Blu Release – 4/5
The Prince of Terror
Director – Lamberto Bava (Demons, Macabre)
Starring – Tomas Arana (Gladiator, Blood Feud), Carole Andre (Yor: The Hunter from the Future, Flawless), and David Brandon (StageFright, Beyond Darkness)
Release Date – 1996
Rating – 3.5/5
Lamberto Bava is a name that many genre fans know and love but is one that I could argue is severely underrated. Bis career started in the mid-70s but it was in the early 80s that he really made a name for himself in the horror genre with films like Macabre, A Blade in the Dark, Demons and Demons 2, You’ll Die At Midnight, and Delirium. There was a few stinkers scattered throughout, like Devil Fish, but the majority of them are must see title for genre fans but they are not as widely known as films like Friday the 13th, Night of the Living Dead, and so on. Demons especially, is a movie that I think every horror fan needs to see at least once but I can easily argue that most of the other films I previously mentioned of his should be seen as well.
A few weeks back my friends over at Severin sent me the High Tension set. The set contains four made for television movies from an Italian show titled High Tension. These episodes never made it to air due to their graphic nature and was recently restored by Severin. I couldn’t wait to check these out and started with The Prince of Terror. I want to thank Severin for sending this one over!
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows a horror director who calls himself The Prince of Terror and lived in a secluded home with his wife and teenage daughter. After hosting a dinner for a producer and his date, he finds strange things happening around his home from their family pet going missing, the toilet backing up, and light fixtures suddenly exploding. Things take a sinister twist when they find their dog skinned and a maniac inside their home. When the three fight back they learn that the maniac is actually an actor who has history with the director who has partnered with a writer recently fired by the director. Both are disgruntled and plan on putting him through hell but are unaware just how far the Prince of Terror is willing to go to protect his wife and child. **Spoiler Alert**
It absolutely blows my fucking mind that Bava went into this to make a made for television movie and this was what he came up with. I don’t know the ins and outs of this one so I’m not going to pretend like I do but from what I have read is that these four films were never aired but did find some sort of release eventually finding its way to VHS or BETA. While working on this review I was able to find several clips on YouTube from the film that was recorded from sort of tape. Regardless if it was aired or not, this was one hell of a movie and I fucking loved it. I wish I would have seen this one earlier, especially when I was first getting into Bava and his films.
The acting in this one is over the top especially for the time but that has always been a trademark of his. We have some of the cast delivering serious performances almost like they are chasing awards while others are hamming it up in front of the camera. This inconsistent acting would normally ruin a film but it’s fun with Bava and most other Italian genre films.
The story for this one is a bit far fetched but it wasn’t predictable and the “what the fuck” moments were plenty. I don’t think this one has a lot of replay value but the story is fantastic for a first time watch. I suspect he had this story ready for a film and was up against a deadline for the television movie so he did some doctoring and submitted it.
Finally, the film has some pretty gruesome moments that I’m still daydreaming about. The film doesn’t have a big body count but two particular instances uses some phenomenal practical effects that were absolutely gorgeous. It’s not the most gruesome Lamberto Bava film but the few times we get gore, he makes it count. Overall, The Prince of Terror is nowhere near my favorite film from Italian filmmaker Lamberto Bava but god damn did I love it. It’s a strange film for sure but fans of mid-90s horror and Italian gore will appreciate this one. It’s not your typical made for television movie which makes me question that entirely.
The Man Who Wouldn’t Die
Director – Lamberto Bava (Body Puzzle, Ghost Son)
Starring – Martine Brochard (Eyeball, The Violent Professionals), Keith Van Hoven (Warhead, Black Demons), and Gino Concari (Massacre, Jealous Eyes)
Release Date – 1989
Rating – 3/5
When Severin announced the release of the High Tension: Four Film by Lamberto Bava, I knew I had to have it. I didn’t care if they sent me one for review or I had to pay for it. This was a must own set for me. Bava is easily one of the most underrated filmmakers in the genre and this set was four films of his that I had never seen before.
The first film in the set, The Prince of Terror, was a great start to my Bava marathon and I quickly tossed in the second film in the set which was The Man Who Wouldn’t Die. While not a horror film in a traditional sense, this crime thriller was still very much enjoyable. Like always, I want to thank Severin for sending this one over for review.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows a gang of thieves who pull off a job of rare art and priceless antiques. However, one of them is a real piece of shit who tries to rape a woman they have bound and gagged. The man with her, who is also bound and gagged, drops a double boot stomp to the back of his head leaving him unable to move. His gang find him and decide to dispose of his body deep in the woods. However, he’s not dead and is rescued sometime later where he makes a full recovery. Members of his gang start getting murdered one by one where they suspect it’s him because they dumped his body. **Spoiler Alert**
The Man Who Wouldn’t Die is not a horror film. I went into it expecting a horror title but was greeted with a crime thriller that I actually enjoyed for the most part. I am a bit disappointed that it wasn’t the horror title I was expected especially from looking at the artwork for the film the accompanied the set.
The acting in this one is solid. We have some overacting in a few scenes and a lot of flat dialogue but the overall film has decent acting. With that being said, this is one of the few films recently where I found myself disliking every character in the film. This is not the acting but how the characters are written which goes to show how solid the acting truly was.
The story for this one is a fantastic crime film with some thriller aspects that borrows heavily from the traditional slasher formula. An art heist resulting in the injury of a man who finds his gang turning on him and leaving him for dead. They then start dying one by one and suspect it’s him seeking revenge. This almost feels like a slasher but at heart is a crime film and very much so plays out like one. I did enjoy it though. It has great pacing and enough action to hold your attention from beginning to end.
Finally, the film has several deaths with some blood and kills that fit the film. They are not as memorable as I would have liked but they do work with the film itself. Overall, The Man Who Wouldn’t Die is another fantastic film from Bava but it’s not the horror title I was really looking forward to. Honestly, check it out. You will not be disappointed.
School of Fear
Director – Lamberto Bava (Demons, Demons 2)
Starring – Alessandra Acciai (The Big Dream, The Youngest Son), Jean Hebert (Brivido Giallo, La Piovra), and Viola Simoncioni (The Betrothed, Club Vacanze)
Release Date – 1993
Rating – 3/5
This High Tension: Four Films by Lamberto Bava has been a lot of fun so far. I was afraid that this set would be like the Cliff Twemlow and Danza Macabra Volume Four where some of the films would be unforgettable and the rest would be a tough watch. However, that has not been the case up to this point. I may be a bit biased because I am a huge fan of Bava’s but these four films were brand new to me.
The first two in the set were great with one not being a horror film like I was expecting. Regardless, it was a lot of fun and I couldn’t wait for the third film which the 1993 film School of Fear.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows a teacher with a sorted past sent to an elite school where the former teacher fell to her death. She starts to worry about her students the more she gets to know them before becoming alarmed by a secret game they refuse to let adults know about. She becomes obsessed when one of her students doesn’t return to class and she suspects the other students are behind it. She becomes linked with a local detective but he doesn’t believe her either. However, that changes when she goes missing on a school trip and he suspects the students are behind it.
Calling School of Fear a horror title is a bit of a stretch. It has a lot of horror elements but at the end of the day it’s no more the day it was nothing more than a dark thriller. Don’t get me wrong. This was a solid film, especially from Bava, but it was a lot like The Man Who Wouldn’t Die. It had it’s dark moments but just wasn’t a horror film when it was all said and done.
The acting in this one was my favorite in the set by far. The characters in this one are more natural and well grounded. The children, while young, have better acting chops than most of the veterans with years, or even decades, of experience in front of the camera. This is where talent, direction, and solid writing collide to create an entertaining experience for the viewer.
The story for this one is exactly what I would expect from a made for television movie. It’s not really horror, as I stated earlier, but it does borrow some horror elements. With that being said, the film is a very dark thriller where the children are mysterious and menacing. Well, as menacing as rich children with no conscience can be. I do like the story and how well it played out but it is predictable with very little replay value.
Finally, don’t expect a bloody or violent film like the previous two. This one has just a little blood and a lot of character development. Overall, School of Fear is nowhere near the top of my favorite Lamberto Bava films but it is enjoyable. It’s worth a watch especially if you are taking the time to watch the other films in this set.
Eye Witness
Director – Lamberto Bava (Body Puzzle, Devil Fish)
Starring – Barbara Cupisti (Cemetery Man, Mothers), Stefano Davanzati (Dagger Eyes, The Final Executioner), Alessio Orano (Lisa and the Devil, Summer Affair)
Release Date – 1993
Rating – 3/5
I’ve been fortunate to review several box sets and collections over the years but this High Tension: Four Films by Lamberto Bava from my friends over at Severin Films has really impressed. It’s not often that you find a set of films where every movie in the set is enjoyable but this one has done it. You can say that I’m being a bit biased because I am a fan of Bava’s but these films really are entertaining but I wouldn’t call them all horror.
In fact, some of the films may have some horror aspects scattered throughout, but they are mostly crime thrillers or dark drama. I just finished the fourth and final film in the set, Eye Witness. This one, much like the first film, feels a lot like a classic slasher meets a crime thriller. It was a great movie but not necessarily a horror tale. Regardless, it was worth it!
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows a pair trying to steal from a department store before closing time. However, as one of them leaves, the other is left behind to wait for them to fetch the car when one of the employees is murdered. She is there for the horrible crime but doesn’t see it because she is blind. However, she did hear and smell the killer which is the best the detectives can get for the crime. The killer tries to cover up their lose ends and suspects that the blind witness can sense them resulting in a game of cat and mouse between the two. **Spoiler Alert**
These four made for television films from Lamberto Bava were really strange to me. I know every country has different rules and regulations but I can’t see how Bava thought any of these films would be able to air on television. This is not the most gruesome of the four films but it is one with a little more focus on sex. Regardless, it makes sense why not all of these films aired on television and this one was another fun one to watch.
The acting in this one is very consistent. I’ve seen movies and television shows where the cast is visually impaired and it was evident that was not the case here. It was a bit campy at times watching react while pretending to be blind. Also, a few of the scenes at the beginning of the film is a bit stiff. I can only assume that the film was shot in order and the cast slowly became more comfortable in their roles.
The story for this one has some horror elements but it it’s base is a crime thriller. The movie gives you the killer fairly early on with the tension and buildup taking place as this woman who is visually impaired is stalked by the known killer. It’s predictable and while it was enjoyable for a first time watch, it doesn’t really have replay value like the other films in the set.
Finally, this film does have a few deaths but they are not as gruesome as I was expecting. The first film in the set really set the tone for what Bava could do with practical effects but the three films since have not really followed in it’s footsteps. This one has some skin, some blood, and that is about the extent of it. Overall, Eye Witness feels like it wants to be a giallo of sorts but doesn’t fully commit to it. It’s a solid film but it is predictable and doesn’t really have any replay value. Check it out but don’t expect it to be your new favorite film.
Special Features:
Disc 1
Audio Commentary With Mondo Digital’s Nathaniel Thompson And Troy Howarth, Author Of So Deadly, So Perverse: 50 Years Of Italian Giallo Films
The Adventure Of Anfri – Interview With Director Lamberto Bava On High Tension
We Call Him Maestro – Lamberto Bava On THE PRINCE OF TERROR
Disc 2
The Scerbanenco Touch – Interview With Director Lamberto Bava
Stephen King Italian Style – Interview With Screenwriter Dardano Sacchetti
Disc 3
The Tale Of Evil Children – Interview With Director Lamberto Bava
Play The Game – Interview With Screenwriter Roberto Gandus
When Bava Met Boswell – Interview With Composer Simon Boswell
Disc 4
BOSWELL/BAVA Compilation CD
Disc 5
Audio Commentary With Mondo Digital’s Nathaniel Thompson And Troy Howarth, Author Of So Deadly, So Perverse: 50 Years Of Italian Giallo Films
The Last Giallo – Interview With Director Lamberto Bava
Love Is Blind – Interview With Actress Barbara Cupisti
