Fatal Frames - Okkulte Morde

Brought to Rome to film a music video, a famous director is attached to the project for an up-and-coming artist, but after witnessing a murder on one of the costars and being blamed for the crime he sets out to solve the crime spree as more deaths occur around the shoot that point to him as the culprit.

This was an underwhelming if still somewhat decent enough modernized giallo. One of the better elements here comes from the seemingly old-school setup that allows for the film to appear as a fine homage to the classic era of the genre. With the affair starting in the performing arts as a music video director on holiday in Rome to shoot a new project who gets entangled in the crime spree the longer it goes on, the main launching point for what's going on is a generally serviceable enough feature. That is suitably enhanced with the advent of the killer removing the bodies from the scene of the crime but leaving a videotape behind to showcase what's going on, and with the implication of him as the culprit through some ingenious connections to another crime spree all gives this a workable story. As well, there's also quite a lot to enjoy with the better-than-imagined stalking and chasing scenes. Starting with the opening murder in the alleyway that comes off with the explicit aping of old-school aesthetics, there's a rather enjoyable dynamic incorporating television commercial stylings into the genre. That creates a wholly unnerving dream-like atmosphere during later scenes such as the brutal encounter in the park following a foot chase through the city or another victim sliced up at a tourist attraction which are both further enhanced with some graphic effects-work. A dream sequence stalking at a fountain makes for a strikingly red-lit stalking scene, while the thrilling final half provides quite a lot to like in terms of keeping the mystery going with some fine action which is enough to make this likable. There are some issues with this one. The major drawback to this one is the most obvious and straightforward feature in the overwhelmingly unnecessary running time that never needs to be this long. The inclusion of so much unrequired filler, with setpieces and meetings to discuss the video's production going on far too long for their own good, while other scenes could've been trimmed down or removed entirely while serving little purpose here. The photoshoots trying to amp up her sex appeal are nothing more than teases in the grandest sense, while performances that are captured in slow-motion or a visit to a medium's bizarre mansion just seem to drag out the running time are simply useless filler that could've been taken out without disrupting anything. The other factor on display here comes from the films' rather ham-fisted production that draws out several obvious flaws. The fact that so many of the major advertised cameos are just useless throwaways with a one-and-done sequence all feels like a waste, much like the strange profiler character introduced into the film. The character is somewhat unnecessary due to other characters on the police force doing much of the same work and proves so unworthwhile that he gets replaced shortly after being brought on board through an incredibly clumsy body double that's present due to real-world factors that are quite obvious to those who know their history. Such laziness is present through numerous other factors here that keep this one on the lower side of the genre.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, Nudity, and a Clothed Sex Scene.

an insult. It's quite inexplicable how director Al Festa managed to get enough money to shoot this. Not only this movie is worse than anything you've ever seen, but it's also some kind of insult to all the talented b-movie genre players and filmmakers it intends to pay homage to. Thank God, despite some media hyping, it's been a total flop. Sometimes there's justice, out there. Don't even think of throwing away your money catching it on tape. If you want to check out what's left of the great season of Italian B -MovieMaking you should stay in the 80's and search for every Fulci title you've missed. The Art was there. This is simply the kind of boring copycatting trash which led our industry to ashes.

This movie is utterly boring and tedious to sit through, but there is one good moment, and it's the last scene of the movie. Donald Pleasance is talking on a phone with another detective. He tells him he's heading back to the United States, but he has to be there before Halloween because "it looks like an old case has been re-opened." And then he walks off to catch his train with a cane. In the background, we hear John Carpenter's "Halloween Theme" playing. It's another case of a great ending in search of a better movie to be attached to.

Fatal Frames should have become the next big giallo. But what a trouble this flick had. Shooting started in 1993 but being ripped-off by investors the first trouble came. From their on it really became a flick full of disasters. Donald Pleasence, Rossano Brazzi and Ciccio Ingrassia made their final appearances in this flick. So a lot of rewriting.

Putting in some famous names of the genre like Pleasance, Angus Schrimm and Linnea Quigley didn't made it even worth viewing (small appearances). The lead, the so-called sex symbol being used to make video clips is another failure, Stefanie Stella, aged only had one feature, her exaggerated boobs. Complete miscasting on that era. Even as she go into a sex scene she is still wearing her knickers while having sex, really?

The beginning of the flick is okay but once the killings are done, even that isn't that good on part of shooting, the effects were laughable (machete not going into bodies while hitting them hard) and low on blood, this flick turns into a blah blah flick, sometimes showing the shoot of the clip with Stella.

It do has the giallo atmosphere, the use of blue and red lighting. The black glove is in tact and the whodunit is overall in this flick but nothing is worth seeing. Like the title said, fatal frames indeed for the production team never to arise again in the scene.

Gore 0/5 Nudity 0,5/5 Effects 1/5 Story 1,5/5 Comedy 0/5

Stefania Stella, a bizarre choice for a female lead, is horrible; she looks unattractive and mannish, has an unattractive speaking voice, and can't act or perform. The male leads are Fabio clones who can't act either. Terrible acting all around! Donald Pleasance's role is so small as to be an unnecessary cameo (I understand he died during production?). He is badly dubbed; his real voice, as good as ever, can be heard in some of the rawer footage included in the "deleted scenes" on the DVD. Terrible directing, scripting, dialogue. Even the cover art for the movie is poor; it looks like a puppet, and guess what - when that scene comes around we discover that it is indeed a dummy, no surprise. Lighting is boring: all cool blues and warm oranges, like in an unimaginative music video. A waste of time; not even a single scene to recommend it.