Fatal Frames - Okkulte Morde

'Fatal Frames' is a curious blend of Italian and American film-making, combining elements of both styles, and actors but one which, ultimately, ends up as a disappointment due to amateurish acting and a general sense of monotony which permeates throughout the film.

To reduce the tedium and monotony, this film should have been better edited and less than an hour and a half long. It should have never exceeded the two hour mark.

To mention a positive aspect, on the other hand, the ending contains an interesting plot twist of sorts which I did not expect. The concept certainly had potential, and it is a shame that this film did not have more overall finesse which would have improved its quality considerably.

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.

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

With Fatal Frames, Italian music video director Festa turns out a sub-par schlockfest that has little entertainment value. Even as a flawed modern tribute to the 80's Italian horror genre, viewing this film is recommended for completists and genre fans only.

The choice of Stefania Stella as leading lady is nothing short of bizarre. At her age, and with her mannish looks (despite considerable enhancement in the chest department), she lacks any credibility as a pop singer or sex symbol. Her credit as producer is probably the only way to explain her acting role in this film, because on her talents and looks she fails miserably.

The small cameos by Pleasence (in his second last film), Scrimm and Quigley are almost completely incidental to the plot. Warbeck's performance is totally over the top. With classic Italian horror film logic, several plot points are only explained in deleted scenes included on the DVD. In short, Fatal Frames is a confusing and unsatisfying viewing experience.

Although the film exhibits some visual flair, Festa's heavy hand on the zoom lens, poor dubbing and the overbearing 80's soundtrack detract from the overall film. A substandard transfer to DVD doesn't help either.

According to IMDB neither Festa nor Stella has worked again in film since Fatal Frames was filmed in '93. Many of the other cast either died within a few years of this films release (Pleasence, Warbeck, Brazzi) or are working sporadically in B grade movies. Frankly, after viewing this film, it isn't any great surprise that none appear to have gone on to greater success.

Rating 3/10

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.