"I Tre Volti Della Paura" ("The Three Faces of Fear"/"Black Sabbath") (1963) is a trilogy of stories with an introduction and conclusion by Boris Karloff. The first story, "The Telephone" is the weakest, centering on a woman, alone at home with a ringing phone. When she answers it, she is met with the voice of someone that knows her ever move, and swears to see her dead by dawn. The second story, "The Wurdulak" is the best. It stars Karloff as the patriarch of a family, who returns to them as a walking corpse determined to feast on the blood of those he loves most. The third tale "The Drop of Water" about a selfish, greedy nurse, and a dead woman is effectively creepy with a corpse so disturbing it surpasses even the surprise appearance of the blind housekeeper in "The House On Haunted Hill" in shocking effect.
This film is very atmospheric, especially the last two segments, filled to effect with director Mario Bava's garish green and purple lighting, and beautiful compositions which create a rich depth of field. The stories, while all very simple, are highly effective. This is a must see.
No comments:
Post a Comment