I've just seen Lenzi's HELL'S GATE via the new subtitled DVD and I feel that this is yet another sign that Lenzi should have quit while he was ahead (round the early seventies). With the exception of HOUSE OF WITCHCRAFT, I've been generally disappointed with his later work (i.e. GHOSTHOUSE, CANNIBAL FEROX, the insultingly bad HOUSE OF LOST SOULS and WELCOME TO SPRING BREAK, and BLACK DEMONS) but really admire his earlier work like SEVEN BLOODSTAINED ORCHIDS, A QUIET PLACE TO KILL, PARANOIA and would like to see the others that are somewhat related to these titles.

The premise of HELL'S GATE is interesting. Geologists studying sensory deprivation stumble across the tomb of seven executed monks who vow to return and kill seven heretics (one of the most interesting points in the script is the difference between what would qualify as heresy today as opposed to when the monks were alive in the 13th century - in other words, all of the victims are heretics and doomed from the start despite their various degrees of religious belief). The characters, on the other hand, are inept. One feels sorry for both Giacomo Rossi-Stuart and Barbara Cupisti - though not so much for Pietro Genuardi who is just as irritating here as in PAGANINI HORROR or any of the other actors. Paul Muller gets away unscathed with just a cameo that makes the most of his interesting visage (he had more screentime in HOUSE OF WITCHCRAFT). The apparitions are mainly offscreen and the onscreen ones are pathetic - the real spiders here are less menacing than the fake ones in THE BEYOND.

The most amusing scene is when the others talk about the first murdered victim. They determine that the first blow knocked her unconscious and the others were to kill her slowly despite the fact that the first blow pretty much splattered her brains all over the place (she even turns away from the axe to get hit - rather than display a badly made up mannequin head - and then turns around to fall to the floor face up). The other killings are as ridiculous as in BLACK DEMONS. Even more disappointing are the offscreen deaths. Such a poor film cannot afford to dispense with even the suffering of one badly acted character.

The music is nothing special, the photography is uninteresting though well-lit, and the special effects are mainly fire and a lot of shaking. The ending is incredibly ridiculous as is the requisite nonsensical surprise ending.

So, are there any Lenzi films from this later time besides HOUSE OF WITCHCRAFT that anyone could recommend? I haven't seen HITCHER IN THE DARK or NIGHTMARE CITY (which looks like it would be laughably bad). Does Lenzi actually believe these are good films or does he just do them for the money?

You have to wonder when one watches his interviews. He seems to hold his work in pretty high regard. :blink:

All joking aside, I enjoy a few Lenzi films. SEVEN BLOODSTAINED ORCHIDS being my favorite.

I know this doesn't reply to the "later" time films of Lenzi you're asking about, but I didn't see no mention of these 2 earlier films of his in your post. I would recommend EYEBALL (1975) & KNIFE OF ICE (1972). HITCHER IN THE DARK was ok, but certainly not a favorite of my Lenzi films.

I have KNIFE OF ICE (IL COLTELLO DI GHIACCIO) in the expensive Japanese import dvd. It's Widescreen (2.35:1, I believe?) English audio, removeable Japanese subs. A high price tag, (I think $40+?), but certainly a decent Gialli that's worth a look.

I have EYEBALL (GATTI ROSSI IN UN LABIRINTO DI VETRO), on the German Import dvd, Marketing Film, titled: LABYRINTH DES SCHRECKENS. Also Widescreen 16x9, English 2.0, German 5.1 & 2.0 audio options. Another worthwhile Gialli, imho.

Haven't watched either in quite sometime, but I don't think KNIFE has anything much, if at all, for extras. But EYEBALL has a few, such as a trailer, slideshow.

Hope this helps a little?

Dean

I completely forgot about EYEBALL which I have seen via the old Prism tape. I think I will be picking that one up some time on DVD. I'm curious to see it in widescreen (2.5:1, if I'm not mistaken) and uncut (though I do enjoy the Joseph Brenner title sequences for the US release of this and Torso).

EYEBALL is great cheesy fun, with adorable Ines Pellegrini in one of her few starring roles.

I actually kinda like HOUSE OF LOST SOULS. It's a stupid brainless Italian TV movie, so keeping that in mind while viewing it, I thought it was entertaining enough. Certainly better than HOUSE OF WITCHCRAFT (also Lenzi) and SWEET HOUSE OF HORRORS (Fulci) for the same TV movie package!! Loathed BLACK DEMONS and never bothered with HITCHER IN THE DARK. I passed on HELL'S GATE, but your negative review has me wondering if I should pick it up cheap. :)

CANNIBAL FEROX and EATEN ALIVE are good fun, too, with awesome Eurocult casts filled with popular faces. I didn't care for KNIFE OF ICE, which went nowhere. SEVEN BLOODSTAINED ORCHIDS and SPASMO I really liked; the former I consider one of the best non-Argento gialli and the latter has a bad reputation, but I think it's an interesting thriller which throws a lot of curveballs at the audience.

HITCHER is probably the best film Lenzi ever did since his gory early 80s efforts. And certainly one of his best. It's really sad that many fans talk shit about NIGHTMARE CITY, It's one of the most over-the-top films I have ever seen with raging, fast-moving zombies and definately a must-own for every euro-cult fan. At that time the Italian cinema industry was still making money so many movies were produced, one after the other. So it's natural that many directors made some of their movies just for the money. None of these directors likes all of his movies.

I am here to defend Lenzi and his work because I have spent countless hours of viewing pleasure with his films and I think very highly of him. It's good seeing him taking these movies seriously- If I were in his place I would certainly be proud of myself. It's nice seeing directors creating fun movies and taking them seriously. After all, it's entertainment, isn't it? You just have to take yourself seriously in order to create something watchable. If you don't, the result will be something similar to VIOLENT SHIT.

I have to agree with lefteris.
All these years i have enjoyed so many lenzi films such as EATEN ALIVE,CANNIBAL FEROX,NIGHTMARE CITY(over the top gore fest),KNIFE OF ICE,SO SWEET SO PERVERSE,HITCER IN THE DARK,and so many others.
Accusing him for making such films only for money is stupid,because in that time
EVERY director was in for the money and that means FULCI,ARGENTO,BAVA etc
These guys were first proffesionals and then fans,and not all of them.
For example fulci directed comedies,spaghetti westerns,sword and sandals,even kids stuff.
Thats very great for a director and i amdire them for that.
Lenzi is not like fellini,or even fulci,but he has given as great times with his movies,
not to mention him as pioneer with the first italian splatter cannibal film MAN FROM THE DEEP RIVER(in my opinion,outstanding)

What I meant was that he speaks about films like BLACK DEMONS with such conviction and blames the cast and budget for the film's shortcomings.

Oddly, every other Italo cult director of those years has spoken about much of their work the same way (some blaming themselves, as well). What that means, I don't know, but the proof is in interview after interview.

Part of the explanation is...well, big dreams regularly followed by inadequate budgets and less than appropriate casts, the reality of much seventies filmmaking.

Another part is that directors end up blaming others and monetary circumstances after a while because they've gotten so tired of having their movies dismissed out of hand or lovingly patronized as cheesy trash, etc. There is pride at stake, a reputation to defend. Lenzi, like Fulci and many more has had a rough time of it, in part thanks to more or less badly dubbed and mastered videos over the years. No wonder Lenzi and the like can come across as simultaneously cocky and tetchy. Luckily, the recent crop of up to snuff cult dvds can do whatever defending is warranted by themselves...

Perhaps I am the only one in here who likes BLACK DEMONS. For sure it's inferior to Lenzi's early 80s gore films but still enjoyable. Some how it's atmosphere worked for me and the cinematography is good. Also, the gory scenes are handled very well with convincing FX. BLACK DEMONS is not one of my favorites but I don't think that it sucks either.

I spoke to Barbara Cupisti about Hell's Gate and she has quite a number of fond memories of both the production and working with Lenzi. She and Lenzi get along great and understand each other as they both share the Tuscan temporament, both being from that region in Italy.

I have only seen the full frame Italian language release of the film (released on DVD from Avo) and it's actually quite entertaining and silly - though far from the best.

BLACK DEMONS is kinda hokey fun, you just have to suspend your disbelief. It's even better when you consider how Lenzi considers it a masterpiece.

I would love to see more of Lenzi's gialli on DVD especially the Carroll Baker ones. Lenzi told me how he had to shoot two seperate endings for ORGASMO - and how the American market changed his endings to fit their requirements.

I hold Lenzi's copthrillers and his gialli in high regard. I also have fond memories of CANNIBAL FEROX - not because it's especially good - but it was one of the first Italian movies I saw and started my passion (which has fluctuated up and down over the years) for the B movie and below side to European cinema. It is never the films themselves that have jaundiced my views on these films - just outside influences and people. Sad, but unfortunately, true - preventing an enjoyable past time from being fun and making it somehow part of something more bitter and spiteful.

No argument here from me. I was just making a little joke, as he does seem very proud of ALL his efforts (just by watching the interviews of him, on some of the dvd's I have), and he rightly should. My first experience with him was CANNIBAL FEROX, then, EATEN ALIVE, which left me wanting to see more from him.

Practically everything I've watched of his, I enjoyed. I own several of his movies on dvd, but a few others, such as, A QUIET PLACE TO KILL, SO SWEET, SO PERVERSE, I never had the pleasure of seeing. I still consider myself fairly new when it comes to Euro-Cult films. Going on roughly 3 yrs. now. So there's more out there I want/need to explore.



****ERIC RE: I completely forgot about EYEBALL which I have seen via the old Prism tape. I think I will be picking that one up some time on DVD. I'm curious to see it in widescreen (2.5:1, if I'm not mistaken) and uncut (though I do enjoy the Joseph Brenner title sequences for the US release of this and Torso).

- On the back of the dvd casing it states that it is in 2.65:1. Although, where I purchased it from, Xploited Cinema, it lists on it's site as you claim, 2.5:1.

I haven't watched it in a while, so don't know which one is correct? But I'm not sure if I've ever seen a movie in 2.65:1 before?

Dean

The only things I liked about that one were the score and the locations. The voodoo sequences looked like something from a sixties or early seventies film (ala LIVE AND LET DIE).

The version of HELL'S GATE that I saw was put out by EC Entertainment with subtitles in English, Dutch, and (I think) French. It's also full frame but I think this one was shot for television, wasn't it? On the other hand, the "Houses of Doom" films were letterboxed.

Lenzi's recent TV work is supposed to be fantastic.
I have always had a soft spot for his crime films, though.