Darkside Witches - Hexen des Dämons

This movie wasn't just beyond stupid, it was original and creepy!

I don't know what problem you have "Lokisgodhi", this site is just full of stupid trolls that think to be clever. I watched this film twice, once alone and once with some friends. It's fun and I think really original, instant cult classic to my eyes.

As an old school Italian horror fan what you can see in this film is the passion the filmmakers put inside this production. CGI is way beyond average indie production, and the plot and editing just brilliant. I think the director has a knack to make you feel uncomfortable and deceive the spectator. Character may seem superficial and sketchy but at they manage to sustain the weird plot to end.

All in all a cool flick to watch that keeps you excited for 90 min and more. Really hope they make a sequel out of it.

After seeing the movie I'm going to rate it 5 stars out of 10. I'm a die hard fan of horror film. This film is okay, but I felt uncomfortable for the costumes, characters. Graphics quality needs to improve more. The film is too dirty for watch with your family. The dialogue in the movie was horribly scripted, and many times you sit there and think 'did they really just say that?' Most of the time the dialogue doesn't have a particularly natural flow to it and comes off as forced and artificial. Predictable and with a weak argument, however well acted, with great lessons and a fair story. But I might could be more interesting.

This film is about a case of witchcraft back in mirage in Northern Italy. During the burning at the stake the women made a pact with the devil to reincarnate in exchange of eternal worship. Back to our days these nice women are reborn to slaughter men of their village and overthrown the balance of good and evil and finally bring the hell on earth helped by the demon Pazuzu.

While not the most original one, the plot may look at the same time a bit ambitious for an indie movie. Speaking about the supernatural Genre this one has it all: witches, demons, exorcism, black mass, human sacrifices and even soft porn scenes!

Massive use flashback, flash forward and CGI make the film enjoyable and challenging at times. The atmosphere are somehow creepy and disquieting. The acting and character were overall OK, with exception of Sibilla AKA Barbara Bouchet that still sporta some kind of charme and talent way above the average of the movie. Special Effects not the best ones in my opinion especially when a naked woman turned witch rip off the heart of a man in a pub, but that scene is amazing for another reason and you'll see. Surprisingly good CGI, lot's of digital environments and flying creature makes this film a gem in that sense, especially you think that is an Italian indie movie.

Everyone who watched last Argento's efforts know what I'm talking about. Among the most successful scenes there is the Garden of Temptation where a bunch of pretty neat babies try to seduce Don Gabriel, and the descent to the hell where the Gabriel and the Crisp priest are brought by evil forces. Even the flying evil witches and the big demon are hi quality computer graphics. All in all a good movie enjoyable from and for the fans of old Italian Horror with a touch of porn, computer magic and a taste of vintage Hammer production.

First the story, it is a cool throwback to more Gothic, dark fantasy horror revolving around witches, persecution and revenge. You could place this situation in any European and Colonial setting and the story is the same. Females burned for being witches, town cursed, and wah-lah! Witches survive to get their vengeance. I actually love these kinds of films involving the occult and witches. The classic, old world concept of witches that may be insensitive to the modern day witch/Wiccan, but true to our ancient past's view of the hag/crone/wicked maiden.

Gerard Diefenthal manages to give the story some lift, creating iconic character types, Gothic settings, and plenty of drama mixed with gore. The film does move almost mirror-image to what I image the storyboard concept looked like. The transitions are blunt, quick changing and move the story quickly from moment to moment much like graphic novel/animation adaptations tend to do. For example one moment there is a woman in the kitchen preparing and in the next instant the scene transitions to her handing some homeless guy soup or something to eat with a wicked grin. The dialog is not over- burdening to the story, only crucial conversations that give the plot and sinister plans the witches have for the town, other characters idle chatter, or short scenes with just a couple of sentences. It allows for the action and suggested drama tell a lot of the story instead of some long speech like dialog delivered laboriously by the cast. It is overdubbed so be warned.

Now for me the nail in the coffin for this film isn't the overdubbed vs. subtitle choice, it is the CGI choices that were made to create the supernatural, witchy-ness side of the film. It is very low grade stuff, closer to Syfy on a dime. Think "Witchville". It is almost comical when those scenes take over the story. It all really shreds "Darkside Witches" momentum, and potential for being one of the modern day cult classics - you know the ones that are so bad they are good. Well the CGI here is just really bad and sad. That said, there are some really awesome, gory moments that use splattergore styled practical effects that scream Italian giallo! Really nice blood drenched moments. And the nudity is almost on soft-core porn level.

All this is why I had to watch the film a few times. At first I thought-"What is this crap?", then the practical effects moments kicked in and I was like "Heck yeah!". Overall "Darkside Witches" is not gonna go over well for most horror fans, I mean this film is really gonna aim at a small select group of people who like the Syfy, CGI saturated stuff that uses gaming level computer effects. I am truly conflicted. Not because I am split on the film. I am conflicted because I liked the story, I love films about witches, and the gore and horror here, when practical choices are made, are awesome! Yet the overdubbed voices are so hokey and kill the seriousness of the dialog and scenes that it is troublesome. The CGI is, in all honesty, crap! And the transitions and smoothness of the story just moves to choppy and hurried to allow for any real connection with the characters.

When I found this movie, I thought it was just another horror movie of low quality but minimally funny and tolerable. Unfortunately, I was wrong. This movie is a poorly cooked mix of weak horror, gore and porn. Far from being minimally acceptable, it's a witch story that blends elements of past and present, and there is something for everyone. You can see a demonic creature like a dog full of steroids and heroin, tropical bats roaming the scene as if they were in the jungles of Thailand or Central America, a priest burned and looking like a disgusting mummy, the two dumbest cops that Carabinieri has ever had, a horrible CGI of laughable taste and quality, witches wearing provocative leather clothes, several scenes of cannibalism and hard gore, at least one VERY explicit sex scene worthy of a porn movie etc... etc...

In the same way that the plot doesn't deserve major comments, the same happens with the cast, who blends a lot of beginners, who should never have made cinema in their life, and professionals of Italian porn movies. Barbara Bouchet is the only name that can be recognized by some audience because she entered in the film "Gangs of New York" and gave life to Miss Moneypenny, in the non-canonical film "007 Casino Royale" (1967). Besides this decadent actress, we can point Gerard Diefenthal, at the same time actor, screenwriter, director and responsible for this cinematographic abortion. Its a pity that such a film cannot be a reason to prevent this director from making more films the same way that police can take our driving license for some reason. Unfortunately, the possibility of a sequel was suggested with an open end. I will pray to God with all my strength that this sequel NEVER happens. It would be a disgrace!