Director – Eloy de la Iglesia (El Pico, Navajeros)
Starring – Carmen Sevilla (Cross of the Devil, House of the Damned), Vincente Parra (The Cannibal Man, Daddy’s War), and Maria Asquerino (Dead of Laughter, Nobody Will Speak of Us When We’re Dead)
Release Date – 1973
Rating – 3/5
Blu Release – 2.5/5
The last few days I’ve been busy watching several films from Spanish filmmaker Eloy de la Iglesia who has helmed some seriously amazing films during his career. A few weeks ago I was introduced to his films when Severin sent over The Cannibal Man for review. I was sold then on his films but once I took a dive into the Quinqui Collection from Severin I fell in love.
I can’t stop speaking the praises of El Pico and it’s sequel. Once I finished those three films I immediately took a dive into Iglesia’s 1973 suspense thriller, horror, black comedy hybrid No One Heard the Scream starring The Cannibal Man’s Vincente Parra. Once again I want to thank MVD and Severin for sending this one over.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows a working girl who lives in an apartment building but things take a peculiar turn when she spots her attractive neighbor dumping his wife’s body down the elevator shaft. Not trusting her to keep her mouth shut, he forces her to help him dispose of the body but soon they start to catch feelings for each other creating a relationship out of murder and deception. **Spoiler Alert**
Iglesia may be my new favorite filmmaker. Even though he passed away in 2006 I’m just now discovering him thanks to the hard work from Severin Films and their new releases over the last few months. No One Heard the Scream is not my favorite Iglesia film but It’s still a fantastic flick that I think a lot of genre fans can appreciate.
The acting in this one is great. Vincente Parra is great as the husband who murders his wife and finds love with the witness. Though the story is not about him he still finds a way to steal the show. Makes sense that Iglesia was keen with working with him. Carmen Sevilla is the film’s lead and she doesn’t a fantastic job. Her seductive demeanor carries the film but her personality made it so much fun. The supporting cast is decent but the characters don’t really stand out.
The story for this one is like a suspense thriller meets a horror with a little dash of comedy scattered throughout. The humor doesn’t match the film and doesn’t really find it’s mark but aside from that I found myself enjoying it. It is a bit predictable but I really did enjoy it. Finally, the film has some blood and a few moments of practical effects make-up but nothing that will stand out to the viewer especially to veteran horror fans. It fits the film very well but it’s not gruesome or extremely brutal. Overall, No One Heard the Scream is a solid late not horror thriller that works with it’s great cast and solid story. It doesn’t really offer up much in way of a revisit but it’s entertaining for a first time watch. I recommend it.
Special Features:
Eloy de la Iglesia And The Spanish Giallo: An Interview with Film Scholar Dr. Andy Willis
