Gothic Fantastico: Four Italian Tales of Terror Blu-ray Review
Written by Robert Gold
Blu-ray released by Arrow Video
Lady Morgan’s Vengeance
Directed by Massimo Pupillo
Written by Giovanni Grimaldi
1965, 86 minutes, Not Rated
Released on October 18th, 2022
Starring:
Barbara Nelli as Lady Susan Morgan
Paul Muller as Sir Harold Morgan
Erika Blanc as Lillian
Gordon Mitchell as Roger
Michel Forain as Pierre Brissac
Carlo Kechler as Sir Neville Blackhouse
Review:
Once upon a time in Scotland, wealthy heiress Susan Blackhouse declares her love for contractor Pierre Brissac. Her Uncle Neville is supportive, as is her would-be suitor Lord Harold Morgan, though the latter is clearly disappointed. On his return to France, Pierre meets with an accident and is left for dead. Susan reluctantly marries Harold and goes on a trip with her uncle. She returns to find the staff replaced by an intimidating butler, a sexy governess and a timid maid. Susan begins hearing voices and seeing things, making her question her sanity. We quickly learn Harold and the others are gaslighting Susan to get their hands on her money. They push her as far as they can and the film’s final half hour is one of revenge and supernatural horror.
Arrow Video gathers four classic Euro chillers in the box set release Gothic Fantastico: Four Italian Takes of Terror. First up, Lady Morgan’s Vengeance is a dark tale of greed and cruelty that despite its bleak content ends on a wickedly satisfying note. Directed by Massimo Pupillo (Bloody Pit of Horror) from a script by Giovanni Grimaldi (Castle of Blood), the tale unfolds at a steady pace as we witness Susan’s descent into madness without a hint of the dark turn coming in the final act. Our heroine’s predicament is ushered in with a measured level of melodrama lulling viewers into a false sense of security.
Barbara Nelli (The Killer Lacks a Name) stars as Lady Susan Morgan, delivering a restrained performance that explores her vulnerability as she increasingly questions reality. Paul Muller (She Killed in Ecstasy) co-stars as the despicable Sir Harold Morgan, a jerk who becomes more loathsome with every scene. The wicked Erika Blanc (The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave) plays Lillian, the icy governess you love to hate. The supporting cast is solid, particularly Gordon Mitchell (Frankenstein ’80) as the intimidating Roger, a gleeful sadist eager to do bad things to good people.
Lady Morgan’s Vengeance is a terrific selection to open this collection, as it contains many familiar elements of the genre and generates a decent level of suspense. The picture is handsomely directed with terrific performances from everyone involved. The plot is filled with conspiracies and deception and the filmmakers keep the resolution well-guarded for maximum payoff.
The Blancheville Monster
Directed by Alberto De Martino (as Martin Herbert)
Written by Giovanni Grimaldi and Bruno Corbucci
1963, 88 minutes, Not Rated
Starring:
Gérard Tichy as Rodéric De Blancheville
Ombretta Colli as Emile De Blancheville
Leo Anchóriz as Dr. LaRouche
Irán Eory as Alice Taylor
Vanni Materassi as John Taylor
Review:
Following the death of her father, Emile De Blancheville is returning home to visit her brother Rodéric after years in exile. She is joined by her friends, John and Alice Taylor. Rodéric welcomes everyone and by all accounts is the perfect host. During the night, Alice investigates a strange noise only to discover the housekeeper treating a horribly disfigured man in the tower. Rodéric confesses their father is still alive, but terribly scarred and insane. He goes on to say the man has escaped his room and wants to kill Emile on her upcoming twenty-first birthday to fulfill an old family prophecy. Dad appears to Emile during the night and puts her under his spell and she sleepwalks through the grounds. Dr. LaRouche is called to help but finds her listless and weak and orders rest. Can the maniac be stopped or is Emile destined to face a cruel fate?
The Blancheville Monster (aka Horror) is a Gothic chiller brimming with familiar images and tropes, including a decrepit castle, a spooky thunderstorm, craggy trees, secret passageways, creeping fog, cloaked figures, coffins, pipe organ music, people being buried alive and disturbing dream sequences. Directed by Alberto De Martino (Django Shoots First), credited here as Martin Herbert, and written by Giovanni Grimaldi (Lady Morgan’s Vengeance) and Bruno Corbuci (Django), the tale finds inspiration in the works of Edgar Alan Poe. This film is beautifully shot and rich with atmosphere and an unrelenting sense of dread.
Gérard Tichy (Doctor Zhivago) stars as Rodéric, anchor of the De Blancheville family during a troubling time. He is apparently a reliable, trustworthy individual, but like most people in these movies, he carries his share of secrets. Ombretta Colli (War Between the Planets), credited here as Joan Hills, is excellent in the starring role of Emile, the target of her father’s madness. Leo Anchóriz (Kill Them All and Come Back Alone) is the prickly authority figure Dr. LaRouche (aka Dr. Atwell in the English language version) and Helga Liné (Horror Express) is the suspicious housekeeper, Miss Eleonore. Our reluctant hero, John Taylor, played by Vanni Materassi (The Leopard), credited as Richard Davis, desperately wants to save Emile from her fate and Irán Eory (Web of Violence) plays his sister Alice.
The Blancheville Monster is the most traditionally Gothic of the films included in this set and it’s a winner. Moderately suspenseful and visually appealing, the picture excels at its meditations on death. The original title, Horror, works better since there is not a literal monster in the picture, but you can’t fault the advertisers for trying to punch it up a bit.
The Third Eye
Directed by Mino Guerrini (credited as James Warren)
Written by Mino Guerrini and Piero Regnoli
1966, 87 minutes, Not Rated
Starring:
Franco Nero as Mino Alberti
Gioia Pascal as Marta
Erika Blanc as Laura (as Diane Sullivan)
Olga Solbelli as Mino’s Mother
Review:
Mino Alberti is devoted to his mother but when he brings home his fiancée, Laura, mom disapproves of the girl and makes no effort to hide it, comparing her to a mere servant. Marta is the actual housekeeper and she is ambitious to say the least when it comes to Mino’s needs. Laura tells her future mother-in-law she is leaving to visit her sister Daniella, who is coming home from college. Tragedy strikes in the cruelest way, leaving Mino devastated and his behavior becomes increasingly unhinged. Later, Daniella comes to the house looking for answers, but she may not like what she finds.
The Third Eye is the wildest of the films in this collection and a lot of that stems from a powerhouse performance by the great Franco Nero (Django) as Mino. It is impossible to watch him without spying the similarities to Norman Bates in Psycho, down to the keen interest in taxidermy. Nero blows the doors off in the scene where he loses a loved one, echoing Oliver Reed’s level of crazy in Paranoiac. Mino is pretty amazing but is matched by the equally conniving Marta, played by Gioia Pascal (Menage all'italiana). She is definitely driven and knows how to push Mino’s buttons, making her all the more watchable. There are only two likeable characters in the film and Erika Blanc (Lady Morgan’s Vengeance) plays both. As Laura, she brings out the good in Mino, and when she returns as Daniella, she may be more than he can handle. Another standout is Olga Solbelli (Mill of the Stone Women) as Mino’s mother, a true bitch on wheels you will love to hate.
Directed by Mino Guerrini, credited as James Warren (The Best), working from a script he co-wrote with Piero Regnoli (The Playgirls and the Vampire), The Third Eye is a briskly paced descent into madness that contains a fair number of shocks that remain effective more than fifty years later. The story is somewhat compelling but the direction and performances make it something you should really see. A Gothic chiller set in contemporary times complete with a large house in disrepair, a domineering authority figure and a number of characters with less than honorable intentions.
The Witch
Directed by Damiano Damiani
Written by Ugo Liberatore and Damiano Damiani
1966, 109 minutes, Not Rated
Starring:
Richard Johnson as Sergio Logan
Rosanna Schiaffino as Aura
Sarah Ferrati as Consuelo Lorente
Gian Maria Volontè as Fabrizio
Review:
Sergio Logan is an unrepentant Lothario in modern-day Italy, bouncing from one woman to the next. He can’t help but notice an old woman turning up wherever he goes and when he answers a want ad in the paper, is surprised to find it is she who placed it. She is Consuelo Lorente, looking for a new librarian to catalog her late husband’s papers. Sergio is reluctant to accept, but when the old woman faints, he is compelled to help her. It is here we meet her alluring daughter, Aura. Sergio falls for her instantly and becomes obsessed with her beauty. Their day is interrupted by the intrusion of Fabrizio, the previous librarian and Aura’s part-time lover. Aura tells Sergio they can be together only if he agrees to kill Fabrizio, forcing him to reevaluate his situation. Aura disappears and the old woman returns and encourages him to get to work and invites him to live at the house. There is something going on here that he can’t quite figure out but he better get on it if he ever plans to leave.
The Witch (aka La strega in amore) is an interesting story about desire, perception and morality. It contains some of the Gothic tropes, but is more a love-triangle melodrama than anything remotely creepy. Yes, the title gives away part of what is going on here, but the effects are far from magical. The film is competently directed by Damiano Damiani (Amityville II: The Possession), working from a script he co-wrote with Ugo Liberatore (The Night They Killed Rasputin), but all of the suspense comes from waiting to see what Sergio will do rather than what will happen to him. For me there was no mystery, only frustration as the filmmakers on more than one occasion broke their own rules to throw viewers off.
Richard Johnson (The Haunting) stars as Sergio and he is an effective louse, but one you don’t particularly want to seem harmed. Rosanna Schiaffino (The Killer Reserved Nine Seats) co-stars as the lovely Aura and she shines opposite Johnson, as the majority of her scenes are with him. Stage actress Sarah Ferrati (Medea) is effectively off-putting as Consuelo with her mysterious motivation. Gian Maria Volontè (A Fistful of Dollars) rounds out the core cast as Fabrizio, the third wheel in this affair. Performances across the board are respectable, but the whole thing would work better as a play.
Gothic Fantastico: Four Italian Tales of Terror is a mostly solid look at 1960’s Italian horror films made by directors other than the great master, Mario Bava. Lady Morgan’s Vengeance, The Blancheville Monster and The Third Eye are excellent selections sure to bring a few chills. I would assume there is no shortage of cinematic output during this era, making the inclusion of The Witch something of a head-scratcher. The film does have some creative moments and maybe a jump or two but doesn’t belong in the inaugural box set, maybe Volume 2 or 3. That being said, this is a pretty terrific look at some underseen horrors and well worth your time.
Video and Audio:
All four films are presented in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio with stunning new 2K restorations from the original camera negatives. Picture quality is razor-sharp and there is little if any print damage. All of these titles are in black and white and feature a modest amount of grain.
Each film comes with an LPCM 1.0 Italian and English mono audio track, except The Witch, which is Italian only. The audio has been remastered and is clean and free from any clicks, hiss or other forms of distortion. Optional English subtitles are included for anyone in need.
Special Features:
Disc 1: Lady Morgan’s Vengeance
Commentary by author and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas does a deep dive into the historical supernatural aspects of the genre. She talks about the Italian film scene post-World War II and how it differs from the British output. We get info on the director and screenwriter as well as the cast.
An introduction to the film, titled Vengeance from Beyond (5 minutes), with Mark Thompson Ashworth provides a general broad strokes look at the cast and crew and plot.
In the new video essay The Grudge (21 minutes) by author and producer Kat Ellinger, we get a tour of international cinema in the postwar era of the 1950s and ‘60s. American and British horrors were male-centric whereas Italian and Japanese, and South Korean chillers focused on women.
Actress Erika Blanc reflects on this film and her career in the featurette When We Were Vampires (24 minutes). In Italian with English subtitles.
In the interview segment Born to be a Villain (20 minutes), actor Paul Muller looks back on his work in cinema. In Italian with English subtitles.
The Pupillo Tapes (20 minutes) is an audio interview with director Massimo Pupillo recorded in 1993 for an Italian radio show hosted by Fabio Melelli. The conversation is more of a full career retrospective. In Italian with English subtitles.
The complete original Cineromanzo, published in Suspense in April 1971 – 58 pages of 6-panel stills with Italian text.
Trailer
Photo gallery (9 images) featuring Italian poster art and lobby cards
Disc 2: The Blancheville Monster
A commentary by film historian Paul Anthony Nelson is highly informative with attention to the director and the script. Other topics of discussion include the cast and the look of the picture.
Castle of Horror (7 minutes) is an intro by Mark Thompson Ashworth, who cites some of this movie’s influences from Hammer Films and Roger Corman productions.
Are You Sure That it Wasn’t Just Your Imagination? (21 minutes) is a visual essay by Keith Allison tracing the history and influences of this picture.
Welcome to the Manor (14 minutes) is an interview with historian Antonio Tentori, who studies the film and its creation. In Italian with English subtitles.
Also included are the American opening titles (3 minutes) as Horror: The Blancheville Monster.
A trailer that name-drops a ton of influences from Hitchcock to Poe is included.
An image gallery contains two posters.
Disc 3: The Third Eye
The commentary by historian Rachael Nisbet focuses on the production, the script and its influences. Other areas of exploration include the various themes, the director and cast.
The Cold Kiss of Death (6 minutes) video intro by Mark Thompson Ashworth reveals info on the cast and crew and the overall tone of the film. He also tells of how it was later remade by director Joe d’Amato as Beyond the Darkness.
Nostalgia Becomes Necrophilia (12 minutes) with Lindsay Hallam is a visual essay that shines a light on the circles of jealousy and desire. She studies the themes, similarities to Psycho, the influence of Poe and women’s liberation in the ‘60s.
All Eyes on Erica (16 minutes) – actress Erika Blanc shares her memories of the shoot. In Italian with English subtitles.
An image gallery contains four lobby cards
Disc 4: The Witch
Commentary with Kat Ellinger finds the historian struggling to push the argument that this is a Gothic horror. She explores the obvious Sunset Boulevard connection and comments on the director and cast.
In his intro Witchery (4 minutes), film historian Mark Thompson Ashworth acknowledges this is more psychological-Gothic than horror, with a fine balance of the erotic and the supernatural. He goes on to address themes of duality, additions to the source novel, the somewhat abrupt ending, the cast and director.
Academic Miranda Corcoran discusses the historical origins and evolution of the witch in the video essay Loving the Devil (24 minutes).
The Rome Witch Project (19m) film historian Antonio Tentori makes some interesting points regarding the origins of this picture and its ties to literature from the source novel to Bram Stoker’s Dracula. He covers the themes and visual style, the cast, the director and the locations of the story. He is a much bigger fan of the film than I am and his comments are compelling. In Italian with English subtitles.
Photo gallery (5 images) contains artwork and press kit stills.
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