Horror Flick of the Week: All The Colors of the Dark

Also known as 'Tutti I Colori Del Buio' and the title on the Spanish poster, this Spanish-Italian giallo doesn't stand out too terribly from the rest, but it's an experience anyway.

I find most Italian films, mainly the older ones, are far more of an experience than a cohesive and concise story. They're very much about the appearance, the mood, the feel of a movie...rather than the actual plot. I think Fulci and Fellini movies are a perfect example of this, case in point being 'House by the Cemetery', which in itself merits being featured at some point.

All the Colors of the Dark is no different. It is the experience, not the story, which stands out. The main character as I see it is the perfect example of a vulnerable female character depicted in most Giallo, manipulated by the world around her. The main thing that stands out is that she starts off a bit unhinged, and is basically put in the worst situations for any person with a severe mental illness. I imagine the director, Sergio Martino, must have been a big fan of 'Whatever Happened to Baby Jane'...and to illustrate that point, they've even got a Bette Davis lookalike in the trippy opening sequence.

I won't say this is the greatest Giallo film in history, because it really isn't. But it's certainly worth checking out. But as with most American cuts of any classic Italian horror, there are a couple of different versions. I'd advise watching the one with the opening dream sequence. And a warning before you consider watching the trailer, there is a bit of nipple at one point.

Drive-in Trailers: Giallo-ous Much?

I have no jokes for this entry, gang, sorry. I just have a note which kind of helps clarify why I like Giallo movies and yet at the same time despise most of the splatter-trash that came out of the 70s. Giallo films tended to be a bit better in film quality, though there were plenty of god-awful attempts...there always are...but they also really made the female deaths pretty. I mean when women had to be nude onscreen, it was less vulgar and more...artistic with splashes of blood? As a heterosexual woman, this made the rampant female nudity a bit more pardonable in the genre. For me, at least. The point I'm trying to make here is that Giallo films are awesome. So here's a few trailers!

Warning: Some trailers, especially the foreign language ones, may have explicit material unsuitable for children.

Horror Flick of the Week: Suspiria (1977)

Back in the 60s, there was an intriguing artist who had come into the world of directing. Inspired by Mario Bava in his art, Dario Argento created some very interesting...and very striking films. Three films of his focused on witched, the 'Three Mothers' trilogy. Suspiria is my favorite of these movies, if not my favorite Argento picture in general....with The Bird With the Crystal Plumage as a close second.

It takes place in a bizarre (and prestigious) dance academy where some of the more curious students seem to be dying in very strange and mysterious ways, by the hands of something living...or perhaps dead? It's an absolute visual feast, a movie that demands full attention if it is to be appreciated. I had put off watching Suspiria for a long time because of the hype, and that generally kills a movie for me. I really wish I hadn't, but I'm also glad I did, because seeing this as an adult really helped me to appreciate the brilliant cinematic qualities of this movie.

If you like witches. If you like magic. If you like horror. Faerie tales. Creative murder scenes. Creepy children. Weird tall men with ugly teeth. Intriguing camera techniques. Beautiful architecture. Intense lighting design. Any of this...you need to watch Suspiria as soon as possible.

Drive-in Trailers: Creepy Cats

Dogs are generally a man's best friend in a lot of stories, unless they've got rabies. Cats, however, don't always come out as the 'good guys'. In fact, more often than not, they're downright evil. If they're not, they seem to be very good at driving people insane. I mean, just look at these trailers...