Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A FULCI FILM, 29 Oct 2007
As the students at Arts for Living Center prepare for a big competition, which instructor Candice Norman, (Olga Karlatos) believes isn't at the right time, one of the students is brutally murdered at the school. The police inspector put on the case, Lt. Borges, (Cosimo Cinieri) finds that the clues don't add up, even as more students start to get killed. Candice becomes convinced the model from her dreams, George Webb, (Ray Lovelock) and after meeting him, they decide to solve the crimes themselves. As the killer starts to attack more vigorously, they speed the investigation before they kill the entire staff of dancers.
The Good News: There is a couple of nice moments here. The mystery itself isn't bad, and the weird inclusion of the dreamed-of maniac adds something fairly interesting. It's the best part of the film, since it really does show some spark of originality within the film. The whodunit nature of the film is brilliantly played out, and the final reveal is effective. The fact that it's so unexpected and comes out of the clear blue is a great help, giving it a smarter approach. The murders are undoubtedly what makes this one shine, and there are several standout set-ups in here. The several kills in the beginning center are a perfect example, as the killer's point-of-view is mixed with a claustrophobic setting and the ingenious use of a strobe light to give it a little extra. That flashing light in the background does work quite well and builds a really great atmosphere for the kills. The later scene in the apartment is the real suspense highlight, and it plays out really nicely. The fact that songs during the dances aren't that bad is a good thing, and it makes the scenes a little more enjoyable.
The Bad News: This is overall a really decent film, which means there's some hard-to-digest moments. The drawn-out pacing is used to maximize the suspense, but the slow-going nature of the proceedings actually has the opposite effect and grinds the momentum to a halt. It hurts the film greatly, as the middle section is a long, overly drawn-out series of investigations that take away from the killing. This is a major gripe against the film, and it harms it the most. Although it's a cheap shot, the lack of gory slayings hurts the film even further. The method of killing is the major reason, as there's hardly a chance for it to happen, and that really neuters the potential for it right at the start. Overall, the slow pace is what kills it more than anything.
The Final Verdict: Far from being a traditional Fulci film, this is a rather mediocre effort here. It's nice to see him doing something other than the normal gore set-pieces and try out something else, but the result is a very slow and boring film that will only appeal to the most hardcore Fulci collectors and European fans, while those that don't like them as much are advised to seek caution.
|
|
|
|
![Murder Rock [1984] (REGION 1) (NTSC) [DVD] [US Import]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51NY18DBBFL._SL75_SS50_.jpg)
![Conquest [DVD] [1984] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51FEM2WBZML._SL75_SS50_.jpg)
![She Wolves of the Wasteland [DVD] [1987] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51L7Jcu3JXL._SL75_SS50_.jpg)
![Inferno [DVD] [1980] [US Import] [NTSC]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51XY-gnNMQL._SL75_SS50_.jpg)
![The Black Belly of the Tarantula [DVD] [1972] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51273WAB8ML._SL500_SS90_.jpg)
![Perversion Story [1971] (NTSC) [DVD] [US Import]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5109CUOzrkL._SL500_SS90_.jpg)
![Torso [1974] [DVD]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51G5jSOe1NL._SL500_SS90_.jpg)
![Conquest [DVD] [1984] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51FEM2WBZML._SL500_SS90_.jpg)
![Who Saw Her Die? [1971] [DVD]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/517NNeJpVNL._SL500_SS90_.jpg)
