Devil's Nightmare

Starring:Erika Blanc, Jean Servais, Jacques Monseau, Ivana Novak, Lorenzo Terzon, Shirley Corrigan, Colette Emmanuelle, Christian Maillet, Lucien Raimbourg, Daniel Emilfork, FrÃ©dÃ©rique Hender, Maurice de Groot, Yvonne Garden
Director: Jean BrismÃ©e
Studio: Image Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

An alternate title for this movie could easily be RV to Hell. Two middle-class couples take their spankin'-new motor home on a trip to Colorado. While camping out in Texas, the men see something they shouldn't--a human sacrifice by Satanists who somehow manage not to notice their Safeway- sized vehicle until the last minute. The tourists flee from the devil worshippers, getting the monstrous RV hung up in a stream, and so goes the rest of the movie. The local sheriff is in league with the devil, and every town they come to is full of pesky Satanists. The vacationers are nothing if not resourceful, though; when a pair of determined Beelzebubbers cling to the vehicle like barnacles, Peter Fonda pokes at them with an aluminum vacuum-cleaner wand until they give up and fall off! Oddly, halfway through the film, it turns from a fairly routine (if suspenseful) horror movie to a Ron Howard-style car-chase film, with a half-dozen vehicles pursuing the motor home. The vacationers continue to abuse the RV until large chunks of it begin to fall off, fending off their enemies with a shotgun until the nasty surprise ending. With a cast that includes Fonda, Warren Oates, Loretta Swit, and Lara Parker, it's hard to go wrong (though the women's roles consist of screaming ineffectually, making coffee, and cleaning the earth-toned Winnebago). Yep, this Central Texas-lensed drive-in feature supplies thrills, car wrecks, devil worshippers, and unintended laughs by the bushel... what else can you ask for? --Jerry Renshaw

Description

Frank (Warren Oates) and Roger (Peter Fonda) take off for Colorado with their wives in a recreational vehicle, looking forward to some skiing and dirt biking. While camping en route, they witness a satanic ritual sacrifice, but the local sheriff finds no evidence to support their claims and urges them to continue on their vacation. On the way, however, they find themselves fleeing repeated attacks from cult members.

Customer Reviews:

Race with the devil.......2007-06-12

Great old movie with Loretta Switt and Peter Fonda who is a darn good actor. Thanks for having it so i could purchase it.

"Tonight on the C.B.S. late night movie"!.......2007-04-15

This along with "Shock Waves" is the Holy Grail of late night movies that I have been looking for that scared me .... badly(got you!) as a child.
Two couples(Warren Oates , Peter Fonda, Loretta Switt , and Laura Parker) after years of building a motorcycle shop up decide to rent a top of the line(1975 anyway) RV and take to the road. BAD IDEA!!!!!! After a day of biking and having fun the guys sit outside have a beer and witness a satanic cult sacrifice! This would be bad enough but when a wife yells for them to come in, the cult sees them and the chase and chills are on. It seems that everyone in the part of Texas that they are in is part of the cult as they are hounded every step of the way after reporting the incident. Car chases, snakes, animal cruelty, RV cruelty, and random violence to road signs ensue.
This is a great paranoid chiller(as most post Watergate movies were) where everyone is out to get our heroes, and no one is to trusted. This is one of the best Drive-In movies of all time! The ending is one that you will never forget and stays with you long after the credits roll.
The cast is pitch perfect, full of some of the best character actors of all time and the pace is lighting quick. I hear that a remake is planed, well if the ones they have done lately are any sign, they can't improve on this Great Little Chiller!

RACE WITH THIS DEVIL.......2007-04-09

I remember watching this on a Sat afternoon.Channel 9 always played this one.This movie freaked me out{i was only 10} when I first saw it.Frank and Roger{Warren Oates,Peter Fonda} take their wives{Laura Parker,Loretta Swift}on a vacation to Colorado.During a rest the two men witness a Satanic Ritual across the water.They are spotted and the chase is on!The thing that made this movie was as a viewer pointed out was that these people are normal looking.This added much to the creepiness.I always loved the pool scene.Its funny how Laura Parker always gets the stares and not Loretta Swift.The director Jack Starrett has a small role as a gas station attendant. Its filled with car chases which was popular back then and not so much today.I have to keep in mind too that this was 1975 and low budget.Its still is a great movie!

Race With the Devil--Good action.......2007-03-09

I went to see this movie as a kid at the theater. I remember the audience yelling and clapping during the chase scenes. I enjoyed it just as much all these years later. The plot is fairly simple....after witnessing a human sacrifice the people get pursued for miles and days by the cult members. The movie is still somewhat scary and suspensful in a "B" movie sort of way. The DVD has some good extras to it like the interview with Peter Fonda.

Hell on wheels!.......2007-02-26

"When you Race With the Devil, you better be faster than Hell!" screams the trailer for one of the all-time great irresistible chase movie premises: vacationers Warren Oates and Peter Fonda inadvertently witness a ritual killing and find themselves and their wives pursued in their RV by a bunch of unrelenting Satanists. And these aren't any old Satanists - these are Texan Satanists, and darn well connected ones too. Pretty soon it's looking like the whole of the Lone Star State is part of a Satanic conspiracy, and thankfully it's one that involves lots of car crashes. While it doesn't make quite as much of the idea as it perhaps could and the great ending completely defies logic, it's still as much fun as it sounds. It's not a great movie by any means, but as Peter Fonda says on the DVD it was never meant to be: it was just about having a good time with it (though I'm guessing that original director Lee Frost didn't have such a great time since he got replaced by Jack Starrett). Unfortunately, but perhaps predictably, there is a remake in the works.

Anchor Bay's DVD is a good package, featuring a good 1.85:1 widescreen transfer with decent extras - a 17-minute featurette including an interview with Peter Fonda, audio commentary by producer Paul Maslansky and actress Lara Parker, stills and poster gallery, 3 radio spots, original theatrical trailer and trailers for The Entity, Quicksilver Highway and Ghost in the Machine.

Average customer rating:

Terrific double bill DVD
Impressed
I am please to see others really appreciate these films
Great Combo
An Uncanny, Poetic Masterpiece

The Devil's Nightmare / Messiah of Evil
Starring: Michael Greer , Marianna Hill , Joy Bang , Anitra Ford , and Royal Dano
Director: Gloria Katz , and Willard Huyck
Manufacturer: Diamond Ent. Corp.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005Q63Z
Release Date: 2003-01-01

Customer Reviews:

Terrific double bill DVD.......2007-06-10

I got this DVD for Messiah of Evil, which I've seen before, but was pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying The Devil's Nightmare almost as much. The Devil's Nightmare is an Italian origin Succubus tale, where a group of travelers (including two gorgeous Euro-babes) wind up in a creepy mansion (with the ugliest wallpaper ever) and are picked off by big-haired, big-cheekboned and bare-bellied Erika Blanc. How come my vacations are never like this? Highlights include lesbian lovemaking, a sleeping cat that's supposed to be impaled, Ms. Blanc's gonzo performance, and the greatest ending ever.

I love Messiah of Evil. It's really unique in it's weirdness. The story involves a woman played by beautiful, doe-eyed Marianna Hill (The Baby) searching for her missing artist father in a creepy California beach town called Point Dune. There she learns of a legend of The Blood Moon, where the moon turns red and drives the local yokels to crazed cannibalism. Played totally straight and absolutely devoid of humor, Messiah has a dreamlike feel similar to Carnival of Souls (and maybe Let's Scare Jessica to Death), but still different. It's one of the few horror movies that has given me nightmares. As mentioned in other reviews, the supermarket and movie theater sequences are just awesome, and former Price is Right model Anitra Ford is particularly enjoyable for her jaded non-reactions in her hitchhiking scene.

Nightmare is slightly letterboxed and looks good, but, as mentioned in another review, the sound sucks. I had to crank my TV to hear it, and then it gets distorted. Messiah is full-frame, OK/pretty good image quality (with a little better sound than Nightmare). Messiah appears to be mastered from a video source. There are some brief bios in the main menu as well. Great fun for a good price- check it out!

Impressed.......2006-01-12

[Note: I have only seen "Messiah of Evil"].

I approached "Messiah of Evil" without expecting much, but the movie delivered a great deal more than expected. Considering the relatively unknown status of this film, it has many standout psychological horror scenes. The scene in the supermarket is genuinely disturbing. And the scene in the movie theater terrified me for reasons I don't fully understand (and few movies frighten me). And who can deny the wonder of the off-the-wall "beach-mouse" scene?

This is an unconventional zombie movie with genuine artistic value (as far-fetched as it sounds).

I am please to see others really appreciate these films.......2005-12-27

Messiah of Evil is an excellent film, I rented years ago on VHS and was so blown away, then I forgot the name of it. When I came across it on DVD I was very happy. This film has such a quite, warm, Dario Argento feeling to it. The Art director Jack Fisk's (long time David Lynch Friend) work is great in this film. The supermaket scene stands out in my mind as one of the best scenes in horror.
Devils nightmare is a very funny film. But don't let that put you off, the scene with the bus driver eating that banquet prepared by the Succubus is classic. This guy was eating the way you are suppose to really eat when no one is looking.
I have both these films several times over on different dvds including this one. Easily worth the money, buy it.
BTW Dario Argento is not the Director, but it definately has his feel to it, pretty strange.

Great Combo.......2005-03-10

Both these films are great (yet widely unknown) horror flicks that deserve more attention than a lot of trash that sells better. I've been a huge fan of The Devil's Nightmare for years, and Messiah of Evil was a very pleasant surpise as well. I'm biased, and so I only have good to say about both of these movies. BUT, I have to report one thing about the quality of The Devil's Nightmare on this DVD: I have collected several cuts of the film over the years and I find that the audio here is not nearly as good as even some video versions I've got (the widely available Redemption version, for example, has better). The picture is ok (really no better than Redemption's video), and as much of the scenes as I've ever found are also there, so if you weigh in the fact that you can have Messiah of Evil as a bonus, this DVD isn't too bad a deal.

An Uncanny, Poetic Masterpiece.......2004-03-26

This review is of *Messiah of Evil*.

The five stars are for the film itself, and not for the DVD transfer. Though poor, it is still an enormous improvement over the third-rate VHS release. I agree, though, with those who feel that this film deserves a better release, although I won't be holding my breath awaiting it. I take issue, however, with those who criticize the acting and the pace of the film. Anyway, on to the review....

Who knew what darkness lay in the hearts of Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz, the screenwriting team that brought us *American Graffiti* and *Howard The Duck*? Huyck also directed this tale of atavistic resurgence run amok.

A young woman travels to a small seaside town to search for her missing father, a local artist. There, she meets a curious *ménage a trois*: An effete researcher into ancient legends and his two female traveling companions. The uncooperative townspeople from whom they seek information resemble somnambulists, especially at night, when they gather on the beach and gaze longingly out to sea under a reddening moon. Other weird and terrifying portents soon appear: An old drunkard warns the heroine that, here, the corpses must be burned, not buried; a man offers a hitchhiker a mouse--when she refuses it, he eats it alive; tears of blood drip from the townspeople's eyes; live insects and vermin spew forth from their mouths. As the heroine and her companions delve deeper into the mystery, they find themselves engulfed in cataclysmic violence, and the secret of the messiah of evil, as well as the fate of the girl's father, transpires at last.

Description

DON'T MOVE...DON'T BREATHE...DON'T LET THEM HEAR YOUR HEART BEATING...

This Definitive Edition of TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD - the first of the four BLIND DEAD movies - contains both the original American and uncensored Spanish Versions (complete with newly translated English subtitles), all fully restored from pristine negative materials and transferred in eye-popping High Definition.

Customer Reviews:

One of the better horror films I've watched as of late.......2007-06-06

I think from all of the horror films I've watched recently, "Tombs of the Blind Dead" truly had some genuine creepiness and suspense to it. I have to warn you though, it's better to watch the film in its original Spanish language with English subtitles, because the English version has been hacked to pieces.

Not bad dead cheese.......2007-05-24

I can't say this movie just blew me away. It is rather cheesy. But somehow restored and then viewing the whole Blind dead movies..I'd say this one is the best. Now..the zombie/knight/skeletons, although not very mobile, are pretty cool looking. The plot...well, kinda funny. I mean I like the whole jealousy over the man, and jumping from the train to find oneself in an ancient ruin inhabited by horse riding blind zombie knights thing. I hated this movie at first..then I watched again...and again. I now truly think this film is ok. If I were a kid I'd go nuts over it. Just realize that this would make a great Saturday afternoon in the rain horror movie. Don't look for anything else. I'd like to own a zombie tattered robe like they have on in the movie though.

VERY VERY GOOD.......2007-03-05

SO I LIKE SO MUCH THIS MOVIE IT IS REALLY UNRATED YOU CAN SEE THE RAPE THE BLOOD EVERYTHING THAT WE COULDN T SEE BEFORE SO FOR THE YEAR 1971 I THINK IT WAS TOO MUCH FOR THIS PERIOD

The Knights are coming back to life!.......2006-09-29

In 1971, director Amando de Ossorio created what horror fans worldwide consider to be Spain's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. In Ossorio's nightmare vision, a legion of Knights Templar - executed horsemen whose eyes had been pecked out by crows - rise rotting from their graves, hunting only by sound in a quest for human flesh. The BLIND DEAD saga begins here, as a modern-day tourist trip to the ruins of the Templar monastery unleashes a frenzy of lesbian desire, sexual violence and the unholy onslaught of the eyeless undead!

This Definitive Edition of TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD - the first of the four BLIND DEAD movies - contains both the original American and uncensored Spanish Versions (complete with newly translated English subtitles), all fully restored from pristine negative materials and transferred in eye-popping High Definition.

The first Amando de Ossorio undead Templar Knights films.......2005-11-27

"Tombs of the Blind Dead" ("La Noche del terror ciego") is the first of the four films by writer-director Amando de Ossorio dealing with the Templar Knights that rise from the dead and creep, very slowly, after their victims. Five hundred years ago the Templars were sacrificing virgins and drinking their blood. Eventually the locals attacked the Templars, burning out the eyes of the knights before burning them at the stake. Ever since then no one goes near their castle, that is until Virginia White (María Elena Arpón) hops off a train in the middle of nowhere and ends up spending the night there. That night the Templar knights, skeletal corpses dressed up in armor, rise (slowly) from their tombs and follow the sounds of Virginia's screams. The trick is to stay silent so the blind Templars cannot hear where you are, but it is difficult to stay quiet when these things are after you.

When Virginia's dead body is found her friends Betty Turner (Lone Fleming) and Roger Whelan (César Burner) decide to find out what happened to her. This is where they learn the legend of the Templars and then go off to investigate the castle, thinking that maybe somebody is using the local tale as a cover for criminal activity. This explains why they drag along local smuggler Pedro Candal (Joseph Thelman) and his girlfriend Maria (María Silva), to investigate the place, which only gives the Templars more victims to pursue (slowly). In his horror films Ossorio is all about atmosphere, so what stands out here is the thought of these shuffling corpses coming after you while the young women who are about to die take terms trying not to make a sound and then screaming all the way until the end. There is usually some blood at the end, but "Tombs of the Blind Dead" is more about spooky atmosphere. You just have to remind yourself that this film was made in 1971 and not judge its slower pace (and the slowest monsters you have ever seen) by the standard of contemporary horror films.

Actually, this is the 86 minute dubbed into English version of the original 101 minute Spanish film. What has been cut from "La Noche del terror ciego" is the nudity, a rather chaste lesbian love scene, the bloodier parts of the flashback to the Templar rituals, and one of the more gratuitous rape scenes of all-time (although the part where the rapist offers his victim a cigarette afterwards before he is killed by the Templars remains for you to scratch your head over). The edited flashback is actually the prologue for "Tombs of the Blind Dead." Obviously if you can track down the existing Spanish version (which clocks in at 97 minutes for some reason) you can see the film Ossorio actually made and not this edited down version, paying the small price of reading subtitles to enjoy the film.

This film was followed by "El ataque de los muertos sin ojos" ("Return of hte Blind Dead") in 1973, "El buque maldito" ("The Ghost Galleon") in 1974, and "La Noche de las gavitos" ("Night of the Seagulls") in 1975. Some see Jesus Franco's 1985 film "La Mansión de los muertos vivientes" as a remake of Ossorio's first film, but I think you are on safer ground if you consider it to be definitely inspired by this entire series. One of the interesting things about the series is that most of the films can stand on their own, with the second being the best of the lot.

Average customer rating:

Pretty good, but flawed
Surprisingly good Polanski-esque horror film
Not a great moment for Satan in the cinema
Don't expect too much, unless you're looking for satanic orgies and bad acting.
Satanists, murders, and orgies - what more could you want?

Satan's Blood
Starring: Ángel Aranda , Sandra Alberti , Mariana Karr , José María Guillén , and Manuel Pereiro
Director: Juan Piquer Simón , and Carlos Puerto
Manufacturer: Mondo Macabre
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000E6EK6A
Release Date: 2006-02-28

Description

Andy & Anna are bored and decide to go for a drive in the country. On the way they meet another couple who claim to know them from many years before. They agree to visit their country house and end up staying the night. A simple game with a Ouija board goes badly wrong and the evening begins to turn into a nightmare. Things get worse when Anna is attacked by a mysterious stranger. When Andy goes to investigate he finds that they have strayed into the clutches of a dangerous pair of psychopaths who are planning for them a fate worse than death. In 1970's Spain, certain films were released with an "S" classification - S for Sex. These were films with an unusually high number of scenes of sex & sadism. Satan's Blood was one of the first of these "S" films and is still one of the most notorious.

Customer Reviews:

Pretty good, but flawed.......2007-06-30

Satan's Blood is a mixed bag while there are some excellent and creepy moments there are also scenes that just sort of fall a bit flat. Satan's Blood really bothers me only because it had potential to be something great.

The movie opens up with a rather strange and twisted scene that doesn't seem to have any connection to the rest of the movie. Regardless the scene plays out well and helps set the tone.

After that the movie does slow down as we are introduced to the main characters in the movie. It does take a little while before anything major happens.

The biggest flaw of the movie is the script from writer/director Carlos Puerto. The great thing about the horror genre is you can get away with a sub-par script some of the time. You need something that can at least sort of keep things interesting.

The script actually wasn't bad, but it just doesn't really go anywhere. There were some pretty good ideas that if built upon would have really fleshed out the movie.

As a director Carlos Puerto fairs a lot better; while some scenes do lack tension others have it. First up the location is excellent and very isolated that is always a good thing. And the house is quite creepy. Even during the scenes in daylight the movie still has that creepy vibe.

Some scenes by Carlos Puerto might fall flat at times, but as a whole he is able to mostly get the job done. But Satan's Blood does border on straight up horror and camp. This flick isn't one of those so bad its good movies, but some scenes do border on that level.

Having such a great location really does add to the tone of the movie even if at times not everything works. There is also plenty of nudity and sex scenes, which sometimes is very much needed and Satan's Blood did benefit from that.

One thing that really works well in Satan's Blood is the sound; when the wind is blowing outside it really adds to the movie. And again that is what bothers me so much. Satan's Blood really had potential to be something great. I did very much enjoy the movie, but it could have been more.

Satan's Blood was produced by cult director Juan Piquer Simon best known for Pieces and Slugs. When you see his name and know his work you will probably expect something like those movies. But as I stated before Satan's Blood does border on camp at times, but it's in no way a so bad it's good movie.

Personally I would have loved to have seen what Juan Piquer Simon could have done with this movie; apparently he directed some scenes, but is un-credited.

In closing Satan's Blood is a mostly solid satanic flick that is elevated by great use of location. Some scenes work well and others fall flat at times. If you are a fan of European horror Satan's Blood might be worth watching.

Surprisingly good Polanski-esque horror film.......2007-05-23

This Spanish film was made not long after the demise of Franco, when censorship loosened up in Spain considerably. My sense is that this was basically intended as an exploitation flick, but the filmmakers had talent and imagination, and the result is a low-budget horror gem. Very well directed, replete with a sinister atmosphere reminiscent of Polanski films like THE TENANT and ROSEMARY'S BABY and some genuinely strange and creepy touches. A good horror film for viewers with brains and imagination.

Not a great moment for Satan in the cinema.......2007-05-02

I won't spend long on this review, because I spent too long watching this film.
A fan of subversive cinema...you learn to take the good and bad. Though not down right bad, this film isn't really good either. It's mostly slow and boring. Not even ambient or creepy. The direction is ok, but the script and the acting is just dull. Then once you sleep through the softcore porn orgie and the very fake bad makeup effects...it just kept going......
I had to find something else and move on.
Dissapointing with a cool cover. What can you do?

Don't expect too much, unless you're looking for satanic orgies and bad acting........2007-03-04

"Satan's Blood" definitely has that foreign movie feel to it, but it really doesn't have much to offer except a lot of full frontal nudity, some odd Satanic sex scenes, and a poor attempt at a horror movie. This movie is not scary at all, but it does give you a look at an interpretation of the disgusting satanic rituals. The acting is predictably poor and the English dubbing isn't very convincing for sure. Overall, this is a very lackluster horror flick, notwithstanding when and where it was made. Of course, with a horror movie about satanism from Spain made in 1977, what should I expect? That being said, it's definitely not my cup of tea...thank goodness for ebay!

Satanists, murders, and orgies - what more could you want?.......2006-08-13

I hate to admit it, but the main reason I bought this movie is because of the cool art on the DVD case. But I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. Satan's Blood begins with a scene that can be described as pure exploitation. The opening scene is of a Black Mass. The room is decorated with a huge pentagram on a wall, and black candles light the room. A priest bows before the pentagram, and attends to a woman who has just been brought into the room. She is in a white dress, and everyone else are wearing black ceremonial robes. After a display of full-frontal female nudity, the priest stabs the woman in the back. But I can only assume he stabbed her, because it doesn't actually look like he stabs her. It looks like he slid the dagger underneath her back WITHOUT stabbing her. There are several other stabbings in the movie, and none of them look realistic. Regardless, it's safe to assume the woman was an unwilling human sacrifice. My other complaint about this scene is that the woman doesn't seem to mind being raped. Is a greater degree of realism too much to ask for from the filmmakers?

We are then introduced to the two main characters, Andres and Ana (Andy and Anna in the dubbed version), and their dog Blackie. Ana is four months pregnant. While driving around town they are stopped by another couple, Bruno and Berta (Bruno and Mary in the dubbed version). Bruno claims to have known Andres back in college, but Andres can't recall ever seeing him. Regardless, Andres and Ana agree to go to the mysterious couple's huge country house. Shortly after arriving, Blackie is barking loudly at a freezer, which leads the viewer to think the mysterious couple are hiding something in the freezer - especially when Berta menacingly says "Silence!" to Blackie, and he immediately falls silent. It quickly becomes apparent that the couple store meat in their freezer, after we see Berta hunched over a kitchen table, chomping loudly on a raw piece of flesh. The manner in which the mysterious couple eats is a sight that unnerved me.

One of the movie's highlights is when the two couples sit down to contact the dead. Instead of using a cheap Ouija board that any old department store would sell, the mysterious couple have a beautiful Ouija table! They just haul off the tablecloth, grab a fancy glass, and they're ready to communicate with the dead. But the Ouija reveals some deeply personal information about Ana, which upsets her greatly. You wouldn't think watching people use a 'talking board' (or in this case, a 'talking table') would be interesting, but it is in Satan's Blood. It helps ratchet up the suspense. Keep an eye out for the candle that mysteriously goes out by itself after the spirit spoke to Bruno! The second highlight of the film is an orgy scene. The dim-lighting, the roaring fire in the fireplace, and the ominous background music make the ritualistic orgy scene seem surreal, fascinating, and even frightening. And the picture of Jesus that bursts into flames makes for some incredible imagery. But it's hard to believe that Andres and Ana, who by chance have stumbled upon a naked Bruno and Berta in the middle of a Satanic ritual, would partake in an orgy with them. It's even harder to imagine they would after Berta spoke to them in a rather demonic voice (shortly before the orgy began). Perhaps they were too passive to refuse? Or curious? Or both?

There's lots of cool stuff in this movie. The opening credits show blood dripping, with some rather loud and frightening music playing - so simple, yet so cool. And it's cool how Bruno and Berta like to snarl when they have sex. It makes them seem sinister, and evil. And decades before the weird looking doll in Saw, there was the weird looking doll in Satan's Blood, which makes the same scream as Berta did at the end of a ritual. It's not as cool as the doll in Saw, but I'd say it's pretty cool. And just what was the doll's significance? Was it just thrown into the movie because it's cool? And the sight of the mutilated dog will disturb most people more than what the mysterious couple keep in their freezer. And the part where the doors are slamming shut is cool. And if you look closely you'll notice the squatter is seated at the Satanists' table. That's when it becomes apparent what their nefarious plan was from the very beginning. And in case you didn't figure it out then, it becomes crystal clear in the final scene on the street.

The dubbing for Satan's Blood isn't too great. The main problem I had with it was that the dubbed voice for Bruno sounded too goofy most of the time. It sounded like the new host of America's Funniest Home Videos provided the dubbed voice of Bruno. While the English dubbing wasn't terrible, you'll need to watch it with English subtitles to properly experience and enjoy the film.

The DVD also has an interesting documentary called The Devil's Disciples. Gavin Baddeley talks at length about the origins of the Black Mass, the impact of Aleister Crowley on our common perceptions of Satanism, and the creation of the Church of Satan by Anton LaVey. I found the differences between the devil-worship of yesteryear and modern Satanism to be quite interesting.

It's complicated movies like this where a director's commentary is a good thing to have. Unfortunately, Satan's Blood has no commentary track. I'd like to have someone explain what the significance of Andres' statement about a "feeling of emptiness" meant, supposing it was of any significance at all. And I also have no idea what's up with the weird doll. Regardless, this is a really good movie, and I recommend it.

Average customer rating:

One of the Best 70's Eurohorrors
OK...it's not perfect
Prepare yourself for pure EVIL
Not very thrilling
seven sinners and a succubi

The Devil's Nightmare
Starring: Erika Blanc , Jean Servais , Jacques Monseau , Ivana Novak , and Lorenzo Terzon
Director: Jean Brismée
Manufacturer: St Clair Vision
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001I551A
Release Date: 2004-02-24

Amazon.com

Seven travelers stranded in the Italian countryside accept the hospitality of a kindly castle lord, but what horror awaits them: the family has a curse on it that dooms the eldest daughter of each generation to become an agent of the devil, and guess who's coming home. After a striking opening scene (involving a Nazi officer in 1944 overseeing the birth of his child, which turns out to be... an accursed daughter!), this horror tale drags along at a glacial pace until the visitors settle in enough to take a little time out for sex, which serves as an appetizer to sadistic murders. The guests, ostensibly representative of the Seven Deadly Sins, die in appropriately thematic twists at first, though after gluttony, greed, and lust the point gets stretched. This low-budget example of horrotica has its entertaining moments, an appropriately lurid style (courtesy of Belgian director Jean Brismee), and even an appearance by former French matinee idol Jean Servais (Beauty and the Beast). Included are trailers for this and three other Italian exploitation films and an extended introduction by British horror hostess Eileen Daly (which was actually recorded for a different film!), a black-leather Elvira with a whip and a penchant for kink that may not be to the tastes of all audiences. -Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

One of the Best 70's Eurohorrors.......2007-06-06

It has been some time since I've taken interest in horror. Last year I delved into Asian horror and was quite enamoured with it, but it's become stale and repetitive. I'm also not fond of American horror or most mainstream horror films. My best bet? Euro-horror, of course, but not in the mold I have been used to (Argento, Soavi, Rollin, Bava, and so forth). Instead, I've been picking up obscure little titles that sell for $5.00 as part of a "multi-pack" of movies. The one film from these bargain bin films that stands out as being effective would be "The Devil's Nightmare." The title alone may remind you of a certain film that came out by Rob Zombie recently, but it really has nothing to do with it, and rightfully so. "The Devil's Nightmare" is a real stand-out film, and mostly because of the actors Erika Blanc who plays the succubus who plys her dark arts for the devil, and a man with the most creepy yet enigmatic visage I've ever seen (I think it may be Daniel Emilfork; I think he also played a villain in "City of Lost Children") who plays The Devil. The film does have a surreal quality to it, but not in the tight, technical way of early Argento or Soavi, it has a more haunting quality, even in daylight scenes. The music also helps to convey a sense of the sinister, with all the aplomb of 70's soundtrack nostalgia.

OK...it's not perfect.......2007-03-25

It really isn't. But I should start by stating that I love "odd" films. I have a taste for D-horror films. And this one is truely a D-horror film!!! It's got a gothic mood. Some fun music and some interesting deaths. It's not the most exciting of films...but I'm personally ok with that 'cuz it's the kinda film I like. This film will not be for everyone. I've seen some reviews for this film that are not good...and those people are right. It's isn't a great film. But if you are in for a film with character...this is the one!

Prepare yourself for pure EVIL.......2007-01-21

A busload of morally ambiguous tourists are rerouted to the spooky castle of a former Nazi baron (formerly a Nazi, still a baron) in order to save the rest of the travel for the following day. Coincidentally, the baron's daughter, a succubus, shows up to condemn the tourists to varying circles of Hell, using the 'Seven Deadly Sins' as the guidebook.

Apparently, the Seven Deadly Sins consist of the following:

(1) Sin: Lust. Punishment= Cheating husband and insatiable brunette strumpet are killed by medieval torture devices.

(2) Sin: Greed. Punishment= Ugly frigid wife suffocates on gold glitter.

(3) Sin: Gluttony. Punishment= Gruesome slob is invited to a gigantic feast and then, after gorging himself and making any perspective viewer (such as myself) nauseous, chokes to death on a glass of wine.

(4) Sin: Guilty Of Being A Hot Bisexual Blonde Who Lounges Seductively In A Bed. Punishment= Death by python!!!!!

(5) Sin: Complaining Too Much. Punishment= Old creep kept awake all night and then thrown from a tower window.

So anyway, there you have it, all 5 of the Seven Deadly Sins and the corresponding Dante-style punishments. Additionally, this movie boasts the worst Satan of all time. Looks sort of like a convenience store clerk who doubles as the human pretzel at a carnival freakshow.

Not very thrilling.......2006-09-04

"Devil's Nightmare" has an intriguing cult reputation, and some bizarre stills of the film's star Erika Blanc that are taken from it promise it to be quite a lurid thriller...sadly it isn't.

Seven tourists stay overnight at a large castle, and are regaled with gruesome history tales by the ghoulish butler. The host tells them the family is cursed by a succubus, whereupon an eighth guest suddenly arrives in the shape of the stunning Ms Blanc. No prizes for guessing what she is then! After bewitching the other guests with her sultry demeanor and revealing gowns, she gradually works her way through the lot of them, managing to lure them to various inventive deaths one after another, all of which are themed around each of the characters various sinful leanings (greed, lust, etc). Only a priest seems able to resisit the charms of the mystery woman...will he be able to break the terrible curse?

Yes I know that plot sounds like it could have been somehow worked into a stylish and shocking gothic horror, but something vital is really missing from this effort. I think it's down to a general lack of polish and care, and attention to laying down any sort of atmosphere. The castle where all the main action takes place is a stunning building on the oustide, but the interior is not nearly as impressive - especially the bedrooms that the guests are shown to, they are kitted out in the most appalling over-fussy floral decor, each one more hideous than the last. There's little sense of art direction, especially in hilariously bad scenes when the characters are supposed to be creeping around looking for a way out of the castle in nothing but candlelight, whereas in fact all these scens are visibly and harshly over-lit with industrial arc-lighting! The continuation and photography is also very poor with a great deal of obvious inconsistencies in the brightness of the sky outside. The English dubbing is also very, very bad. It makes a mockery of all the acting, although even good dubbing would not save the actor playing the priest, who gives the blandest, most wooden performance I have ever seen, almost single-handedly dragging what little tension there is towards the film's climax into the gutter.

On the plus side, Erika Blanc makes for a pretty dashing succubus, with her appearance altering to a pale, skeletal fright-face every time she is about her killing business. She also manages to pull off some very weird and wonderful contortions which verge on the pantomime, but luckily fall on just the right side of creepy. But the death scenes are all very cheaply handled and laughably unlikely. The behaviour of the guests is never anything less than totally vapid, even when faced with obvious danger. And to my total non-surprise (this being a European horror film from the 1970's), there's also a totally gratuitous lesbian sex scene that goes completely nowhere plot-wise...oh well, at least all the women in this film are very attractive so for those that want to see topless beauties doing the business, there's a small helping of that just for you. For anyone who is interested in plot, gothic atmosphere or just plain horror, this films serves up such thin helpings of each of those that it's really not worth the effort.

I'm sorry to be negative, and I was disappointed myself, but aside from Erica Blanc in what is probably her most memorable horror appearance, there's barely anything memorable in this.

seven sinners and a succubi.......2006-07-08

Seven tourists (representing the seven deadly sins) end up having to spend the night together. Along comes a yummy succubi to throw in some evening entertainment. It's a low budget 70's flick, but is still pretty good.

If they updated the script and the special effects, this movie could have a brilliant remake someday.

Average customer rating:

Hera Purple: Devil Goddess
Starring: Chang Kim , Se-Chang Lee , and Ho-seong Lee
Manufacturer: Pathfinder Home Ent.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Satan's Blood
Lady Terminator

ASIN: B00006FDBI
Release Date: 2002-10-15

Description

The haunting tale of a woman plagued by memories she can't recall who seeks help and discovers she is possessed by the spirit of a mythical goddess that compels her to commit a series of bizarre murders. A group of detectives race against time to stop the continuing carnage and unravel the secret of the demon goddess, Hera.

Average customer rating:

Viva Mario Bava
What???
Lisa and the Devil
I EXORCISE YOU FROM THIS HOUSE FOREVER!
better than "lisa"

Lisa And The Devil
Starring: Telly Savalas , Elke Sommer , Sylva Koscina , Alessio Orano , and Gabriele Tinti
Director: Alfredo Leone , and Mario Bava
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Twitch Of The Death Nerve (a.k.a. Bay Of Blood)
Baron Blood
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Blood & Black Lace
Black Sunday (aka The Mask of Satan)

ASIN: 6305837244
Release Date: 2000-05-16

Amazon.com

Directed by giallo maven Mario Bava, House of Exorcism is a truly rare cinematic find: a completely insane film. Sure, there are plenty of movies that are a little quirky, and even more that start off reasonably and then go around the bend later on, but in House of Exorcism, at no time is anything even remotely comprehensible happening. (No, not even if you watch it a second time.) Elke Sommer stars as Lisa, a beautiful tourist who spies an ancient fresco of the devil and seconds later leaves her tour group to become hopelessly lost. Fresco look-alike Telly Savalas, tongue and lollipop firmly in cheek, shows up holding a life-size mannequin and we're off. What follows is a whirl of opulent sets, vaguely menacing Europeans, and plenty of blood. It's the kind of movie where mysterious and weighty significance is given to lines such as "I brought you some cake. It's your favorite... with chocolate sprinkles." Like all great art, House of Exorcism asks more questions than it answers: Aren't we all just mannequins? Is Telly's face supposed to be obscured by that candelabrum? If those ghosts are so powerful, why have they been seated in coach? All this and more awaits you in The House of Exorcism. --Ali Davis

Description

While visiting Toledo, Spain, American tourist Lisa Reiner (Elke Sommer) experiences a feeling of deja vu when she sees an ancient mural of the Devil carrying away the dead. Hearing a familiar melody, she wanders away from her companions into a series of encounters with men who inexplicably recognize her from a past life. Hopelessly lost as night falls, Lisa begs a ride from a passing Packard, which breaks down outside a mansion where a young man (Alessio Orano) lives with his blind mother (Alida Valli) and a charming butler (Telly Savalas), who just happens to resemble the Devil from the mural! After a night of murder, necrophilia and horrific revelations, Lisa comes face-to-face with the secrets of her past identity and her connection to the bizarre rituals she has witnessed. This is the original Mario Bava film later reworked and reshot for American release as "The House of Exorcism."

Customer Reviews:

Viva Mario Bava.......2007-02-23

Hallucinatory,what a ride this movie is.it will keep you guessing till the end,personally i think this movie is a masterpiece of italian horror,They just do not make them like this anymore.It is being released by anchor bay soon in a mario bava boxed set all of his movies are fantastic.get it while you can

What???.......2006-10-03

I saw a special on Mario Bava and it featured many of his horror films. They looked very interesting and interviwers said tha many of Bava's ideas were later copied by American filmakers. With that said "Lisa and the Devil" filmed in '76 is a mess of a movie. It makes no sense, and sometimes that's fun in a horror flick, but in this movie it's annoying and quite dull. I realize I saw this movie on cable but what happened to the exorcism scene that I saw in the special on Bava. Not that it would have made the movie any more intelligable, but at least a bit more interesting. Overall not a good movie.

Lisa and the Devil.......2004-08-07

Stunning camera work, beautiful sets and an interesting take on the Devil by Telly Savalas compete with deliberate pacing and a plot sacrificed to style to make LISA AND THE DEVIL a mixed bag. This is considered by some to be cult favorite Mario Bava's masterpiece, although the producers thought it was so non-commercial they insisted Bava shoot new scenes and re-edit it to make it into a more traditional horror flick. Probably a wise choice, because the director's cut is more pretentious and confusing than frightening.
Still, it looks good, Savalas seems to be having a ball playing a butler/Devil, and Elke Sommer is gorgeous. If your taste in horror turns away from slash and gore and towards the visual and contemplative LISA AND THE DEVIL may satisfy.

I EXORCISE YOU FROM THIS HOUSE FOREVER!.......2004-04-14

This DVD double feature of LISA AND THE DEVIL and the remix HOUSE OF EXORCISM is the only way to see Mario Bava's masterpiece! Anyway, LISA AND THE DEVIL is a dazzling horror movie made the only way that Mario Bava could possibly direct it. It's like PSYCHO by way of the Brothers Grimm: Lisa Reiner (Elke Sommer), a tourist lost in Toledo, Spain, encounters a blind Contessa and her unbalanced son and their lollipop-sucking butler (Telly "Kojak" Savalas), along with a whole mess of bizarre occurances. This movie defies all logical explaination; you must see it to believe it. Telly Savalas is the highlight of the movie; he steals every scene he appears in (This is where he discovered what would become Kojak's trademark!).
As for HOUSE OF EXORCISM, it is one of the better Italian imitations of THE EXORCIST, with a great performance by Robert Alda as the priest who must deal with a possessed Lisa. Unfortunately, the re-editing takes away much of the mysticism of LISA and often comes off as ridiculously humorous. However, this movie comes with a commentary by Sommer and producer Alfredo Leone which is a must for Bavaphiles and film buffs alike.
Of all the Mario Bava movies that have come out on DVD that I own, I have to say that LISA AND THE DEVIL/HOUSE OF EXORCISM is the most essential. I also recommend the following: Dario Argento's SUSPIRIA, Lucio Fulci's THE BEYOND, Don Coscarelli's PHANTASM, and of course, Sam Raimi's THE EVIL DEAD. In fact, watch all of these together for some real spooky horror-movie fun!

better than "lisa".......2004-03-21

I found "House of Exorcism" more entertaining than "Lisa and the Devil". The possession scenes by Elke Sommer are quite amusing, adding some humor to the proceedings. Also, it is sexier than "Lisa" (including Elke Sommer's scene) which enhanced the viewing and the pacing is great, while "Lisa" moves along at the speed of a pbs documentary. The Catholic Priest character is lacking in "Lisa", but does give the movie more of a plot. It does jump around somewhat, but then "Lisa" doesn't make a whole lot of sense itself. All in all "House of Exorcism" is the preferred version.

Average customer rating:

One of the Best 70's Eurohorrors
OK...it's not perfect
Prepare yourself for pure EVIL
Not very thrilling
seven sinners and a succubi

Devil's Nightmare
Starring: Erika Blanc , Jean Servais , Jacques Monseau , Ivana Novak , and Lorenzo Terzon
Director: Jean Brismée
Manufacturer: Brentwood Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Graveyard Tramps
Nude For Satan
Suspiria
Chilling Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection
The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave

ASIN: B0001MMFN2
Release Date: 2004-03-09

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

One of the Best 70's Eurohorrors.......2007-06-06

OK...it's not perfect.......2007-03-25

Prepare yourself for pure EVIL.......2007-01-21

Not very thrilling.......2006-09-04

seven sinners and a succubi.......2006-07-08

Average customer rating:

This Movie Was Utterly Brilliant!
Death Mask 2002
death mask
We Have Hurt So Many People With Our Gung Fu
Ir's a great one Definetly

Death Mask
Starring: James Best , Linnea Quigley , John Nutten , Brigitte Hill , and Lorilyn Alexander
Director: Steve Latshaw
Manufacturer: Mti Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00004W5T6
Release Date: 2000-12-19

Customer Reviews:

This Movie Was Utterly Brilliant!.......2005-03-26

This was probably one of my favorite movies I have seen this year. There was great acting, wonderful dialogue, and the movie as gorgously shot by Max "Bee Man" Beck. The director Steve Latshaw is one of the best directors to emerge from the Orlando, Florida area and manages to top his last film, the classic Jack-O. The script, written by the talanted James Best, tells the tale of a misunderstood carnival mask carver, Wilbur. He teams up with the fabulous Linnea Quigley, who plays a cheap, dime slut bimbo, and they wander off to the swamp to find a witch to help Wilbur create a mask of beauty. The mask turns out to be made with evil, thus the bloodbath ensues... Lots of breasts and blood...

Death Mask 2002.......2002-01-24

Loved this movie, when will a sequel come out? You gotta love circus/horror movies. Linnea looks great in this. You gotta see it!

death mask.......2001-11-06

Please note that this is the wrong video! The review description relates to a martial arts movie starring Ti Lung; however, when I received the video, it's a horror/B-grade movie and I had to return it to Amazon. I am still waiting my refund by the way! The title is wrong; it should have been called "Death Mask of the Ninja," not "Death Mask" alone.

We Have Hurt So Many People With Our Gung Fu.......2001-08-31

This is one of my favorite kung fu movies and it ranks up there with Swordsman 2 in my eyes. The dubbing is really cheesy and adds a lot to the fun. This movie is about two brothers separated at birth to protect them from the evil Ninth Prince who killed their father to steal the throne. One brother grows up under the thumb of the Ninth Prince and secretly learns kung fu, but his skills are not enough to defeath the Ninth Prince. The other brother, who is presumed dead, was dropped off at a small courtyard inhabited by the three Holy Fools. They are being punished for hurting too many people with their kung fu and are not allowed to leave the compound. They agree to raise Tou Heng. They end up teaching him their powerful form of martial arts without him even knowing it. This movie has some of the most best fight choreography I have seen in any movie! This is a MUST SEE for any kung fu fan. In fact, buy two in case one wears out.

Ir's a great one Definetly.......1999-06-22

You must see i

Average customer rating:

Mostly in light of the faithfulness of the adaptation
All the films are worth seeing.
Even in the worst deed there is some good
A HELLION IN MONK'S CLOTHING
A must for mystery fans; similar to "The Name of the Rose"

Brother Cadfael - The Devil's Novice
Starring: Eoin McCarthy , and Anthony Green (II)
Director: Sebastian Graham Jones , and Graham Theakston
Manufacturer: Acorn Media Publishing
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Cadfael - St. Peter's Fair
Brother Cadfael - The Virgin in the Ice
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Brother Cadfael - The Pilgrim of Hate

ASIN: 1569384053
Release Date: 2000-08-29

Amazon.com

Derek Jacobi's Brother Cadfael is a different kind of detective: a 12th-century monk, a healer and herbalist, and former soldier of fortune. His résumé gives him an interesting perspective on the puzzling murders that seem to plague the rural county of Shrewsbury. In "The Devil's Novice," from the second season of the television series, Cadfael defends the order's newest novice, an intense young man who harbors a haunting secret, against a murder charge. Once again he fights dogmatic superstition in the monastery's ranks and even battles the church hierarchy willing to sacrifice an innocent man to bring closure to the murder of a cleric. The generic mystery relies on familiar family melodramatics and romantic complications and even echoes elements of the more compelling Cadfael mystery "The Virgin in the Ice," but the backdrop of cloak-and-dagger intrigue and church politics infiltrating provincial Shrewsbury is compelling. Cadfael's mix of spiritual wisdom and worldly experience makes him a riveting character, and Jacobi invests him with empathy, passion, and a perceptive, clear-eyed vision of the secular world.

The DVD also features a short audio-only interview with Derek Jacobi, a biography of author Ellis Peters (a pseudonym for Edith Pargeter), and a small stills gallery of production photos. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

Mostly in light of the faithfulness of the adaptation.......2003-05-17

Screenwriter Christopher Russell also adapted A MORBID TASTE FOR BONES and THE ROSE RENT. Here Russell has left the main framework of the story intact, but the characterization has been watered down, and as in the above named adaptations potential motives of passion are blown out of proportion. Little changes have been made in many background details, such as renaming several characters and compressing/combining scenes (easier on the budget and on short attention spans, but oversimplifying the story). Since the characters and the subtleties of their relationships are the key to the novel's quality, the fact that the actual events of the story have been faithfully adapted isn't enough to carry the adaptation for me.

Rather than trimming the beginning of the story, Russell has added material, starting with Peter Clemence's arrival at "Ashby Manor" (Aspley in the book). Of the household, the father (Leoric) is interpreted fairly accurately, as is his younger son Meriet (soon to be the title character), although their stormy relationship is something we hear about rather than see. The elder son, "Tristan" (Nigel) looks too old for his part, and fails to convey the character's supposed charm. His betrothed, "Rosanna" (Roswitha) has been reinterpreted from a vain but harmless flirt to a mercenary seductress who went far past propriety with Clemence. "Isobel" (Isouda) isn't the clear-eyed pillar of strength of the novel, and the adaptation doesn't even try to convince us that she dismisses "Rosanna" as of no account. As for Janyn, "Rosanna"'s brother, he's actually present at the dinner, and he's later used to introduce the possibility that Clemence might have disappeared voluntarily.

Harald, the runaway serf-suspect, has an expanded role, now shown snooping about "Ashby" and an independent witness to Clemence's movements as the bishop's envoy to the earl of Chester spends an evening with the "Ashbys", distant relatives. As in the original, Clemence is something of a ladies' man, despite his priesthood. His annoying arrogance toward his country cousins can be justified from the book, although it's far less explicit there; he's well-played, apart from being too casual about his vows of chastity.

Soon after Clemence continues on his way to resume his diplomatic mission, Leoric brings Meriet to the abbey as a novice. Brother Paul, the perceptive novice master, has as usual been eliminated, as have the other novices and the secular students - along with the character development that in the novel gradually shows us Meriet's virtues together with his cross-grained nature, admirable but ill-suited to the cloister. A lot of scene compression takes place, so that Meriet's noisy nightmares and his outraged counterattack on Brother Jerome for burning his keepsake of "Rosanna" follow very closely on one another. (Meriet's punishment under the lash, of course, is shown on camera at the hands of a brother rather than off-camera via a lay servant, as in the book - Russell doesn't miss a trick that way for dramatic scenes.)

Clemence's superior, Canon Eluard, differs from the book on two important points: blatant immediate suspicion of Meriet's sudden vocation, and a desire to see a quick rather than correct resolution to the Clemence problem. As for the secular investigation, Beringar has been written out of the story apart from 1 scene at the beginning; Will Warden is in charge while Beringar's away at court. (Warden did indeed appear in the novel MONK'S-HOOD as a man too quick to jump to easy conclusions, but the adaptations over-use him; the novels have more respect for the brains on the side of the law.)

The adaptation moves much faster than the original story. Meriet's assignment to the leper hospital at St. Giles happens on the very day the corpse is found; he has no time to put his sufferings in perspective with those of the patients. (Since the adaptation uses Brother Oswin rather than Mark, Meriet lacks a perceptive mentor at St. Giles, of course.) Harald is arrested just as the body is found, over Cadfael's protests - and with Warden rather than Beringar in charge, the threat of an unjust conviction is much more serious than in the original story. (I grant that this strengthens the motivation of various honorable characters who finally begin producing testimony - I won't say how much is *true* testimony, though.)

The final confrontation's dramatic climax in the original story has been exchanged for a tidier tying up of loose ends, although it removes some of the necessary historical background that set the scene for the next novel, DEAD MAN'S RANSOM. However, the adaptations were not made in chronological order, so from that point of view continuity is less of an issue.

Broadly correct adaptation, but lacking the subtleties of the original novel, and moving at a faster pace removing some of the finer points of the puzzle.

All the films are worth seeing........2002-08-02

I truly enjoy a murder mystery of the classic who-done-it type, and the Brother Cadfael series is absolutely perfect. The author Ellis Peters (Edith Pargiter, 1913-1995), like Agatha Christie, Nagio Marsh and Dorothy Sayers, was popular during the early to mid-20th Century and wrote prolifically during that time. There are some 20 Cadfael books. Athough the writer is not an historian, she is remarkably well researched and has a genuine feeling for life during her character's time period.

The setting of these stories is 12th Century England, a period of particular turmoil. Henry I had died without a legitimate male heir, and he had designated his daughter Matilda as his successor, binding his nobles by oath to support her. Although many of them did, including her very able half brother, an illegitimate son of Henry made an Earl by his father, many of them threw their support behind her cousin, Steven. Matilda, or Maud as she is referred to, was a granddaughter of William the Conqueror and no push over herself. She fought her cousin from a base in coastal France, where the family held land in fief of the King of France and where marriage alliances had placed her as wife of Geoffery, the Duke of Anjou. With her Norman support in France and her loyal factions in England, she made enough of a threat to Steven's rule to ultimately obtain a guarantee of succession to the English throne for her son Henry, ultimately Henry II. Until that time, warfare turned most of England into a battle ground and life for everyone a matter of ceaseless uncertainty. Added to this was the rancour still apparent in the social divisions between the largely Saxon population and their Norman rulers. The fall of the Saxon monarchy was only a hundred years previous and hostility still existed. The different orders of society: nobleman, servant, military man, tradesman, artisan, abbott, monk, and priest are carefully wrought to produce a period piece with more detail and clearer dialogue than a Shakespearean play. It would be a wonderful way of introducing young people to history.

Cadfael, the central character of the series, is a Dominican monk and herbalist, and Dereck Jacobi is the perfect personification of him. He has a presence which suggests strength, wisdom, and compassion. Unlike most of the other brothers, Cadfael had spent most of his life in the secular world where he participated in the crusades, had adventures, fell in and out of love, and took his order after finding the ways of the world wanting. He comes from a different culture, that of Wales, and sees that of England through an outsiders more objective eyes. His experience with life and the motives of men and his keen awareness of detail makes him the perfect sleuth, and when murder is committed, the civil authorities are more than willing to have him clear things up for them.

In the Devil's Novice an unpleasant cleric is murdered en route to a meeting with the Earl of Chester-a distant relative of my own which makes the story come even more alive for me-with whom King Steven wishes to come to an understanding in his on going discord with Empress Maude. When a homeless man is accused of the murder, a young novice who is a kinsman of the victim, admits to the crime. Brother Cadfael, with his shrewd judge of character and observation of the facts comes to the youth's aide, bringing harmony back to a tortured family.

The film is authentic, Brother Cadfael engaging, and the mystery captivating. An enjoyable way to spend a little time.

Even in the worst deed there is some good.......2001-08-01

This tape is also part of Brother Cadfael Series 2 Box Set: The Devil's Novice, St. Peter's Fair and The Virgin in the Ice (1996) ASIN: 6303969631

You know this is going to be a good one when it starts out with a bloody face staring at you. Later there is the bragging priest and you know if he is not the one to die that he should be. And what is with the soon to be bride playing on both sides of the fence?

A new novice that speaks strangely in his sleep, a missing king's chaplain who should have staid in the cars or rather not go out alone, and a mystery wild man is just the right mix for a murder mystery.

Once again Cadfile uses forensics, logic and intuition (with a little last minute information) to smoke out the truth and bring the culprit/s to justice.

You will suspect everyone up to the end.

A HELLION IN MONK'S CLOTHING.......2000-09-28

Shrewsbury Abbey is blessed to receive a new novice into its brotherhood. He's young, determined, passionate and willing to risk anything to serve Christ. Or at least it seems that way. His mad ravings in the night wakes up the entire household. Oswin believes him possessed by demons. Brother Jerome confiscates personal items from him and nearly gets choked to death. Cadfael witnesses the scene and begins to wonder if this young man is truly sincere in joining the order.

Added onto the bedlam in the Abbey is the disappearance of the king's chaplain ( a son of a gun)who just happens to be a kinsmen of our new novice. His disappearance reaches the ears of the church's canon who readily comes down to find out what happened to the king's clerical emissary. All hell breaks lose as the body of the chaplain has been found burned. Who has committed this murder? Our novice confesses the crime.

Cadfael doesn't believe it for a moment and begins the process of uncovering the truth. While doing so, he finds a father who has for years with-held his love and affection to his younger son. We see the flirtateous and ambitious bride of the elder son flaunt herself before the chaplain and show her disdain for her in-laws. Further uncovered is the corruption of the clergy who are all to willing to use the priesthood as another avenue of obtaining power. Such elements of intrigue contained in the feature makes you take a second look at family loyalty and church obedience. What happens when the two lose the love which is the foundation for all? Join Cadfael as he attempts to unravel this mystery not just of a murderer but the motives behind everything that was done. Derek Jacobi and his fine supporting players have done an excellent job in bringing these issues to the foreground.

A must for mystery fans; similar to "The Name of the Rose".......2000-08-11

If you've never read any of the Brother Cadfael books by Ellis Peters you are in for a treat. This series originaly broadcast on the BBC are faithful adaptions about a master sleuth in Monk's clothing. Brother Cadfael is a monk with a difference and never what he seems. Given a choice, he would rather work in his garden or practice his herbal remedies. But too often, events force him to use his detective skills in response to mysterious crimes happening in his community, often finding himself at odds with the medievil times in which he lives.

As the former soldier turned monk, Derek Jacobi's Cadfael is a subtle marvel, full of full of wisdom, and wit.(this performance rivals his previous masterful work on "I, Claudius".) Surrounded by an equally fine supporting cast, most notably Terrence Hardiman as Abbot Radulfus, Michael Culver as Prior Robert and Julian Firth as Brother Jerome, the mysteries are always intriguing with occasional sly humor thrown in for good measure. I'm resisting telling you anything about the story itself, as I'd rather you experience it for yourselves. Suffice it to say, if you enjoy a good mystery, you will enjoy this series. A must for mystery fans and those who appreciate films like "The Name of the Rose."

DVD:

DVD

DVD

DVD

DVD 91

Tiny Planets: Shower Power

Deadly Sins [4 Discs] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

DVD: The Body Beneath

Pilates System 21 / Shape Up For The Sun