Meridian - Le baiser de la bête

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.

A half-American woman (Sherilyn Fenn) returns to Italy to inherit the family castle, but she and her best friend (Charlie Spradling) dubiously get involved with a traveling carnival troupe, led by a dark, handsome man (Malcolm Jamieson).

"Meridian" (1990), sometimes subtitled "Kiss of the Beast" (and also known as "Phantoms"), is a castle-oriented romantic drama/fantasy with elements of the supernatural, even horror. The real star is the milieu of the castle and the awe-inspiring garden of colossal statues, along with the two brunettes.

Speaking of which, they're both shown top nude a couple of times (so stay away if that offends you) but, honestly, the director & cinematographer didn't really take advantage of their presence (not talking about nudity or sleaze). In other words, they didn't know how to photograph beautiful women.

There's a surprising politically incorrect element that wouldn't fly today and is bewildering if you think about it (I don't want to give it away). Meanwhile the details on how a person is to escape a 400 years-old curse are eye-rolling and almost singlehandedly ruin the movie. It's like it was written by an author of bad romance/fantasy novels.

It runs 1 hour, 26 minutes, and was shot at Castello di Giove, which is a 75-minutes drive north of Rome, as well as Bomarzo (the garden of statues), which is about seven miles west of the castle.

GRADE: C+

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.

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

Gina (Charlie Spradling) is restoring an old painting from the church in Italy. Her school friend Catherine (Sherilyn Fenn) returns to take over her family castle after being away for 10 years. A wizard supposedly create the castle and Martha has been the caretaker even since Catherine can remember. The two friends are taken by a traveling circus and invite them in for diner. Durint the diner, the girls are drugged. Catherine is taken to the bedroom by the leader Lawrence (Malcolm Jamieson) and given to his masked twin Oliver.

This is made by B-movie horror director Charles Band although this has more in common with pulpy romance novels. This is either softcore porn with better than average plot or a B-movie horror with plenty of nudity. It's substantively not good compared to normal movies but this is simply a guilty pleasure. Sherilyn Fenn from Twin Peaks has always been gorgeous and this movie introduced the beautiful Charlie to me.