Villages of the Damned: Three Horrors From Spain Blu-ray - Carroll Baker / Dennis Hopper @VinegarSyndrome
Added 2023-07-22 18:11:47 +0000 UTCBONUS CAPTURES:
Villages of the Damned: Three Horrors From Spain Blu-ray - Carroll Baker / Dennis Hopper @VinegarSyndrome
El bosque del lobo aka The Forest of the Wolf (1970), Beatriz (1976) and Las flores del vicio aka The Sky is Falling (1975)
OUR REVIEW:
Beginning in the late 60s, and lasting through the end of Franco’s iron-fisted rule, genre filmmakers working in Spain began using the horror genre to astutely comment on issues of class, religion, governance and the horrors of day-to-day life. Collected here are a trio of unique and unsettling tales of distinctly Spanish horror, all of which are making their English-friendly Blu-ray debuts.
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The Forest of the Wolf' aka 'The Ancines Woods' was co-written, produced, and directed by Pedro Olea and deals with Lycanthropy; the unusual belief a person might have transformed into an animal - often a werewolf. The director's most notable film would be 1984's Akelarre ("Witches' Sabbath") that was entered into the 34th Berlin International Film Festival. It's a shade slowly paced but reaches an interesting conclusion. Beatriz is directed by Gonzalo Suárez and stars Sandra Mozarowsky and Nadiuska (Spanish Fly) - of the 'translucent eyes' - a Polish / Russian model who became a cult celebrity in Spain during the 1970s. Sadly, later in life, she was committed to a psychiatric ward with schizophrenia. I liked this but it took a brutal turn in the final 1/3rd. The Sky Is Falling, aka The Flowers of Vice or as released in the United States Bloodbath - is cited as a 'surrealist thriller' and I would agree with the 'surrealist' part as I found it very confusing and not, in my definition, as belonging to the 'horror' genre. It was directed by Silvio Narizzano (Hammer Studio's Frantic) and is notable for having Dennis Hopper - as a drug-addict poet - and Carroll Baker - as an washed-up alcoholic actress (both who had appeared together in George Stevens' 1956 Giant.) There are other supporting role names, ex. Richard Todd, Faith Brook, likewise playing expatriates in a small Spanish village. There are a few 'religious cult'-motivated murders. The Sky Is Falling has harsh imagery with animal cruelty and a young boy trampled. It certainly would have been better in Buñuel's hands. Frankly, I didn't like it very much. It is definitely the oddball of this Villages of the Damned package. I did enjoy the Gothic-styled 'period' atmosphere of the first two films. It is another 'helluva package' from Vinegar Syndrome with three rare, cult films sharing a themes, expertly transferred to Blu-ray and with revealing extras and a book. Even better news is that is is offered at a very reasonable price on Amazon (40% OFF) at the writing of this review. Recommended to the right crowd.
