Meridian

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.

Yes, this movie features the incredible...ummm, talents of Sherilyn Fenn and Charlie Spradling but honestly I was going to imitate another fairy tale and fall asleep for a hundred years rather than make it to the end. This is BEAUTY AND THE BEAST with a modern-day Italian setting, and a gothic horror spin by making it a psycho-sexual romp! Sounds intriguing, and it well could have been much like the SNOW WHITE movie that did this same thing with more success, or COMPANY OF WOLVES that remade Little Red Riding Hood into a very sexy gothic horror movie. But alas, MERIDIAN just plods along without much direction or clear focus on anything! The effects are not special, the story simple and not engaging, and valiant efforts by La Fenn and company can not save any scene in the entire movie. Only the die-hard Fenn fan could weather this storm, and I barely made it despite a very strong obsession for her.

Leonard Maltin's review of "Meridian" is just plain hilarious; he says something along the lines of "never really takes off, despite extensive nudity." I couldn't agree more. Sherliyn Fenn and Charlie Spradling are two incredibly gorgeous actresses, and they're topless for what seems like forever, yet this movie is still utterly interminable. I'm told that this turkey is a re-telling of "Beauty and the Beast," and I suppose it is...there's a beast, all right...but I can never seem to make the mental link between that classic fairy tale and this totally duff B-movie crap. Yeah, it's "Beauty and the Beast" all right...as a slow-paced softcore porn.

Best line? When the villain says to his brother, "I love you...but I also DETEST you!"

decent sexy and stylish fantasy/horror film is well acted and lots of nice eye candy the girls are gorgeous and this is pretty slow paced but it is kinda engaging with lots of good set pieces and some very good lighting sequences and beautiful visuals some cool dream sequences make this very slow paced watchable also the transformations are very well done and realistic the make up effects are astounding and amazing the beautiful set pieces and designs make this a stunning yet slow pace viewing it is sexy stylish and very well made now this isn't your typical horror flick it's very unique and i recommend it to all of you *** out of 5

The first half hour or so is entertaining, but it tends to shift around from there. It oscillates between interesting and boring.

Meridian is a beautiful movie, and it contains some of the most beautiful actresses I have ever seen. Meridian maintains a dreamy elegance throughout its length and rarely fails at that.

The settings, music, and sequences successfully convey an ethereal world. Despite a few slightly unsettling carnal scenes, Meridian is a pretty romantic movie that may move you. This may be true, if you believe in soul mates, or finding a true love. I was hopelessly in love when I saw this 10 years ago, so it kind of was on the same wavelength as me.