Horror

The Blancheville Monster is a decent Italian Gothic entry. It's true that it is a little plodding and uneventful, however, it's occasionally eerie and stylish. The story is about a badly disfigured count who visits his daughter by night, attempting to induce her into committing suicide to revoke an old family curse. Frankly, the story is absolutely ridiculous, I mean couldn't the count just kill his daughter rather than embark on his moonlit walks with her to the family mausoleum? Well, yes, however, these spooky encounters do actually provide the film with its best Gothic imagery. These scenes, set in the dead of night, with the sleepwalking daughter being followed a few paces behind by the black-clad, monstrous count through the ruins to the family tomb, are very striking. So really, plot inconsistencies have to be weighed against this. Although I do have a little problem with the final confrontation where the daughter escapes from her entombed situation without even a hint of how this came to be. Nevertheless, these observations aside, The Blancheville Monster is not bad. The location is well used and there is some decent photography to accentuate this. If you are a fan of 60's Italian Gothic then it's really one to check out.

This is an early Italian Gothic concerning the Blancheville family , as the daughter, Ombrella Colli, of an insane count returns her home to pay a visit, being accompanied by her boyfriend : John Taylor and his sister : Iran Eory. At the mansion they are received by a doctor : Leo Anchoriz, the grumpy housekeeper : Helga Line, the butler : Paco Moran and finally her brother : Gerard Tichy. But this count is turned nutty, fearing his daughter will fall victim of an ancient curse that has plagued his family throughout centuries, the reason for he wants to kill her and to be sacrified to fullfil the eerie legend.

A terror movie with chills, thrills, creepy scenes and plot twists. Interesting script from Giovanni Grimaldi, Bruno Corbucci, Natividad Zaro, being freely inspired on Edgar Allan Poe novels as The fall of the House of Usher . The plot is plenty of surprises, terror moments , ghastly atmosphere with thunder and lightning, twists and turns. One of the first Italian horror, this time in co-production with Spain, that's why it is full of Spanish actors as Leo Anchoriz, Iran Eory, Gerard Tichy, Paco Moran, Helga Line, while the Italian ones are the unknown Ombrella Colli under pseudonym Joan Hills and Matterasi as John Taylor.

This coproduction is financed by Spanish producers : Alberto Aguilera, Natividad Zaro and Italian as Italo Zingarelli. It displays an evocative cinematography with gloomy atmosphere by prestigious cameraman Alejandro Ulloa who photographed the classic Horroe Express . Shot on location in San Martin de Valdeiglesias (Madrid) where several terror films have been filmed, specially Paul Naschy/Waldemar Daninski movies. Furthermore, thrilling and frightening musical score by Carlo Franci and uncredited Piccillo. The motion picture was well directed by Alberto de Martino. He was a prolific artisan who wrote and directed during the 60s, 70s, 80s ordinary genres of the Italian B series as Peplum : Invincible Glatiator, Triumph of Hercules, Seven Spartans. Eurospy : Operation Lady Chaplin, Upperseven, OK Connery . Macaroni Combat : Dirty Heroes. Thriller, Giallo and Poliziesco : The insatiables, The Counselor, Rome versus Chicago, Puma Man , The Killer is on the Phone, Magnum special for Tony Saitta . Spaghetti Western : Django shoots first, 7th Cavalry, 100 000 dollars per Ringo. Terror : Antichrist , Holocaust 2000 and 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. ).

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.