Summary:
A woman in Louisiana inherits a hotel that was built over one of the gates of hell.
My Thoughts:
This is the second entry in Lucio Fulci’s ‘Gates of Hell Trilogy’ and I’d honestly say it’s just as much fun as the first entry, “The City of the Living Dead.” In my review for “City of the Living Dead” I talked about my love for Euro horror, and how I can understand how some people might not immediately appreciate the aesthetic. Euro films can take a bit of getting used to because they are stylized in ways that American audiences aren’t used to, and for some, that can be a huge turn off; for me, it’s a huge draw. I unironically love the gothic production design, the overly gory and sometimes ridiculous deaths, the blaring soundtracks, and the hokey acting. This movie is filled with all of those things, and I’d fault no one if they saw this film and thought it was laughable garbage; for me, these kinds of films are one of the reasons I love movies.
“And you will face the sea of darkness, and all therein that may be explored.”
The film opens with a lynch mob bricking up an accused warlock named Schweick (Antoine Saint-John, “Duck, You Sucker”) in the basement of his hotel. We flash forward forty-five years where we meet Liza Merril (Catriona MacColl, “The House by the Cemetary”), a woman whom has recently inherited the same hotel where Schweick was killed. Despite the warnings of a mysterious blind woman named Emily (Cinzia Monreale, “The Stendhal Syndrome”), Liza intends to fix up the hotel and hires a crew to do so, but a series of horrible accidents and strange incidents plagues the reconstruction.
So first, let’s talk practical effects, because this movie is a straight-up gorefest. There are probably close to a dozen crazy deaths in this movie and all of them are pretty graphic. Heads are smashed, bodies are whipped with chains, spiders pull out a person’s eyes, acid is poured on someone’s face, and zombies/ ghouls kill a few people in interesting ways. Most of the practical effects look amazing, though, some of the bodies/dummies do look less believable than others.
The production design is pretty phenomenal. From what it sounds like, most of the movie was shot on location in New Orleans, Louisiana, and the homes and locations all have that deep south, slightly weathered feel to them. The hotel itself if dilapidated and dreary, and the basement is downright gross. Towards the end of the film there are some sort of surreal images that really work to provide a satisfying ending.
The kills themselves are of differing quality; sometimes they’re pretty great and relatively easy to accept, and other times, they are incredibly farfetched. Perhaps the most farfetched moment was when a woman falls over, simultaneously knocking herself unconscious and a jar of acid over, which results in a trickle of acid falling directly onto her face and melting it away, all while her daughter watches in shock. Then, as the foamy/bloody mixture seeps across the floor, the daughter tries to run away from it; it’s pretty silly.
There are other moments where Fulci really shines, though, which is why I’ve given this film such a glowing review. His direction in a few sequences goes far beyond that which you would think to see in a schlocky grindhouse release. There’s a scene when Liza is talking to one character and that character flees; without saying anything, Fulci conveys to the viewer that Liza heard her own footsteps but not that of the other character whom she had been talking to.
Verdict:
I really enjoyed this film, I’d say it’s pretty much on par with “City of the Living Dead”. I can’t wait to check out the final entry in “The Gates of Hell Trilogy”: “The House by the Cemetery”.
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