Ajouter une intrigue dans votre langue10-year-old Susan Walker, mourning her mother's death, is possessed by a demon who has been preying on her female ancestors for centuries. Years later, the demon takes over when she has marr... Tout lire10-year-old Susan Walker, mourning her mother's death, is possessed by a demon who has been preying on her female ancestors for centuries. Years later, the demon takes over when she has married OIiver Farrell and entered psychoanalysis.10-year-old Susan Walker, mourning her mother's death, is possessed by a demon who has been preying on her female ancestors for centuries. Years later, the demon takes over when she has married OIiver Farrell and entered psychoanalysis.
- Réalisation
- Scénario
- Casting principal
- Récompenses
- 1 nomination au total
- Elsie, the maid
- (as La Wanda Page)
- Nightclub Parking Attendant
- (as John Brannigan)
Avis à la une
Filmed in 1981, "Mausoleum" is engag+ing minor film concerning demonic possession, presenting variations on "The Exorcist" format. Not the stab 'n slab genre picture one might infer from its title, film should please aficionados of old-fashioned B-horror films, but lacks the scares to yield more than modest returns in the current fright market.
A beautiful blond actress Bobbie Bresee (vaguely resembling Susannah York) toplines as Susan Farrell, a 30-year-old woman who has been possessed by a demon at age 10 after strolling into the family mausoleum, carrying on a centuries-old family curse affecting the first-born. Twenty years after, the demon has finally taken over, going on a killing spree that arouses the suspicions of her husband Oliver (Marjoe Gortner). Friend and psychiatrist Dr. Andrews (Norman Burton) is enlisted to help Susan and ultimately bests the demon.
The filmmakers (it's not entirely clear, who did what, since the press kit information does not agree with credits on screen) have adhered to traditional horror film motifs, updated with tantalizing displays of Bresee's physical charms plus modern makeup effects and gore. Too slowly paced and decorative rather than suspenseful, "Mausoleum" is nonetheless a well-told tale.
Bresee is extremely seductive here in the femme fatale role, complete with stock victims such as the shady gardener, unwary delivery boy, etc. Star Gortner's role is written for a bland Kent Smith type, never tapping the actor's evangelical background despite the opportunities in "Exorcist" country. LaWanda Page is hilarious as their maid, exclaiming: "There's some strange s--t going on here" and evoking fond memories of the fun generated decades ago by Willie Best in similar situations.
Lensing in a handsome mansion and on California locations is attractive, replete with Steadicam work and unusual overhead tracking shots in the mausoleum. Makeup effects, especially the varied monster masks for Bresee, are solid for a low-budgeter and her glowing green eyes' effect during telekinesis scenes is quite realistic. A nice little picture.
Revisited it recently.
Had enjoyed the movie as a kid those days, especially the nudity n some gory kills.
The movie is cheesy n non scary by today's standards.
The special effects n make-up by John Carl Buechler (Celler Dweller, Troll, Hatchet, etc) were pretty ok for those days.
The nudity from Bobbie Bresee is soothing and the gore is nice and splattery.
Watch out for the twin demonic heads.
This cud have happened only in the 80s.
Watch out for the gardener with his weird goatee, large belly due to which the buttons of his shirt gets open, his large eyeballs n cartoonish smile.
In the end he keeps on laughing. Maybe cos at least he gave off, before he gave off.
The 80s live on in ultra-cheesy spectacles like this one. While hardly a "good" film, that matters little. The truth is, it's a VERY amusing low budget horror / sleaze / schlock film, complete with negligible acting, ropey visual effects, decent gore, a dose of nudity from Ms. Bresee, entertainingly designed creatures (the "demon breasts" are the most original touch), melodramatic music by Jaime Mendoza-Nava, and a fair amount of humour, at least some of which I believe IS intentional. The silly script is credited to Robert Barich (who pulled triple duty; he was also a producer and the cinematographer) and Robert Madero. The film is never more fun than when Ms. Bresee is undergoing her monstrous manifestations. These are always worth hearty laughs.
Marjoe, commendably, looks very serious as the distraught husband. The same goes for the great character actor Burton. Bresee is very sexy, but not much of an actress. Laura Hippe ("The Swinging Barmaids") plays Susan's aunt Cora. Maurice Sherbanee ("Charlie Wilson's War") is the horny, seedy gardener; La Wanda Page of 'Sanford and Son' fame is priceless as the maid who just might be the smartest character in this whole thing. And that's Bill Vail, Kirk from the original "Texas Chain Saw Massacre", as the final incarnation of the demon.
"Mausoleum" is a hoot and a half, a film very much of its time that can barely be considered scary, but is awfully damn entertaining much of the time.
Seven out of 10.
Le saviez-vous
- AnecdotesBobbie Bresee revealed on the commentary of the BCI DVD release that she received some possessed voice coaching from Mercedes McCambridge (notable for the demonic voice in L'Exorciste (1973)) while co-starring with her in "Charlie's Angels" (1976) Angels in Springtime.
- GaffesWhen Susan is possessed, she uses telekinesis to lift another character over the balcony of the stairs and the equipment used to lift the actress is visible at the top of the screen.
- Citations
Elsie, the maid: There's some strange shit goin' on in this house!
- Versions alternativesSome versions cut away from the back of the head blowing scene and some show it uncut.
- ConnexionsFeatured in Drive-In Madness! (1987)
- Bandes originalesFree Again
Music and Lyrics by Frank Primato
Meilleurs choix
- How long is Mausoleum?Alimenté par Alexa