When looking at Lucio Fulci's filmography, I was under the impression I hadn't seen this title before. But as is the case with many titles, I had watched it but never reviewed it. To be fair, it took me a while into the film to realize it. In hindsight, this is a good thing, since I do think that this title is one of those rare thrillers that can be watched numerous times and not lose its magic.
So what is so magical about this? Well, first of all, it's a very seventies film. It starts with a psychedelic dream sequence featuring orgies, hippies, and other forms of debauchery. Second, Fulci combines grittiness with nightmares in such a way that, as a viewer, you are going to wonder what is real or not. Is it psychological or supernatural? This does create some suspense and tension. But the film doesn't contain dread in the traditional sense. This is not a giallo where you get to see multiple murders and where the killer is shown to chase his victims.
But Lucio Fulci wouldn't be Lucio Fulci if he didn't add some of his trademarks to the film. Which is blood and gore. In the opening dream sequence, there is some, and later in the film, there is a scene that got him into trouble. He was accused of animal cruelty. He got cleared once special effects artist Carlo Rambaldi (who later worked on E.T.) proved it was fake by bringing the mechanical, animatronic dog props used in the film to court. Mind you, this very random scene certainly is shocking, but has no real purpose being there. It's not even explained what the scientists were experimenting with. It's possible is one big misdirection concerning the lead character played by Florinda Bolkan.
The viewer is being misdirected once you get to the conclusion. The reveal is a little underwhelming since, up until that moment, there weren't that many red herrings thrown at you. Although it does seem like one that, if you rewatch it, events become more compelling.
That being said, I want to mention the DVD I watched. I have purchased it on Amazon.com and was surprised by how good the quality is. It sounds and looks amazing. It definitely enhanced the viewing experience for me. So if, like me, you want to add this title to your collection, you don't have to purchase the expensive boutique collection. Overall, it's a decent title, but Lucio Fulci has done better!
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