German dance school run by the mysterious Madame Blanc and Miss Tannr (given eerily performances by Joan Bennett & Alida Valli) From there, all hell breaks loose as horrific "accidental" deaths occur as many individuals are picked off one by one by an unseen supernatural entity. There are numerous secret passageways in the school (my favorite being the rose painting on the wall), a cruel and sharply grotesque hanging scene, a flesh eating dog, & many other shocking surprises which await as Suzy must discover the school's true revelation before it's too late!

This 3 disk set is in its WIDESCREEN Presentation(2.35:1) & is enhanced for 16x9 T.V. sets. It also includes the theatrical trailer (including T.V. spots), radio spots, a Daemonia music video, poster and still galleries, and talent bios. The third disk is the soundtrack of the film performed by the Italian rock group, Goblin and is definately one of the creepiest scores I've ever heard in a film. (Though maybe not as scary as Godfrey Salmon's orchestrated and conducted score for the sequel, "Inferno")

It's also one of those rare items which requires you to think, but keep in mind that sometimes it may take more than just one viewing to understand it all. The Dance Academy is also the most beautifully, artistic movie sets to ever be used for a horror flick (but in a grotesque and fun way) Without doubt, this is one of Dario Argento's BEST work! (I haven't seen his first masterpiece, "Deep Red" yet) In fact, as he explained in an interview for "Inferno" this, along with that film was one of the hardest films to make in his career and required A LOT of his own imagination and style. I recommend this to those who don't prefer Lucio Fulci's work and I also recommend the sequel, "Inferno". (it carries some of the same resemblance to the first film but the storyline starts to come together more in that one) Truly, this is a non-stop nightmare into the terrifying unknown! I will most definately be checking out the rest of Mr. Argento's work.

Kcin's review of Suspiria
I suck at introductions so I'm not even gonna try. This movie is very good. I like it. If you are interested in Horror cinema or just visually intriguing films in general you need to check this out. All right then, on with the specifics.

The plot is easily summarized. Suzy Bannion is an American ballet student in Germany. There a bad goings-ons at the academy and she must investigate and defeat the evil to survive blah blah blah. None of that really matters. Even the staunchest defenders of this film often admit that the plot/script/dialogue are not particularly inspired, and frequently kinda lame. I tend to agree with this belief, but as I said before, it doesn't really matter. However, contrary to what many people say, I didn't find this film to be the least bit confusing. I'll admit that not necessarily everything that occurs makes a whole lot of sense, and that some things are shown which are not terribly vital to the plot, but it's hardly difficult to follow. The acting isn't so great either, with the protagonists coming off a bit flat much of the time, and the antagonists overdoing it, particularly the whacky Miss Tanner, whose got a weird female concentration camp commandant thing going on.(or maybe I'm thinking of Madame Blanc, I get the names confused. If you see it you'll know who I'm talking about.) Still, it's a masterpiece visually.

When people talk about this movie they almost invariably describe it as being nightmareish. I don't really care for this description, because it exaggerates the surreality of the film. Visually, it isn't hyper-abnormal, it's really just surreal enough to seem just beyond the bounds of reality, so that nothing in the film seems quite real. This is particularly effective in the Academy itself, which mixes stately, classical looking architecture with extremely garish and tacky, extremely 70s-ish decoration. The night/horror scenes are all the more effective, with natural coloring being essentially abandoned, with everything then being bathed in eerie colored lighting. The two most prominent colors are blue and red, with a smattering of green now and then. On the whole it is startlingly eerie, and can add immense power and atmosphere to scenes where essentially nothing happens. A good example of this comes when they are forced to sleep out in the ballroom due maggot infestation.(which is itself an example of a creepy thing that happens that has nothing to do with anything) Nothing really happens here, but it's bathed in an intense, absolutely hellish red light which gives it immense power. To accompany these visuals is the much-hyped score by Goblin. It is extremely effective, though occasionally weakened by the odd cheesy synth line. It's mostly eerie keyboard lines playing menacing, repetitious melodies, thunderous percussion and random, rumbling bass overlaid with demonic voices whispering and howling. It also gets points for sounding like actual music, rather than the auditory exclamation points that most horror films provide you with. Despite all this, this movie isn't all that scary, but it's pretty eerie and atmospheric, and is just damn cool.

The film suffers slightly from starting off too well, so it's unable to maintain it's level of excellence, and suffers from a rather anti-climatic ending. Still, the opening scenes of the film are absolutely great. Suzy's arrival in Germany during a fierce storm sets the tone for the film, and establishes most of the visual motifs. It is perhaps the most surreal portion of the movie, with the heavy rain obscuring most everything, and particularly random seeming uses of lighting.(The weird forest they pass through is especially cool) The first murder scene, which is early in the film, is easily the best of the horror set-pieces. Although it isn't really all that gory it's a truly brutal scene and ends with some genuinely horrific imagery.(I'll admit that the effects are dated, but they still work very well in this scene, imo) The other horror scenes are reminiscent of the first, indoors, with the use of phony looking set decoration and colored lighting, with one exception. It takes place out in the open, and the normal colors are abandoned, instead opting for utter blackness and plain white and grey coloring on the surrounding, neo-classical architecture. It's also got some great, Leone-esque staging and camera work, as it drags the scene out as long as dramatically possible, alternating between extreme long-shots and extreme close-ups. It's a great scene (other than some dated gore) which is made all the more effective by how it contrasts with the rest of the film.(I should mention that despite the supernatural trappings of the film, the killings are generally done manually, with slasher-esque staging and methods. This film has witches, but they ain't much like what you usually see.) As I said before, the ending isn't so great. It's a bit abrupt, and doesn't show us anything we haven't seen before, but just re-iterates old motifs in an inferior manner, and suffers from some bad acting on the part of the main antagonist.(Well, now that I think about it, it does have one great scare, which is unexpected and unlike what we've seen before, but overall it's just not nearly as good) Also, there's a scene with a bat which is unintentionally funny. That bat's just so damn adorable.

Well that's about it. Some flaws, but it's a horror masterpiece anyway.

The Look of Horror
I could of probably lived without 10 over-the-top seconds of "Suspiria." Those 10 seconds are graphic to the point of porn. No doubt Argento fans would say that such scenes are what make Argento Argento. Whatever. That said, this is a really good movie with a terrific look. Argento's use of colors and architecture to establish mood (dread) is simply astounding. I have to believe Kubrick borrowed from Argento, heavily, in his making of "The Shining." I almost didn't finish watching "Suspiria" due to a graphic murder in the beginning. What kept me hanging in there was the stylish way Argento was framing his scenes. Hairy and taloned arms appearing out of the dark, a haunting run through the woods, wild and/or garish art deco interiors that have you thinking Jack the Ripper picked out the colors and patterns, and a building that looks like it was designed in Hell.

The plot? It's ok. Not as weak as some have suggested, but it does have holes - holes you don't spend much time pondering, since it's your eyes and ears Argento is after. Acting? Almost seems beside the point. You have your various grotesque characters, some with very big teeth, doing evil things. Jessica Harper is, however, very good as the waif-like ballet student. Her physical slightness, her big eyes, all contribute to the impression that she is surrounded by monstrous horror. How will she escape? Watch and see. The soundtrack, especially if you have surround sound, is effective and eerie. Lots of evil whisperings and other ominous sounds jump from unexpected directions. So the makers of the dvd are also to be applauded. It's as crisp a picture as you can imagine. (Guess Argento wanted those "reds" to really show.) ... Read more

Description

Secluded in the French countryside, a brilliant, obsessive doctor attempts a radical plastic surgery to restore his beloved daughter’s once-beautiful face, but at a horrifying price. Lauded as a true rarity of horror cinema, Eyes Without a Face (Les Yeux sans visage) has influenced countless films in its wake and stunned audiences around the world with its shocking yet poetic imagery. The Criterion Collection is proud to present Georges Franju’s lyrical black-and-white classic in a long-awaited, high-definition DVD edition. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Poetry in 'horrific' motion
Georges Franju might be the most underrated director of French cinema history that I know of. His films were marveled at by no less than both Jean Cocteau and Jean Luc-Goddard. As far as *Horror Cinema* goes, "Eyes Without A Face" AKA "Les Yeux Sans Visage" might be the most poetic, eerie film ever lensed. The haunting portrait of Christiane, masked, faceless, and disfigured since an earlier car accident, combined with the obsession of her brilliant father-surgeon, determined to find and graft a 'new' face for her, will leave horrific impressions of intense beauty that will not easily be forgotten. A mixture of fantasy and realism that combines for a movie that far surpasses today's "horror story" standards. Check it out if you're not looking to see a typical 90's "run-of-the-mill" slasher film, AND if you have the patience and understanding to notice the subleties of poetry-in-motion when it surfaces in a genre outside of it's normal influence.

A Portent of Movies to Come
This startling work combines the plot of a splatter movie with the cold, composed style of 1950's Stanley Kubrick. You can sense in it the French appreciation of Poe, Cornell Woolrich, and the Gothic. It has many touches of dark humor and irony that complement the ominous, poetic visual style. Strange moments of anguished emotion keep breaking through the tightly constructed surface of the film. It also anticipates the more graphic horror films to come in the future. The famous "operation" scene will make your skin crawl even after 40 years. The real subject is, of course, our fetishization of female beauty, and what that dehumanization really costs. The figure of a ruthless, murderous doctor performing obscene medical experiments also must have had special relevance to a France that had experienced the terrors of German occupation during World War II. Maurice Jarre's music is memorably spooky. You won't soon forget this one.

Franju where are you?
But what about Georges Franju? What do we know about him and what other films has he made other than "Eyes Without a Face?" I know about, but haven't seen, his ground-breaking documentary "Blood of Beasts" ("Sang des Betes"). I actually own a copy of another film he made called "Judex" which is totally different than either of these. And it is wonderful also.I can't believe he only made three films.Where are the others?
"Eyes Without a Face" is a masterpiece of horror because it goes to the heart of what we fear most-loss of our looks and the pathetic preoccupation with staying young and looking like the magazines and advertisers tell us to. The film is sad because the doctor can't do anything physical to help his daughter.All his skill is useless in the face of her disfigurement. Trying to change fate is useless, learning to live with it is not.

An artistic mad doctor splatter flick from France
"Eyes Without a Face" ("Les Yeux sans visage") is a horror film in which there is certain sympathy with the mad doctor, in this case Doctor Genessier (Pierre Brasseur) who is trying to repair the horrible damage to his daughter Christiane (Edith Scob) in a car accident that was his fault. The doctor, helped by his assistant Louise (Alida Valli), has been kidnapping young girls so that he can remove their skin and graft it onto Christiane's ruined face. Not only do the victims die, but the grafts fail, forcing Genessier to try again and again and again. What makes Georges Franju's film work is the inherent sympathy we feel towards the father trying to make his daughter beautiful again, just as we are repulsed by the surgical procedures he uses. Meanwhile, Genessier remains oblivious to what his efforts are doing to Christiane's own tenuous hold on reality.

"Eyes Without a Face" moves back and forth from the sacred and the profane, between the love of a parent for a child and meaningless destruction of human life. Franju conveys this contrast visually through the use of poetic images and realistic scenes. I have read arguments that "Eyes Without a Face" should be considered with "Psycho" as creating the splatter flick, and while it is hard to imagine anything having the impact of Hitchcock's film, Franju's movie is more artistic overall (of course, the shower scene is the master trump when we talk about horror films as "art"). This black & white French film with English subtitles is well worth seeing and could end up on your personal top 10 horror film list.

The "Eyes Without a Face" translation is actually the British title for this 1959 release, which was called "The Horror Chamber of Dr. Faustus" when released in the United States in 1962, in what must be one of the stupidest titles grafted onto a foreign film in cinema history. Here you have a film that walks a fine line between beautiful visual images, such as when Christiane walks through the house in her mask, and viseral horror, represented by not just the operation scenes but the film's climax. The title is simple and elegant, not to mention appropriate to the story being told, and some suit who heard about Christopher Marlowe while reading an E.C. comic comes up with "The Horror Chamber of Dr. Faustus." Mon dieu, mon ami!

ABSORBING GOTHIC HORROR......
This is one of my favorite foriegn films and one of my favorite horror movies. How devastating this must have been in 1959! At once unsettling even disturbing and yet dreamily lyrical, Les Yeaux Sans Visage stands as a masterpiece of French Gothic horror. Georges Franju directs this as a painting of otherwordly colors (in b&w) and images in evoking an adult fairy tale with the unhappy "princess" being set free in the end surrounded by beautiful birds. All the while, though, it is still a shocking plastic surgery/scarred face story laden with misplaced love and guilt. It conjures emotions that leave you feeling uneasy for days afterwards....This is a must for DVD (from Image hopefully) to preserve the beautiful b&w imagery and to offer the uncut version in it's entirety...keep those cards and letters coming! ... Read more

Description

Killer Nun

From the Secret Files of the Vatican! Uncut! Uncensored! Unholy!

Legendary Swedish sex bomb Anita Ekberg (LA DOLCE VITA) stars as sister Gertrude, a cruel nun who discovers depraved pleasure in a frenzy of drug addiction, sexual degradation and sadistic murder. Joe Dallesandro (ANDY WARHOL'S FRANKENSTEIN),Lou Castel (A BULLET FOR THE GENERAL), Alida Valli (SUSPIRIA) and the lusous Paola Morra (BEHIND CONVENT WALLS) co-star in this notorious 'Nunspolitation' sickie based on actual events that took place in a Central European country not many years ago!

Branded as obscene around the world and banned outright in Britain, Killer Nun has been completely remastered from original vault elements and is now presented with all of its blasphemous sex and violence fully restored for the first tme ever n America! ... Read more

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Dario Argento's sequel to Suspiria, his first and to date only American hit, is an even more incoherent nightmare fantasy. Laden with symbolic imagery and fantastic explosions of death shot in candy-colored hues, it's a bloody feast for the eyes. Mark (Leigh McCloskey), an American music student in Rome, rushes home to New York after a frantic phone call from his sister only to find an empty apartment and obscure clues about a supernatural presence in her spooky building. It all has something to do with the mysterious Mater Tenebrarum, one of the "Three Mothers" of Argento's murky mythology, and the fun house of an apartment house she inhabits, complete with a fully furnished underwater ballroom, miles of secret tunnels flooded in red and blue light, and hidden passageways under the floorboards. Meanwhile, there's a killer running around stabbing beautiful women for who knows what reason, a crippled bookseller attacked by rats, and a homicidal hot-dog vendor in Central Park. Why? It's best not to ponder such mysteries--Argento obviously isn't as concerned with making sense of his meticulously staged murders as he is with lighting them with just the right hue. Dramatically it's inert, a parade of quirky but faceless victims dispatched with elaborate care, but it's beautifully designed and executed, a spectacle of elaborate set pieces and magnificent decor orchestrated with a complete disdain for narrative logic.--Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Dario throws a sharp dagger and misses
OK, nobody watches a Dario Argento movie expecting a great plot. Its just the immense style and care he handles his movies with. So just about everyone can easily lose track of the plot and concentrate on the gracefully-staged killings and highly original (sometimes outragous) story elements. The problem with INFERNO is that (despite the fact it has some nice Argento touches, some great scenes involving an underwater chamber and an old man getting eaten by an army of rats), the plot is so thin that in this case you tend to somewhat ignore SOME of the Argento trademarks and start wondering what the hell is going on!

An American music fan returns home from Rome after getting an urgent call from his sister. By the time he returns, she's already dead so he handles the case himself finding the SUSPIRIA-type killer which somehow relates to an evil myth.

INFERNO isn't really such a bad film. With horror maestro, Mario Bava giving it his last shot with the special effects (he died the same year), the film has some kind of punch and, though it is fairly slow, it feasts the eyes with some nice imagery but as I said, it just DOSN'T MAKE SENSE. Argento helped Bava's son, Lamberto on DEMONS five years later which I found a little bit more fun.

More Supernatural Mayhem From Argento
Dario Argento's INFERNO, the sequel to the great SUSPIRIA, is the director's most difficult film; it was hard for him to pull this one off and it took a lot of time. In the end, however, it was all well worth the effort. INFERNO establishes its link to SUSPIRIA in the beginning, as Rose Elliot (Irene Miracle of MIDNIGHT EXPRESS fame) reads the book "The Three Mothers" by one E. Varelli, an architect and alchemist who built three houses for the Three Mothers, who are really evil beings who rule the world through sorrows, darkness and tears. Rose, in fact, might live in one of those dwelling places, a hotel in New York, which is the dwelling place of Mater Tenebrarum, Mother of Darkness. (SUSPIRIA covered Mater Suspiriorum, Mother of Sighs/Sorrows.) Anyway, her brother Mark (Leigh McCloskey) comes to New York and gets caught up in the weirdness that ensues.
As I said before, Dario Argento had a real difficult time filming INFERNO. He bypassed the witchcraft of SUSPIRIA in favor of alchemy for this story. Fortunately, he had help from another Italian horror legend: Mario Bava (TWITCH OF THE DEATH NERVE, BLACK SUNDAY, SHOCK), who filmed an amazing underwater sequence in the beginning which is a sight to behold and is really scary. Some think that the music student with the cat (Ania Pieroni of TENEBRE and Fulci's HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY) in the scenes in Rome is a representation of Mater Lacrimaurum, Mother of Tears; if that's so, what a great setup for the third film that would have been. While not as mind-blowing as SUSPIRIA, INFERNO is a wild experience in its own right and has an equally awesome music score (here by prog-rock vet Keith Emerson) and scary imagery and lighting reminiscent of an EC Comic book.
BTW: Have you noticed any similarity between this and Fulci's masterpiece THE BEYOND? I mean there's the house that maybe concealing some sort of evil, there's the gruesome murders at random, and there's the awesome score! Anyway, you have to see THE BEYOND, and I'll explain why in another review. But give INFERNO, Argento's purest film, a try but watch SUSPIRIA first so you'll understand this movie better!

Sequel to "SUSPIRIA"...
This 1980 Italian horror hit by Dario Argento is one of his finest since its previous installment, "Suspiria" and carries some of the same resemblance of that film with its beautifully artistic atmosphere and it's stylishy grotesque layout. However, the plotholes that were of the first film start to come together a little more in this one and is easier to understand. It is also the second part to the still incomplete 'Three Mothers' trilogy and will keep you at the edge of your seat. I don't think I've watched too many of these films that actually makes me jump at certain scenes, whether its a falling vase or just a plain old stray cat.

When a young man's sister, Rose disappears after opening a mysterious diary known as "The Three Sisters", her brother, Mark (acted well by Leigh McCloskey) must investigate her old apartment complex that she lives in which also used to be an old mansion used by an old alchemist who created the three homes where each of the sister's ghosts take refuge. All this leads to an scary adventure through the many secret passageways of the old estate, complete with an underwater ball room, a mute old man who's always watching our hero, & a killer that lurks around every corner for those who learn more about the second mother: the Mother of Darkness. In the end, Mark must stop the evil presence before all hell breaks loose out into the world! It's a terriying trip into the unknown and will leave you breathless till the last thrilling scene!

The movie is in its WIDESCREEN Presentation (1.85:1) & is enhanced for 16x9 T.V. sets and includes an Exclusive Dario Argento interview, the original theatrical trailer, a still gallery, and talent bios. I only wish they had the soundtrack for this film which features an excellent orchestrated score by Godfrey Salmon that has a little more effect than that of Goblin.

The film is also in its original UNCUT & UNCENSORED version and gives you more than what may've been offered before. Dario Argento does it again in this worthy sequel! But I should warn you to NOT see this film without seeing "SUSPIRIA" first, otherwise you may not understand it as much. Otherwise, I say to all those either Dario Argento fans or plain Italian horror fans altogether to give this one a shot. "Inferno" is a great movie worth watching again and again. I only hope that Dario will complete the 'Three Mothers' trilogy one of these days. Please, Mr. Argento! It is a very good series!!

Good, but a few noticable flaws bring it down
I am a huge fan of Suspiria and Dario Argento so naturally after seeing Suspiria I rushed out and bought this. I knew this installment couldn't really match up to Suspiria but to tell you the truth I couldn't help but be a little dissapointed. Here are some of my likes/dislikes with the film.

LIKES:
Dario's direction and sense of style have not changed and the set pieces and shots in the film are top notch.

The kill count nearly doubles in this installment which leads to some very good moments, and some not as good. But nothing horrible (I mean you gotta love that hot dog vendor scene). And although the music may not be as creepy the suspense is still very much there.

The elaboration on the plot (although still a little confusing) is always nice.

DISLIKES:
The music bugged me a lot and is by far my number 1 compaint with this film and basically why I gave a 3 instead of a 4. This may seem trivial but the heart pumping masterwork in Suspiria gripped you and kept you on the edge of your seat for the rest of the film. The score in Inferno just fails to do this and is mostly just a soft piano score which loosens the tension and atmosphere for a lot of the film.

The only other thing that bugged me enough to mention was a few of the killings. I mean as I stated earlier I like most of them but they failed to match up to the grandiose masterpieces in Suspiria. More deaths are always good but it seems in some cases they exchanged quality for quantity. Moreover the back on the DVD says it's uncut but particularily in one of the scenes it fades out rather abruptly which bugged me because it was probably the best death in the film (I speaking of the window scene where Rose is killed).

OVERALL:
Despite a few areas most of the aspects of this movie are quite enjoyable and I highly reccomend this, especially to fans of Suspiria and Dario Argento.

The Funk Was Flamin' Outta Control
Argento's back in the house. This time it's a semi-sequel to Suspiria. Argento's trademarks are all back in full swing: Fantastically orchestrated murder scenes, cool music, red and blue lighting for no apparent reason, killers in need of a manicure, dream-like structure. Everyone seems to think this film doesn't make any sense, but I don't think that statement is entirely true. There actually is a thin plot running through all of the weirdness. This is established right from the beginning. There are indeed strange goings on, but you've been told from the start what's going on, so you can chalk it all up to supernatural mumbo jumbo. This isn't Lost Highway where there's no rhyme or reason for anything, you just have to remember that the witches are running the show here, so naturally things are gonna be messed up. And I tell ya, I don't think I've ever laughed harder in my life than I did in the scene with the guy at the hot dog stand. I can only hope Argento wanted that to be funny. I'd recommend this highly. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Yet another mediocre transfer from Waterbearer
Of the three Pasolini DVD's recently released by Waterbearer, Oedipus Rex is probably the best not only in its transfer, but in the film itself.

That being said, the transfer is still far from great. The matting is off, although nowhere near as badly as it is on Porcile. The colors are faded and the film is pitted and scratched, but again, nowhere as badly as on the Porcile disc. My main complaint is (as it was with Love Meetings) that the burned-in (not optional) subtitles are white, and are impossible to read in many parts of the washed-out transfer.

That being said, this is one of Pasolini's strongest films, and is definitely worth watching, whether you're a cinephile, a Pasolini fan, or a classical scholar. Casual viewers may be put off by Pasolini's style which, admittedly, is an acquired taste, but more open-minded viewers will be greatly rewarded. Again, it's doubtful that these films will see better editions any time soon, so if you're interested, there's no reason to wait around.

Opulent, riveting, strangely autobiographical OEDIPUS REX
Oedipus Rex (1967) is Pasolini's opulent and riveting adaptation of the ancient myth of Oedipus, a man who unknowingly kills his father and marries his mother; simultaneously, it is a provocative reflection of the filmmaker himself. Although Sophocles' 2,500-year-old play forms the basis for the film's second half, Pasolini's prologue is startlingly autobiographical. He opens in early 20th century Fascist Italy, while using the myth's characters to recreate his parents' relationship and his own birth. He then takes us to a mythic ancient world, filmed primarily in Morocco, with vast desert landscapes and stunning native architecture (Thebes is a massive city made of adobe, which feels genuinely ancient and real). Pasolini brings a grandeur and epic sweep to his Oedipus Rex, despite its limited budget, even as he gives full weight to the intimate moments.

The film draws great power comes from the completely naturalistic performances, ranging from the leads to the minor characters (Pasolini plays a High Priest). Silvana Mangano (Mrs. Dino De Laurentiis) is outstanding as Jocasta, Oedipus's enigmatic mother/wife. Her stone-like face suggests intense erotic heat with the microscopic wrinkling of a lip. My major reservation with the film is Franco Citti as Oedipus. He appeared in seven films for Pasolini (including the title role in Accatone), and was usually exceptional, but here he brings a too-consistent harsh tone to his role. Of course, Citti's monolithic resolve, as both Oedipus the boy (who cheats to win a discus match) and king, may be Pasolini's point. Namely, since Oedipus refuses to grow, to come to an integrated understanding of who he is and what his society needs him to be, he destroys himself by willful blindness.

Visually, Oedipus Rex draws enormous force from its vivid palette and use of the harsh Moroccan sunlight, not to mention its breathtaking, sometimes outrageous sense of style. Yet the literal clarity of the film does not obscure its dreamlike qualities. Pasolini wanted to film the myth as something which takes place in an authentic setting, yet which unfolds in a period outside of historical time. Even the eclectically multicultural soundtrack, with folk music from traditions as startlingly diverse as Japan and Rumania (and this was twenty years before the popularity of "world music"), helps achieve Pasolini's ambitious goal.

Intriguingly, the real protagonist of the film is Pasolini himself, who subtextually takes on Freud's (in)famous Oedipus Complex. As he said, "I wanted to make ... a kind of completely metaphoric - and therefore mythicized - autobiography; and ... to confront both the problems of psycho-analysis and the problem of the myth." (In the half hour documentary on Pasolini included on the DVD, one illuminating section is devoted to his views on Oedipus Rex.)

Revisionist Freudianism aside, this film succeeds in bringing both Oedipus and his world astonishingly to life. This Oedipus Rex is engrossing because it works simultaneously on so many different levels. For people new to Pasolini, this representative film is an excellent place to begin. In terms of its impact on film history, you can see its influence on pictures as diverse as Fellini Satyricon (1969), Norman Jewison's Jesus Christ Superstar (1973), and Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ (1988). It shows Pasolini grappling with some of the knottiest themes of his films, and of most people's lives, namely the relationship of men and women, of child and parents, and of one man to himself. And it is at once a work of outrageous design and deep feeling, a semi-camp epic with genuine mythic resonance.

The DVD is of very good quality, especially considering the film's age. However, the Pasolini Foundation in Rome, which controls the rights, insisted that the U.S. distributor release the DVD without any chapters (i.e., it's in one continuous track), to encourage people to watch the film in its entirety. Still, it's important to have this crucial part of Pasolini's filmography on DVD.

Sophocles' challenger
The myth of Oedipus has been treated over and over again since antiquity and is best known from the Sophoclean version, which has ever since been considered the best existing. The title of the film reviewed, „Oedipus Rex", alludes to the title of the Sophoclean play that is usually cited in its Latin translation. Obviously, Pasolini challenges his great predecessor, as is confirmed in his film by numerous allusions to Sophocles and his great ancient rival Euripides, who also treated the Oedipus-myth more than once.
Now while Sophocles is the most sublime author you can conceive, always concerned with the question „how man should be" (as Aristotle cites him in his „Poetics"), Pasolini is known better for anything than for tragic decorum. Therefore he does not choose the „same weapons" as Sophocles, trying to overpower the excellence of his hero, but makes up a subtle picture of a vicious and fear-haunted soul.
His Oedipus cheats, is arrogant and blood-thirsty, traits of character, that had been deliberately excluded by Sophocles, but had been attributed to Oedipus in the „Phoenissae" of Euripides. Pasolini thoroughly elaborates these traits e.g. in the scene at the fork in the road. His Oedipus shows himself even more keen than the Euripidean hero to kill the noble old man he meets there. Certain innovations further undermine the Sophoclean concept that Oedipus is the wisest man in the world. Nevertheless, the Pasolinian King Oedipus is a sympathetic character, for his profound emotions, his care for his people and his natural ways.
The story is known to us as well as it was in antique times, but our expectations are quite different because of Freud's famous theories concerning the Oedipus-complex. According to these expactations, Pasolini, creating an adequate framework, provides a certain oscillation between modern times and the myth in order to underline that essential characteristics of the human soul are involved. Thus, the excellent actors, especially Silvana Mangano and Franco Citti as Iocaste and Oedipus give an insight into the dephths of mankind.
Besides this brilliant charakter-studies and the convincing plot, this film can be enjoyed at first sight by anyone for the impressive photography of antique African sites, that form the stage for Pasolini's version. To appreciate it fully, it is recommendable to read the related tragedies of Sophocles and Euripides as mentioned above.

Sophocles would be pleased -- maybe.
Sophocles' Oedipus Rex is adapted well for the foreign screen. Pasolini, better known for the controversial Salo; 120 Days of Sodom, has kept the intensity level to a minimum while still presenting the perverse qualities for which he would be known for. If you don't know the story (like who doesn't) read the play before seeing the movie - there tends to be a shortage on literature freaks these days. Beautifully filmed, Oedipus Rex begins in modern times, continues sometime BC, and finally ends back in the 20th century; thus presenting a sociological thesis for the viewer. The acting is a bit hammy (seeing Oedipus with a mad streak can be over the top) although the characters are developed well and recite their lines as if on stage. My only complaint is the subtitles seem to blend in with the scenery --- white subtitles against a white background. Therefore, this flaw makes it difficult to read in some scenes, and Pasolini's poetry is usually superb. Nevertheless, it's still a great film and is worth a look, especially by people with preconceived hatred for Pasolini's later work -and there's definitely a lot out there.

Another Pasolini's masterpiece
It's interesting to read these reviews as one must wonder how can someone see Mamma Roma and say that it's worthless. This is such a heart-breaking tragedy and it unfolds slowly. The cinamatography is great; you don't notice the camera at all. The performance of actors is excellent, although Pasolini admitted that Magnani was probably not the best choice for the role; but she offers superb performance. If you are into staff like "Elisabeth" or the like, don't even try this one; but if you like Italian cinema, this one is for you. Watch and judge for yourself. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

One of the better 70's era disaster films
One of the better films amoung the 1970's disaster movie genre; centering around a European train infected with a contagious virus. Interesting film to compare to more recent fare such as Outbreak.

Amoung the "all-star" cast few actually qualilfy, with only Richard Harris and Sophie Loren adding genunie star power; while Burt Lanchaster basically just phones in his performance. Also seeing O.J. Simpson as an INTERPOL officer gunning down terrorists in a priest uniform is more then jarring. The direction is taut and the Jerry Goldsmith score is strong as always. Despite its cheesy moments (the hippies singing in the train car) its a good watch.

The DVD itself is nice deal for [$], although Artisian's presentation doesn't rank as high as some of its other older catalog film. Sadly its presented in fullscreen which is a major mark against it and there isn't even a trailer to accompany it. Oddly enough it sports motion menus which surprised me. The transfer isn't anywhere near reference quality but its watchable with a few spots where the film goes soft. The mono soundtrack isn't strong at all and the dreaded mono hiss is audible if you're using your sorround system.

If you're a fan of the movie its hard to turn down at a bargain price, otherwise rent it. ... Read more

Description

While visiting Toledo, Spain, American tourist Lisa Reiner (Elke Sommer) experiences a feeling of deja vu when she sees an ancient mural of the Devil carrying away the dead. Hearing a familiar melody, she wanders away from her companions into a series of encounters with men who inexplicably recognize her from a past life. Hopelessly lost as night falls, Lisa begs a ride from a passing Packard, which breaks down outside a mansion where a young man (Alessio Orano) lives with his blind mother (Alida Valli) and a charming butler (Telly Savalas), who just happens to resemble the Devil from the mural! After a night of murder, necrophilia and horrific revelations, Lisa comes face-to-face with the secrets of her past identity and her connection to the bizarre rituals she has witnessed. This is the original Mario Bava film later reworked and reshot for American release as "The House of Exorcism." ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Wacky adventure through the Land of Bava
Italian director Mario Bava (1914-1980) is one of the giants of the horror film genre. His films, no matter what the plot, always promised great style mixed with scenes of murder and mayhem. Bava's big break into the industry came with his 1960 black and white classic "Black Sunday" starring fan favorite Barbara Steele. This was only the beginning, as Bava churned out a series of gruesome shockers over the next seventeen years. Perhaps Mario's biggest contribution to the horror field was his 1972 picture "Twitch of the Death Nerve," also known as "Bay of Blood." It doesn't take too long to realize "Friday the 13th" shamelessly cribbed from Bava's bloodbath. The director's inventiveness goes far beyond hacking up a few unfortunate souls, however, as "Lisa and the Devil," a movie which first appeared on our shores in a radically altered form called "The House of Exorcism," shows. This movie is a wildly inventive jaunt into the inner recesses of the mind of a tortured woman. The Bava legacy continued with son Lamberto, one of the guiding lights behind "Demons," an instant cult favorite with gorehounds worldwide.

Tourist Lisa (Elke Sommer) finds herself in an increasing series of ultra horrific and bizarre circumstances after viewing a huge mural on the side of a building in an Italian town. After looking at the picture, she wonders off into the heart of the old city where she soon encounters a man (Telly Savalas) wearing a beret who exactly resembles the figure in the painting. Horrified at the similarities between this man and the painting, Lisa flees and wanders aimlessly until a husband and wife pick her up in their ancient automobile. The car breaks down near a dark, creepy looking estate where none other than the man Lisa saw earlier works as the butler/head servant. The family living at the home agrees to allow the stranded travelers access to the house in order to phone for assistance. It quickly becomes apparent that things are not what they seem inside the walls of this sprawling estate. Over a socially awkward dinner served on a table the size of a football field, weird activities take place. The family doesn't seem to get along all that well and there is some peculiar importance attached to a chocolate cake with sprinkles (!). Lisa eventually discovers that a family member delivers the cake to a locked bedroom upstairs, supposedly to a member of the family who permanently lives in this room.

Meanwhile, the man and wife who helped Lisa clash over the wife's infidelity, a behavior that will soon have ghastly consequences in this house of horrors. As for Savalas, he acts the part of butler but also seems a more important figure than his position merits. He spends most of his time wandering around the house startling Lisa, or fiddling around with his human figures made out of wax. Even worse, our hapless heroine witnesses Savalas stuffing a corpse in a coffin in one of the rooms on the estate. This corpse just happens to be a mysterious man Lisa encountered in the town shortly after seeing the painting. He continues to reappear to her in the house and on the grounds of the estate, often seeming to change in age between each encounter. The horrors of the family eventually rise to the surface with the result that Lisa emerges from her dream state and decides to fly back home. But wait! Bava played with your mind for over an hour and he isn't about to let you go this easily. Is Lisa truly free of her nightmare or is she about to enter an even deeper dimension of terror?

On the surface, the film makes little sense. But what appears to be a random mish mash of bizarre scenes actually does assume somewhat of a structure if you pay attention to the first five minutes of the movie. It is my opinion that the bizarre painting Lisa sees on a trip to Italy provides the viewer with a possible key to deciphering this weird movie. I propose that Sommer's character undergoes a sort of hypnotic interaction with this painting that somehow transports her back in time, a process which then helps explain the following sequences. The movie is a dream or break with reality in the mind of Sommer's character, nothing more or nothing less, and therefore must assume a fractured, nonsensical tone. Isn't it slightly odd that Lisa doesn't have a boyfriend or husband, or if she does he is not with her on this trip? That might explain the mysterious male that seems to have some bizarre link with her character. Perhaps everything we see is part of Lisa's unconscious taking on corporeal form. Whatever is going on, I think it is important we remember that we are seeing events from the perspective of this confused woman and are thus dependent on her cracked perceptions. How can we know what is going on when Lisa herself has little idea of the weirdness swirling about her? I truly enjoyed the film and appreciated Bava's attempts to do something different.

I also liked the performances. Savalas intrigues as the butler/devil, an ominous figure always looming in the background happily tormenting Lisa. Sommer is also a lot of fun to watch as she bumbles from one grim situation to another, even going so far as to shed her clothes in one scene (bless her soul!). The other performers are lesser talents, something we should expect and accept with Italian horror. The DVD recognizes the utter wackiness of this film with a plethora of extras well worth watching. I usually turn up my nose at movies that seek to confuse the audience, but I really enjoyed this one. I can't wait to see the hacked up "House of Exorcism" so I can compare the two. Enjoy.

yet another testimony to the genius of Mario Bava
Mario Bava was one of the great filmmakers of his time. Revered and often imitated by illustrious contemporaries like Fellini and Visconti, his work has had long echoing reverberations through the films of David Lynch, Quentin Tarentino, and the entire body of hopelessly unimaginative slasher films that tried, and failed, to copy Bava's films. Yet he was largely dismissed and/or despised in his time. Lisa and the Devil is possibly his most brilliant, and easily his most personal film. It's also a sad example of the way this innovator was treated in his time. More a cinematic poem than traditional "movie", this is a surreal, stream of consciousness fantasy about a girl (Elke Sommer, who was never better) who may or may not be dead and a butler (Telly Savalas, sucking a lollipop) who may or may not be the devil. Lisa and the Devil is beautifully photographed in vibrant colour, violent, disturbing, and completely brilliant. Inventive sequences abound, encompassing concepts as broad as identity, memory vs. hallucination, necrophilia, past vs. present, reincarnation, etc...There's literally no limit to this film's depth and beauty. Unfortunately, its complete disregard for conventional narrative flow consigned it to a truly horrible fate, being butchered beyond recognition, having extra scenes added to make it seem like an Exorcist rip-off, it was finally released as House of Exorcism. If you see this version anywhere, you should not only avoid buying it, you should also destroy it. It's an atrocity and an insult to the memory of Mario Bava and this, possibly his greatest work.

I EXORCISE YOU FROM THIS HOUSE FOREVER!
This DVD double feature of LISA AND THE DEVIL and the remix HOUSE OF EXORCISM is the only way to see Mario Bava's masterpiece! Anyway, LISA AND THE DEVIL is a dazzling horror movie made the only way that Mario Bava could possibly direct it. It's like PSYCHO by way of the Brothers Grimm: Lisa Reiner (Elke Sommer), a tourist lost in Toledo, Spain, encounters a blind Contessa and her unbalanced son and their lollipop-sucking butler (Telly "Kojak" Savalas), along with a whole mess of bizarre occurances. This movie defies all logical explaination; you must see it to believe it. Telly Savalas is the highlight of the movie; he steals every scene he appears in (This is where he discovered what would become Kojak's trademark!).
As for HOUSE OF EXORCISM, it is one of the better Italian imitations of THE EXORCIST, with a great performance by Robert Alda as the priest who must deal with a possessed Lisa. Unfortunately, the re-editing takes away much of the mysticism of LISA and often comes off as ridiculously humorous. However, this movie comes with a commentary by Sommer and producer Alfredo Leone which is a must for Bavaphiles and film buffs alike.
Of all the Mario Bava movies that have come out on DVD that I own, I have to say that LISA AND THE DEVIL/HOUSE OF EXORCISM is the most essential. I also recommend the following: Dario Argento's SUSPIRIA, Lucio Fulci's THE BEYOND, Don Coscarelli's PHANTASM, and of course, Sam Raimi's THE EVIL DEAD. In fact, watch all of these together for some real spooky horror-movie fun!

Great 70's Horror
This film is really impressive in that it sets up a mood which flows through the entire movie. While "Lisa and the Devil" moves along at the speed of a PBS documentary "House of Exorcism" has great pacing and I found myself always wondering what was going to happen next. It is also sexier than "Lisa" since a couple scenes (Including one by Elke Sommer) are lacking in "Lisa". The romantic music of Rodriguez is put to good use here in establishing an atmosphere along with a great use of color. Highly recommended example of 70's euro-horror and Elke Sommer fans.

Questionable Classic.
Gaudiness, soft focus photography, an overemphasis on zoom shots (especially as far as shocked faces are concerned), awful (stilted) dialogue and a lot of old mansion baroque (seventies style). Reading that you might have mistaken this strange film for a hybrid of "Love Boat", "Murder she Wrote" (minus an iota of coherence) and, perhaps, a snuff film (well, the sensibility thereof at least). The film does have some merits as an unintentional comedy, and the opening minutes are eerie (before that damned zoom function starts taking a front seat). The constant and consistent zooming in and out and in and out, peripeteia, is more than a little annoying after a while, it spoils the film somewhat. Overall, a decent venture, worth a look if you're into seventies kitsch or want to see what all the fuss was about. The DVD quality is awful (soft image, a lot of colour bleed, with no acceptible black levels, evidence of minor print damage and mono-sound): if only those folks at Anchor Bay had got a hold of it first, natch. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Despite its focus on the destruction of a proud man who loses hislivelihood, The Wide Blue Road is a gorgeous, lyrical film refusing to beboxed in by writer-director Gillo Pontecorvo's bathetic class sympathies. YvesMontand plays Sqarciò, a fisherman on a small island off Italy's Dalmationcoast. With the fishing industry squeezed by a wholesaler's monopoly, the islandis beset by economic depression and strains between men who earn little byfishing legally (using a net) and those--like Squarciò--who unlawfully usedynamite. Once Squarciò is deprived of his bombs, his (and his family's) declineis a foregone conclusion in Pontecorvo's fixed-destiny universe. Yet thedirector is hardly blind to his setting's redemptive possibilities. The Adriaticisland's clarifying air, the dreamy, epic texture of the apposition of land andsea--such elemental beauty mysteriously, simultaneously heightens andameliorates Squarciò's predictable doom. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Amazon.com

Directed by giallo maven Mario Bava, House of Exorcism isa truly rare cinematic find: a completely insane film. Sure, there are plenty of movies that are a little quirky, and even more that start off reasonably and then go around the bend later on, but in House of Exorcism, at no time is anything even remotely comprehensible happening. (No, not even if you watch it a second time.) Elke Sommer stars as Lisa, a beautiful tourist who spies an ancient fresco of the devil and seconds later leaves her tour group to become hopelessly lost. Fresco look-alike Telly Savalas, tongue and lollipop firmly in cheek, shows up holding a life-size mannequin and we're off. What follows is a whirl of opulent sets, vaguely menacing Europeans, and plenty of blood. It's the kind of movie where mysterious and weighty significance is given to lines such as "I brought you some cake. It's your favorite... with chocolate sprinkles." Like all great art, House of Exorcism asks more questions than it answers: Aren't we all just mannequins? Is Telly's face supposed to be obscured by that candelabrum? If those ghosts are so powerful, why have they been seated in coach? All this and more awaits you in The House of Exorcism. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Wacky adventure through the Land of Bava
Italian director Mario Bava (1914-1980) is one of the giants of the horror film genre. His films, no matter what the plot, always promised great style mixed with scenes of murder and mayhem. Bava's big break into the industry came with his 1960 black and white classic "Black Sunday" starring fan favorite Barbara Steele. This was only the beginning, as Bava churned out a series of gruesome shockers over the next seventeen years. Perhaps Mario's biggest contribution to the horror field was his 1972 picture "Twitch of the Death Nerve," also known as "Bay of Blood." It doesn't take too long to realize "Friday the 13th" shamelessly cribbed from Bava's bloodbath. The director's inventiveness goes far beyond hacking up a few unfortunate souls, however, as "Lisa and the Devil," a movie which first appeared on our shores in a radically altered form called "The House of Exorcism," shows. This movie is a wildly inventive jaunt into the inner recesses of the mind of a tortured woman. The Bava legacy continued with son Lamberto, one of the guiding lights behind "Demons," an instant cult favorite with gorehounds worldwide.

Tourist Lisa (Elke Sommer) finds herself in an increasing series of ultra horrific and bizarre circumstances after viewing a huge mural on the side of a building in an Italian town. After looking at the picture, she wonders off into the heart of the old city where she soon encounters a man (Telly Savalas) wearing a beret who exactly resembles the figure in the painting. Horrified at the similarities between this man and the painting, Lisa flees and wanders aimlessly until a husband and wife pick her up in their ancient automobile. The car breaks down near a dark, creepy looking estate where none other than the man Lisa saw earlier works as the butler/head servant. The family living at the home agrees to allow the stranded travelers access to the house in order to phone for assistance. It quickly becomes apparent that things are not what they seem inside the walls of this sprawling estate. Over a socially awkward dinner served on a table the size of a football field, weird activities take place. The family doesn't seem to get along all that well and there is some peculiar importance attached to a chocolate cake with sprinkles (!). Lisa eventually discovers that a family member delivers the cake to a locked bedroom upstairs, supposedly to a member of the family who permanently lives in this room.

Meanwhile, the man and wife who helped Lisa clash over the wife's infidelity, a behavior that will soon have ghastly consequences in this house of horrors. As for Savalas, he acts the part of butler but also seems a more important figure than his position merits. He spends most of his time wandering around the house startling Lisa, or fiddling around with his human figures made out of wax. Even worse, our hapless heroine witnesses Savalas stuffing a corpse in a coffin in one of the rooms on the estate. This corpse just happens to be a mysterious man Lisa encountered in the town shortly after seeing the painting. He continues to reappear to her in the house and on the grounds of the estate, often seeming to change in age between each encounter. The horrors of the family eventually rise to the surface with the result that Lisa emerges from her dream state and decides to fly back home. But wait! Bava played with your mind for over an hour and he isn't about to let you go this easily. Is Lisa truly free of her nightmare or is she about to enter an even deeper dimension of terror?

On the surface, the film makes little sense. But what appears to be a random mish mash of bizarre scenes actually does assume somewhat of a structure if you pay attention to the first five minutes of the movie. It is my opinion that the bizarre painting Lisa sees on a trip to Italy provides the viewer with a possible key to deciphering this weird movie. I propose that Sommer's character undergoes a sort of hypnotic interaction with this painting that somehow transports her back in time, a process which then helps explain the following sequences. The movie is a dream or break with reality in the mind of Sommer's character, nothing more or nothing less, and therefore must assume a fractured, nonsensical tone. Isn't it slightly odd that Lisa doesn't have a boyfriend or husband, or if she does he is not with her on this trip? That might explain the mysterious male that seems to have some bizarre link with her character. Perhaps everything we see is part of Lisa's unconscious taking on corporeal form. Whatever is going on, I think it is important we remember that we are seeing events from the perspective of this confused woman and are thus dependent on her cracked perceptions. How can we know what is going on when Lisa herself has little idea of the weirdness swirling about her? I truly enjoyed the film and appreciated Bava's attempts to do something different.

I also liked the performances. Savalas intrigues as the butler/devil, an ominous figure always looming in the background happily tormenting Lisa. Sommer is also a lot of fun to watch as she bumbles from one grim situation to another, even going so far as to shed her clothes in one scene (bless her soul!). The other performers are lesser talents, something we should expect and accept with Italian horror. The DVD recognizes the utter wackiness of this film with a plethora of extras well worth watching. I usually turn up my nose at movies that seek to confuse the audience, but I really enjoyed this one. I can't wait to see the hacked up "House of Exorcism" so I can compare the two. Enjoy.

yet another testimony to the genius of Mario Bava
Mario Bava was one of the great filmmakers of his time. Revered and often imitated by illustrious contemporaries like Fellini and Visconti, his work has had long echoing reverberations through the films of David Lynch, Quentin Tarentino, and the entire body of hopelessly unimaginative slasher films that tried, and failed, to copy Bava's films. Yet he was largely dismissed and/or despised in his time. Lisa and the Devil is possibly his most brilliant, and easily his most personal film. It's also a sad example of the way this innovator was treated in his time. More a cinematic poem than traditional "movie", this is a surreal, stream of consciousness fantasy about a girl (Elke Sommer, who was never better) who may or may not be dead and a butler (Telly Savalas, sucking a lollipop) who may or may not be the devil. Lisa and the Devil is beautifully photographed in vibrant colour, violent, disturbing, and completely brilliant. Inventive sequences abound, encompassing concepts as broad as identity, memory vs. hallucination, necrophilia, past vs. present, reincarnation, etc...There's literally no limit to this film's depth and beauty. Unfortunately, its complete disregard for conventional narrative flow consigned it to a truly horrible fate, being butchered beyond recognition, having extra scenes added to make it seem like an Exorcist rip-off, it was finally released as House of Exorcism. If you see this version anywhere, you should not only avoid buying it, you should also destroy it. It's an atrocity and an insult to the memory of Mario Bava and this, possibly his greatest work.

I EXORCISE YOU FROM THIS HOUSE FOREVER!
This DVD double feature of LISA AND THE DEVIL and the remix HOUSE OF EXORCISM is the only way to see Mario Bava's masterpiece! Anyway, LISA AND THE DEVIL is a dazzling horror movie made the only way that Mario Bava could possibly direct it. It's like PSYCHO by way of the Brothers Grimm: Lisa Reiner (Elke Sommer), a tourist lost in Toledo, Spain, encounters a blind Contessa and her unbalanced son and their lollipop-sucking butler (Telly "Kojak" Savalas), along with a whole mess of bizarre occurances. This movie defies all logical explaination; you must see it to believe it. Telly Savalas is the highlight of the movie; he steals every scene he appears in (This is where he discovered what would become Kojak's trademark!).
As for HOUSE OF EXORCISM, it is one of the better Italian imitations of THE EXORCIST, with a great performance by Robert Alda as the priest who must deal with a possessed Lisa. Unfortunately, the re-editing takes away much o