Your vice in a locked room and only I have the key

Sergio Martino's effort "Your Vice is a locked room and only I have the key" is a crossover between the giallo genre, horror and sexy atmosphere as they were many during the 70's in Italy. It's (very)freely adapted from Edgar Allan Poe's The Black Cat while keeping a giallo narrative structure for an hour and so...then move back to the Poe territory. Il tuo Vizio... has quite daring visuals for one hour, Martino's usual trademark in his early 70's works : wild camera angles, edgy editing. Then it suddendly cools down as the story sticks around with the Black Cat thing.

The screenplay developped a maniac on the loose killing young girls (again) in a very nasty way (gore galore!) while Anita Strindberg fights with drunken & debauched husband Luigi Pistilli. he's a no good writer who writes all night...only one sentence over and over. Then comes sexy Edwige Fenech who stands for Strinberg's cause...before sleeping with her husband and the delivery man. Lesbian scenes, straight scenes, stuntss,sex scenes, murders scenes, sex again then murders...this is a very well known territory that brings up finally some good surprises in the end.

This is definitely Anita Strindberg's best work to date. She is absolutely fantastic as the cheated wife who goes over the edge, showing every human emotion with a professionalism rarely seen on the screen. Too bad her career went dry after 1975, she was a real winner here with great acting capabilities. Miss Fenech got a THEOREM-like character but still very eager to drop every clothes she got. She gets a very bitchy part here which is very unsual in her career as she went along either with victims characters or sexy ones. Oh, and there's still weird Ivan Rassimov as the mysterious stranger (as usual) snooping around Strindberg's house : he was already in Martino's previous TUTTI I COLORI DEL BUIO.

Far from your average giallo, Your Vice... doesn't subvert the genre but frequently surprises. The plot and ludicrous climax, like most gialli, seem not be taken from the yellow-covered pulp fiction they are normally adapted from, but something akin to an episode of Scooby- Doo. While that may seem like a criticism, it really isn't - it's the type of insanity that makes these movies so much fun to watch. Bolstered by a fantastic score by Bruno Nicolai and lavish cinematography by Giancarlo Ferrando, they are nonetheless overshadowed by Fenech, surely one of the most beautiful women to ever grace the screen. Floriana is a no-nonsense, well-travelled lady, and just when you think you have her worked out, the film throws in a surprising, if in no way believable, twist. It may not be remembered as Martino's best entry into the genre (1973's Torso is certainly up there), but Your Vice... throws in enough twists and turns to keep it consistently entertaining and occasionally disturbing.

Apart from the screenplay's weaknesses and incapacity of bringing something fresh and new to the Poe's story, this Martino flick is quite memorable and fun to watch.But as it tries to link several genres, it really doesn't know where to go and who to please and finally ends up as a curisoity from the 70's. Nevertheless a gem strictly for genre addicts.

Arrow just released a speical editon bluray box set of Vice paired with The Black Cat by Lucio Fulci.  This is most likely the best version of this film out there. The film is just beatuful and the soundtrack is amazing. If your a fan of giallos fron the 70s and 80s, then Vice is the one for you.

7.5/10

Puppet master: Axis Rising

Introducing the 10th and current sequal to the never ending Puppet Master series.  Released in 2012 direct to dvd., per IMDB the synopis is as follows.........After foiling a plot to blow up an American arms plant, Danny Coogan and his girlfriend, Beth, quickly find that their troubles have just begun. One of Toulon's mysterious Puppets has been kidnapped by the Nazis, and under the wicked, watchful eye of the occultist Commandant Moebius, the Puppets' life-giving serum is synthesized to create a master race of unstoppable soldiers. Moebius plots to assassinate the highly-decorated General Porter to deliver a crippling blow to the American war effort, but his experiments are not ready. A Nazi Scientist uses the serum to create their own superior race of Nazi Puppets in the form of Blitzkrieg, Wehrmacht, Bombshell and Kamikaze! Danny and Beth, teamed with craggy Sergeant Stone and Toulon's Puppets, are no match for Moebius and his war machine. It is up to Blade, Pinhead, Leech Woman and Jester to revive their own secret weapon to stop the Axis Rising!

Picking up where Axis of Evil left off producer Charles Band's cult creations return. Mr Puppet Master - Band himself directs this instalment and it shows, Axis Rising feels grander than the last, more film-like with better looking locations and production values, plus there's some noteworthy digital and make up effects. The infamous puppets look more like their original designs especially everyone's favourites Blade, Jester and Pinhead. The outrageous new puppets this time around are more welcome and its a kick to see some 'classic' puppets return.

What Stephanie Sanditz's German accent lacks in consistency she makes up for in screen presence and looks as Uschi, with Sanditz clearly having fun with the dialogue. Oto Brezina as Doctor Freuhoffer is perfect as well as some of the older supporting cast. The leads have been recast with Kip Canyon now playing Danny and Jean Louise O'Sullivan as Beth - while not the calibre of their predecessors they're certainly better than some of the hammy performances on display and solid enough given what has been spawned from essentially a 1989 cult film.

What has been consistent throughout the franchise is the great music and Part 10, yes X, is no exception, Robert Douglas and the originals scorer Richard Band delivers a fantastic richer main theme and an excellent amount of stings and cues even if the sound design mix is a little misplaced at times.

Shane Bitterling's writing injects this Puppet Master with a theatrical and campier tone, nevertheless this coupled with Bands on hand touch makes Rising sexier, bloodier and more fun this time around. While lacking the creepy factor of the first and second it's still an event to be had - puppets, Nazis, zombies, experiments, boobs and blood what more do you want?

This is by far the best in the series. I know that sounds strange but believe me.  I just hope that the next sequel ( filming in early next year) will keep it up. With that in mind I recommend this film.

6.5/10

4.0/10 IMDB

Puppet master: Axis of Evil

In a Stateside hotel during the height of World War II, young Danny Coogan dreams of joining the war effort. Following the murder of hotel guest Mr. Toulon by Nazi assassins, Danny finds the old man's crate of mysterious puppets and is suddenly thrust into a battle all his own. He discovers that Nazis Max and Klaus, along with beautiful Japanese saboteur Ozu, plan to attack a secret American manufacturing plant. After his family is attacked and his girlfriend Beth is kidnapped, it is up to Danny and the living deadly Puppets to stop this Axis of Evil.

The Puppet Master series has been running strong since 1989. Throughout the series it has taken the storyline in all sorts of directions creating a chronological history that can be confusing.

While Puppet Master: Axis of Evil is the ninth official film in the series, it actually is third in chronological order for the series itself. With varying stories and evolution to the characters, can Axis of Evil bring something new to the story and continue to evolve these beloved horror icons and a deliver another stepping stone for the future of these characters? 

Puppet Master: Axis Rising follows Toulon as he takes shelter at the Bodega Bay Inn in California. When two soldiers are sent to kill him for his secrets, he hides the puppets away and commits suicide in hopes to have his secrets die with him. When an employee discovers his body and the puppets he begins to take care of them eventually discovering their secrets as well as that of the Gestapo's plans to bomb the United States. With the help of puppets he sets out to stop them before they can set their plan in motion. Featuring Blade, Pinhead, Jester, Tunneler, Six Shooter's arms, Shredder Khan, Gengie, and Ninja this latest entry expands on the opening sequence in the original Puppet Master, even using the same footage. There have been some various inconstancies throughout the series, but still always managed to bring it all together fairly well. This connection to the original seems to bring it back on track as though Band is trying to reconnect all those missing pieces in a more cohesive manner. This one takes a little bit longer to get to the fun, but the clear attempt to tell more of an origin story makes it work. This is an entertaining entry into the series, while the acting is not all that great. Over the years, the acting side of it has seemed to go down a bit, but is overshadowed by the sheer fun of the puppets in action.

I Married a Witch

(May contain minor spoilers)  This is not your typical movie that I usualy review. That being said, I Married a Witch is one of my favorites. Not horror, but more romance, fantasty, and comedy. Released in 1942 and directed by Rene Clair, this film stars Fredric March and Veronica Lake.
    Per IMDB here is the plot.....In 1672, two witches (Jennifer and her father Daniel) were burned by puritan Jonathan Wooley. In revenge, Jennifer cursed all future generations of the Wooley family, that the sons will always marry the wrong woman and be miserable. In the 20th century, a bolt of lightning frees Jennifer and her father from the tree that had kept their souls imprisoned. Jennifer assumes corporeal form and decides to make up-and-coming politician Wallace Wooley, then unhappily engaged, even more miserable by getting him to fall in love with her before his wedding. Wallace is a straight arrow, though, and Jennifer has to resort to a love potion. As we all know, love potions tend to backfire, with comedic results.
    
This is Veronica Lake's best movie. She is the reason to watch this movie. It is a slower paced movie than today's comedies with a more subtle humor, sometime even a dry humor. I thought it was great. She is great. Veronica makes the movie , she is a great comedian, cuter than a button, and this is the best character she plays in her career. Talk about a great cast, Susan Hayward is hilarious as the bitchy fiancée. She is stunningly radiant in her opening scene in that white dress and both are a feast for the eyes.

The scenes of the re-staging of the wedding gets funnier and funnier, the angrier that she and her dad become. Veronica has a "beauty shot" , that is one of the best ever. Later she is in a dress that you can see through, may be worth it just for that, and she is tiny and adorable throughout. Robert Benchley is a great comedian to play off of Frederick March, and Frederick is downright dashing and perfect for the part. The maid and Veronica's father are so important, as great character actors are, and shine in the few scenes they do. Today's films can't do this stuff, we've lost the moralistic conventions to subvert, and the art of the knowing wink to the audience.

I could go on and on but I don't want to spoil everything. Go watch this movie. Currently it is streaming on Hulu plus. This movie alone is worth the price. I can not recomment this film enough. I Married a Witch is easily in my top 20 of favorite movies. Maybe one day I'll make that list. But for right now this will due.

8.5/10
IMDB: 7.2/10

Demons

This has got to be one of the best Italian horror flicks ever made.  Demons is a 1985 Italian horror movie.  Directed by the Lamberto Bava and writren and produced by Dario Argento ( in my opinion, one of thd greatest horror writers of the 80s).

The plot can be summed up with one sentence: people are trapped in a movie theater with a horde of ugly, long-clawed demons and must fight to stay alive! Sure, the acting is completely over the top and laughable, the movie doesn't make any attempts to explain why the events are happening, there is really bad '80s rock music playing at all the wrong moments and the whole production screams cheesy B grade flick, but if you care about any of this anyways, what kind of horror fan are you?! This movie is just an 88 minute roller coaster ride of gore, rock music, and cool demons. What more could you ask for? It isn't very likely to scare you so much as make you laugh, and there are some classic moments for the genre such as a blind guy getting his eyes scratched out by a demon, a revolting puss-bursting scene, a crazily fun massacre near the end that never gets old to watch, and one of the best climaxes to a horror movie ever where the lead male character severs demon limbs left and right with a sword on a dirt bike! You have to hand it to director Lamberto Bava. He may not ever be remembered as the genius his father was (acclaimed Italian horror maestro Mario Bava), but he managed to create one of the best horror flicks of the '80s and today. The film exudes with an almost Gothic atmosphere and the setting of the big movie theater could not be more perfect in creating a mood.

There are some remarkable special effects on display, which may be a highlight for many people. The pace is rather quick and there are few dull moments, although there is a nice establishment of atmosphere in the old-fashioned cinema house that becomes increasingly claustrophobic once our characters realize they've been walled in. Aesthetically, the film is quite dated, and shows its eighties colors rather extravagantly (Euro punks in leather jackets driving around to Billy Idol), but if you can appreciate the extravagance of the period, you can definitely appreciate the extravagance of the bloody disaster of an auditorium that you get here.

A word of caution, though: this movie is a horror buff's wet dream, and it's strongly advisable you be sure you like real horror movies before seeing this so you know what you're getting into. This ain't no "Scream" or "The Grudge." This is a REAL horror movie. Fans of modern horror beware! You'll only end up thinking this was the worst piece of trash ever made.

Demons epitomizes everything the early to mid eighties were about. A lot of things didn't make sense - but neither did the era so it fit in just fine. In the end, it plays out to be a great horror movie, with plenty of gratuitous violence and gore, a killer 80's soundtrack, and a couple of good scares!

At the end of the day, this is simply a fun film, and one that cinephiles will especially appreciate given the self-reflexive cinema overtones. Eighties kitsch does not a bad film make. 8/10.

Dead Alive

Crazy, visceral, over the top, quirky, violent, gory, silly, extreme and (in it's own way) sweet, are just a few words that can describe this visual extravaganza. Dead Alive (Braindead) is a 1992 horror movie directed by the famous Peter Jackson.  One of his best movies to date (IMO), Dead Alive is a rip-roaring good time. This movie, was the funniest thing I have ever seen. I watched it with tears of laughter in my eye, with no time to wipe them off, seeing a funnier, more dazzlingly inventive scene would immediately follow. Here's a short summary of some of the amazing things you will get to experience...

A baby zombie

Zombies having sex

A group of zombies being chopped up with a lawn mower

Talking intestines

A kung-fu zombie-ass-kicking priest

A zombie's head being embedded onto a light bulb so it's face lights like a Jack-O-Lantern

What makes it such a good movie? It's fast paced, it's witty, it's charming... and it is GROUNDBREAKING,it's an important movie of the genre.

     Lionel (Timothy Balme) is a loser who lives with his dominant mother. Lionel finds a way out, by hooking up with Paquita (a beautiful Diana Peñalver), but soon Lionel's mother gets bitten by a RAT MONKEY and she gradually starts to decompose (it's hilarious) and turns into a living dead... Lionel like a loving son he is, tries to hide the fact that her mother is a zombie, keeping her sedated with drugs... until, naturally, all hell breaks loose.

This is my favorite Peter Jackson film, and maybe one of the best horror comedies EVER. It's so f***ed-up, crazy and over the top it's almost poetic. There are so many spectacularly creative deaths in this movie, and scenes of pure blood splatter, that no other horror movie will inflict a severe gross out effect on you again. I'm serious too, At first the movie is really iffy, though the gore is still present, but then it just starts to roll. Greating acting by Timothy Balme as well! Just watch it, and love it! Just make sure you're a horror fan. 

     This is by far one of  my top 10 horror movies ever. There are rumors about an uncut version being released on blu-ray but like all rumors I will believe it when I see it.  The original blyray is out of print at this time so you have it then hold on to it! I will never part with mine. But you if you have not seen this masterpiece then what are you waiting for. Im sure you can find the DVD somewhere. 

10/10 Highly recommend 

7.6/10 IMDB

A Blade in the Dark

As a fan of Mario Bava, I was excited to see what his son would do. Like father like son! Released in 1983 A Blade in the Dark is simply one of the best films of the Italian giallo genre and one of Lamberto Bava's best works!
Music composer retreats to a large villa to work on a score for a horror film. But once there, someone begins to violently murder the people around him.
Colorful, gory, and highly polished horror film never fails to intrigue and frighten! Bava gives the film such skillful touches in both atmosphere and camera work, all the while building mystery and tension in the film's engulfing plot. The mood is all the more enhanced by a mesmerizing and haunting music score. The films murder sequences are truly bloody and unforgettable, especially the infamous bathroom scene. It's a film only for the hard-core viewers.
The cast does a fairly good job, despite some occasional hokey dubbing. Andrea Occhipinti is perfect as our hero composer. Anny Papa plays off some humor as a movie director. Stanko Molnar, who starred in Bava's debut film Macabre (1980), appears as a care taker. The supporting cast is mainly made up of lovely young women, especially Naszinsky, who also give good performances.
For horror fans, A Blade in the Dark is a terrific work full of style. It is a true must-see! 

6.5/10