Opinions on some Fulci films

[Cydeous]

I was wondering what everyone thinks of these Fulci films:

- Zombi 3
- Sweet House of Horrors
- Voices from Beyond
- A Cat in Brain

Generally, I like his movies but I was really disappointed by Demonia. I haven't seen the above four but I'm assuming that Zombi 3 is the best of the bunch. Any thoughts?

[Jog]

Zombi 3 was started by Fulci, but was completed by Bruno Mattai of "Hell of the Living Dead" and "Rats: Night of Terror" fame. There are conflicting reports as to how much of the film is actually Fulci's... anyhow, Mattai is participating in Shriek Show's R1 dvd, so I guess we'll hear his side of the story again...

Sweet House of Horrors is a made for TV film Fulci made late in his career. The gore looks to be pretty good, but I've never seen it, and it's supposedly not great.

Cat in the Brain will never ever come out out on R1 dvd ever. Well, someday I hope. It's a collection of gore footage from various Fulci films and even non-Fulci films joined with new footage of Fulci playing himself wondering if his violent career has driven him insane. It's easily the most interesting of these late films, and some would say the best.

Voices From Beyond is I think Fulci's second-to-last film. It's been out for a while, but I've never seen it.

[DefJeff]

how about Aenigma?? i wondered how that was myself.

yea i agree, Demonia BLEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bruce h]

If you guys couldn't find cheap enjoyment in DEMONIA then odds are you won't like any of the listed titles either. I personally think everyone needs to see CAT IN THE BRAIN and ZOMBI 3, but what the hell do I know?

I believe Claudio Fragesso is also claiming he filmed some of ZOMBI 3.

[Wez4555]

i saw the easter egg trailer for Cat in the brain..and it got me exited. i know its prolly not the best but im a fulci nut so id prolly love it.

[Max Yokell]

While I liked the Movie Aenigma, I seem to remember the DVD not being very good. The movie is actually a pretty cool Fulci movie.


Mac

[crank]

I read an interview with Claudio Fragesso somwhere (I can't remember where now) where he said that he directed most if not all of the footage Mattei was supposed to have directed, but let Mattei take the credit because he knew Fulci would be pist about it, and didn't want to anger the director he at the time respected. Don't know if I buy it, but the article was about how much of many of the movies Fragesso and Mattei made together that Fragesso may have directed. He claimed to have done quite a bit.

crank

[Shannafey]

I recently acquired a bootleg of Zombi 3 and I enjoyed it. Just brainless eye candy and I am a sucker for zombie films.

[bruce h]

I read an interview with Claudio Fragesso somwhere (I can't remember where now)
It was probably the interview Jay Slater did for Dark Side. I think that's where I got the info too.

[Jason25]

Cydeous - I enjoy all of the Fulci films you listed, especially Voices From Beyond, which is highly underrated.

Zombi 3 has its moments, a good film if you don't expect too much going in.

Sweet House Of Horrors is the weakest of the 4 listed. Not very gory and somewhat slow, an aquired taste.

A Cat In The Brain is very enjoyable. Gory and a nice compilation of sorts as it contains scenes from several Fulci and Bianchi films.

[Jay Slater]

Hello Bruce - trust all is well.

I have interviewed people behind the camera on Zombi 3 (I had this released in the UK as Zombie Flesh Eaters 2) and Beatrice Ring, for example, told me that Fulci directed pretty much all of the movie that you see. This makes sense as Fragasso told me in Rome that the producer, Franco Gaudenzi, insisted that he and Mattei added a few scenes and cut material out as scenes laster for ever. This was the reason why Luciano Pigozzi's sequence was cut as the camera rolled for what seemed years. If anything, Mattei (who is an excellent editor) spruced up what was an incompetent picture from the start. Also, I have been told from very reliable sources that Fulci allowed stuntmen and actors Massimo Vanni (Enzo G. Castellari's cousin) and Ottaviani Dell'Acqua (aka Richard Raymond and lead actor in Rats) to direct scenes in the movie.

As for Fulci's latter movies, well, once he left the creative team of Fabrizio De Angelis, Sergio Salvati, etc, it was obvious that he relied on others behind the camera (remember that Salvati also worked with Sergio Leone on The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.) Movies such as Demonia, The Ghosts of Sodom, Voices from Beyond and Aenigma are deperate movies with little or no redeeming qualities (best stick to a moudly VHS copy.) As for Nightmare Concert, this splits the horror community into two camps. Personally, I find it to be a badly made bore - selling itself on its recycled (and badly concepted) special effects for its reason for being. That said, it can be entertaining...

If you are looking for decent trashy Italian exploitation, you really cannot go wrong with the movies from Renato Polselli's cannon. US fans are in for a treat with Anchor Bay's Delirio caldo aka Delirum. This is certainly worth checking out and features one of the best Italian scores ever...

Jay Slater

[AlkanFan]

Renato Polselli's Reincarnation of Isabelle was definitely an interesting affair as well, having a kinetic style guaranteed to keep the viewer awake, as well as an eclectic (and sometimes downright crazy) musical score. The domestic DVD is available through Redemption USA and Image.

[STREET TRASH]

ZOMBI 3 is great fun and fear not, even if you detest the abomination that is DEMONIA (like I did) I believe you'll find something of interest here. It's hardly dull; features an array of goofy zombies that range from the "so-fast-you'd-swear-your-VCR-remote-was-on-fast-foward" to the kinds that enjoy hiding in the STRANGEST of places, as well as plenty of gore, a cool musical score and a flying zombie head (!?)

A CAT IN THE BRAIN is quite the mish mashed film. Composed of several other italian gore flicks, it can be confusing and choppy at times. Some claim it to be Fulci's crowning achievement while others would cite it as Fulci's worst hour. I only watched it once years ago and I remember gore, gore, gore...

AENIGMA is dullsville. A shame because it has a lot of potential and the snail attack sequence is really something else. Better than DEMONIA but much tamer in the gore dept.

[Cydeous]

Thanks for the replies. I'll probably give Zombi 3 a shot. I have Aenigma and for some reason I like it. The weird thing is that whenever I play it, I think it's dull. Maybe it works on the subconscious... who knows.

I really enjoyed Polselli's The Riencarnation of Isabel so I'll probably pick up Delirium.

Unfortunately, in these shitty (i.e. jobless) times, I have to make sure that I'm going to enjoy the DVD before I purchase it.

[crank]

I'm really stolked about the Delirium DVD. I'm going to be raping the new AB selection for about a month there at the end of July, beginning of August. Delirium, Hitchhike, Demons of the Mind, Straight on til Morning, Nightmare City, Werewolf's Shadow, Curse of the Devil, and The Antichrist. Not to even mention the upcoming Herzog's Kinski box set. I'm going to be one broke mofo.

crank

[hell ya!]

What is the movie Delirium about , is it any good? Just wanted to know if I should add it to the list. Thanks:)