Masks

In the last decade and a half, or so, many aspiring and nostalgic-minded directors attempted to revive the glorious Italian Giallo genre from the 70s and early 80s. Even though several of them are admirable efforts ("The Editor", "Francesca", "Abracadabra", ...) none of them truly captured the true spirit of old-fashioned Gialli. Heck, even the master himself - Dario Argento - didn't succeed anymore with his two final attempts "Giallo" and "Dark Glasses". For quite a long while into "Masks", however, I had high hopes that it would become a terrific and genuine throwback. Writer/director Andreas Marschall eventually does lose his grip on the plot and stylish trademarks, unfortunately, but the film remains worth discovering.

"Masks" definitely ticks a few mandatory and quintessential boxes. The plot is delightfully twisted and complex (and clearly inspired by "Suspiria"), the setting is theatrical, the atmosphere is effectively unsettling, there's (gratuitous) nudity, and the murder sequences are sadist and very gore. The first thing to catch anyone's attention is the authentically nightmarish DVD start-menu, what with its grisly images of a human eye nervously moving around behind a stoic and spooky mask.

The story takes place in a dubious acting academy near Berlin, where after numerous unsuccessful and downright embarrassing auditions, the aspiring twenty-something actress Stella is happy to finally get accepted somewhere. The institute has a very questionable reputation and history, though. The founder Mattheusz Gdula invented a groundbreaking new acting method during the 70s, but many of the contemporary students also died under mysterious circumstances. The acting method is still being practiced, although in the forbidden parts of the school building and for a small selection of students, and there's a vicious killer roaming around to make sure the Gdula legacy remains a well-kept secret.

Andreas Marschall, who also made the more than competent "Tears of Kali", clearly did his homework and studied all the elite trademarks of the finest 70s Gialli. "Masks" is full of nail-bitingly tense moments during which our heroine wanders around dark and ominous corridors while she's being watched, the use of spooky scenery (notably the titular masks) is excellent, and the violent kills are well-spread. The film is at least 20 minutes too long, though, and the third act feels dragging and tedious. There also isn't much mystery regarding the identity of the killer, in my opinion, and the climax should have been a bit more spectacular.

Note: 9.5 if I could rate it that This film hits every single mark of the giallo genre and gives a true homage to the genre. This film feels like if Argento was still around and created a new film. First the synopsis is what you would expect for a giallo it's nothing too crazy but as an analogy it does what Suspiria did for dance that this film does for theatre. The film follows an actress who is trying to become famous on stage and soon begins to fall into a cult like group. That's as deep as I'll go to avoid spoilers. I also want to mention what this film succeeds and fails at. First the atmosphere gives off a true 70s vibe and perfects the depth and feel of a classic giallo. Next this film has a beautiful tone that feels surreal, artsy and whimsical but still extremely dark all at the same time. The cinematography is also some of the best I've ever seen it's shot almost like a continuing music video, which is good in this case, and it also doesn't cut away or censor any of the violence portrayed. Next the gore is amazing, it's very effective and used wisely with nice pacing. I would also like to mention this is the best acting I've ever seen for a micro budget film, even though i don't speak German the emotions show through spectacularly. Finally the film leads in an unexpected way, no spoilers. The film does have a few things I don't like. First it has dutch angles more frequently than I would like, but it's barely noticeable due to how engrossing the film is. The only other thing is some character decisions don't make sense and there is a lack of character development outside of the lead, I get it's a horror film but being almost 2 hours long I was a bit surprised. I would recommend this for horror fans who go in with an open mind and don't have the film spoiled for them. I would also recommend it for hardcore giallo fans. Though for an average film viewer it might not be you're cup of tea and at times the film is a bit of an acquired taste. The other thing that a lot of people mention is that the film seems to be style over substance, but I would disagree and say there are underlying themes and I've read many different opinions on what this films message is, for some, if any. If you do decide to check it out it can be more than a bit difficult to track down in person since it got an extremely limited release in the U.S. at only 3000 copies, but amazon still has copies left at around 18 dollars each and they contain the blu ray, DVD, soundtrack and booklet all to accompany the film which is a steal at that price. Overall check this film out its well worth the time in my opinion.

The Style and the atmosphere brings us back to the 70s. The equipment and the color selection of the rooms show a perfectly chosen dark picture of the events. The tension is kept high all the time. And there are really a few shocking moments in this movie which makes it an unforgettable experience for all horror fans. And to all the people who watched Suspiria in 2018 I just can recommened this german Horror jewel as it´s really very well made.

The movie looks pretty good and the work that has gone into the art department is quite a feet, especially considering the budget. On the other hand, the director tells us, that some of the equipment were borrowed from schools (art schools for the masks). Still you have to respect the choices that were made. It's obvious what this movie is paying homage too and in general terms it succeeds.

The story does have some issues, but if you're a fan of Giallo, you know that story was never something that people paid too much attention to. Character flaws and other things might spoil your fun, otherwise you will get a nice little horror movie with neat effects

I saw this movie tonight at "Buenos Aires Rojo Sangre XIII" Horror and Fantastic Film Festival here in Argentina.

I knew what the movie was about, and the remembrance of the Italian horror classic Suspiria it bears, but the truth is this movie takes it to another level and will blow you with the quality accomplished.

The story is about a girl who's dream is to became an excelling actress and enters an acting school founded by a controversial acting teacher of the 70's. There, she discovers that the forbidden training method used by the already late Gdula hasn't been forgotten entirely... and so have its horrors.

To sum up, this movie has great shots and the exact amount of gore needed to enjoy a well balanced Italian horror movie, plus an Excellent soundtrack that take you to the place of the protagonist more than once.

So if you are in for a great Italian horror tribute, don't forget to check this one out.