FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET (1971) - Review

Four Flies on Grey Velvet

Mystery/Thriller
1 hour and 39 minutes
Rated PG

Written by: Dario Argento
Directed by: Dario Argento
Produced by: Salvatore Argento

Cast:
Michael Brandon
Mimsy Farmer

When the flies start to crawl, so will your flesh...

Italian master of horror Dario Argento has been dubbed many things, most notably "the Italian Hitchcock". He was appropriately given that title, considering how intelligent and suspenseful his entries in the giallo subgenre are. Four Flies on Grey Velvet is no exception.

The third and final film in Argento's "Animal" trilogy of gialli films, Four Flies on Grey Velvet follows all the genre rules appropriately: faceless killer antagonizes our protagonist, and forces him (in this case, it's a him) into finding out the killer's identity - which in true giallo fashion - is revealed to be a character well known to both the hero and the audience.

So what makes Four Flies stand out? For one thing, it's a Dario Argento film. Argento's attention to detail is what sets him so brilliantly apart from other giallo filmmakers including Lucio Fulci and Mario Bava. His cinematography - in this case photographed by Franco Di Giacomo - is so thought out, that every shot, and every camera angle, is used in an almost scientific manner to convey a sense of terror and suspense. Argento has a way of making horrific sequences of violence and death so beautiful. This talent is so uniquely his as an auteur, and was maybe only ever matched by the late, great godfather of Italian horror: Mario Bava. The car crash at the end of the film, the scene that kills the antagonist, is one of Argento's most beautifully directed moments. Shot entirely in slow-motion, the epic death of the killer moves as slowly and gracefully as an artist painting a landscape.

Also commendable is the film's musical score. As was the case with the first two films in Argento's "Animal" trilogy, the score was composed by the great Ennio Morricone - who's work stretches back to  Nightmare Castle and A Fistful of Dollars. Here, Morricone goes for a more modern feel. Heavy, jazz drums over bass lines give the film a much more 1970s feel. Not to be left out, is the melodic piece within the score. Light vocals over what sounds like a harpsichord are also an impeccable addition to the film's soundtrack. Morricone's scores work appropriately where they are needed.

The film's acting is quite impressive, although perhaps not as good as in previous Argento films - there are still plenty of standout performances. Michael Brandon does a convincing job as the protagonist, making us feel as confused and paranoid as he is. Jean-Pierre Marielle gives an amazing performance as a flamboyant, homosexual private investigator. Marielle's character is the only one within the film that's truly one hundred percent likable, making his death scene (which is also beautifully shot) all the more devastating. But it is genre legend Mimsy Farmer, who would go on to star in other Italian horror films, that truly gives the standout performance of the film. Throughout the film's first and second acts, Farmer has little more to do than voice her disapproval of Brandon's handling of the situation. But in the film's rather remarkable twist ending - in a period of maybe ten minutes at most - Farmer is capable of delivering a performance lightyears ahead of anyone else's within the film.

A lot of the scenes in Four Flies occur in almost complete darkness. This makes much of the goings-on in several scenes hard to see. While it could be argued to be a technical problem, I strongly believe the near blackness was intentional. Argento is too good of a filmmaker to let a technical problem like that occur multiple times. I believe, the near blackness was intentional. Argento was most likely trying to play off of the common fear of the dark. It's easy to relate to the hero when he awakens to an unfamiliar sound in the night. He searches what should be his cozy familiar home, only to find it to be terrifying in the blackness. We've all had the nightmare of not being alone in our darkened homes, and I feel Argento wanted to exploit that to the film's benefit.

Not to the film's benefit is the ridiculous retina scene. While the pulp magazines that gialli films were derived from often used the idea that the victim's last vision is embedded on their retina, and that this vision could be retrieved - seemed plausible for the dark fiction stories, it is ludicrous when shown on the screen. It is really the only unbelievable moment within the film, and it borders on the line of science-fiction. Perhaps if it was discussed throughout the entire film it could've worked, but it's quick introduction and exiting within the story just seems over-the-top and too blatant to work.

While it may not be Dario Argento's greatest film, Four Flies on Grey Velvet is an outstanding giallo film, filled with beautiful cinematography, gorgeous death sequences, a mostly believable plot, a terrific score, and above average performances.

8.5/10

DEMENTIA 13 (1963) - Review

Dementia 13

Horror/Thriller
1 hour and 15 minutes
Rated UR

Written by: Francis Ford Coppola
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Produced by: Roger Corman

Cast:
William Campbell
Luana Anders
Patrick Magee

You Must Pass the "D-13" Test to Prepare You for the Horrifying Experience of Dementia 13. If You Fail the Test ... You Will Be Asked to Leave the Theater!

Roger Corman and Francis Ford Coppola are two names that will live on forever in discussions between cinephiles concerning the greatest filmmakers of all time. If their pairing for a single motion-picture doesn't excite you - chances are you don't know enough about film to be labeled a true cinephile.

Dementia 13 is one of Coppola's earliest films. Corman, by this time, had several movies under his belt - and was an absolute force to be reckoned with in the horror/exploitation genres. It's no surprise that Corman found such a talented filmmaker before his rise to fame (he would do so for various other filmmakers, including Martin Scorsese and Ron Howard).

The film itself is surprisingly good. I say surprisingly because based Corman's earlier works, things can come across as being somewhat .... well, cheap. That being said, there isn't really a cheap moment throughout Dementia 13. In fact, it's hard to believe the film was made on a budget of around $30,000.

It's a very well written motion-picture, and Coppola's talent shines through in many of the film's creepiest dialogue sequences. The first of which being a moment where one of the main characters is recalling the contents of his nightmares. Another, when the family doctor confronts the same character about the missing sister-in-law. Equally impressive is the film's cinematography. Close-ups are used throughout to capture the actors' reactions to one another, and long shots are used just as effectively to create a cavernous quality to the castle where most of the story takes place.

The film's greatest asset, however, is the lighting. It wouldn't be an amazing black & white horror film if the lighting were sloppy. And in Dementia 13, the lighting is everything but sloppy. The opening scene especially, that finds our main character and her husband out on a boat ride in the middle of the night, is lit perfectly. Characters are framed when needed, and shadows are in all the right places.

Dementia 13 even manages to conjure up a few good scares. The first of which involving several mechanical toys, which - due to the film's lighting - appear so sinister, their images remain with you after viewing the film. Other scares include a dead child's playhouse, and a runaway baby carriage.

I can't say Dementia 13 is a flawless film. Despite all this praise, it does have its problems. For one, the film has some apparent "similarities" to Psycho. The most blatant being the lead female character brutally murdered halfway through the film by a killer in the shadows. A demented character talking to a deceased relative is another standout Psycho-ripoff in the film. Most likely, Corman was trying to cash in on the success that Psycho had sparked within the slasher genre. Not a bad thing, but perhaps if these similarities weren't so blatant, the film could've been better.

Another issue is the film does become predictable about three quarters of the way through. If you can't figure out who the killer is by that point, chances are you weren't paying attention to the story. This ruins any sort of shock factor when the killer is supposed to be revealed at the end.

The only moment that truly drew me out of the viewing experience was when a boom entered the top of the frame. It was then apparent that its shadow was clearly visible as well. A technical mishap that was so brief, it really didn't affect the film too much.

With incredible direction, a wonderful screenplay, and an almost unbelievable production quality (considering its budget) - Dementia 13 is a film that is exploding with true cinematic talent, and contains more memorable moments than disappointing ones.

7.5/10

RACE WITH THE DEVIL (1975) - Review

Race with the Devil

Action/Horror/Thriller
1 hour and 28 minutes
Rated PG

Written by: Lee Frost and Wes Bishop
Directed by: Jack Starrett
Produced by: Paul Maslansky and Wes Bishop

Cast:
Peter Fonda
Warren Oates
Loretta Swit
Lara Parker
R. G. Armstrong

They witnessed an unspeakable act! It may cost them their lives!

Drive-in movie fanatics all over America have most likely forgotten about this horror/carsploitation match-up, starring genre actors Peter Fonda and Warren Oates. The film has all but faded into obscurity. That being said, Race with the Devil is not a forgettable motion-picture.

The cinematography, by Robert Jessop, is actually quite professional for a low-budget flick. Jessop does a wonderful job in making the RV, where most of the film is set, appear big and comfortable during exposition sequences, and small, chaotic, and cramped during action sequences. Jessop's use of wide/long shots during the satanic ritual scene add questioning to our protagonists' story, and when R. G. Armstrong's sheriff character expresses his doubts, we too as an audience are uncertain as to what we saw.

The stunts in this film are its tour de force. Indeed, it wouldn't be an impressive entry in the carsploitation genre without a few shattered vehicles. Most impressive are two car chase sequences back-to-back. One even goes far enough to roll a tractor trailer several times, explode a vehicle off of a bridge, and flip another off the side of the road. The stuntmen must have had a field day with this picture. Most of the fight sequences take place on the road, but the few moments of hand-to-hand battle are equally as impressive.

The performances in the film are slightly above what one would expect given the material at hand. Fonda and Oates are a convincing pair, and indeed their friendship in real life helped persuade us viewers into believing their relationship on the screen. Swit and Parker are decent enough, but as our heroes' wives, they have little more to do than scream frantically while under attack. They do, however, prove themselves worthy to the plot by investigating a satanic curse that was left for them. The real standout performance is R. G. Armstrong as a small town sheriff. Armstrong's performance, as stated before, expresses a grain of doubt on what it is our heroes saw. However, it is soon learned that Armstrong was in on the evil at hand, as our heroes are brutally attacked and their RV is vandalized further in the story.

The film itself isn't flawless. Like any exploitation film, it has its problems. While the genre blending works well enough, the film somewhat suffers from an identity crisis. There are moments of pure 1970s horror, that could stand alone as being rather frightening. Then, added to that, are the car chase sequences. One would've been fine, but the addition of another immediately after the first makes me wonder if halfway through filming Jack Starrett changed his mind about the film's genre entirely. All this being said, it could've been much, much worse. (Can you imagine if they added comedic elements to the film? Hello plot of Drive Angry).

Race with the Devil is an entertaining horror/exploitation film, that deserves neither to have faded into obscurity, nor the praise of every filmgoer in America. With impressive stunt work, and cinematography, it is an excellent film to cure anyone's feelings of drive-in nostalgia, and it is a non-embarassing entry into the filmographies of underrated actors like Peter Fonda and Warren Oates.

7/10