FRIGHTMARE NERO CRIMINALE (1974 - Pete Walker) dUAL iTA eNG

Frightmare
Directed by Pete Walker
Produced by Pete Walker
Tony Tenser
Written by Pete Walker
David McGillivray
Starring Rupert Davies
Sheila Keith
Deborah Fairfax
Paul Greenwood
Kim Butcher
Music by Stanley Myers
Cinematography Peter Jessop
Editing by Robert C. Dearberg
Distributed by Miracle
Ellman Film Enterprises
Release date(s) November 6, 1974
Running time 88 minutes
Country United Kingdom
Language English

Arguably one of Pete Walker's best films, Frightmare turns the Anglo Saxon concept of the family unit upside down with a diabolical, unflinching narrative that follows its doom-laden train of thought all the way to the bitter end. Using cannibalism as a destructive force that cuts through generations both old and young, this is horror at its most dangerous and unsettling.
In a black and white prologue, Dorothy Yates (Sheila Keith) is sentenced to rehabilitation in a psychiatric ward after her uncontrollable taste for human flesh is uncovered by the local police. Her spineless husband, Edmund (Rupert Davies), is sentenced along with her, leaving their daughter, Debbie (Kim Butcher) in the care of Jackie (Deborah Fairfax), Edmund's child from a previous marriage. Years later, both Dorothy and Edmund have been released and live an isolated life out in the country, where Dorothy passes the time by reading tarot cards. Meanwhile in London, Debbie has become an embittered juvenile delinquent, much to the dismay of Jackie and her doctor boyfriend, Graham (Paul Greenwood). Jackie has kept the truth hidden from Debbie and makes occasional trips to the country, where she delivers oddly wet packages of meat to her parents. Unfortunately Dorothy's bloodlust continues unabated, with many customers falling prey to her crafty work with power drills, pokers, and sharp kitchen implements. Although Jackie begins to suspect that her family may be crumbling around her, there are even darker, more terrifying secrets ready to erupt.

While everyone involved in Frightmare seems to be giving their best, this is unquestionably Sheila Keith's show all the way. This rare leading role for the Walker regular allows her to run the gamut from a tremulous and confused aging woman to a crazed, bloodthirsty maniac in the span of a few seconds, and her attacks are shocking, explicit, and intense, even by today's standards. Walker cleverly subverts expectations by pointing out that corruption stems not from the "free" swinging lifestyle shown at the beginning of the film, but rather from barbaric familial practices spread down from one generation to another and which fester right under the noses of polite society. From a technical standpoint this is also one of Walker's most accomplished features, with his usual knack for creating an oppressive atmosphere serving him well as he contrasts the bustling city life with the dark, damp, lonely country locations, all enhanced by a chilling Stanley Myers score. Just be warned that this is not a happy ride, and while one can almost always expect a downbeat ending for a Walker film, this one takes that expectation to new extremes.

Frightmare first appeared on U.S. video under the title Frightmare II, to avoid confusion with a later unrelated American horror film. It was later reissued as Once Upon a Frightmare, and both transfers left quite a bit to be desired. The print used for the DVD is a marked improvement in every respect and actually looks quite colorful, a welcome change from the gray, blearly looking VHS editions. Note the beautiful saturation of the colors during the opening credits, which come as a visual shock after the lengthy monochromatic first few minutes. The open matte, full frame presentation reveals all of the visible film area, leaving a little more headroom than usual but aesthetic enough all the same. This being a '70s British film, grain and unstable blacks crop up here and there, along with some fleeting and minor instances of film scratches, but the pros far outweigh the cons here. The mono audio sounds fine, approximately the same as the earlier versions. mondo-digital.com








Dorothy Yates viene dimessa da un ospedale psichiatrico dopo quindici anni. La donna riprenderà a macchiarsi ancora dei crimini che l'avevano portata ad essere internata: uccidere per cibarsi di carne umana. La figlia maggiore cercherà di curarla...
Diretto da Pete Walker (Chi vive in quella Casa?, La Casa delle Ombre lunghe), uno dei più celebri registi inglesi, questo Nero Criminale presenta una metafora sulla crisi delle istituzioni (manicomio) e sul nucleo familiare (con infiltrato il tema del cannibalismo), già brutalmente affrontato da Hooper nel suo Non aprite quella Porta.
Frightmare è un'opera solida dominata da un senso di smarrimento oppressivo e affogata in un'atmosfera marcia e claustrofobica, merito indubbiamente di una buona regia e di un'ottima sceneggiatura. Da non sottovalutare la prova recitativa del cast, specialmente quella di Sheila Keith che invade lo schermo con la sua sbalorditiva impersonificazione del personaggio affetto da cannibalismo. Il film infatti non lesina nello spargere sangue e orribili omicidi da parte dell'attrice.
Gioiellino misconosciuto da riscoprire.

Dvdrip dula audio italian and english original by Soad, kudos!