Director: Daniel Hallier
Year: 1970
Country: USA
Alternate Titles: N/A
Genre: Supernatural
Plot:
Following a college lecture, a student studying the occult learns that the stranger interested in their studies is involved in a series of rituals and black magic to sacrifice a human soul to bring a race of demonic rulers to Earth and races to stop the ceremony from occurring in the town.
Review:
This was an incredibly enjoyable and entertaining entry. One of its best features is that this one plays up the suspense for all it's worth, mainly in the form of the build-up to its rather fun conclusion. From the mesmerism attempts he utilizes to the constant stories from the locals warning them away to his ranting about the older ones and the rather curious way there seems to be something wrong when he is confronted by others, the film does an admirable job of building up the suspense within.
It also isn't hurt at all by its incredibly creepy back-story, which is pure old-school Gothic wonder and feels right at home with the other Gothic horrors of the time. Maybe the best is the constant use of dreams and other haze-filled, eerie visions which adds another extremely stylish touch that's greatly enhanced by the stunning cinematography for these sequences.
The film also gets some good points here from the set-up and executions of its ceremonies and rituals. The scene out in the fertility spot is incredibly chilling, and the attack on the town following the resurrection is quite impressive as well, taking out far more than expected and the great destruction of the house is exciting and really well done. So too is the stalking through the forest through the thunderstorm, which is just insanely chilling and creepy. It even has a rather decent brawl, which is a nice change of pace as both sides get the upper hand through the destructive fight and end with a violent bang, to spice things up as well. Also featuring some nice nudity, this was a fun and entertaining entry.
There weren't too many flaws here. The ending to this seems more than a little abrupt, consisting of a couple chants, a lightning bolt, and then a flaming corpse signaling the end of the film, in just about the exact same amount of time. There's no way it should've been that rushed since the rest of the film is so much more relaxed and easy-going and it's a shock to be done that way as there's no reason for that to happen. The only other flaw here concern's the film's mysterious exhibit of strange flashes during several scenes in here, which just don't seem to serve any purpose. It just disconnects the viewer during the best scenes, as they occur during the murders and several times in the end, which is curious and not all that needed. These are the film's only big flaws.
Overview: ****/5
A fun and entertaining Gothic classic, this is a highly effective adaptation of Lovecraft's work while being an enjoyable Gothic horror piece in its own right. Those who are huge fans of the style, the creative crew, or of his previous adaptations will have a lot to like here while only viewers that don't enjoy any of those factors should need caution.
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