| Author | Message | ||
     John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 90.199.0.51 |
My pursuit of weird and obscure movies continued today with this little gem I've wanted to see ever since reading a lengthy article about it in Demonique No.4 when I was 13. Has anyone else seen it? It's a mid-seventies micro-budgeted oddity set in 1930s (I think) rural America. Cheryl Smith (who herself became a bit of a notorious figure on the exploitation circuit - she was in The Incredible Melting Man amongst others) plays 13 year old Lilah Lee who gets lured to the town of Astaroth (!) with the promise of finding her gangster father by Countess Dracula type figure Lemora. This film is weird in all the right ways and plays out like a particularly vivid nightmare. The bus Lilah takes gets attacked by decaying zombie werewolf types that are apparently the result of some 'disease that shows people who they truly are' according to Lemora who is a deliciously scary wicked witch wannabe. She has an army of black-cloaked torch-wielding servant vampires to bring Lilah back when she escapes. The ending is really weird as well, and I'm still not entirely sure what happened but I am sure it was downbeat. The colour schemes in the pristine DVD print I saw were amazing - everything is shot in an other-worldly blue but lights and lamps seem to have been fitted with scarlet filters. Apparently the Catholic church really hated this one, but to me it really does feel like one of the nightmares I might have had as a kid put on film. Anyone else out there a fan? | ||
| Mick Curtis (Mick) Username: Mick Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.159.155.179 |
Never even heard of it, sadly, but "Apparently the Catholic church really hated this one" makes me really want to see it! | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 90.199.0.51 |
It's other common title was 'The Legendary Curse of Lemora', but I gather it's seomthing of a classic 'lost' film. It's certainly worthy of rediscovery. | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 90.199.0.51 |
Sorry for the misplaced apostrophes and the mispelt something. Time for bed I think. | ||
| Huw (Huw) Username: Huw Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 218.168.177.157 |
I've seen this one, John. It was recommended to me when I first joined the Machen society, back in the mid-nineties, and after much searching I finally found a videotape copy. I agree it's an atmospheric, dreamlike film, but I really need to watch it again, as I've forgotten much of it (I have it on DVD now). Have you seen Mill of the Stone Women yet? | ||
| Ramsey Campbell (Ramsey) Username: Ramsey Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.93.21.74 |
I liked it quite a bit, John - the kind of independent horror film we seldom see now - and the DVD is splendid. | ||
| Richard_gavin (Richard_gavin) Username: Richard_gavin Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 65.110.174.71 |
Ramsey: Huzzah! Another Lemora fan! I own the Synapse DVD of this film. It's such a rich-looking movie. Some scenes, like the bus attack you mentioned, put me in mind of E.C. Comics panels. I agree that the movie can only be described as weird. Speaking of low-budget, oneiric horror: Have you ever seen Beyond Dream's Door, Ramsey? A wonderfully original film whose shoestring budget actually works in its favour. Best, Richard | ||
| Richard_gavin (Richard_gavin) Username: Richard_gavin Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 65.110.174.71 |
Oh, and John too of course (forgive me). Have you seen Beyond Dream's Door? | ||
| Ramsey Campbell (Ramsey) Username: Ramsey Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.93.21.74 |
I saw and liked it, Richard - originally in Portland at the HPL filmfest. I met Jay Woelfel there and he told me he'd built in a reference to a scene in Incarnate. | ||
| Richard_gavin (Richard_gavin) Username: Richard_gavin Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 65.110.174.71 |
An Incarnate reference? That's splendid. I'll have to re-watch the DVD and see if I can spot it. |