(228) OPEN TOMB...EMPTY COFFIN (1972) Balcazar & Larraz
5062DVD
original
Italian title: UNA TOMBA APERTA...UNA BARA VUOTA [Open Tomb...Empty
Coffin] akaIL CADAVERE DI HELEN NON MI DAVA PACE [Helen's Corpse
Doesn't Give Me Peace] other known titles: NIGHT OF THE SCORPION and NIGHT OF
THE DEAD WHO LIVE and LA CASA DE LAS MUERTAS VIVIENTES [House of the Living
Dead]
director:
Alfonso Balcazar written
by Jose Ramon Larraz
starring: Jose Antonio Amor
·
Daniela
Giordano
·
Nuria Torray
·
Teresa Gimpera
·
Alicia Tomas
As
indicated by the long list of alternative titles [see above], the producers
had a difficult time in their attempt to market this film. And, ultimately,
titles like House of the Living Dead did a grave injustice
to this movie by attracting the wrong audience. This is NOT
a zombie pic. It barely qualifies as horror. Rather, this is a gothic
Spanish/Italian Giallo, penned by genre maestro Jose Ramon Larraz (STIGMA,
SCREAM
AND DIE, SEXUAL
RITES OF THE DEVIL, et al) and directed by Spanish vet filmmaker
Alfonso Balcazar (BLOOD
AT SUNDOWN, DJANGO
DOES NOT FORGIVE as well as a variety of 'Category S movies'
including LESBIAN
SCHOOLGIRLS: THE PLEASURE OF PERVERSION, etc). There is an
intricate [albeit, sleazy] story, a foreboding castle, sexy young women,
a black-gloved knife killer, wrapped up in a supernatural shroud.
Newly
married Oliver Bartrom returns to his remote family estate with bride
Ruth, a year after the death of his first wife. However, others also
live in the mansion: the maid and a groundskeeper, plus Oliver's hostile
sister and his (horny, jealous) stepmother. It seems everybody is obsessed
with Oliver for one reason or another, but mostly because of the suspicious
death of his first wife. Bizarre things start happening to the new Mrs
Bartrom, secretly trying to unravel the dark and sinister truth behind
the 'accident.' Meanwhile, a black-gloved killer is beginning
to eliminate the cast of characters.
A
Spanish film, in English language, uncut, 91 min, widescreen,
encoded for ALL REGION, playable on any American DVD machine.
Extras includes selected trailers.
Graphic
Violence, Nudity, Strong Sexual Situations
for Mature Audiences
