I could not believe how empty the theatre was for Surviving Life, my third film of The Vancouver International Film Festival. Granted it was a Tuesday afternoon matinee, I’m sure it was a much fuller theatre for the Saturday evening showing. Jan Svankmajer is one of the most original film makers alive today who uses both animation and live action to create unique, surreal and often macabre images to compliment his imaginative stories. The Czech born director has been creating his masterpieces since the 60’s and has made a number of short films but very few feature length films, which makes Surviving Life an extra big deal. While I happened to think the man is brilliant, his unconventional style won’t be to everyone’s taste. However, if you’re open to the experience you might just dig the wonderfully weird world of Svankmajer as much as I do.
While awake the middle-aged Eugene lives a simple life with his wife of many years. But Eugene lives a double life when he closes his eyes. He becomes obsessed with a reoccurring dream of a beautiful young woman. He begins seeing a psychoanalyst, not in hopes of ending the dreams, but in fear that the lovely lady may disappear. The doctor helps to interpret his dreams as Eugene attempts living life in both worlds.
Remember collages from grade school art class? Cutting pictures out of magazines and gluing them to bristol board? If you can imagine a much slicker version then you have some idea of what Surviving Life looks like. The film uses photo cut-outs of the actors, which Svankmajer jokes during the films introduction, was due to a lack of funds and saved on catering. I’ve posted reviews for Jan Svankmajer’s Little Otik and Lunacy, which aren’t straight up horror by any means, but certainly have enough elements to sneak it by. Surviving Life has none of the macabre images of a lot of Svankmajer’s other work, but it certainly does not lack in the weird or surreal. People, animals and objects are often disproportionate in size to their environments. There are naked women with chicken heads, human heads on snakes, portraits of Jung and Freud kicking and punching each other, giant apples rolling out doors; all brought to life against black and white photographs of Czech buildings and an assortment of other backdrops. Occasionally the real world and the dream world collide making for some additional weirdness. Although the trip is certainly surreal and strange the narrative is quite coherent and in the end Eugene is simply unlocking what was buried deep in his subconscious. Within the world of dreams anything is possible and the same can be said for the medium of animation. In the world of animation you can be as wild and over the top as your heart desires and it compliments Svankmajer’s material perfectly. Surviving Life is a whimsical, weird and dazzling visual feast for the eyes. Surviving Life has been called a psychoanalytical comedy. But, according to Svankmajer, it is not about psychoanalysis and it is a comedy that no one will laugh at. It may not be about psychoanalysis, but it is certainly a major theme through the film. Eugene’s psychoanalyst plays an important role in the film and Eugene visits her office often. She has portraits of Jung and Freud on her wall that becomes animated in approval or disapproval of her interpretations. She discovers that Eugene’s dream girl is his anima (his female side). The viewer understands the nature of Eugene’s dreams before he does, but regardless, the final revelation is still extremely satisfying. In fact, every aspect of Surviving Life is extremely satisfying. Surviving Life is a cleverly written film about aging, love, sex, childhood trauma, psychoanalysis and dreams. Svankmajer’s imaginative presentation of one man’s psychosis is both thoughtful and humorous. Surviving Life is an extraordinary and immensely entertaining film. Bravo Mr. Svankmajer! Bravo! Highest of recommendations!
Dungeon Rating: 5/5
Directed By: Jan Svankmajer
Starring: Václav Helsus, Klára Issová, Zuzana Kronerová, Daniela Bakerova, Emília Doseková, Marcel Nemec, Jan Pocepický, Jana Olhová, Pavel Nový, Karel Brozek
Film number two at The Vancouver International Film Festival was a Saturday afternoon showing of Cold Fish. Cold Fish is a Japanese drama/thriller and according to its cover, is “inspired by true events”. I have no idea how faithful the film is to the actual events but it is one hell of a ride regardless! Cold Fish is tragic, funny, violent, demented, unique and a completely hypnotizing experience. That’s a lot of adjectives for one sentence, but this film earned it!
Shamoto, the meek owner of a small tropical fish store is told his teenage daughter Mitsuko has been caught shoplifting. With new wife (and step mom) Taeko in tow they go to meet with the manager. The meeting does not go well until the customer who accused Mitsuko speaks up. The customer, Murata-san is a jovial and boisterous man who convinces the manager not to call the authorities and give Mitsuko a second chance. Shamoto and Taeko are extremely grateful and when Murata requests they accompany him to his store they happily agree. Murata, by chance also sells tropical fish except he drives a Ferrari and his massive store Amazon Gold has an army of employees. He takes them on a tour, introduces them to his wife and they share some tea. He even offers to employ Mitsuko, suggesting it might help keep her out of trouble. The two families become joined at the hip and Shamoto finds himself in a partnership with Murata. But the seemingly jolly and fun-loving Murata-san may not be the good-natured guy he appears. Cold Fish has style but it isn’t flashy. The images on display evoke the proper amount of emotion whether it is disgust, anger or empathy with effective simplicity that suited the film well. Not to say the film lacks creativity by any means. Shion Sono’s opening scene sets the pace for the rest of the film so beautifully. We watch Taeko grocery shopping like she is on crack. Speeding through aisles throwing packages after package at breakneck speed into her shopping cart. Than we watch her make an entire meal in about 2 minutes and the camera rests on the dysfunction family as they eat in complete silence. Cold Fish is calm and frantic in equal measure. Shamoto and Taeko are quiet and soft-spoken and their home and work environment reflect that. Murata and his wife are the polar opposites and are eccentric, loud and aggressive. When the two worlds collide friction is inevitable.
The performances are top notch, particularly Denden who plays the crazy Murata with such dangerously joyful enthusiasm. Mitsuru Fukikoshi also does a great job as the painfully meek Shamoto (although my one and only minor complaint about the film relates to the development of this character). The three women, Taeko, Mitsuko and Murata’s wife (sorry I don’t even know the characters name!) do a hell of a job also. I wasn’t able to find a list of the character names, so sadly I can’t give the actresses their proper due. Every character is interesting and quirky, even the minor players, and their actions kept me glued to the screen. Cold Fish clocks in around 144 minutes and has a great rhythmic pace. It reveals its warped little secrets steadily throughout its runtime. Cold Fish is full of fascinating, strange and violent surprises. There is more gore and violence than a lot of horror films and they throw in some sex and nudity for good measure. No joking, there are scenes that will be difficult for some viewers to watch. Cold Fish knocked my socks off. Except for a minor complaint about the development of the Shamoto character, I thought the film was amazing. Its twisted story, unforgettable visuals, and fascinating characters thrilled me from start to finish. I look forward to rewatching Cold Fish when it makes its way to DVD and I will certainly be checking out Shion Sono’s other films. The squeamish should avoid, but everyone else should definitely check this one out. Highest of recommendations!
In The Folds Of The Flesh was readily available to buy online but finding a video store in these parts that had it available for rent was a relatively difficult task. I mention this only because this was a suggestion/recommendation from March 30th that I am just now getting to! In The Folds Of The Flesh is a little oddity from the 70’s that is certainly not your average Italian thriller. In fact, it is more of a delightfully demented, R-Rated soap opera. It has one of the most convoluted plots I’ve come upon that explores among other topics, incest, insanity and murder and as if that’s not enough they throw in some World War 2 Nazi flashbacks!
In The Folds Of The Flesh opens with the following quote:
“…and then a sudden shock that left a deep impression on the mind and damaged it permanently.”
We then see a woman wrapping up the dead body of a man as her children watch. A short time later a convict fleeing the police ends up on the woman’s property. The convict spies a getaway boat but not before he sees the woman start it and push the empty vessel adrift. He later sees her filling in an impromptu grave on her property, but the convict is soon captured and taken away in handcuffs. We then get a Freud quote on a lovely psychedelic background:
“What has been remains imbedded in the brain, nestled in the folds of the flesh distorted it conditions and subconsciously impels…” (Freud)
We skip several years ahead (13 I think). The kids are grown up and still living with their mother Lucille on the property. Colin is Lucille’s son and Falesse is the daughter of her husband Andre who is believed to have been lost at sea. Throughout the film, a series of lecherous male visitors drop by the estate unexpected. Falesse is sexually attracted to every man she meets. Unfortunately for the male visitors, every man she meets turns up dead. Falesse, you see is quite crazy. She goes into a strange trance when she is engaged in sexual contact. Well, sexual contact with everyone except her step-brother it would seem. We are given clues in the form of flashbacks that suggest there could be a reason for her insanity but we really don’t learn the full extent of it until the end of the film. This is not a paint by numbers thriller by any means. We see each of the visitors killed and we know who did it and why. Every kill is committed by the dysfunctional family for the purpose of covering up an ugly secret. The real mystery is what exactly the ugly secret is.
To say this family is dysfunctional is probably a serious understatement. The family seemed separated from the rest of the world. Hiding away in their castle-like home on their massive property where they keep caged vultures as pets. It appears the trio doesn’t get out much and each one seems a little “off”. Lucille is a severe woman who other than the occasional sly grin almost never smiles. The woman is so icy it is hard to tell if she actually has any concern for her disturbed grown children. When she’s not disposing of bodies or having concentration camp flashbacks she spends much of the film pulling the adopted sister and brother apart. Colin fancies himself an artist and has the most disturbing and distracting wardrobe that made me laugh often. He acts like a spoiled child and has regular hissy fits, particularly where Falesse is concerned. Then we have Falesse who sports a bad, obvious looking blond wig and her big staring doe-eye’s are both attentive and vacant all at the same time. When she isn’t having sex with her step-bro she is flirting voraciously with any man that crosses her path. The male visitors throughout the film sure are unlikable. Every man who walks into the house is more lecherous than the last and can’t keep their hands off of Falesse. Falesse drinks up the attention but it is clear the woman is off balance! I almost couldn’t help but root for the whacked-out family! There are a few other note-worthy characters I’d like to mention, but doing so would be a major spoiler. In The Folds Of The Flesh has numerous twists and turns and a most rewarding reveal! The pace is a bit slow at times but the abundance of peculiarities onscreen kept me hypnotized. It’s quite a nice looking film and the location is excellent. Sergio Bergonzelli uses some creative camera work particularly during the various flashback sequences. The Nazi shower scene is one of the stranger elements of the film. Lucille suggests they kill one of the characters with cyanide. She explains to her son how it works by recalling her internment in a concentration camp as a girl. Lucille’s flashback is filmed in black and white. The young Lucille watches as all the female members of her family are killed in the showers. It is another part of the puzzle that helps explain the depth of insanity in the strange family unit. And then again, maybe Bergonzelli added the scene so they could include more nudity. It is just too risky burying bodies in the yard so they begin melting them in acid. It is quite the scene seeing mother and son working together over a tub with gloved hands. There is a fake head here and there to gawk at, but not a whole lot more in the way of special effects. The violence in the film isn’t really graphic and the deaths are quick, but they are nonetheless effective.
If you enjoy Giallo that doesn’t follow the rules and has plenty of melodrama, crazy plot twists, and eccentric characters then In The Folds Of The Flesh is a must see! Highly recommended!
Dungeon Rating: 4/5
Directed By: Sergio Bergonzelli
Starring: Eleonora Rossi Drago, Pier Angeli, Fernando Sancho, Alfredo Mayo, Emilio Gutiérrez Caba, María Rosa Sclauzero, Víctor Alcázar, Giancarlo Sisti, Gaetano Imbró, Luciano Catenacci, Bruno Ciangola
Christopher Lee has more than 260 film and television credits and 60 + of those are horror flicks. I did a little blurb on Lee May 2009, so if you want to learn a little more about one of horror’s greatest icons click here. Picking just 10 films was a more daunting task than I expected! Sure, the top 5 were obvious enough but depending on my mood they might be ranked differently than you see below. Some of the honorable mentions that almost made the list are Katarsis, Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors, Rasputin: The Mad Monk, Scream and Scream Again, Taste the Blood of Dracula, Eugenie, The Gorgon, and Scars of Dracula. The great Christopher Lee is still working at the age of 87 and continues to pull off memorable performances! Bow before thy master!
#10 THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD (1971) Directed By: Peter Duffell
Anthologies can be a lot of fun but there is usually a rotten egg or two in the collection. Not in The House That Dripped Blood. I actually found all four stories enjoyable in varying degrees. It is one of numerous films in which Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing both appear. There are a few Lee/Cushing flicks on this list but in this one they do not star opposite each other instead each is featured in their own unique story. Lee’s story Sweets To The Sweet is excellent and Lee does a stand out job in the role of the father of a young girl who may not be as sweet as she seems. My favourite story however is The Cloak, a story about a veteran horror actor who buys a cloak from a curious old shop. It also features the always-entertaining Ingrid Pitt. All four stories are creative, fun, creepy, well paced and well filmed with great performances all around. The only negative is the connecting story is a bit weak, but otherwise, The House That Dripped Blood is gold!
#9 HORROR HOTEL (1960) Directed By: John Llewellyn Moxey
Horror Hotel is a really nice looking atmospheric black and white film that isn’t without a few clichés but still manages to be hauntingly effective. Horror Hotel also has a simply fantastic happy-unhappy ending that stayed in my head for days after. Lee’s role is definitely supporting but is an important part of the story and as always the man leaves an impression. The sets, atmosphere and overall mood of the film are certainly spooky but the film is just a bit quirky as well. There are some genuinely weird moments that I found wonderfully appealing. Horror Hotel is a nice looking film with decent acting, a little bit of wackiness and some serious intensity and scares that is entertaining as hell. Plus, I love a Witch theme! I happen to think it is a seriously underutilized horror sub-genre.
#8 DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE (1968) Directed By: Freddie Francis
There is always an argument as to which Dracula film is Lee’s best. Dracula Has Risen From The Grave is one of two Christopher Lee Dracula flicks that made the list but I like every last one of them in varying degrees. Lee’s Dracula is cold as ice and his emotionless intensity is effectively terrifying. I love how director Freddie Francis filmed Lee to appear even taller than he already is. The film style, of course, is pure Hammer-gothic and the atmosphere, sets and costumes are top-notch as always. The beautiful Veronica Carlson is one of my favourite of the innocent charming virgins in the Dracula
series and Barbara Ewing also stands out as the naughty Zena. I shouldn’t leave out Barry Andrews who also does a very nice job of playing the films hero. As a matter of fact, I think of the Dracula series this one might be the best-acted overall. Dracula Has Risen From The Grave is a great classic tale and a highly entertaining film.
#7 TASTE OF FEAR (aka Scream Of Fear) (1961) Directed By: Seth Holt
When my dad switched over to DVD I adopted his entire VHS Hammer collection and this was among the gems. A young, neurotic, wheelchair bound woman begins seeing her dads corpse walking around and her family believes she is going crazy. Not the most original plot but it is well rolled out. There are clues throughout the story and twists and turns leading up to an excellent although not terribly surprising ending. Lee is quite young in Taste Of Fear and only has a supporting role as Doctor Pierre Gerrard but contributes nicely. The cast is excellent particularly Susan Strasberg who plays Penny Appleby.
#6 THE WHIP AND THE BODY (1963) Directed By: Mario Bava
Mario Bava’s ‘The Whip and The Body’ is immensely entertaining! It is a hypnotic and haunting vision that should be a treat for Bava’s fans, lovers of gothic Horror and Lee fans alike. Christopher Lee is cold as ice as her brutal lover. Although he appears both vicious and callous, his character at times comes off slightly romantic and tragic. The stunning Daliah Lavi plays it like a storm is brewing between her legs that she cannot control. Her orgasms are practically a character
themselves! Lee and Lavi both have a strong presence and give outstanding performances. There is breath-taking scenery, incredible atmosphere, awesome sets, a haunting and effective score and the aforementioned excellent performances. But more than anything else it is strikingly beautiful. I greatly admire Bava’s cinematography but not being a technically minded sort, you’ll have to forgive me for my layman language. Simply put, nothing looks quite like a Bava film! Shadows and colour are overwhelmingly present in all his films although this one may be slightly more muted than others it is nonetheless a
sensual kaleidoscope. The Whip And The Body is an enthralling visual experience and a gothic masterpiece!
Lee and Cushing appeared in several films together and horror express was one of the last and in my opinion, one of the best. Most of the emphasis is on the two icons that make the most of the well-written dialog. The Trans-Siberian express is an excellent setting and director Eugenio Martin makes outstanding use of it. Horror Express is fast-paced fun with a great story, thrill, chills and a little humor and to top it all off, an exciting, and satisfying finale.
#4 THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (1959) Directed By: Terence Fisher
Peter Cushing owns The Hound Of The Baskervilles and is just brilliant as Sherlock Holmes but Christopher Lee who plays Sir Henry also puts in a most admirable performance and gets to play one of his rare good guy horror roles. Sherlock attempts to save Sir Henry from the curse of the Hound of the Baskervilles and wastes no time getting down to business. The pace is energetic and the atmosphere is top notch. In fact, this may be one of the most atmospheric of all the Hammer films. The film and story are completely mesmerizing and as mentioned the performances are awesome. Mystery, intrigue, horror, romance and a
classic pairing of two horror icons.
#3 DRACULA: PRINCE OF DARKNESS (1966) Directed By: Terence Fisher
My favourite of Lee’s vampire roles is definitely Dracula: Prince Of Darkness. The film picks up ten years after the death of Dracula, and let me tell you, his resurrection is definitely one of the films highlights! Lee has no dialog but manages to captivate regardless. The cast are strong, particularly Suzan Farmer who has a great seduction scene with Lee. The film has a great gothic presentation and an amazing mood and atmosphere. The ending isn’t quite as exciting as some of the others in the series, but it does win points for originality. While there might be an argument as to which Lee vampire role is the best I don’t think anyone can deny that he makes one mighty fine, menacing vampire.
#2 THE WICKER MAN (1973) Directed By: Robin Hardy
Love it or hate it, you must admit The Wicker Man is original! The steadily building sense of dread is impressive and the finale is unforgettable. Most of the film takes place in the daylight and the sets, costumes and general look of the film is superb. Lee of course is excellent as Lord Summerisle but I have to commend Edward Woodward who is awesome in the role of the uptight Sergeant Howie. Howie’s faith is challenged more than once while investigating the town of pagans. The dancing, singing and costume wearing all sounds a little jubilant for a horror film, but these elements really add a special twisted creepiness. The Wicker Man, without a doubt, is one of the most unique horror films out there. It is a surreal treat that is clever, funny and macabre.
#1 THE DEVIL RIDES OUT (1968) Directed By: Terence Fisher
The Devil Rides Out is my earliest memories of Satan-themed theatrics in film. It was also the first time I seen Christopher Lee play a good guy. Lee gives an inspired performance as the Duc de Richleau. The entire cast are excellent, particularly Charles Gray who plays the evil Mocata with devilish gusto and Sarah Lawson who plays the strong and intelligent Marie Eaton with casual confidence. Terence Fisher directs The Devil Rides Out with plenty of style and thrills and its perfect pace keeps the action moving along beautifully. A great story, fabulous set pieces, amazing atmosphere and an outstanding cast are the ingredients that make The Devil Rides Out an enduring classic. (I contributed a guest review to Basement Screams for The Devil Rides Out, to read it click here).
Posted in Uncategorized on September 22, 2010 by goregirl
You might have noticed that the postings are a little thinner than usual around here. Sadly, my home (dungeon) computer died suddenly but peacefully in its sleep. We do plan on replacing it soon, but in the meantime I have been posting from work when time allows and occasionally from the library. I’ll have a list of my Top 10 favourite Christopher Lee horror films for you before the weekend! I should be back back up and running smoothly by the first week of October…so please, BEAR WITH ME!!
I could not believe how empty the theatre was for Surviving Life, my third film of The Vancouver International Film Festival. Granted it was a Tuesday afternoon matinee, I’m sure it was a much fuller theatre for the Saturday evening showing. Jan Svankmajer is one of the most original film makers alive today who uses both animation and live action to create unique, surreal and often macabre images to compliment his imaginative stories. The Czech born director has been creating his masterpieces since the 60’s and has made a number of short films but very few feature length films, which makes Surviving Life an extra big deal. While I happened to think the man is brilliant, his unconventional style won’t be to everyone’s taste. However, if you’re open to the experience you might just dig the wonderfully weird world of Svankmajer as much as I do.
GOREGIRL'S DUNGEON 