HALLOWEEN HORROR CHALLENGE MOVIE #8 - THE HANGING WOMAN

THE HANGING WOMAN (1971) aka TERROR OF THE LIVING DEAD aka RETURN OF THE ZOMBIES aka ORGY OF THE DEAD
D. Jose Louis Merino
TROMA DVD
FULL FRAME

I have a special love for Paul Naschy and his films. In 2007 when the BCI releases came out I introduced his work to a very dear friend of mine that I unfortunately do not get to see often. The two of us came to love watching Naschy's  movies together and over the years since it has become something we do together. Life has it's way of making things difficult and time has not allowed us to watch more of his movies since we looked at HOUSE OF PSYCHOTIC WOMEN near the beginning of this year. As part of my Halloween Horror Challenge I decided to look at THE HANGING WOMAN, released by Troma. I really wish my friend had been here for it.

THE HANGING WOMAN is clearly not one of Naschy's better vehicles. In fact he is only in it sporadically playing IGOR the local gravedigger with a penchant for kissing up the sleeping bosoms of maidens and touching up the corpse of his dead girl. The real plot deals with Serge (Stelvio Rosi) a count who has come to a sleepy town to claim the mansion left behind by his dead Uncle. He finds a house full of insanity with Uncle's former partner and his daughter conducting electric experiments on dead tissue in hopes of resurrection. Also living there is his Uncle's mistress who wants only to sell the mansion and get her mega-bucks. 

Serge fucks his way through the female cast while trying to figure out what is going on. Along the way the Doctor's daughter is found hanging in the graveyard, but she clearly did not die by her own hand. Eventually all roads lead to the fact his Uncle is still walking around killing.

The movie has a leaden pace that only livens up during the psychedelically shot sex scenes, and the few and far between gore scenes. The climax with the living dead is thankfully very effective with some incredible make up. Naschy is in the climactic scenes the most, so fans of the man  have to wait to see him in action. 

The TROMA DVD is the most complete version of the movie possible, but it still looks like shit. While it is clearly cut together from several prints but not much remastering seems to have been done. Thankfully they went buck wild with the extras with a commentary, a bunch of interesting featurettes, trailers and a great spot on dubbing in Spain by Art Ettinger and Mike Maggot. 

If I was going to recommend a Naschy film this would not be at the top of the list. But it quenches the Naschy thirst somewhat.

Review © Andrew Copp

Halloween Horror Challenge Oct 9th: The Baby's Room (2007)

SIX FILMS TO KEEP YOU AWAKE
THE BABY'S ROOM (2007)
D. Alex De La Iglesia
Made for Spanish TV

This entry in the made for Spanish TV series that was the south of the border equivalent to our own lackluster MASTERS OF HORROR show is directed by Mexican insane man Alex De La Iglesia who brought us such amazing works as DAY OF THE BEAST and PERDITA DURANGA and this year's acclaimed THE LAST CIRCUS. Fan's coming to THE BABY'S ROOM expecting those kinds of cinematic fireworks might be a bit surprised to find that this is actually a fairly subdued, chilly affair that has more to do with a movie like THE SHINNING than the over the top work he is more identified with.

The story deals with a young couple (Played by JAVIER GUTIERREZ and LENOR WATLING)who have bought their first new home and have just had a baby. They are given a baby monitor and that night and they hear voices over it that kind of freak them out. This leads them to pick up a video monitor for the baby's room to make sure there isn't something really wrong going on. Naturally the Father at least, ends up seeing some very creepy things on that monitor such as a man in a suit sitting by his baby son's bed, and later a bloody body being dragged around the house. Unfortunately for him, his wife does not see these thing, but only him entering the room to pick up the baby while holding the knife he grabbed to confront the intruder. Which makes him look crazy. Or IS he crazy.

The story quickly becomes much more complicated, involving ghosts, looking into the future and of all things quantum theory. It is a heady stew that would be very difficult to swallow, but Iglesia keeps it all moving fast and when it gets absurd, be throws a terrific scare scene in to jolt you. By the end of the movie the jolts have become outright terror with a climax that actually works.

It is nice to see a horror movie that builds on story and actual scares, and not on trying to top itself with gory set pieces or out do other films in nihilism and brutality which is too much of the genre has become lately. This is a very fine piece of work and highly recommended. 

Review © Andrew Copp