Tag: euro

Review- La Dama Rossa Uccide Sette Volte (The Red Queen Kills Seven Times) (1972)

Review- La Dama Rossa Uccide Sette Volte (The Red Queen Kills Seven Times) (1972)

Hooray for Facebook. I was browsing pages devoted to cult cinema as I’m prone to do during my downtime and I saw a post about the Giallo gem, The Red Queen Kills Seven Times and realised that I had never seen it. And lo and behold it was on YouTube in both Italian or badly dubbed English.

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This film concerns two sisters, one good, one evil. Their spacious abode has a very disturbing painting on the wall that evidently influences the black haired evil child, Evelyn to act terribly towards her blond haired more rational sister, Kitty. The artwork has a backstory- the evil Red Queen depicted in the picture was killed by her sister but the murdered then rises from the grave and becomes murderer, killing seven people linked to her death.

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Evelyn just being Evelyn
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The painting

A brilliantly funny sequence during the film’s opening credits shows that the teasing of Kitty by Evelyn continues throughout their childhood. The teasing carries on into adulthood. But during one incident Kitty accidentally kills Evelyn.

Real life seems to imitate art however when a figure dressed in a red cloak appears and starts to murder those connected to Kitty in gruesome ways. Who could this person be? Is it really Evelyn who has risen from the grave?

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This is classic Giallo with gorgeous direction, innovative and VERY gory kills and style oozing out of every frame. Listen for the fantastic cackle the Red Queen gives after each murder as she relishes her evil deeds. She reminds me of Tura Satana in Faster Pussycat Kill! Kill! who used to laugh loudly after doing something reckless and thrilling.

The film is also sleazy as hell. This is one of the things about Giallo that I love the most- the impeccable interiors, perfect hair and make-up, the gorgeous aesthetics. In short, stylisations that are in stark contrast to the messy dabblings of the main characters.

Barbara Bouchet in The Red Queen Kills Seven Times (1972)
Kitty- immaculate hair and make-up

Theres a wonderful Scooby Doo moment near the end with a mask being pulled off to reveal a true identity (not the caretaker in this instance) and massive plot points being spat out faster than a snitch giving evidence. One of the final scenes does for rats what Jaws did for sharks. It’s fantastically gross.

The use of the colour red evokes the horror masterpiece Don’t Look Now which was made the year after this film. Had Nic Roeg seen this brilliant film prior to making it?

This film is great fun. And has a soundtrack to die for (no pun intended). I look forward to buying the Arrow Blu ray.

4 stars out of 5

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Day 31- 31 Days of Halloween- Tentacles (1977)

Day 31- 31 Days of Halloween- Tentacles (1977)

I loved it when big name stars decided to degrade themselves by starring in Italian exploitation pics in the 70’s solely for a big paycheck. This Italian Jaws rip-off stars Henry Fonda, John Huston and Shelley Winters.

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The original quad UK cinema poster

A seaside resort (a long way from Amity though) has become the feeding supply of a giant octopus. John Huston’s news reporter and a marine biologist cast the blame on Fonda’s construction company Trojan who have been building an underwater tunnel and using extremely high radio signals in the process. This has royally p*ssed off Mr Octopus which has taken to attacking divers and anyone else unlucky enough to cross his underwater path and thus becoming Octo-fodder.

Like most other high(er) budget Euro horrors from this period this is camp, slicker than your average Jaws clone and an efficient popcorn rollercoaster ride of a movie. It does what it says on the tin, the cast ham it up for all it’s worth and it’s good fun while it lasts. OK, so theres nothing to have Mr Spielberg looking over his shoulder here but it never leaves you thinking ‘Thats 90 minutes I’ll never get back!’

3 out of 5 stars

 

Day 8- 31 Days of Halloween- Night Train Murders (1975)

Day 8- 31 Days of Halloween- Night Train Murders (1975)

Or Last House on the Left On A Train.

Two young teenagers cross paths (or tracks) with a trio who degradate and sexually humiliate them. One of them is accidentally killed, the other jumps from the train to escape her captors. The trio then find themselves at the home of one of the teenagers. Revenge ensues.

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Stylish direction and cinematography prevail in this film whilst the 70’s Euro vibe is captured very well indeed. Just like Last House this film is VERY extreme!

In fact this film was banned by the BBFC when submitted for cinema screenings in 1975. The video was placed on the Video Nasties list in 1983 but was then acquitted the year after and promptly removed from the DPP list.

3/5 out of 5 stars