Meridian: seducción mortal

Two lovely American girls go to Italian castle to paint and restore pictures.During their visit they run into a traveling sideshow and invite all the members of said sideshow over to the castle for dinner.An orgy results with the girls being drugged and raped by two men.One of them is transforming into beast due to the curse.The romance between the beast and Sherilyn Fenn ensues...I wanted to see "Meridian" because of "Twin Peaks" starlet Sherilyn Fenn,one of the most beautiful actresses of 80's and early 90's.She and Charlie Spradling have some wonderfully sensual sex scenes in this mildly interesting and rather watered down Walerian Borowczyk's "The Beast" clone.Still "Meridian" is worth watching for stunningly ravishing Sherilyn Fenn.6 out of 10.

Young American sculptor Catherine (Sherilyn Fenn) returns to her family castle in Italy where she meets up with her pal, artist Gina (Charlie Spradling). After enjoying the sights of a travelling sideshow, the girls invite the performers to the castle for dinner. During the evening, the friends are drugged and raped by twins Lawrence and Oliver (both played by Malcolm Jamieson), one of whom is evil, and the other cursed to turn into a beast whenever he gets the horn!

Those who watch Meridian in order to see Twin Peaks babe Sherilyn Fenn in the altogether will no doubt be more than happy by the actress's frequent unclothing, but they may be amazed to find that Fenn isn't the fittest bird in the film: outshining Sherilyn is Charlie Spradling, who only has the one nude scene, but what a scene it is! If only the roles had been reversed, giving us more opportunity to fully appreciate her incredible physical attributes.

In addition to the impressive forms of both of its leading ladies, Meridian also benefits from excellent special make-up effects courtesy of Greg Cannom (channeling his inner Rick Baker for a cool transformation scene), a lush score from Pino Donaggio, and sumptuous cinematography from Mac Ahlberg. It's a shame that the story isn't really worthy of such talent - a weak 'beauty and the beast' style fantasy horror yarn spiced up with erotica, that director Charles Band is unable to bring any magic to: his attempts at style and classiness (slow motion, red light and smoke) amount to tedium for the most part, while the script conveniently glosses over certain plot elements with fairytale 'anything goes' dream-logic (thereby avoiding addressing such questions as 'Why does the painting being restored by Gina depict events that are about to happen?',' Why is there is a glowing red portal in the castle walls?', and 'Why do the sideshow ghosts enter and leave through the mouth of a statue?').

4.5/10, rounded up to 5 for IMDb. Recommended to fans of Fenn and Spradling for obvious reasons, but the slow pace and trite gothic romanticism makes it a bit of a bore at times.

Gina (Charlie Spradling) is restoring an old painting from the church in Italy. Her school friend Catherine (Sherilyn Fenn) returns to take over her family castle after being away for 10 years. A wizard supposedly create the castle and Martha has been the caretaker even since Catherine can remember. The two friends are taken by a traveling circus and invite them in for diner. Durint the diner, the girls are drugged. Catherine is taken to the bedroom by the leader Lawrence (Malcolm Jamieson) and given to his masked twin Oliver.

This is made by B-movie horror director Charles Band although this has more in common with pulpy romance novels. This is either softcore porn with better than average plot or a B-movie horror with plenty of nudity. It's substantively not good compared to normal movies but this is simply a guilty pleasure. Sherilyn Fenn from Twin Peaks has always been gorgeous and this movie introduced the beautiful Charlie to me.

This film will not challenge anyone intellectually. The castle where a good portion of the movie is filmed does have an eerie feel about it. Charlie Spradling and Sherilyn Fenn play the two women who are drugged at the castle where they live by some weird circus performers. The leader of the group takes Fenn into a back bedroom and strips her down and looks like he is going to have a good time with the nubile, lovely lady but then he passes her over to his twin brother. The leader then goes and strips down Charlie Spradling and and ravages her body while his brother gets it on with the drugged Fenn. Weird!

Two post-collegiate friends in Italy watch a traveling sideshow and get drawn into mystery of cursed supernatural horrors.

The story by Charles Band and screenplay by Dennis Paoli feature drugging and raping women in the name of a dreamy take on Beauty and the Beast. On revisiting since it's release it is at times a little uncomfortable viewing unless gratuitous sex scenes are your thing.

It opens up like The Church, with an interesting titbit about crypts and oil paintings all in Italian dialogue, there's impressive locations, sets, music (by Pino Donaggio) and some special effects etc but it's not long before it becomes an erotic, Gothic mystery that's gives off a Meatloaf music video vibe. Thankfully there are a few twists to the tale which gives it some much needed weight.

Actors Sherilyn Fenn and Charlie Spradling are solid enough Hilary Mason as Martha is her fantastic creepy self. Vernon Dobtcheff is first rate as the priest. Malcolm Jamieson does his best with the duel twin role but looks uncomfortable at times even when emulating the best and worst of Hammer Horrors.

Meridian has a hazy, dream-like quality which offers mood and atmosphere, to its credit it hasn't a direct to video visual look, Band delivers a filmatic quality of Full Moons Paramount days.

Overall, it's themes are dated even more so in these conscientious times and rob Meridian of being Bands Howling. Watch for curiosity if nothing else.