Aggiungi una trama nella tua lingua10-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... Leggi tutto10-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.
- Regia
- Sceneggiatura
- Star
- Premi
- 1 candidatura in totale
- Elsie, the maid
- (as La Wanda Page)
- Nightclub Parking Attendant
- (as John Brannigan)
Recensioni in evidenza
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.
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.
This retro 1980s schlockfest is one of the better possession/"Exorcist" knockoffs, blending elements of slasher films with possession horror and the monster movie. The result is potent with campiness, but it's really all in good fun. Bobbie Bresee plays the lead Susan, who falls in and out of her possession with a complete lack of awareness; her eyes glow green when she's under the influence of the demon, and green smoke rolls out under the door of her bedroom. At her most extreme, she morphs into a revolting creature that predates Angela in "Night of the Demons." What's surprising here is that by and large, the special effects (helmed by the famed John Carl Buechler) are very good given the time period. There are some effective levitation sequences, and the monster effects are impressive and practical.
The film also boasts solid cinematography that is at times legitimately nightmarish and recalls Italian horror cinema of the '60s and '70s, and is tied together with a moody score that adds to the ambiance. Where the film falls flat is the writing and acting, which are both mixed bags. Bresee is alternately decent and awful as Susan, but her character is so vacant that it hardly matters. Norman Burton is serviceable as her psychologist, and LaWanda Burton provides short-lived comic relief as the maid who gets the heck out of dodge before becoming demon mincemeat. It seems to me that part of the pitfalls in the performance have to do with the dialogue, which feels stilted many times throughout. Then again, this is an early-'80s monster possession flick, so I'm not sure the bar is to be set quite so high.
Overall, I found "Mausoleum" an effective early-'80s supernatural horror film. Save some lazy writing, there is a lot of fun to be had here, and the movie is chock full with gruesome murder scenes and all sorts of other supernatural (and green-glowing) mayhem. Fans of other "Exorcist"-esque horror such as "Beyond the Door" will have a riot with it, and in some ways it's better. 7/10.
Lo sapevi?
- QuizBobbie 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'esorcista (1973)) while co-starring with her in "Charlie's Angels" (1976) Angels in Springtime.
- BlooperWhen 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.
- Citazioni
Elsie, the maid: There's some strange shit goin' on in this house!
- Versioni alternativeSome versions cut away from the back of the head blowing scene and some show it uncut.
- ConnessioniFeatured in Drive-In Madness! (1987)
- Colonne sonoreFree Again
Music and Lyrics by Frank Primato
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