Angoisse

This film deserves to be re-released, uncut and digitally mastered and whatnot. I guess it would be by now if it were more popular. You don't hear much about it. It's a shame, because this is one of the most overlooked Italian horror films I've ever seen. It is hard coming across the rare Wizard video, but I was able to find it for a low price and I have been enjoying it nonstop ever since I got it. The plot is strange, twisted, and full of bizarre touches of nasty murder scenes, perverse sexuality, nudity, and some very creepy tones of Satanism and the black arts which more than likely will chill you to the bone. It's hard to explain simply, but I'll try...it's basically about an actor named Michael (the very cute Stefano Patrizi) dealing with the painful memories of his childhood when he accidentally stabbed his father to death. He returns, along with his friends, which include a film director, some curvaceous actresses, and his girlfriend Deborah, to the creepy countryside mansion of his recluse mother. Well, you can guess that from there, strange events happen building up to a thunderstorm, gore murders, and some shocking twists in the finale. It sounds simple in a bare bones description like that, but just remember it also fits in hallucinagenic, trippy dream sequences of hooded Satanists sacrificing a nude girl in their Black Mass, lots of slimy spiders and spiderwebs, bleeding skulls, red herrings including a handful of suspicious characters, black gloves, murder attempts, and not to mention many softcore sex scenes which feature both male and female nudity (the gorgeous Patrizi shows off his firm, taut bare butt - another factor which makes this film a personal favorite). The gore murders, when they occur as the film reaches its peak, aren't really very scary, more cheesy, but they are still bloody and do provide effective shocks. The music is also effective in creating the creepy, stormy atmosphere of Satanism, murder and sex in a remote mansion in the countryside. This film is definitely not for everyone, but those who appreciate fine, classy Italian horror and do not mind complicated, twisted plotlines should enjoy it. A plus is the very talented cast which are very effective in their roles. Silvia Dionosio impresses as Deborah, the girlfriend, and John Richardson is an old favorite of many Italian horror films (he's just so cute even though he's pretty spooky in this movie). This is a great, overlooked film. Have fun seeking it out.

A group of filmmakers travel to the family home of the lead actor to scout locations. They are greeted by his disturbed mother and her sinister servant.

Maestro Freda's last feature is a baroque masterwork which indeed forms a kind of review of the entire Italian horror tradition from BLACK SUNDAY on. BLACK SUNDAY lead actor John Richardson appears as the servant in a possible nod to former Freda collaborator Mario Bava.

The story contains many elements from other horror films: PSYCHO, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, DEEP RED, but Freda tells the tale in an ornate style referencing classical art and music in his imagery and on the soundtrack. The acting is mediocre, but the carefully composed imagery makes up for it. Such hallucinatory visions as a clutch of bleeding skulls, a giant spider and black mass which resembles both a Dali painting and a Michaelangelo sculpture are indelible. Highly recommended for Italian horror and Freda fans. A very underrated film which shows the director still at the apex of his creative powers.

Follia Omicida is the original title of this Italian horror. Typical for Italian flicks is the use in other countries of different titles which makes it all confusing. And not even that alone. Now out on DVD and Blu Ray before that it had two versions out on the same label. It came out on Wizard Video on a T-90 cassette. That was the normal release but it also had a big box release on a T-105 cassette. That was the fully uncut version.

From there things go awry for the flick. In the UK it was released as The Wailing. But is was missing 2 minutes. The Wizard release came out under the title Fear and the Greek and Venezuelan videotapes bore the original English export title Unconscious. An alternate Greek release had Satan's Altar. Not only all those different titles and releases made it hard to know which one was correct. It also was released in English and Italian with subs.

The Blu Ray and DVD version now out is even full of mistakes (even the score is changed) so I can only advice to catch the Wizard big box release (with the Italian credits).

All that cleared out it's a weird flick. It has giallo elements but also has a few cheesy moments when for example the black mass scene where we see a big spider and a big spider web as fake as it can be. It also has a few eery moments and a lot of nudity.

Laura Gemser is in it and the first second she appears in this flick she's undressed. And one scene she's even does a full frontal nudity. There are also a few gratuitous nudity shots involved in a forest.

The story itself I can't really explain because it has so many elements of different genres. Michael (Stefano Patrizi) an actor invites his girlfriend to his remote country house. There they will have a on-location shoot. But Michael has a bad backstory which he remembers clearly at the house. His mother is possessive and Michael starts a incestuous relationship with her. But from then on once the crew is at the country house murders abound and all girls have nightmares of a black mass.

Having a lot of nudity it is for an Italian flick low on red stuff. It was Riccardo Freda's (the director) last flick. Sergio Stivaletti made his first special effects here in his first flick to move further to Demon (1985) and other Argento gialli. In the uncut version we can see the work of Sergio by an axe going into a head and a slashing and of course the mutilated body of Laura Gemser.

A collectible flick for so many reasons although it isn't really a good flick due the different elements and not knowing what it really wants to be.

Gore 1/5 Nudity 2/5 Effects 2/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5

Michael is a successful actor,but he has a scandal in his past:it seems that at a tender age he knifed his father to death.He and his girlfriend Deborah go to his mother's for the weekend and are joined by the director and others from a recent film project,who are given a rather unwelcome reception by the superstitious housekeeper Oliver.Soon ghastly things begin happening to some of the guests and Michael fears a repeat of his nightmare past is in progress.The vicious black gloved killer is preying on its victims."Murder Obsession" is perhaps the sleaziest offering of Riccardo Freda to date.It features plenty of nudity provided by Silvia Dionisio,Laura Gemser and Anita Strindberg.This often confusing giallo provides some gruesome killings including death by chainsaw and laughably fake spider attack.There is also a Black Mass,a live chicken beheading,a grubby rape scene and some random gore.7 out of 10.

If I had a time machine, I would prefer going back to the early 80s, especially 1981 and '82, which were the heydays of Horror. The time was one of the most splendid phase of the slasher and zombie genres and we certainly have enough of those films to revel upon. As I look down to the slasher genre, I see there were many that came out victorious and instantly garnered a decent cult-following. Some others were not so effective then, but found audience in course of time and certain others are still waiting for the right audience to get famous. I think 'Fear' aka 'Murder Syndrome' falls in the 3rd of the aforementioned categories.

I got a copy of 'Murder Syndrome' under the name of 'Fear' in 1994. Being a devoted fan of slasher and giallo, I keep digging the heap of such films to discover something precious. I love slashers, but only when they're accompanied with a sound atmosphere. 'Fear' has everything for a slasher buff like me. It's a great giallo with a twist of supernatural, some edgy psychological dilemma, effective dark humor, gore, nudity and a gruesome atmosphere. So you can choose what you want. Wake up man, It's 1981....What did you expect? Budget wise, the movie has a low profile, but the presence of a big Victorial-era mansion, lush outdoor locations combined with some good acting make 'Murder Syndrome' nifty. Freda seems to have invested his mind heavily in the plot that unfolds very rudely. The ending is almost a surprise and will leave you in shock. I think this was an experiment of mingling two alternate endings and surprisingly, both of them are nicely written.

Michael (Stefano Patrizi) is a successful actor. He has everything to be proud of; name, fame, and a beautiful girlfriend Deborah (Silvia Dionisio). During the weekend break, Michael decides to pay a visit to his mother Glenda (Anita Strindberg ), who lives in a palatial house, somewhere far away from the urban locale. Michael takes Deborah along, as he wants to introduce her to his mother. On the way to his home, Michael gets distracted with some flashes of events from his dark and forgotten past. Finally they reach their destination and are greeted by Oliver (John Richardson), the house butler. Michael meets Glenda but it seems she is living a secluded and lonely life. Deborah feels Glenda is acting suspicious, but she doesn't have anything against her. In the meantime a filming crew with director Hans (Henri Garcin) and 2 actresses Shirley (Martine Brochard) and Beryl (Laura Gemser) arrive at the mansion for Michael's latest movie shoot. The guests are given a cold reception by Oliver, who seems to be very superstitious. Once they settle inside the spooky mansion, strange events begin to occur. Beryl faces a murder attempt, where a strange figure with black gloves tries to drown her in the bathtub. Michael's behavior with Deborah begins to change when Deborah tells him about her dream, where she witnessed a black mass and a strange over-sized spider trying to devour her. Deborah emphasizes that she had been a part of the mass, but she isn't able to recall the exact time of the event. Then Beryl is torn open with a hunting knife, right beside the river bank. Hans manages to capture some snaps of the killer, but before he is able to disclose the killer's identity, he is brutally hacked to death with an Axe. Deborah and the Shirley are looking for some clues, when they accidentally stumble upon Hans' camera and some of those nasty snaps. However, Shirley gets killed by a chainsaw as she is in the photo lab trying to develop the prints. Deborah is left with no other option but to run for her life. Deborah runs across the estate and into the woods only to be stopped by Oliver, who may have some hints about the strange events going on in the mansion.

'Fear' is a great film with some of the great moments that left a deep impression in my mind. I keep this very close to me because it acts as a great hallucinogen for me. When I call it a 'hallucinogen', I mean to say that it is able to push you into a dream world, where you won't be able to differentiate between the real and imaginary. The acting is cut above most of the slasher films that oozed during the 80s. This is a smart and intelligent film from Freda and should be watched for what it is!