(1960)
Dir - John Llewellyn Moxey
Overall: GOOD
Technically kind of not really the first Amicus production as it was made jointly by producers Milton Subotsky and Max Rosenberg two years before they would launch their film company proper, The City of the Dead, (Horror Hotel), has endured as an excellent British witchcraft foray. Even if most of the British actors are intentionally and convincingly putting on American accents. Prolific cinematographer Desmond Dickinson seeps every possible frame that takes place in the cursed, Massachusetts town of Whitewood with pitch black shadows and enough fog per shot to suite an entire rock band's arena tour. The typical elements of dismissive skeptics, superstitious locals, and sinister, smirking villains that ooze amplified creepiness are all present and the backdrop of a small village cursed for centuries by witches has been done more than enough times to find no surprising twists here. Yet director John Moxey (who would also later helm the first Night Stalker film), keeps everything moving cleverly and quite briskly, making it a smooth ride to be sucked up into all the genre tropes that were still standard and charming enough then. Though only granted a small handful of scenes in a minor role, Christopher Lee displays the type of effortlessly menacing skill that he always had in front of the camera, making his presence a very welcome addition.
(1966)
Dir - J. Lee Thompson
Overall: GOOD
Filmmaker J. Lee Thompson would end up being behind the lens for the last two installments in the original Planet of the Apes franchise, and for Eye of the Devil, he was a last minute addition after original director Sidney J. Furie was replaced by Michael Anderson only to have the latter fall ill. Thompson's style here is rather elaborate with numerous dutch angles, quick cuts, and perhaps more zooms than any ninety-minute movie has ever had. This keeps the viewer on edge most of the time as the mystery becomes increasingly cloudy. It is a minor fault that through some of the editing, the plot ends up being perhaps unintentionally difficult to get a hold of. Still, there is a well maintained level of unease with how very subtle the actual behavior of the cast often yet not always comes across, making what appears to be normal and far from malign occurrences seem much more sinister. With everyone from Donald Pleasence, David Niven, David Hemmings, Deborah Kerr, and Sharon Tate in her first credited film performance, the cast is certainly recognizable and efficient. As far as any gore or shock levels, Eye of the Devil is nonexistent in both, (which is not at all a handicap), but later masterpieces such as The Wicker Man particularly would revisit similar themes and excel tremendously more at them.
(1967)
Dir - David Greene
Overall: WOOF
Based off the short story by August Derleth and H.P. Lovecraft, (and parodied either directly or indirectly in The Simpsons "Treehouse of Horror VII"), there is casting, setting, dubbing, pacing, editing, musical, and logical problems in The Shuttered Room. Shot in England with a primarily British cast, the film is set in Massachusetts and Oliver Reed's heavily distinct, manly-man-man voice almost sounds dubbed with his distracting, American accent. This seems unnecessary since either cast someone else in said role or maybe switch the location to merry ole England so everyone can talk in their native tongue. Hardly anything at all happens for the majority of the film's running time and several obvious cuts could have been made to move things along. Yet when the editor is given liberty to leave stuff out of the picture in the finale, it becomes very sloppy as to convey what logically should be happening. Which brings us to an all too common problem in that several times, characters do things that are aggravatingly ill-advised. You and your wife have been continually harassed by a bunch of jacked-up and violent local yokels since you arrived? Why not give one of them who is hitchhiking a lift the day after he and his pals attempted to rape your wife? Makes perfect sense. Lastly, the jazz soundtrack is completely inappropriate which ruins any suspenseful mood that could have otherwise been created.
No comments:
Post a Comment