I sincerely wonder how the original American distributors came up with The Eerie Midnight Horror Show? What the heck do that have to do with the movie itself and it’s not similar at all to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the title it’s inspired by. So it took me some time to actually gather energy to watch it and of course I had to see it the best way possible, through Code Red’s newly-ish released blu-ray! First of all, I have to give it to Bill over at Code Red, to release such an obscure movie! And that’s awesome, that’s a sign of really caring about strange, weird genre cinema. And in maybe ways this is a good example of stuff that needs to be seen in good quality: it’s italian, it’s colorful and it’s a 70’s film. Always fits good in HD!
Stella Carnacina is Danila, she’s a young art restorer. The company she works for have purchased a strange, hunky beardless Jesus-like statute from a church that had to be closed many years ago because of the satanic orgies that happen there (isn’t that awesome?). In the workshop the statute seems to come to life and possesses Danila, who becomes overly sexual and acts like Linda Blair in The Exorcist - no head-spinning, but there’s green vomit! Her unhappy parents who live in some weird relationship involving other partners becomes worried - naturally - and calls an exorcist! Yay!
A surprise indeed, a lot better than I expected it to be - and considering the negative reviews I’ve read earlier it’s a friggin’ masterpiece. But no, it’s not a masterpiece, but it’s a good movie and most of all, an original movie! The first part is the best, which is genuinely creepy! This statute (played by Ivan Rassimov) need to been seen to be believed! SO weird. The scene where the statue comes to life is masterful horror and the visions Danila have, including a gory crucifixion is a highlight of the movie - and is without a doubt one of the greatest exploitation moments in Italian genre film history.
Ivan Rassimov is excellent, he’s dangerous and I guess he’s a demon or the Devil or whatever. His performance is creepy. Stella Carnacina is great in the part as the innocent art restorer getting sucked in a nightmare of sex and violence. Luigi Pistilli is the exorcist and Gabriele Tinti is the hunky lover to Danila’s mother. So it’s a nice cast. Many who have seen this movie have commented on that the first half is the best, and I can - actually - agree on that. It’s twisty and perverse, with some cool effects and a sleazy, very European atmosphere. The second half isn’t bad, but it goes into very familiar exorcism-territory, maybe too familiar, and even if it’s not boring we’ve seen it before.
The blu-ray from Code Red is a bitted rugged, but looks good anyway! It’s sharp for the most time and captures the beautiful cinematography by the experienced Carlo Carlini. The scratches and dirt just gives the movie a layer of grindhouse feeling and never takes away from the overall experience. The Eerie Midnight Horror Show is far from a perfect movie, but it’s still a new favorite of mine and the blu-ray - if you can find it - it’s a must to the collection!
Thanks Code Red, keep ‘em coming!
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