FLAVIA THE HERETIC (1974) – The Dungeon Review!

“Changed By God And Man…Into A Priestess Of Violence!”

Nunsploitation is one of numerous branches of the 70’s exploitation film. Nunsploitation is exactly what it sounds like; exploitative films about nuns that often include themes of lesbianism, rape and torture. It’s not terribly surprising that the vast majority of these films come from countries where the Catholic Church has a prominent presence like Italy and Spain. Personally, I love any film that questions religion, and Flavia The Heretic has the word “heretic” right in the title! Not to mention it features the great Florinda Bolkan as Flavia!

Flavia has been imprisoned in a convent by her brutal nobleman father. Tired of her oppressed existence under male domination and disillusioned by the sadism she witnesses, flavia flees the convent with companion Abraham. The duo doesn’t get far before they are captured. Abraham is jailed and Flavia is flogged and returned to the convent. Back in the convent she is befriended by Sister Agatha who detests all men and aspires to be the first female Pope. More determined than ever to escape, Flavia joins a group of raiding Muslims and takes one of its leaders as her lover. Flavia declares vengeance on her father and the convent and invades alongside the Muslim warriors. But Flavia learns that revenge is not always sweet.

Whether she is playing psycho or serene, Florinda Bolkan leaves an impression in everything I’ve ever seen her in. The woman knows how to do intense and has one of the coldest stares around. Bolkan is terrific here as always, but her dialog is a bit on the thin side early in the film, replaced with meaningful stares and glances. The film takes place sometime in the middle ages, which was not a great time to be a woman. To stand against your oppressors was a pretty big fucking deal and generally resulted in death. You really had to be true to your convictions! An interesting enough premise rooted in historical fact but
Flavia The Heretic really takes its time getting to the meaty stuff. The final scenes are lively, bizarre and full of sex and violence but they don’t give you much to tide you over along the way. The film is more artful than exploitative. It is surprisingly character driven, but it is also awkwardly paced and a bit slow because of it. Flavia The Heretic is a bumpy ride but entertained me nonetheless.

Flavia The Heretic is a really nice looking film bathed in muted hues and the old buildings, the beautiful landscapes that surround them and the costumes are all used to great effect. The score is excellent and has a wee bit of a spaghetti western tone that complimented it perfectly. While director Gianfranco Mingozzi takes a more artful approach, there is no denying that this is Nunsploitation. There is nudity, rape and graphic violence in the form of boiling liquid pored on naked flesh, slicing off of a nipple, and a wince-worthy skinning. Towards the end of the film the nun’s drink some whacky Kool-Aid that
allows them to throw away their inhibitions naturally leading to all manner of sexual naughtiness. The weirdest scene of the film is definitely a naked nun masturbating inside of a dead cow that is hanging suspended from the ceiling. I included a picture but it really doesn’t do it justice.

Flavia The Heretic is beautifully filmed, perfectly scored and a strong performance from Florinda Bolkan made the film very watchable. Director Mingozzi leans heavier towards arthouse than exploitation and its slow-pace definitely weighs it down at times. It has its memorable moments though and your patience is rewarded with an energetic finale jam-packed with your daily requirement of exploitative goodness. Flavia The Heretic has its issues but it is still a pretty good film. Recommended.

Dungeon Rating: 3/5

Directed By: Gianfranco Mingozzi

Starring: Florinda Bolkan, María Casares, Claudio Cassinelli, Anthony Higgins, Spiros Focás, Diego Michelotti, Raika Juri, Jill Pratt, Franca Grey, Laura De Marchi

WHO CAN KILL A CHILD? (1976) – The Dungeon Review!

While searching for Spanish horror the one film that seemed to consistently pop up was Who Can Kill A Child? The title instantly intrigued me as I do love a good killer kid flick. Even more fun than a killer kid is a whole swarm of killer kids! How about a whole damn island of killer kids?!

Tom and Evelyn are a happily married couple vacationing in Spain and are expecting their first child. In hopes of finding some peace and quiet in the midst of a local celebration, they decide to seek out a resort town Tom visited 10 years previous called Almanzora. Despite some unsettling news about dead bodies washing up on the shore the two decide to rent a boat and seek out what they hope will be a more serene destination. As they drift towards the Island they see a small group of children playing. Once on the island however, they are surprised to find all the businesses empty and not an adult in sight. They think nothing of it initially, but as they search the island for signs of life they discover more children. But the reality of the situation becomes sickeningly clear when they run into a group of rugrats playing piñata with an adult body.

Who doesn’t love bashing a piñata?! It is pretty clear something is afoot on the island well before we see the kids bashing papa piñata but this visual revelation sure does make an impact! The discovery is fairly early in the couple’s journey and of course things get uglier from here. The film has a great intensity and atmosphere which is extra impressive considering the films action takes place in broad daylight. The violence is bathed in sunshine and is complimented by a great score featuring children’s “la,la,la’s”. The film pulls no punches and doesn’t back down from its violence on account of the kiddies. Although the violence isn’t particularly graphic there are scenes that will shock and surprise and the ending is absolutely brilliant!

During the films opening credit sequence we are shown actual footage of the holocaust and various other wars driving home the point that it is children who suffer the most during these adult made atrocities. The clips end with a starving African baby and then segue into the story by showing a shot of a chubby little white kid playing on the beach. It’s an interesting social statement although it did feel a little heavy handed. This is really the closest thing you get to any kind of explanation as to why the children have become little killers. Is there something in the makeup of the children that makes them exact revenge on behalf of those that came before them? Is it something in the water or air? Did they watch a history channel marathon? You really just don’t know. There are more than a few great horror films that offer vague or little explanation to its onscreen action but are nonetheless effective. Who Can Kill A Child? definitely falls into this category. The lack of information actually adds an additional chilliness to the proceedings. If this could happen on this island couldn’t it happen anywhere? Could a loving parent ever consider killing their own child to defend themselves? Clearly the parents on this island could not bring themselves to hurt the little ones.

Lewis Fiander and Prunella Ransome are perfect in their role as British tourists Tom and Evelyn. The couple is quite likeable and the dialog and chemistry between the two felt easy and realistic. The film focuses on their discoveries and the actions they take in response. Making Evelyn six months pregnant added an interesting depth. Soon to be parents themselves will they be able to hurt a child to defend themselves? There is one particularly creepy scene where Evelyn’s pregnancy is used to great effect. Evelyn is waiting for Tom in an empty bar and a little girl approaches her and touches her pregnant belly doing nothing more than smile slyly. A simple scene that chilled my shit! By the time the final credits role you get the answer to the titular question of Who Can Kill A Child?

Who Can Kill A Child? is a well-filmed, fascinating, atmospheric and intense mystery that warns to heed the little voices or one day they might just combine resources and finish us all. A great lesser known horror film that is definitely worth seeking out. Highly recommended!

Dungeon Rating: 4.5/5

Directed By: Narciso Ibáñez Serrador

Starring: Lewis Fiander, Prunella Ransome, Antonio Iranzo, Miguel Narros, María Luisa Arias, Marisa Porcel, Juan Cazalilla, Luis Ciges

THE CANDY SNATCHERS (1973) – The Dungeon Review!

Based on name alone, The Candy Snatchers screamed “rent me”! But it was really its bad ass reputation that had me seeking this one out. It has garnered comparisons to The Last House On The Left, assumingly due to its premise. The fact is these films have very little in common. The Candy Snatchers may have its share of harsh moments, but it is not a horror film. The films marketing certainly won’t back me up, as it insinuates this film relies on terror and violence. I’m here to tell you that marketing doesn’t do this film any favors, as The Candy Snatchers is actually a well thought out crime thriller that has balls but actually relies on its story.

Brother and sister team Jessie and Alan along with accomplice Eddy kidnap a teenager named Candy in hopes of collecting a ransom in jewels. But the poorly planned crime goes from bad to worse when they discover that Candy’s dad has his own agenda. And unbeknownst to the trio an abused mute boy has been a witness to their misdeeds.

The Candy Snatchers does contain exploitative material but it doesn’t rely on these moments to push its story along. In fact, the film likely would have succeeded just as well, if these moments were removed and only hinted at. That said, the harsher moments do pack a punch, and add a nice intensity to the proceedings. But the film offers more than just cheap thrills. It actually relies heavily on its story and character development.

These are three desperate people committing this kidnapping. Foolishly, the trio was expecting an easy payday but become involved in the most convoluted of crimes. The group argue and fight and their personalities clash often. Why exactly the plan goes awry is something you will need to find out on your own but it does involve Candy’s dad and his aforementioned agenda. Had the trio done their homework, surely they would have bailed! Jessie has an almost child-like enthusiasm about their plan but when it comes right down to getting her hands dirty, her constitution isn’t as strong as she thought it was. Brother Alan, on the other hand, seems to have no problems following through with his threats. At one point in the film, Jessie verbalizes her disgust with something Alan has done. But her need for Alan’s approval and acceptance trumps her feelings of disgust and she eventually shrugs it off. The third wheel in the scenario is Eddy. Fed up with the system and tired of working for the man he has turned to a life of crime. He is the softie of the group, and I must admit, I actually had just a wee bit of empathy for the character. Then we have the two truly innocent players in the crime; Candy and Sean. Candy is terrorized, violated, threatened and buried alive with nothing but a small pipe for air. Kidnapped on her way home from school Candy spends much of the film in bondage in her schoolgirl uniform. She is frightened to death but tries desperately to keep it together and even forms a bond with one of her kidnappers. But will it save her? Sean is a strange, but effective addition. Sean is a witness to Candy’s burial and we get little glimpses of Sean’s unfortunate life. His uncaring and abusive parents treat him like a burden and the boy is unable to speak a word. The boy provides an inkling of a chance for Candy’s survival and the fact he is unable to communicate certainly created some interesting intensity. There are some very unlikable characters in this film but they are well balanced by those who illicit empathy. The characterizations felt realistic and the performances all around were quite decent.

The transfer looks excellent for a film of this age, which is what’s really important here, but I have a major beef with this DVD presentation. What the hell were the distributors thinking? I can only guess that they assumed only fans of the film would buy/rent The Candy Snatchers. The menu contains extended scenes from the film that include major spoilers! You can’t avoid the one in the “play movie” option, but do yourself a favor and avoid looking at any of the other menu options before watching! Features on the disc include “The Women of Candy Snatchers”, which includes interviews with Tiffany Bolling (Jessie) and Susan Sennet (Candy), two trailers for the film including a PG and an R-rated version, trailers for other Subversive releases, and a stills gallery and bios.

I was invested in both the characters and the story and anxiously anticipated how it would all turn out. The Candy Snatchers as previously mentioned does have its exploitative moments but I don’t recommend this one if you are looking strictly for shocks and thrills. The story is considerably more complex than those of its peers. I really enjoyed The Candy Snatchers. It is a well made crime thriller that has balls but also a compelling story and excellent character development. Highly recommended.

Dungeon Rating: 4/5

Directed By: Guerdon Trueblood

Starring: Tiffany Bolling, Ben Piazza, Susan Sennett, Brad David, Vince Martorano, Bonnie Boland, Jerry Butts, Leon Charles, Dolores Dorn, Phyllis Major, Bill Woodard, Christopher Trueblood

STRIP NUDE FOR YOUR KILLER (1975) – The Dungeon Review!

It was Edwige Fenech’s name that got my attention but I was dying of curiosity to see what director Andrea Bianchi’s version of a giallo would look like. Bianchi has directed some pretty entertaining but absurd and unintelligible films. Much to my surprise Bianchi who wrote and directed, puts together a decent little film with a plot that is actually coherent. Of course, it is also sleazy, cheesy and violent! Even if you despised the film you certainly couldn’t say Strip Nude For Your Killer doesn’t live up to its titular promise!

The film opens with model Evelyn dying of a massive coronary while having a back-alley abortion. The horrific event initiates a chain of deaths starting with the man who performed the abortion. Soon Evelyn’s former co-workers at the Albatross Modeling Agency begin turning up dead.
Strip Nude For Your Killer is a whodunit with plenty of red herrings to throw you off the scent. Among the players is photographer Carlo, an aggressive, overly confident ladies man who sometimes gets a little rougher than necessary. The seemingly sweet Magda, Carlo’s assistant, shows her catty side when introduced to his newest model discovery, the shapely Lucia. Lucia clearly has her own agenda and is even willing to get into bed with the boss to further her career. The boss Giselle is a hard, unsmiling, manipulative woman who has a preference for the ladies but is married to the sweaty obese Maurizio. Maurizio can’t keep his eyes off the merchandise especially model Doris. Everyone in the entire film is a suspect but with every corpse the list of possibilities gets slimmer.

Strip Nude For Your Killer may have shades of Bava’s Blood And Black Lace but it definitely has the Bianchi signature. You get nudity in the first scene and there is plenty more where that came from! Everyone gets naked, even the portly Maurizio strips down to his giant undies. There is a significant body count and the violence is plentiful. It is not as gory as Bianchi’s later films, but it is considerably bloodier than other giallo from the period. It does however lack the stylistic visuals of its peers. But what it lacks in style it makes up with substance. Not substance where it relates to the story however. Hell no! While it may be more coherent than the directors other films it isn’t exactly original. But Bianchi gets big points for giving the viewer an all you can eat buffet of exactly what they came for; nudity and death!

There are all sorts of displays of 70’s machoism throughout the film. In one particularly ugly display Carlo loses his patience and grabs Magda by the throat. He controls himself and let’s go before choking her to death. It isn’t so much the act I found odd, it is actually Magda’s reaction to it. She looks mildly disturbed for a second and goes back to reading the newspaper like nothing happen. The acting is decent but the insanely adorable Edwige Fenech is definitely the highlight. She’s like a delightfully uninhibited Nancy Drew getting naked and sleuthing her way through the film.

Strip Nude For Your Killer is an entertaining 70’s giallo that might be thin on story and not all that original but its thick with what its subtle title promises. It’s lively, fun and there is death, nudity and Edwige Fenech. Recommended.

Dungeon Rating: 3.5/5

Directed By: Andrea Bianchi

Starring: Edwige Fenech, Nino Castelnuovo, Femi Benussi, Solvi Stubing, Amanda, Franco Diogene, Lucio Como, Erna Schürer

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

Growing up, my parents made birthdays a real big deal. It wasn’t just a birth-“day” but a birth-“week” around our house! This picture was taken at one such birthday; a wee impressionable Goregirl of undetermined age looking mighty pleased with herself in her lovely orange frock. I have always lamented my teen years were spent in the 80’s instead of the 70’s. Sadly, I was only a kid in the 70’s and far too young to see and experience the really meaty stuff from the decade. So in honor of ME, I will be reviewing only films from the 1970’s! I figured everyone will be posting Halloween related stuff this month, and since every day is Halloween in the dungeon, why not do something different? I won’t just be reviewing 70’s films for the rest of October though, I’ll be posting ’em right through to the end of the year! A few of the flicks I’ll be reviewing this month will include; The Candy Snatchers, Who Can Kill A Child?, Flavia: The Heretic, Lady Snowblood, Strip Nude For Your Killer and Phantasm. Of course, there will be tons of horror titles, as well as exploitation, action, comedy, thrillers and just about any other damn thing I feel like including!

Cheers,
Goregirl