The film tries to weave a web of unease and mystery around the secret in the cellar, and for a while it really works. The camera work and the general look of the locations is pretty good, with a sense of brooding gothic mystery hanging over the poor family. The house itself looks particularly impressive in most of the external shots. However the story rapidly unravels as the film proceeds to throw countless red herrings into the mix and then either completely abandons them (people claiming to have seen Norman at the house in the past, the things that Bob's mysterious playmate Mae tells him about the house's former occupants), or blatantly contradicts itself (most notably the Boyles babysitter, Ann, who's behaviour suddenly swings from one style to the total oppostive with no explanation). But if you can put the irregularities of the script to one side, you should enjoy the ride on a purely shallow level. Lots of scenes are drenched in great atmosphere, such as those involving the enigmatic Mae, and especially the last portion of the film when we get to see exactly what has been going on in the depths of the cellar.

The acting's pretty good, and even though poor Bob has been given a thoroughly unconvincing vocal dub, the scenes with him in peril are among the best that Fulci has ever filmed. I would point out his "axe through the door" scene as one capable of producing a real jolt from any first time viewers. It's also one of the only Fulci films with an enigmatic ending that actually works - I love the other-worldly closing scene and find it very fitting. Plus, it's extremely gory, especially the death of one character who is slowly and repeatedly stabbed with a poker, with blood shown jetting out of every close-up wound. Another character has her throat repeatedly slashed with a large knife until her head appears about to drop off.

So worth adding to any horror collection, as long as you don't mind a plot with quite this many loose ends. However, to the shame of the UK, the British censors are still too squeamish to release the film totally uncut, so I wouldn't recommend this Vipco version, even though it is pretty cheap, because all the gory excesses of the murders have been trimmed. Fulci's trademarks are his gore set-pieces, always presented with lots of suitable build up to, so tampering with them as has been done here dilutes the film's power considerably. You get what you pay for, which is why the Vipco version is forever languishing in the bargain bins. So leave it where it is...The Anchor Bay Region 1 import is the one to go for.

Utterly Boring !
Review date: 2005-08-13 Rating: 2 out of 10

This movie is working hard on trying to frighten one, but never manage to, before one fall asleep.

It is a boring, and even to many times comic, trying to be frightening movie. The storyline is without importanse and i doubt there is anything in the very graphic special effects, there will frighten a 21th. centery viewer. They even look ridiculously stupid.

This utterly boring movie, is only to be bought by persons who wan't to have a complete '70 horror movie dvd archieve at home, buying what ever there is to buy.

DON'T BE TEMPTED

AWESOME HAUNTED HOUSE TALE
Review date: 2005-06-14 Rating: 10 out of 10

This is one of THE scariest films I have ever seen. The first time I watched this alone it was quite an experience. Some of the dubbing, especially the kid Giovanni Frezza was a little irritaring, but even the cut British version of this film is so dark and atmospheric its become one of my all time favourite movies. As with many Lucio Fulci films, there are plot holes and very bizarre untold stories going on, but I dont think this matters as the overall feel is SCARY AS HELL! The camera work is fantastic, loads and loads of zoom lens use and close ups of Eyeballs and bloody wounds. The zombie himself Dr.Freudstien is kept hidden in the basement for most of the film but once discovered is just fantastic. The film bases itself around some sort of gothic vortex of time, the film begins in the present and ends in the past. Quite haunting stuff. I wont say any more, but this is one horror film you need to see!!!!!!!!!!!!

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