Horror

Though it has somehow or other managed to escape all the standard reference books, this film is a real and unheralded discovery--a visually distinguished and absorbing Gothic thriller, halfway between Bava country and the Mexican gothics like "The Witch's Mirror".

"Blancheville Monster" where have you been hiding? Right off the bat, we are treated to a deliciously evocative visual opening--a wintry, bare tree ridden country road, awash with an icy looking rain, beyond which stands the distant castle on the mountain.

Ann Radcliffe would be well pleased! And the film keeps on delivering: two attractive female leads, a mysterious and scarred man locked in a tower room, frequent thunder and lightning, and all the necessary accoutrements of remote castle Gothic, from flickering torches to doleful turns on the family harpsichord.

The countryside in which the film is shot has the desolate beauty of a November day, and strongly suggests the Brittany in which the film is set, (though not shot). In this sense, some of the landscapes resemble those in Bresson's "Diary of a Country Priest." Devotees of the genre are herewith advised to seek this out. It's far more deserving than some of its over-hyped relatives.

A list of the neat elements of the film a.k.a. " Horror ", a.k.a. "The Blanchville Monster,"...1. It's Italian, 2. black and white, 3. "Horror" sneakily appears as an occult film but really a psychological horror film, and 4. the ultra-creepy background music. I watched this movie when I was a 10-year old watching it on shock theater late Saturday night. There are a few boring parts and some parts that should never been put into the film, such as Rodrigues playing the keyboards. But I'm a little prejudiced on bragging on this movie because I've never seen an Italian horror film I didn't like ( Black Sunday, Black Sabbath, Suspiria, Inferno, etc. ).

The opening sequences show both titles ("Horror" and "The Blancheville Monster") neatly after each other, as if the distributors couldn't really decide which of the two was better and/or more appropriate. They should have just called it "The Blancheville Horror"... Problem solved! Anyway, that was totally irrelevant. I'm more and more becoming a fan of director Alberto De Martino! He's been making good horror movies consistently from the early 60's until the mid 80's, yet he never received the respect and appreciation that other Italian directors did. This stylish and severely underrated picture came out alongside loads of other Gothic horror movies and, although not as brilliant as, say, "Black Sunday" or "Kill Baby…Kill", it's a hugely atmospheric and powerfully compelling chill-tale with an overall decent script and convincing set pieces. Only a couple of days prior to her 21st birthday, a beautiful girl travels back to her wealthy father's castle, accompanied by her new lover and best friend. Upon arrival, her brother informs her about the tragic incident that supposedly killed her father and how he got madly obsessed with the legend of the Blancheville family curse. But the new arrivals notice that there are a lot more strange things going on. Why have all the servants been replaced? Why is the brother so nervous about the girl's upcoming birthday? And, most of all, who or what produces those creepy screams at night in the castle's darkest tower? "The Blancheville Monster" offers pretty much all the elements you're looking for in good Gothic horror, including eerie thunderstorms, scary black-caped monsters, ominous vaults and tight costumes that supply the female cast members with impressive cleavage. De Martino does a great directing job, spreading the suspense equally throughout the whole film and the finale – albeit not too hard to predict – is formidably tense. Unlike any of Mario Bava's Gothic horror movies, "The Blancheville Monster" will not haunt your nightmares, but for fans of classic horror it's definitely worth seeing.

I sought out this little gem after reading about it in Tim Lucas' bio of Mario Bava. Lucas believes the effects in this 1962 b/w strongly resemble Bava's technical flourishes. I sought out this title for this reason, but also because I collect films of the era containing the word 'monster' in the title. I also have a growing appreciation for Gothic Italian horror and mystery. After snapping it up on Amazon for about five bucks including postage, I am pleased to announce that it was well worth my time and effort.

There is a lot to like about this movie, including an eerie score and loads of captivating locations and sets; the crumbling abbey is reminiscent of Universal's "Dracula" but much more realistic and effectively photographed. Moments of the film seem over the top, and overcooked, but it stands up well for its time overall. This is especially desirable to those of us who recall the old Shock Theatre days of television, and enjoy Italian Gothic horror of the 60s.

This is a dubbed Italian horror film that takes place in 1884 France. Emily has just come home to the huge spooky family castle after finishing school. With her are her fiancé John Taylor and his sister Alice. At home she discovers her father has died and her brother is in charge with all new servants and a suspicious doctor. Then there are screams in the night, a disfigured monster roaming about and a family curse that threatens Emily.

It doesn't make a whole lot of sense but it works. This is they type of horror film they used to show late at night on local TV stations. There's no nudity, sex or swearing and very minor blood and no gore. It takes place in a beautiful and very eerie castle drenched with atmosphere. The black and white photography only helps and there are even a few dark and stormy nights thrown in! This isn't really scary but it is lots of fun. The kind of horror movie to watch late at night with the lights off and some popcorn handy. I give it a 7.