Bill Markham, Powers Boothe (U-Turn, Nixon) is an engineer who moved to Brazil to develop a water dam in the Amazon Jungle. After a day in the woods on a picnic with his family, his son Tommy, innocently started watching ants and walked into the jungle. The "Invisible People," native Brazilian Indians that colored their faces so well that it blended with the trees and the habitat in general, took Tommy with them. The son just disappeared in the jungle. After a search the parents could not find the boy. Tommy grows up raised by the Indians and adjusts to their culture and customs and is called Tomme. Tomme is a happy native now. There is a book about the making of Emerald Forest, an international endeavor. The book tells about the difficulties in making a movie in the Amazon jungle, because of the environmentalists, and the bureaucracy. The director, John Boorman (Hell in the Pacific) was determined that his son, Charley Boorman (Hope and Glory), would not play Tomme, but he could not find anyone else to play Tomme and his son ends up with the part. The movie gives a lot of insight in the native Brazilian Indians. Tomme dreams about his father Bill Markham. When Tomme is a young adult, about to be married to young native, he runs into his father, who is still searching for him. This is a very poignant and moving moment in this movie. Tomme recognizes him and trusts him because he is the "man in his dreams" whom he calls Dada. Markham wants his son to go back to the white man's "Civilization," but Tomme is now a native and no longer fits in that civilization, no matter how civilized it is. Tomme goes visiting the apartment complex where the parents lived when another tribe armed by white men stole his tribe's women. He had started remembering things. He sees the place where he lived during a trace in which he becomes his guardian spirit, a Harpy eagle. Instead of taking the elevator, he climbs to the top floor balcony on the outside of the building! He had become one of the best warriors in the tribe, but the other tribe has guns. When Tomme goes into the "white man civilization," there is evil: drinkers, rape, abuse to the native Indians, and all the unfairness that is common to the natives around the world. Tomme lived in a very innocent environment where the natives lived as any society lives. Tomme is happy there. It is absolutely impossible to bring him out from the culture he now knows. Tomme is married to a beautiful native and is happy! The father now realizes what civilization is doing to the Amazon forest and finally destroys the dam that threatened the life of the natives. Now he had a reason: the happiness of his own son depends on it. The father is now against the development that he was hired to accomplish. The cinematography is beautiful. The natives to our surprise were actors. Boorman refused to use natives in the movie for fear of corrupting them. The actors did such a great job that we thought they were real natives. There are beautiful moments of tenderness between the natives and Tomme. It is a bitter sweet story because Markham could never make his son happier than he already was, and lost forever chance of knowing his son and making him happy. My favorite scenes: the son in the water fall discovering his own sexuality with a group of female natives, where a son and father meet, the dances of the natives. There was a lot of work involved in this movie.


The Emerald Forest is a racist, oversimplification of a more complex issue. The portrayal of Native Americans is a joke and perpetuates stereotype after stereotype of native "innocence" vs. Western "intelligence". The portrayal of the Fierce People as cannibalistic baboons is ridiculous and highly offensive - especially under the claim that the film is based on true events. Equally as unfortunate is the display of the Invisible People as a tribe of purity and peace - their "beautiful" innocence makes them the pathetic victim of Western expansion. Obviously, this movie addresses an important topic, but their are better ways to make the argument against deforestation and genocide. This movie is best used as a metaphor for understanding of the story of Adam and Eve and Christian morality. Outrageously bad acting to top it off - it's good for a laugh.


This movie is stupid in a bad way. It's from the same director (John Boorman) that gave us the screen gems Zardoz and The Exorcist II, which should have told me not to see this movie. Instead of wasting two hours of my life, I think it would have been enough for him to just show a sign saying "White people = industrialization = Satan." The director isn't even content with having that message subtly portrayed, but rather goes in for the slapping us with it.

*SPOILER* And, you have to love the plausable ending where the native people when in the end by using drugs to call their spirit people to make the dam blow up. It's like the writers thought to themselves, "Hmm, wow I blew all our money on cocaine and I still don't have an ending. I bet a happy ending would sell well." It even ended with the words on the screen saying "A few tribe still have not made contact with the outside world. They remember something we forgot." How stupid and cheesy is that? And I won't even get started on how the "Fierce People" steal the "Invisible People's" women and sell them into prostitution for alcohol. *END SPOILER*

This movie p***ed me off. The acting was actually decent, but just completely ruined by the story line. It was melodramatic tripe, and it could have been so interesting. The only other plus is the beautiful scenery.


(My English isn't excellent , I'm learning it at school)

When I saw this movie I understand that, those tribes who live in this forest , were there for thousands years before all others people who live near this forest like the Brazilians and other. Nobody ask them , they stole there own territory ! what is the Brazil for native men ? nothing. Those countries were create and they cut trees , spread their farming and other , reducing considerably this forest.

I give you some informations.

300 000 > > It is what pours, in tons each day, in the Amazon, a company which extracts from minerals in a more or less official but certainly intensive way. One finds in this river of the very toxic matters like lead or mercury.

5 > > Pourcentage which the quantity of fresh water of the Amazon represents on our planet.

62 000 > > a Many pirates of the mines evaluated by the government of the country, quantify probably lower than reality.

30 000 > > a Number of licences conceded by the government for the exploitation of the mines

75 million > > Expression in cubic meters, of the quantity of wood exploited each year but the government delivers licences only for 25 million.

70 > > mercury Rate which is 70 times superior to the international standards in a river of Amazonia (Sulawesi). This rate is in relation with the discharge of 300 000 tons waste of the aforementioned company of exploitation

25 > > average Percentage of the growth of deforestation in Amazonia each year

1/3 > > Representativeness with it only of the Amazonian forest on the remainder of the tropical forests

30 000 > > a Number of species already identified in Amazonian forest

1 000 > > a Number of species of birds which were counted

30 > > a Number of species of monkeys counted

3 000 > > a Number of fish species listed, also 2 single species of fresh water dolphins

3,7 million > > Surface in km² of the Brazilian Amazonian forest. For comparison that represents the size of Western Europe

4,2 million > > total Surface in km² of the Amazonian forest

1,7 million > > Surface in hectare which disappeared in 1997

80% > > Percentage of illegal exploitation of wood in Brazil

70% > > Percentage of wood exploited in sawmill and which finishes in waste

23 000 > > Nombre of km² in forest concession

8 > > a Number of the largest world forest companies which share the concession of 23000 km²

2/3 > > Rate of the Amazonian forest which was intact in 1999

- of 2 > > Pourcentage which covers the Amazonian forest on our planet

70 > > Percentage of species of the world which one can find in this forest

70 > > Percentage of plants of Amazonia used in the fight against cancer

1 > > Percentage (negligible) of plants of Amazonia, studied for their medicinal properties

7025 > > Length in km, of the Amazon river

1100 > > a Number representing the principal affluents of the Amazon

30 500 > > a Number of km which constitute the inland waterways of the Amazon

10 > > Width in km of the Amazon in its lower course

5 > > Rate (in %) of penetration of the light in the forest to the ground

5 to 7 million > > a Number of Indians who lived in Amazonia at the 16th century

250 000 > > It is what it remains about it today

900 > > Rate of increase (%) in the non-Indian population in the forest of 1955 to 1985

2020 > > estimated Year of disappearance of the Amazonian forest (in the pro forma data 1997)

50 > > Percentage of grounds which 1% of the population (owners have land)

20 > > Percentage of increase in 1999 of the wood export, because of the devaluation of Brazilian Réal.

I hope some will understand why I hate that.

MaNa.


For those of you that stole (or borrowed) your parent's National Geographics, for whatever purpose, this is the film for you. You would be hard pressed to find any better looking native girls going around topless and mostly bottomless anywhere( and they actually *hate* wearing western style clothes!-great scene there)

This movie is mostly a "Tarzan" adventure about a boy lost in the Amazon(no plug intended) rain forest that was brought up by natives instead of apes. Lots of "nostalgia" about a way of life that has been lost because of ecological destruction caused by man's "progress". Usually such proselytizing would make for a pretty boring movie, but Boorman keeps the action lively with cannibals, naked native women, forced prostitution, gunfights, knifefights, spearfights and the like.

National Geographic was never like this!


This is also one of my favorite movies, along with Dances with Wolves and Last of the Mohicans. It makes me sigh to think of the beautiful native civilization, where people live in harmony with nature. It really points out how messed up things are in our civilization. The native scenes are gorgeous, both in the scenery and in the relationships portrayed. Definitely a worthy film.


An African expedition intends to collect animals for zooery, which angers animal rights advocate Glenn Morris (as Tarzan). Eleanor Holm (as Eleanor aka Ellen) adds femininity to the casting expedition; of course, she catches Mr. Morris' eye. Morris, like Johnny Weissmuller, was an Olympic star; he looks great in the loincloth, but doesn't play either the Weissmuller or Edgar Rice Burroughs version of the "Tarzan" character very well. Ms. Holm was also an athlete; and, although she swims and cavorts wonderfully, she can't lift herself out of a shallow pool! Hedda Hopper (as Penny) and Cheetah (uncredited) provide support (and are supported). "Tarzan's Revenge" provided filmgoers with second-rate Tarzan fare, during a nearly three year wait between Weissmuller movies.

*** Tarzan's Revenge (1/7/38) D. Ross Lederman ~ Glenn Morris, Eleanor Holm, Hedda Hopper


***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** Little more, really, than a '70s exploitation flick, Sweet Kill (a.k.a. The Arousers) has a few points of interest beyond its plenitude of bared breasts and buttocks. First of all, it marks the very early directing and screenwriting debut of Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential, 8 Mile). Beginning in the 1960s, many of them in Roger Corman's raffish moviemaking academy, a number of directors who would later achieve prominence made their bones in horror schlock and soft-core porn; Hanson would wait until the '80s to do his next film.

Second, its star is Tab Hunter, who's the best thing in it. Plainly, he had more talent than his dispiriting filmography and his reputation as a 60s-beefcake golden boy (and worse) might lead one to believe. Here he's a high-school gym teacher (this doesn't lead to much, and his buttocks stay chastely sheathed) living in Venice, California. He has a big problem, though. Owing to some cloudily referenced incident in his boyhood (which seems to involve Oedipal incest), he can't get it up. His rage and humiliation lead him down a dark path. When a girl he's picked up turns aggressive after his failure, he kicks her away. As happens with such kicks, she conks her head and dies. He hides the body away in a pigeon hutch on his apartment rooftop. And from then on it seems he can function only with a fresh corpse. When attempts at normalcy prove futile (he pays a hooker to dress up, presumably as his mother, and lie immobile), he prowls the beaches with his butcher knife...

And that's about it. The movie's cheapness is often evident in its sound levels, which veer erratically. The `thriller' angle isn't worked out, and the movie ends with a shot of Hunter à la Norman Bates in Psycho (homages to Hitchcock abound). Its most noteworthy feature is the empathy it shows for the murderer, a victim of circumstances which he cannot surmount.


Careers in the movies on occasion take unexpected routes It is highly unlikely that anyone watching "The Arousers" would have guessed that it's director and writer Curtis Hanson would one day join the ranks of Hollywood's A list. The direction shows little flair, (to be kind), while the screenplay virtually non existent.

Tab Hunter, the golden boy of Warner Brothers of the fifties, plunged towards obscurity after leaving the studios who had found a new hopeful in the form of Troy Donahue. They had no belief in his acting ability and solely utilized his legendary looks as bait for the burgeoning and lucrative teen audiences of the time. This, despite the fact that with each movie he seemed to be developing as an actor with definite potential. I recently watched an unremarkable early movie of his "Lafayette Escradille" featuring in a very minor role with hardly any lines at all, a nondescript young actor by the name of Clint Eastwood - unexpected routes indeed.

Despite the thin material and weak supporting players (other than one Nadyne Turney), Hunter turns in a remarkably astute performance. In the light of his coming out as a gay man, there is an added poignancy in his playing a character who is impervious to the charms of the numerous sexy females who throw themselves on him. While the reasons for his psychopathic behavior do not stem from latent homosexuality but rather some extremely half baked mention of his mother, perhaps Hanson utilized something of Hunter's sexuality in casting him in this role.

There really is no reason to search this one out unless you have some interest in the varied careers of Hanson or Hunter. Others may steer clear.


Former 50's teen idol Tab Hunter gives a superbly chilling and convincing performance as Eddie Collins, a lonely, impotent and sexually frustrated high school gym teacher who was driven around the bend by his shameless whore mother who used to parade around naked in front of him as a little boy. Eddie viciously murders any lovely young lass who tries (and fails) to turn him on. Writer/director Curtis Hanson, who went on to win an Oscar for the terrific "L.A. Confidential," does an expert job of creating and sustaining a creepy, clammy, clinical tone for this luridly compelling portrait of homicidal madness and seething misogyny. Moreover, Hanson astutely nails the whole right-on groovy swingin' 70's zeitgeist, evokes a highly credible sense of everyday mundane reality and builds plenty of nerve-wracking tension which reaches a harrowing fever pitch in the terrifying final third. The abundant gratuitous distaff nudity, the seedy seaside Venice, California locations, the shockingly blunt'n'brutal violence and the profoundly unnerving conclusion all give this picture a raw, sleazy, unsettling edge that's mighty tough to shake. Nice supporting performances by Nadyne Turney as fed-up, long-suffering unhappy single gal Barbara, Isabel Jewell as a snoopy landlady, a pre-"Phantasm" Angus Scrimm as Jewell's husband, and longtime favorite 70's drive-in flick starlet Roberta Collins as a brassy call girl. Charles Bernstein's supremely spooky'n'shuddery score and Daniel Lacambre's crisp, polished cinematography are both up to par. The inspired casting of Tab Hunter in the warped lead qualifies as the film's masterstroke; Hunter's blandly handsome boy next door persona makes for the perfect front for the severe dementia bubbling just underneath the surface. An excellent and unjustly overlooked little nugget.


A handsome and lonely gym teacher Eddie Collins can't perform sexually due to his constant watching of his mother undress while he hid in her closet as a child.His only recourse is to kill the women he tries to sleep with and stash them in a pigeon hutch on his roof.He hires a prostitute to dress as his dead mother,the only way he is able to achieve sexual gratification..."The Arousers" is the first film of director Curtis Hanson.Originally shot in 1971 under the title "Sweet Kill",this film lingered on the shelf until 1973 when executive producer Roger Corman had Hanson shoot two days of nudity inserts to spice-up the film.Angus Scrimm of "Phanatsm" fame has a small cameo here.Overall,this is a good piece of sleaze from the early 70's that should satisfy the exploitation fans out there looking for plenty of nudity,sex and violence.7 out of 10.


Former 1950s teen heartthrob Tab Hunter, still looking very handsome here in his early 40s, stars as Eddie, an outwardly respectable high school phys ed teacher who is tormented by both his impotence and some childhood trauma involving his mother (which is left obscured by the filmmakers). Because of his good looks and friendly demeanor, Eddie seems to attract all sorts of neighborhood women; many of whom are young and beautiful. Unable to make love to them or become intimate enough with them on a non-sexual basis to open up to them about his past, he simply murders them. Triggering this behavior though is the accidental killing of a young woman who gets a little too aggressive and dies after Eddie pushes her off and she hits her head on a table. He hides the body in some hatch on the roof and afterward something snaps inside of him and he moves beyond the stage of repression and voyeurism to full blown murder, as well as necrophilia (which is handled with some subtlety here); apparently the only way he can 'get off.' Might explain why he's been paying a local hooker (played by 70s drive-in favorite Roberta Collins) to dress up like his long gone momma and "play dead" while he undresses and gropes her. Seems like pretty seedy stuff, and this is pretty seedy stuff; but it's done with more thought and care than many others in this genre and I liked it.

Despite what some of the reviews here state, I actually prefer the way the filmmakers decided to handle all this. Instead of a bunch of heavy-handed dialogue blatantly spelling everything out, giving a direct explanation to Eddie's behavior or visualizing of all Eddie's dirty deeds, we get more suggestion than anything else. The opening scene is a childhood flashback of a woman stripping naked, taking off her earrings and lying down in bed while a pair of kids tennis shoes are visible behind a barely opened curtain. That's the only real glimpse we get of Eddie's childhood, but it's enough to raise a few questions. Is his mother a whore/prostitute? Has Eddie always been voyeuristic and/or not right in the head? Was there incest involved? Nothing is explained in a cut-and-dry way, but we know that Eddie refuses to talk about any of it, even when directly confronted about it by the one woman in this film who does care about him. That person is Barbara (Nadyne Turney), who lives in the same apartment house as Eddie. She's not quite the looker the other women in this movie are, but is patient and wants to help Eddie. He's gone on quite a few dates with her but nothing even remotely sexual has happened between them. Barbara questions why and wonders whether he's not attracted to her or if something else is going on.

Originally titled SWEET KILL and actually filmed in 1970, the title was later changed to the more exploitative-sounding THE AROUSERS (with a new poster to match) a few years later. There are several instances of nudity that seem needlessly tacked on, and I see here in the trivia section that executive producer Roger Corman had the director go back and film these scenes so the film could be sold on the drive-in circuit as a sex film. Though unnecessary, I didn't feel these newly-added scenes (which are brief) were too detrimental to the overall film and they tried to tie them into the 'voyeuristic' aspect the best they could.

It's obvious what would attract former teen idol Hunter to this kind of role - THE AROUSERS was an opportunity to branch out, possibly open up new opportunities for himself as an older actor, and also a chance to prove he could handle heavier drama. In any case, he does an effective job in his part and is well-supported by Turney (who's very good here) and the rest of the cast. Popping up here in smaller roles are veteran actress Isabel Jewell (in her final role) as his landlady, as well as future horror star Angus "Tall Man" Scrimm (billed as "Rory Guy") as her husband. Neither have much to do other than complain about some awful smell coming from upstairs... The lesser-known cast members also did a fairly good job in my opinion.


From the director of the better known "Alla Ricerca del Piacere" (aka "Amuck!") comes this stylish thriller that involves not only a confusing web of love affairs and relationships, but also - towards the climax - a bundle of twists that are guaranteed to surprise every viewer without becoming implausible at any moment.

And this is the big plus of this movie: The twists all work. The first half moves on relatively slow (similar to Silvio Amadio's above mentioned earlier Giallo), but the viewer already gets enough information to know that the plot isn't as simple as it seems. In the second half the film becomes a roller coaster ride of red herrings, plot twists and other surprises, which makes it decisively superior to Amadio's earlier effort.

The acting is also thoroughly convincing, which is especially important once the film is finished and the viewer gets the whole story. But the most remarkable thing in this intriguing Giallo is the lush, ear-catching main theme that will never let one go after being heard for the first time.


Judging by the plot and the fact that it's directed by Silvio Amandio, I feared that this Giallo would be a lot like the director's earlier success 'Amuck!', but despite similarities between the pair; Smile Before Death is a lot more than merely a retread of the earlier work. This film adheres more closely to the Giallo tradition of stylish and bloody murders than the earlier movie, but still finds time to ensure that the plot always revolves around the central situation. In fact, it's a miracle that Amandio has managed to keep his script from becoming a complete mess; as aside from this new flair for murders, and the central situation; Smile Before Death is also a twisty little thriller, which manages to pull several things out of the hat before boiling down to a superb and unexpected conclusion. The plot follows the death of a woman named Dorothy. The police declare it suicide, but it's not long before Dorothy's daughter, Nancy, makes her way to her mother's house; where she meets the seductive Gena and her stepfather, Marco. However, things turn sinister when the housekeeper divulges some information that means Dorothy's death may not have been suicide...

The film starts off slowly, and aside from some lush photography that makes good use of its female leads, the film doesn't really commence until the half way point. Amandio keeps the tension bubbling throughout, and sex is always at the forefront of the action. Roberto Pregadio provides a suitable catchy jingle, which accompanies nearly every scene in the movie. The tune is typically Italian, and fits the movie well; but I'd have preferred it if it was played a bit less often, as it soon starts to get old, and the overall impact is lessened. The movie benefits, as Amuck did, from a great leading performance from Rosalba Neri, who is joined by the stunning Luciana Della Robbia. The pair doesn't share any scenes together that are as great as those between Neri and Barbara Bouchet in Amuck, but Silvio Amandio obviously enjoys filming lesbian scenes; and when they're this good, I enjoy watching them! The film is rounded off by an isolated atmosphere, which provides a pressure cooker for the lead characters to roast in. This is a rare Giallo in that, by the conclusion, most aspects of it make sense and while Smile Before Death is hard to track down, I recommend making the effort!


16-year-old boarding school student Nancy (Jenny Tamburi) arrives in town after her mother commits suicide. She is taken in by her stepfather Marco (Silvano Tranquilli), who has already moved in his mistress Gianna (Rosalba Neri). Things get a bit strange when Nancy begins to suspect her mother didn't commit suicide and puts the moves on both of her hosts. This is a nifty little thriller from Silvio (AMUCK!) Amadio with enough twists and turns to keep you interested. The main mystery isn't too hard to guess, but there is a nice extra twist at the end and, of course, another one for good measure. Tamburi and the gorgeous Neri spend a lot of their screen time nude and that certainly helps too. Quite possibly the best thing about the film is a theme that is so catchy with Amadio using it at every opportunity. You will definitely be humming it for days after watching this one.


When her estranged(..and very rich)mother dies(..ruled a suicide, though it's obviously not), teenage Nancy(Jenny Tamburi, twenty at the time, but succeeds in her portrayal of a coquettish Lolita-type of teenage girl who might not be the dense, naive simpleton they at first suspect)returns home from years of various boarding schools to enjoy life on the wilder side, living with lothario step-dad Marco(..the handsome Silvano Tranquilli)and successful photographer Gianna(..the sensual Rosalba Neri, so divine you can't take your eyes off of her). Gianna was given carte blanche by Nancy's mother Dorothy to live in her own place while operating a studio on the estate. Gianna was also Marco's lover, and the two scheme to murder Nancy because when she "comes of age", the inheritance is hers. But, instead Nancy begins to seduce them, while also turning Gianna and Marco against each other through cunning manipulation..but, while quite drawn to Nancy, neither actually ever trusts her.

Boy, this is quite a trio we watch throughout the film. You always wonder what might happen next despite the fact that writer-director Silvio Amadio lays the cards out on the table midway through regarding how Dorothy was killed, detailed how it was accomplished, letting us know that Nancy might be in grave danger because the murder was so well orchestrated. Yet, you always(..or, at least I did)wonder what Nancy has up her sleeve. Late into the film, Marco discovers Nancy chatting with someone at a horse race which plants a seed of curiosity regarding her own possible agenda. The film is slick under Amadio's direction and he casts doubt on all three characters. To chose, Nancy seems to be the one we sympathize with as Marco and Gianna plot about the proper method of execution.

My favorite aspect is the homo-eroticism between Gianna and Nancy. Through Neri's performance(..she commands your attention in a minimalist fashion), we can see Gianna's attraction to Nancy right away, and as the film continues, that infatuation grows(..especially after photographing her nude or barely clothed)..it's all in her eyes, this lust that begins to take hold. Also racy is Nancy's seduction of the much older Marco, his resistance of her not contained very long. But, most of all, the twists at the end. The fate of all who desire the deceased Dorothy's money, along with multiple double crosses, and the downfall of an ingenious plot(s), not to mention the ultimate irony as the screen fades black, certainly make SMILE BEFORE DEATH quite a giallo worth seeking out if you can find a copy. It deserves a legitimate DVD release, a giallo I'm sure fans would be interested in.


I've pretty much seen all the classics as well as the hidden gems of the Italian sub genre of Giallo, so what remains now are the more obscure and undiscovered gems  If I'm lucky, at least. "Smile before Death" is such a film Giallo connoisseurs have certainly heard about already, but the film remains unavailable on DVD to this day and if you really want to see it you have to be satisfied with a computer ripped bootleg version with poor picture quality and unidentifiable foreign subtitles. "Smile before Death" is not bad, but certainly not great neither (otherwise it would be wider known by now, ha!) This isn't exactly what I would call the most exciting Giallo ever made. It opens promisingly enough, with the murder of a middle-aged woman in a remote country estate. The bedroom door was locked from the inside when they found the body and her throat was slit with a piece of glass that was found in her hand, so the police close the case as suicide. The teenage daughter Nancy comes to the estate and befriends her mother's best friend, a photographer, as well as her handsome lover. The initially shy Nancy is quickly drawn into the sleazy world of nude modeling and the sexual affection of mature men. She doesn't know, however, that the clue to solving her mother's dead lies with these same people and that she's actually an obstacle in the killer(s) complete fiendish scheme. "Smile before Death" a stylish but sadly dull and underwhelming mystery thriller. Apart from the murder on the mother near the beginning, which is shown repeatedly and at least three times, there's nothing even remotely suspenseful going on. I remember from "Amuck"  the other Giallo by Silvio Amadio  that the director is more interested in the naked bodies of his lead actresses than in suspense and gruesome killing. I can't say I blame him, especially when working with Rosalba Neri, but the lack of excitement here is really intolerable. The theme song is great but overused and after a while I got sick and tired of staring at the young lead actress' naked body. That's never a good sign. Patient viewers will be rewarded with an acceptably entertaining  albeit predictable and derivative  climax, but it's too late to safe the movie. One of the most disappointing Gialli I ever saw.


I could tear this piece of crap apart, frame by frame. But it's not worth the effort to do so. MST3K hasn't touched this, only because there's not much to work with.

It has no entertainment value, at all. I pity the people who made this movie, because it has got to reflect some part of their bland, disconnected, below-average life experiences. Apparently a man named Peter Spelson is mostly responsible for this crap.

No joy, no suspense, no horror, no pathos, no character development, no direction. Plenty of mustaches though. This thing is like a 70s porno without the sex.


I actually know something about this film because the producer of the movie was my landlord at one point. The Psychotronic Man is a grade B movie that's true, but it is actually an important and noteworthy piece mostly because of its relationship to film history and several other oddities that surround it.

It was the first feature film made entirely in Chicago since the Essanay era before WW1. It was only able to be made after the death of Chicago's longest reigning mayor, who would not allow movies to be made anywhere in Chicago. It was also an independent feature film, made entirely outside any of the existing studio systems. It was shot completely on location and it used only local talent. Many of the centrally located automobile chase scenes and running gun battles were shot on the sly without the permission of any authorities because no film commission existed. Part of the movie featured a car chase in Lower Wacker Drive which is an odd funky piece of roadway under downtown Chicago. In the next year the Blues Brothers came out and featured a car chase in the exact same place.

It was produced, written, and starred in by an out of work actor named Peter Spelson who decided the best way to get into the movies was to go out and make one himself.

It is however probably most noted for its name. The term "Psychotronic" has come to be an almost generic term for grade B cult films. Google turns up 88,600 different references for the word, all of which come as a result of this movie.

It did well in Europe under various names but it played only once in Chicago where it was made on April, 23, 1980 at 7:00 P.M. in the now demolished Carnegie Theater.

Like many first efforts it is crude by comparison to the things that follow it, but it is truly one the beginnings the of modern American independent movie trend. In truth even Ed Wood had more help.


I would advise AGAINST watching this...there's better things to do with your time and/or money. If, for some reason, you ARE gonna be subjected to this, don't expect ANY elements of many sci-fi/horror films - no special effects; no gore; no sex - virtually no attempts. So, it's a no-no, all the way. Rigid acting; illogical continuity. The plot is simple: Rocky uses psychotronic ability to dispense with people; and the Chicago-area cops get onto his trail as a result. Psychotronic wasn't in MY dictionary, but I THINK that it means that he can WILL things to happen. I suspect that he WILLED a lot of time in his car. MY psychotronic powers must need a little work: This movie continued for quite a while after I WILLED it to end.


Here's another great contender for my own personal award of "Most Demented Film I ever watched", but the least I can say is that it was very interesting. "The Pschotronic Man" begins with the longest and most unnerving opening credits ever, but they're quite sinister and atmospheric what with the really creepy music and odd color schemes and everything. This is one of them rare films that already make you feel uncomfortable before it even properly takes off. The slow-paced story introduces Rocky Foscoe; a barber with a few issues that may or may not be caused by the fact that he consumes his own hair shampoos and conditioner lotions. Rocky starts having strange visions, like himself flying around in a car and such similar tomfoolery, and he gradually becomes the world's first and only Psychotronic Man. Basically, this just means that he's an older, fatter and sleazier male version of "Carrie" who can inflict stuff only by using his overdeveloped willpower. At first, Rocky doesn't comprehend the powers that have been granted to him and even seeks professional help to make the unbearable headaches go away, but then he gradually learns how to control his skills and use it against the people he doesn't like, like his own wife who's in the way of his love affairs.

"The Psychotronic Man" is overall a pretty cool flick, but sadly director Jack M. Sell wasn't quite sure which narrative tone to maintain. Does this story require a dramatic, mysterious or exploitative tone? Or perhaps a combination of all three? This indecisive behavior leads to an illogical structure and uneven pacing, for example when a moody love-making sequence is immediately followed by an extremely violent murder vision. The film is also slow and uneventful. Especially considering the plot outline, they could have made this into a far more grotesque and trashy cult experiment; even bearing in mind the budgetary restrictions. The overlong chase sequence, for example, is the least spectacular one in the history of cinema. The cars just drive in straight lines and at snail pace, without tricky maneuvers or causing flamboyant accidents. Still, there's some greatness to find in this oddball production, like the creepy sound effects that are frequently repeated, including a church bell chiming and half the tune of Ennio Morricone's classic music for "Once upon a time in the West". I bet the composer of this film was the only person who had great fun on set.

Bizarre film, to say the least, but it did offer us the collective term for everything in cult, horror and trash cinema that is unique and indescribable. Psychotronic power!


I saw this movie in the early 80s on-board a Navy ship--we had little choice in our movie selections. I currently watch between 10-20 movies a week. To this day I haven't seen anything, even the legendary films of Ed Wood, that is as bad as this film. In one scene near the end of the film, there were close-ups of National Guard troops preparing their weapons. These were WW II era bolt action rifles. At a close up of one of the troops pulling back on the bolt to load the rifle you do not see anything going into the breach. And those eyes of the title character. I think the makeup was purchased from the nearest dollar store. This film is only recommended for those individuals who enjoy watching the worst films ever made.


this has to be one of, if not the worst film that i have seen. the story line makes very little sense, as the only power he seems to have is to scare people so they some how accidentally die, and to make cars fly. there is only about 5 sound affects used, and they don't match what is happening in the film. most of the time is spent on useless shots, such as a minute zoom shot on a shirt lying on a road. the actors aren't up to much, most look like they don't know what to do next, and are reading off the sheet.. totally unbelievable. the only positive side is that it had my family laughing at how rubbish it was... so unless your a fan of films that are so bad that they make you laugh for that reason.... i would stay away from "the psychotronic man"


Peter Spelson's "The Psychotronic Man" is a tour de force of naive post-intelligentsia film noire. Jack M. Sell directs seemingly endless, artlessly blocked scenes that draw the audience into a twilight mood of almost painful ennui. Truly, even before the opening title graphics crawled across the screen some seven minutes (significant?) into the first reel this reviewer craved the blissful relief of an untimely death before the next zoom-in close-up of Peter Spelson's heavily lidded psychotronic stare! Spelson turns in an idiosyncratic performance as Rocky Foscoe, the barber who prefers his hair tonic to Segrams Seven. Spelson's Rocky is a tortured soul who has trouble putting together a simple sentence, much unlike the real-life erstwhile insurance agent turned one-time film actor who frankly has never been known to shut up! "The Psychotronic Man" can be favorably compared to the seminal works of Kurisawa or a young Hitchcock only if one suspends all rational thought and gives over to a delusional view of a world where a film such as this can be considered anything more than bong water worthy.

The great news is that for the first time an exclusively authorized, digitally enhanced 2 DVD set of "Psychotronic Man" is now available. This new set features production stills, the handwritten screenplay and the original music score, as well as a commentary track by the Psychotronic Man Himself: Writer/Producer/Star, Peter Spelson. Also included is a short documentary on the making of "Psychotronic Man". Caught on tape during the shooting of this documentary is the discovery of the actual original copies of the 35mm theatrical film that were used in this digital reproduction.

What is finally revealed in this new production is the story of Peter Spelson, a frustrated would-be film actor producing hokey late-night commercials for his own insurance agency. Peter finally concludes that if he ever wants to star in a feature film he would have to write and produce it himself. What Spelson found was a nascent Chicago film community eager to show off it's chops in anticipation of John Landis and "The Blues Brothers" production army who came to town a year later.

On the commentary track Spelson also tells how he begged, borrowed and sometimes appropriated with out proper authorization what he needed to complete his opus. Shooting of "The Psychotronic Man" went on despite the lack of any official local permits to stage car chases, fiery explosions and even late night shoot outs on Chicago's Michigan Avenue!

Featuring an insurance agent-turned-actor, a guerrilla film making style, authentic retro '70's soundtrack and a back-story that just won't die, the experience of "The Psychotronic Man" is truly a total greater than the sum of it's parts.


... from the 90 mn of the Psychotronic Man, you easily have 30 mn of driving through the countryside with annoying bad country music.

That leaves, say, 60 mn of pure movie. Pure indeed.

This is not a movie. This is not an essay about a movie. This does not bear any resemblance with art or cheesy fun or anything connected with the movie business.

There are some movies which are so bad you can find them amusing, fun, easy to follow because of their badness... well, fascinating stuff. The only fascinating thing here is the will of the director to show us how good the psychotronic man is at driving a car. He is, definitely. He's the best to lead you on the way to total boredom.

This is probably one of the only movie in all movie history where a blank screen can be a better spectacle.


The charm of this movie is in the concept and perfect casting. Robert De Niro satirizes his past performances as a Mafia boss. And Billy Crystal as the unwitting psychiatrist who gets involved in the mess. It's truly funny and entertaining. The movie mostly benefits from very good direction by Harold Ramis and excellent performance by the actors and not just De Niro and Crystal.

The verdict: 4 of 5 stars.


ANALYZE THIS / (1999) ***

 It has been a long time since I have seen a comic duo form a better shtick than Robert DeNiro and Billy Crystal in the mob comedy "Analyze This," a smart, amusing satire from director Harold Ramis ("Multiplicity," "Groundhog Day"). For a movie like this to succeed past a commercial level, chemistry between the main characters must be amiable and spirited. Crystal and DeNiro indeed mold amiable incentive between themselves, therefore quite a few hilarious moments emerge from their perception of the well-written script by Kenneth Lonergan, Peter Tolan, and Ramis himself.

	"Analyze This" details the lives of two very different individuals. The first person is played by Billy Crystal, a calm, cool, and collected psychiatrist named Ben Sobol, who is divorced with a young teenage son and is engaged to soon wed a resigning TV reporter named Laura MacNamara (Lisa Kudrow). Ben is currently dealing with a emotional patient (Molly Shannon) distressed because her spouse left and filed a restraining order on her. This woman's problems will seem like nothing when Ben obtains his new client.

	Robert DeNiro plays the second person this movie examines, the most powerful mobster in the city of New York, Paul Vitti. He and his accomplices, including a chubby and clumsy bodyguard named Jelly (Joe Viterelli), are in the process of significant business when Vitti experiences an anxiety attack. On the road to a nervous breakdown, this emotionally vulnerable man comes to Ben after Jelly briefly encounters the therapist during a minor car accident. Ben is very nervous with his new patient, who forces compliments and demands upon him.

	The first confrontation sequence between Ben and Paul is quite engaging. There is an instant odd couple chemistry among the two characters. The witty sessions Sobol and Vitti consummate are also very imaginative and smart. The scenes also have the intelligence to take Vitti's emotional problems seriously.

The setup accurately introduces both the gangsters and the psychiatrist's family. We understand the mob boss's feelings of stress and depression; this picture is not all shallow slapstick comedy, there is a dimensional human touch. The film takes its conflicts seriously, but executes them in a cute humorous style. The audience can also relate to Billy Crystal's character, who is an average Joe with a typical American family in a complicated situation in which he is not entirely sure how to handle.

Both external and internal conflicts are interestingly accomplished, well structured, presented, and written. The film does a good job of convincingly bringing the world of mobsters to life with well-cast actors and their rich, stylish accents.

Paul Vitti's sexual life needed more exploration; although his adulterous intentions do induce a few laughs, the story could have gone somewhere with his infidelity. Vitti's family is also irresolute. The film almost never portrays them on screen and seldom does Paul himself discuss his children and wife. The Lisa Kudrow character is furthermore underwritten, never thoroughly examined and very shallow. The lack of chemistry amid Kudrow and Crystal leads to the unconvincing relationship Ben occupies.

	Robert DeNiro is the perfect option for the comic role of Paul Vitti, who is a more difficult character than it may appear. DeNiro triggers a sharp comic edge and gives the right amount of exaggerated sentimentality to Vitti. Lisa Kudrow is fun to watch, producing a dim-minded character whimsically similar to the one in her hit TV sitcom "Friends." Chazz Palminteri and Joe Viterelli contribute different but energetic supporting roles.

	"Analyze This" is unmistakably the right kind of movie for Billy Crystal. I am unaware of another Hollywood comedian who could have conquered his role with more proficiency and mirth; he is one of the main components that makes "Analyze This" work well. Harold Ramis's comedy obviously borrows ideas from past comparable films like "Grosse Point Blank" and "Mafia," but as this production proves, just because it was done before doesn't mean it cannot be successfully accomplished again with the right casting.


I enjoyed this much more than I expected to. DeNiro hasn't had a part this good in years, and he plays it to the hilt. It will remind you why you liked him in the first place. Billy Crystal is just as good, but it DeNiro's movie all the way. Your life will not be changed by watching this, but you will enjoy it.


This wasn't "hilarious" as everyone told me it was, but it was still very enjoyable and pretty solid entertainment. Although a comedy, it has violence and a lot of profanity.

Robert De Niro, as usual, is excellent and once again surprises viewers with his comedic talent. He plays a mobster (familiar territory) but one who needs psychiatric help. He's hilarious when he's crying! His "shrink" is played by Billy Crystal, in an untypical low-key character role. My favorite in this film was Joe Viterelli, the fat guy-mobster who has a few very funny lines. Viterelli is one of these guys you see in a ton of gangster movies and is always interesting.

The female lead in here, Lisa Kudrow ("Laura") was not appealing to me, character-wise. Overall, a funny movie and much better than the sequel.


A complete comedy farce. Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal are both great fun and so is Joe Viterelli as De Niro's hilarious security guard Jelly. It is amusing. Nothing is wrong with the film accept its language. No one should complain about its content. Its content is meant to be funny. When mobster Paul Vitti(De Niro) is suffering anxiety attacks for some odd reason, he sees a shrink named Ben Sobel(Crystal) to solve his tragedys and ways to move through the mob. The idea is small and it stretches out too far but its still great fun. To me this is De Niro's best comic performance of all. The most hilarious part in the film has to be where Crystal is in the church getting hugged by a stranger. An 8.3/10.


Analyze this is a fine movie, with a great cast of likable characters and an interesting storyline. Billy Crystal plays Ben Sobel a psycho-therapist who practises in the shadow of his brilliant father, and is due to marry the woman of his dreams (Lisa Kudrow). Robert De Niro plays Paul Vitti, a mafia crime boss who is struggling with his emotions and his libido. This satirical slant on the classic mobster movies is excellently played out by Crystal and De Niro, who form a formidable comedy duo, with plenty of laughs.

Rated 15 'Analyze This' doesn't shy away from profanity and violence, ensuring that it fits into the mobster theme seamlessly, delivering us a highly enjoyable movie without offending fans of the mobster genre.

8/10


Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal square off in `Analyze This,' a satirical look at `family' life from director Harold Ramis. After witnessing a hit on a colleague outside a restaurant (and narrowly escaping the same fate himself, thanks to the need of a toothpick), mob boss Paul Vitti (De Niro) finds himself overcome with panic attacks. He sweats, cries at the drop of a hat, and can't breathe. With a vital meeting only two weeks away, he realizes he needs help, quickly, and sends one of his men, Jelly (Joe Viterelli), in search of a `shrink.' Coincidentally, Jelly has just been rear-ended in traffic by Dr. Ben Sobol (Crystal), who just happens to be a psychiatrist. And Jelly has his business card. Unable to discourage the adamant Vitti, Sobol acquiesces and agrees to treat him exclusively for two weeks, though he is less than enthusiastic about being pressed into the service of a well-known criminal; even less enthused, however, is his fiancee, Laura (Lisa Kudrow). The ensuing repartee between Vitti and Sobol, served up with snappy dialogue and impeccable timing, takes this comedy, artistically and otherwise, to the highest level. De Niro and Crystal are absolutely outstanding, infusing their characters with every possible nuance, while successfully avoiding the stereotypes that lesser actors may have relied upon here. The two play so well off of one another that the humor virtually seems to explode spontaneously. All the while, the likable Kudrow more than holds her own with her co-stars, proving, unequivocally, that there is so much more to her than just being a great `Friend.' Credit must go to Ramis, as well, for keeping things on an even keel throughout. There's funny scenes aplenty in this film, especially the ones in which the loyal but somewhat thick-headed thug, Jelly, or the winsome Laura take part. The most memorable, though, is one in which Dr. Sobol dreams that he is Don Vito Corleone in the movie `The Godfather,' when he is shot while buying some fruit. This is parody at its finest. Written by Ramis, Ken Lonergan and Peter Tolan, and with a supporting cast that includes Chazz Palminteri (Primo), Richard C. Castellano (Jimmy), Kyle Sabihy (Ben's son, Michael) , Molly Shannon (Caroline) and Elizabeth Bracco (Marie Vitti), `Analyze This' will keep you laughing and `doing lines' (`You...you're good, yes, you are...yes, you are!') long after the credits have faded from the screen. I rate this one 10/10.


I don't even know where to start. I don't want to tell you much about this film because I don't want to spoil it for you by giving you account of the funny scenes. Moreover, that would be quite impossible anyway as the film is simply funny all the way through. Sure I have my favourite scenes, one in particular, which make me laugh just thinking about them. Seriously, this is a comedy with a great story and many laughs. As a matter of fact, I really laughed all the way through, from start to finish.

I want to recommend you to lighten up and simply relax when you decide to watch it. Let go of any expectations or judgements. Simply watch and let the movie entertain you. It might seem as an obvious thing to do but it is easy to slip into that judgemental and critical feeling however subtle it might be, which will spoil any movie for you not just this one.

I highly recommend this movie if you want to lift you spirit up for whatever reason as this movie will do it for you. It is my favourite and I do hope that it will be your favourite too.


Old Bobby De Niro strolls through this film with a role he seems so comfortable with. It must surely be one of his funniest performances (ranks up there with Midnight Run), & Billy Crystal provides a cringe worthy 'tough guy' parody later on in the film. You can't help but snigger and snort at some of the dialogue which is delivered effortlessly with perfect comic timing. If you got a bad case of the blues this is certainly a film to watch. I nearly choked on my custard doughnut when De Niro's tough guy character attempts to communicate in 'Psycho Babble'. The plot revolves around counselling a 'made' mafia guy and helping him to get in touch with his true inner self leads to some hilarious and ludicrous scenes. De Niro's sidekick 'Jelly' played by Joe Viterelli, comes out with some great one liners and Lisa Kudrow doesn't do too badly out of the whole affair either playing the stable well adjusted wife to be to a tee.


The dynamic between De Niro and Crystal is fantastic. This film has so many nearly hidden punch lines that it is amazing. One of the best is Dr. Sobel's line when he walks into his home and sees the FBI he says,"...obsessive compulsive disorder?" and they say "Organized Crime Division!" Perfect. It shows how Dr. Sobel is so "outside" the entire context of the lifestyle of his patient. The most telling line is when he says..."What is my job here...to make you a well-adjusted criminal?" Well done film. Has more meaning than meets the eye.


This is about the funniest movie I've ever seen. Billy Crystal is perfect as the psychiatrist and DeNiro does wonderful comedy. I don't often laugh out loud in movies--I laughed heartily all through this one. DeNiro's parodies of his own previous movies is wonderful. It's wonderful fluff and I highly recommend it.


Well, I think this movie was great. I like de Niro movies but this was extremely good. When I was in the cinema, in every moment the audience could laugh on a good joke. The script is fine, the actors are very, very good and the text part is well done. I recommend everyone to see this one.


This is an *excellent* movie!!!!!

It's a Billy Crystal movie so I knew I would like it, but this was wonderful!!!!! I would recommend to anyone (17 or over)!!!!

It was one of those movies that you just don't want to end.

I'm sorry to those of you who didn't like it because of the language but it is rated R and it has Robert De Niro, what do you expect?? I've never seen a De Niro film that didn't have F*** in it.

Anyway, Billy Crystal is the FUNNIEST MAN ALIVE!!!!! And De Niro was PERFECT for the part!!!!


As a person who has experienced the relationship between client and therapist for several years now, I found this movie to hit on the "sensitive" areas of that relationship in one of the most comical ways I have seen to date. Anybody who has ever been in therapy or who is in the profession should especially see this movie. I laughed all the way through it.


Analyze this is probably the funniest movie ever made! It ranks right up there with Spaceballs,Planes Trains and Automobiles, and The Wedding Singer. Robert De Niro and every other cast member play their parts well, but Billy Crystal played his perfectly. So drop what ever you are doing right now and see this movie today! 9 out of 10


It is hilarious to see Robert DeNiro do spoofs on all his previous Mob characters. To see him crying after all the tough guys he has played it is really funny. Billy Crystal is excellent as his therapist who is trying to help him through his anxiety issues. I want to see it again so I can hear all the lines I missed the first time because I was laughing so hard. Rating 10


Robert De Niro and Billy Crytal star in Analyze this.I loved this film a lot. Robert De Niro and Billy Crytal work so well together. Is that really such a surprise that two great actors would do great in a film? Well, I thought that De Nirop and Pacino would do well in Righteous kill. I never saw that film, but I heard it was crap, which was a bit of surprising news. This film reminds me a bit of the Hugh Grant comedy Mickey Blue eyes, though this film is a bit better, not a bit, but a lot. Not that Mickey Blue eyes was bad, it just wasn't as good as this. To wrap up my review, I will say that this is a great film from Harold Ramis, who is a great director. I don't know how you could get a better mob comedy. Though I loved The Whole nine yards.

Analye this:****/****


this is the funniest mob movie ever made. robert de niro and billy crystal are sensational together! they should star in another movie together. how can we forget the scene in the bar where de niro tries to explain why he cant get a "hard on", or jelly and billy crystals little conversation in the washroom. this is a great movie, and i recommend it to anyone who wants a good laugh!


This film was clearly tailor written for Robert De Niro. Not only is he the finest character actor of his generation - perhaps even the finest since James Stewart - his Italian background which he has portrayed so well in films in the past such as his 2 Oscar winners, The Godfather Part 2 and Raging Bull, comes through excellently, and adds much credibility to the role.

At the same time, Billy Crystal's natural sarcastic manner is a great anathema to De Niro, and even the role of the usually poor Lisa Kudrow as Crystal's wife is well cast.

One of the most subtle and funniest [certainly for Hollywood] comedies of recent years, the digs at the stereotypical mafia image are both cutting and cynical, but damn funny at the same time.

The whole concept of a psychiatrist for a mafia racketeer is funny enough as it is, and with the natural chemistry between Crystal and De Niro, this really is a rare, off-beat treat.


Analyze This is one of the funniest movies i have ever seen. Being a huge fan of the crime genre, i thought it spoofed the those type of films perfectly by not going so far as to mock them. It also shows Robert De Niro's by far funniest performance, as well as Billy Crystal. These two have excellent chemistry and a great supporting role by Chazz Palminteri gives the whole movie an authentic and believable feel. The best part and one of the most hilarious scenes in cinema has to be when Crystal must pose as a mobster and gives a speech at a meeting with all the five families present. And also De Niro' first visit to Crystal's has me rolling on the floor in laughter.

Analyze This, while underrated by a lot of folks, is one of the best comedies you'll ever see. 9/10


When you combine Robert DeNiro--our greatest actor--and Billy Crystal--one of our greatest comedians--how can you go wrong? It was a joy to see the two greats on screen together. They were absolutely magnificent and had incredible chemistry. The way their personalities conflicted with one another was a riot. Another noteworthy member in the cast is Joe Viterelli, who's also a riot as DeNiro's henchman Jelly. Lisa Kudrow has some funny moments and Chazz Palminteri is...CHAZZ!!! He's such a cool actor that his mere appearance can make a film worthwhile. He only has a supporting role, but he's great as always.

The film has some priceless gags. Some of the best lines I've ever heard were from this movie. One that really sticks out is when DeNiro consults Crystal in the middle of the night because he couldn't...get it up. Yes, it's what you're thinking. When Crystal advises him to take some sort of drugs to help his "problem," DeNiro replies "Drugs--I don't take drugs. A hard-on should be gotten legitimately or not be gotten at all." Crystal replies in a dry sarcastic tone, "I think Mark Twain said that." I also have to note the hilarious scene where the two guys come face to face for the first time, in Crystal's office. DeNiro asks the shrink:

"Do you know me?" "Yes," he replies. "No you don't." "No, I don't." "Did you see my picture in the paper?" "Yes." "No you didn't!" "No, I didn't."

And there's a great interaction in which Crystal explains a theory by Sigmund Freud about a child in Greece who killed his father because he wanted to marry his mother. DeNiro quickly replies:

"Are you saying I wanna f**k my mother? Have you seen my mother?" "Well, Freud said--" "Well, Freud's a sick f**k!"

There's so many memorable moments, but I don't want to give them all away to those who haven't seen the movie. Because these are some of the funniest gags in film history. One moment--and this will be the last one I'll mention--that also made me roll with laughter was the funeral sequence in which a family member got a little over-affectionate with Crystal. DeNiro replies, "Him I don't know."

When I saw "AT" in theaters, the place was filled up and people would laugh out loud in unison--like a fifties sitcom audience--at every funny scene. That's a rare occurrence, and I feel great joy whenever it actually happens.

The comedy is not done in blatant, screwball fashion. The actors let the laughs come to them, and play it straight. Crystal has a magic way of delivering sarcastic dialogue that only people like Albert Brooks and Woody Allen can surpass. DeNiro spoofs his gangster persona without being superficial about it. He lets the audience search for the inside jokes on their own. People say DeNiro is not suited for comedy. Sure, he's not the Jim Carrey-type of comic actor, but I think that's what makes it work. In films like this and "Meet the Parents" DeNiro doesn't try too hard and is never over-the-top. He expresses the comic dialogue with good timing and good delivery, without making it look like he's trying to be funny. And Joe Viterelli, who's been in other movies but I first discovered him on this one, is great at playing the bumbling henchman and I hope to see him more often. He has great talent.

"Analyze This" is a hilarious, wildly original comedy that should have you rolling in the aisles. This is one comedy that won't make you leave with guilt. You're watching two great performers and the humor, though sometimes racy, is all in good taste.

My score: 8 (out of 10)


Refreshingly doesn't fall into the trap that most "high concept" comedies fall into: namely coasting on one good central idea and the star power of whomever gets cast in the lead role(s). This one takes a delightful, "wish I'd thought of that" premise and actually supports it with a smart, well-plotted story. Go figure. Sometimes Robert DeNiro has stretched himself too thin and hasn't come off well in comedies such as WE'RE NO ANGELS and MAD DOG GLORY, but here his timing is virtually flawless, and his comic rapport with Billy Crystal (also excellent, as he avoids making his hapless but still dignified shrink a buffoon) is wonderful. DeNiro seems to be most at home comedically when he is spoofing his own intense, inarticulate image.

The script is very sharp and shrewdly sidesteps the predictable whenever possible (though there is always a certain level of welcome predictability in this sort of material). There is a pivotal juncture early on where it looks as if it is going to follow the same old plot line of Crystal's fiancee (nicely played by Lisa Kudrow) thinking that his sudden, unexplained disappearances to meet with the gangster must mean that he is having an affair with another woman. This movie is too intelligent for that and has too much respect for the intelligence of its characters - Crystal comes right out and explains his predicament and the rest of the film is funnier for his honesty. The viewer has more admiration for Crystal's character and more belief in the couple's sincere desire to be together.

The director (and one of the writers) Harold Ramis has demonstrated once again that he is one of the best out there at light satire. This is easily one of the most consistently funny (at least a half dozen laugh out loud moments) and enjoyable comedies to come out in recent years.


I wasnt sure what to expect from this movie because i knew it combined my favourite actor De Niro's stongest(Gangster roll) and weakest (Comedy)acting aspects in one film . Any worries i had soon were dispelled because i loved the film. Crystal and De Niro worked like a comedy duo that had been together for years. The story is of a Gangster who starts to have emotional problems and panic attacks due to the death of his father 35 years ago.The ensuing antics result in a very funny and action packed cracker of a film. Dont miss it! 9 out of 10.


This film starts out good and pretty much stays that way, reaching its high point with the Oedipus  joke. After that it's straight down. It just loses appeal to fast and it especially does so after the first wedding. Then there are some shoot outs and a betrayal subplot and somehow the comedy gets lost and you just have a Mafia movie that is not really that good. Also I found the performance of Lisa Kudrow too Friends  like and I though that DeNiro could not cry that convincingly, but that latter doesn't really matter to me that much, for this is a comedy. Up until the Oedipus - joke I probably would have given this one an 8 but now seeing the whole film its this:

A verrrrrry small (like 6,5) 7 out of 10


This is possibly the funniest mob movie that I have seen. Billy Crystal is perfectly cast as is Robert De Niro(He makes a very convincing mobster!) The entire cast of mafia thugs is perfectly cast. Lisa Kudrow is convincing as Crystal's enduring fiancee. I haven't laughed this hard or often in a very long time. This movie was even better the second and third time around. The dialogue is the key to the chemistry in this movie. A favorite scene of mine involves De Niro's character venting his feelings on a pillow! The culminating moment came in the end, it was a very satisfying conclusion that left me in the high spirits that the movie created. Here's to another De Niro/Crystal pairing in the future! This is definitely a film worth seeing.


This movie ain't bad. A mob boss going to the shrink is actually a very good idea. But I don't think this movie explores the idea in the most interesting manner. I would enjoy this movie more if it were more like the

tv-series Sopranos. But I suppose that comparison is an invalid one. What the hell, it's Billy Crystal and Robert De Niro!


"Analyze This" is a wickedly funny tale of where a tough, foul-mouthed New York mob boss Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro) suddenly loses his mind and is persuaded by Jelly (Joe Viterelli), one of his two bodyguards to go see a shrink a few weeks before a big meeting. At first, Vitti doesn't like the idea, but goes ahead. The first time that Vitti and Ben Sobel (Billy Crystal), a calm shrink meet face to face is okay, but the events that happen after that are serious and down-right funny. The dialogue that Crystal and De Niro are well-written and well-acted. Lisa Kudrow, Joe Viterelli, and Chazz Palminterri also give very solid supporting performances in this movie. Kyle Sahiby is good as Sobel's son who has fun nitpicking Sobel. Harold Ramis has made some good films in the past (Caddyshack) and his careful direction here pays off.

 The best scene of the movie is the opening scene is masterfully written to perfection and it's just hilarous. One good example is Vitti's dad and a friend of his hijack a farmer who's on his John Deere tractor and drive through the corn field. Overall, De Niro and Crystal make a great comedy team.


It's a light comedy with very humorous situations. Sometimes it gets a bit slow. Billy Cristal is good in his role of shrink, but De Niro is great!


With a story premise like this, it's really hard to do anything wrong. A mafia-boss goes to a psychiatrist. It's surprising that nobody had this idea before. I mean, it's really something new. But to be sure, they casted Robert de Niro and Billy Crystal.

Which ways the story is in fact not really interesting. It just doesn't matter. I mean, we don't really want to know why Paul Vitti (De Niro) has so much problems and when we finally got to know it, we don't feel better.

But these two characters themself are interesting enough to watch them one and a half hours. Crystal as a psychiatrist is fantastic. It's strange he never played one before. He reminded me a bit on Richard Dreyfuss in What About Bob?', another great psychiatrist-movie. But at least he doesn't get mad. Crystal is always a fine actor and he rarely makes a bad film. It's just too much fun to watch him. He looks always scared and neurotic and this is funny enough.

But they couldn't had anyone better casted than De Niro. I mean, we saw him so many times as a gangster. I read a review about True Confessions' where he plays a priest, where Roger Ebert couldn't think of him in such a role. Of course today we know how much this actor can do and how much he can be called one of the greatest actors of all times. But the gangster is a role we just know him. Here he plays another gangster - and he makes fun of it. That's really great. Consider the scene where they want to torture a little guy to make them tell who betrayed them. De Niro shouts at him, takes a barr and... does nothing. He just can't. We saw him hitting guys so often, this is just unbelievable. De Niro is great and he proofed again that he can play nearly anything.

The best scenes are the ones where Crystal and De Niro talk. The way De Niro convinces Crystal of the things he wants to hear is great. The best one is the classical first line. `Do you know me?' `Yes, I Do.' `No, you don't.' `No, I don't'

To the rest there isn't much to say. Palminteri plays just a stereotype and I hope Kudrow will ever get a role where she plays someone intelligent. Joe Viterelli is quite enjoyable and the actor who plays Crystals son is also funny. The story is, as I said, not that much interesting. I mean, who really cares about all the betrayals and all that stuff. But they could have finished the conflict Crystal had with his father instead of just starting with it and never going anywhere.

It's a really entertaining film with lots of good jokes. Not really a masterpiece, but a good comedy. This is an effort ourdays.

8/10 \ 3/4 \ 2 (1+ - 6-)


Just watched this movie last night. I thought Billy Crystal was wonderful as Ben Sobol. Robert De Niro as Paul Vitti was very good. It was worth looking at the movie just to see the scene when Billy Crystal pretends to be a gangster--I could not stop laughing. Recommend this movie to any one who wants a good laugh


Because it's a newer version of a classic horror movie (and it went directly to video), I have been putting off watching Stuart Gordon's take on Edgar Allen Poe's classic story, but after finally catching it; I can honestly say that I don't know why I didn't see it earlier! While the Roger Corman/Vincent Price version of the tale is far better, this update still has a lot in store for the horror fan, most notably it's superb European styled atmosphere, and a fine performance by Lance Henriksen, which may even be the best of his career. While these elements are contributors to the film's success, the main reason why the film works is the story behind it. Of course, it's based (albeit loosely) on Poe's classic tale, so the story is bound to be solid; but it doesn't take all of it's influence from Poe, and so Dennis Paoli can take a lot of credit for the screenplay he wrote for the movie. The idea of 'the pendulum', along with a 'pit' can conjure up many feelings of dread and pain, and this film adequately capitalises on that with it's excellent torture filled finale!

As mentioned, Lance Henriksen gives what is maybe his best performance in this film. He is both powerful and frightening in his role as Torquemada, the head witchfinder of the Spanish Inquisition. When he says "I am the inquisition", it's enough to make your hairs stand on end. Henriksen is a criminally underrated actor and one that certainly deserves more praise...it's just unfortunate that he tends to shine in movies that don't get noticed. Also in the cast is 'Re-Animator' himself, Jeffrey Combs, who shines in a small role as someone in the inquisition. The film isn't wholly serious, and Stuart Gordon has seen fit to add some comic relief to the proceedings, which is OK but I feel that the movie would be better off without any 'relief'. Certain elements from other Poe stories appear, such as a man being bricked in behind a wall, and this film seems to treat it's subject material with respect. The European horror style is a major plus factor in my opinion, and should please fans of movies from the sixties and seventies. On the whole; surprisingly good!


OK, sorry, I couldn't resist. Though this is a pretty grim movie at times, I can't hear the phrase "Spanish Inquisition" without going through the Monty Python routine. Once the movie starts, however, I am always so engrossed I forget about the sketch.

This movie had me hooked from the first scene the first time I saw it, but it has that rare quality of actually getting better with every viewing. As many have said, this is without a doubt Full Moon's all-time best. I'm a diehard Stuart Gordon fan, and if it wasn't for Re-Animator, I might say it was Gordon's best, too. By the way, the first scene is very grisly and cold-blooded, and you *know* it's gonna be a great movie when that happens even before the opening credits.

I'm really saddened that this movie didn't get more of a chance for wide release. I remember it being in the theater for maybe one week and then going to video, and the only reason I even knew it existed was from reading Fangoria. Look at the cast- while they aren't all considered "A-list", they are favs among horror and cult fans- Lance Henriksen (Millennium, Aliens) Tom Towles (Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer), Jeffrey Combs (Re-Animator, From Beyond), Frances Bay (Blue Velvet), Oliver Reed... I think the other strike it has against it is that people see the title (maybe that's why it was changed in some versions, including the R-rated DVD that I rented, to The Inquisitor) and figure it's a travesty to even try to remake. Some friends wouldn't even give the movie a chance (to the point where they didn't even want to look at the box, they were so scornful) until I had to beg them to watch it- they thanked me after the first few scenes.

Don't get me wrong, the original is wonderful, and Vincent Price is, well, Vincent Price and in a class by himself. However, this movie has very little in common with Corman's other than the title, the fact that both movies are based on Poe's work, and that there's a scene towards the end where some unlucky b*stard tries to get free before the pendulum slices him in half. The similarities end there, however, and I don't think it's fair or accurate to call it a remake.

This version is actually set back in Spain during 1492, the REAL inquisition. Lance Henriksen, who can make his voice sound so quietly evil that Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter sounds harmless by comparison, stars as Torquemada. With the assistance of his underlings, he wants to rid the world of witchcraft and heresy, figuring the best way to do this is to torture and kill what seems like 99% of the population (historically, he was said to be responsible of over 100,000 executions). During one ugly public display involving Gordon's wife Carolyn Purdy-Gordon -other than Re-animator, she always seems to come to a horrible end in his movies) the young baker Antonio and his lovely wife Maria make the mistake of trying to intervene, so they assume she's a witch and toss her in the dungeon. In her cell, she's befriended by kindly Esmeralda. In one of the most clever twists, her cellmate turns out to be the one out of the tens of thousands accused who actually IS a witch. Maria's husband tries to save her and of course is immediately arrested as well. Unfortunately for Maria, ole Torq is horrified to find himself secretly attracted to her (he's a monk, and as Henriksen explains in the feauturette, has 'probably never gotten any in his life') and doesn't know how to deal with it. At first it seems like Maria might be able to use this to her advantage, but since Torq is so psychotically religious that he thinks any human emotions are the work of Satan, things just get more complicated and intense from there.

There are several references other than the Pendulum to Poe's work -clever ones, that fit in with the plot and are not just tossed in for the hell of it. Someone is walled up, even quoting the notorious line "For the love of God!" "Yes...for the love of God" is the grim reply. A cask of wine is revealed to be Amontillado. There's also subtle references to "The Premature Burial" and probably more I missed.

One of the elements that is actually kind of amusing in a horrible way is that you have absolutely NO chance against the evil forces in this movie, to the point where it is ludicrous. You're reasonably attractive? You're obviously trying to tempt men and must be a witch. You're ugly? That's also a sign of being a witch. You look normal? You're a witch disguised as a normal person! You try to fight back when they tear your clothes off to 'examine' you? You're not co-operating, you're a witch! You give up and co-operate? You're an evil whore! You have a mole or freckle anywhere on your body? That's the mark of the devil and you're a witch. Oh, you don't have any? Someone will pinch you and make a mark. Oh, the mark is starting to fade? You're using your evil powers to make it fade! You're just completely screwed no matter what. Also, if they haven't tortured you yet and you confess first to get it over with? Sorry, no such luck! You might just be trying to avoid torture, so confession doesn't officially count until you've been tortured for days-that is, if you don't die under torture ("Not another one!" a torturer complains in exasperation at one point).

The cast is amazing. There's not even near enough room to list all the great acting in this movie. Standouts are Henriksen, who not only portrays total evil all too convincingly but the inner struggle against his lust for Maria VS his 'holy duty'. Oliver Reed has less than 10 minutes of screen time as a heavy-drinking Cardinal who comes to visit Torquemada and try to get him to ease up on the mass killing a little, but trust me, you'll remember his scene long after the movie is over. Jeffrey Combs, as the scribe with the prince Valiant haircut and huge horn-rimmed Harry Potter glasses who seems to be the only one involved who is "just doing his job" and not getting off on it like all of Torquemada's other flunkies, steals every scene he's in. A less talented actor would have been forgettable in what could have been a boring part, but he makes the most of every second of his screen time. He also gets the some of the best and funniest lines ("How can they confess if they DON'T HAVE TONGUES??"), including the best in the movie along with the actress playing Esmeralda. She's wonderful, and one of the best and most memorable scenes of this, or any horror movie for that matter, involves her show-stopping revenge when she's burned at the stake. As she's being dragged up, Comb's character actually tells her apologetically: "I'm sorry that you weren't properly able to confess. There just wasn't enough time to torture you". Esmeralda: "Thanks anyway".

Not only am I running out of room to rave about how much I loved this movie, but I don't want to talk it up so much that I ruin it. Just watch, enjoy, and get the bejeezus scared out of you. Make sure you are not going to be interrupted for 90 minutes, because it is so riveting you do NOT want to have to turn it off even for a minute. Watch, and prepare to be impressed. Caution: this is NOT a movie for kids, or easily upset adults. The movie pulls NO punches in the graphic portrayal of extremely nasty tortures and executions. The movie is scary and disturbing enough; I try not to dwell to long on the fact that it is based on historical events. In the words of a character during a climactic moment that you won't forget for a long time..."Welcome to Hell!"


If you've seen the classic Roger Corman version starring Vincent Price it's hard to put it out of your head, but you probably should do because this one is totally different. Subtlety has been abandoned in favour of gross-out horror - nudity, gore and all-round unpleasantness. OK it's ridiculous, trashy, sensationalised and historically dubious (did any members of the Inquisition really wear horn-rimmed glasses?), but despite all this it is strangely compelling. I literally couldn't tear myself away from the screen until the end of the movie. If there's a bigger compliment you can pay to a film I don't know what it is.


I really enjoyed watching this movie and I wish to recommend to as many people as possible. But maybe biased because I'm a huge fan of director Stuart Gordon. I have yet to see a movie of his that doesn't fully lives up to my expectations. From Re-Animator over Dolls to Castle Freak...they all belong to my favorite horror movies. And I do believe Gordon belongs to the most talented directors in the genre because he can handle all sort of horror topics. His debut - the brilliant Re-Animator - was a comedy splatter movie while The Pit and the Pendulum doesn't contain that much violence or gore. This movie contains an intelligent and even educational story and it has great settings and costumes of the 14th century.

The Pit and the Pendulum is an adaptation of the famous short story by Edgar Allen Poe. The master of low budget - Roger Corman - already used this story once to make a great horror classic starring Vincent Price. Stuart Gordon's movie isn't really a remake of that one. They just used the same plot. Pit and the Pendulum takes place during the Spanish Inquisition. Lance Henriksen plays one of the best roles of his entire career as Torquemada. He decides whether "witches" are guilty or not and when they'll be burned for the eyes of God. A young girl, Maria ( played by Ronna De Ricci who never did anything else in her career )who resists against his way of working is being arrested. Torquemada wants to accuse her of witchery but he's fascinated by her looks and her body. Meanwhile, Maria's husband entered the castle and he wants to free his wife.

The atmosphere and the settings impress the most in this movie. The ancient castle and the torture chambers are really intriguing. The costumes are terrific as well. There isn't too much gore and violence to detect in this movie ( especially not compared to previous Gordon movies ) but they're are a few very explicit scenes that show true horror. But it's always shot with a lot of style and class. Even though Lance Henriksen is getting all the attention in this movie, there are a a few other great performances in this movie. I'd like to bring forward Jeffrey Combs...my favorite B-movie actor and frequently cast by Stuart Gordon. His role is pretty limited but very well acted.

The Pit and Pendulum is warmly recommended to fans of atmospheric horror and historical stories. One to watch !!


Adapted from perhaps one of the greatest Dark story tellers of the past Edgar Allan Poe.

This film was very enjoyable Oliver Reeds accent was very believable but I was really surprised at how a big name actor like Reed only had a very small part in the film.

Mark Margolis (Of Equalizer fame) played a really good part - Very Dark!

Rona De Ricci who played Maria She was in my opinion the real star of the film. It's surprising then, that she seems to have been in only two films. She is both a very talented actress and a strikingly beautiful woman.

Lance Henrikson played His part extremely well as the very tortured inquisitor.

The scene with the Rats - brilliant.

Over all this film is one that I will remember.


Good flick from back in the days when Full Moon Entertainment was serious about making them. Not much of a known cast, however they all put out excellent performances, especially Lance Henriksen who is one of my favorites. Well told story. I strongly recommend this one for Lance Henriksen fans, or someone who wants to see what Full Moon was able to do in their heyday.


I really enjoyed this film.It was a little poor in some aspects mainly the acting but the story line was adequate. If you are a viewer of dark movies, then you would like this adaption of Edgar Allan Poe. The torture scenes are quite good.


The Pit and the Pendulum is set in Toledo in Spain during 1492 as the Spanish Inquisition lead by Torquemada (Lance Henriksen) would strike fear into the hearts of the local population, they would mercilessly torture anyone they thought guilty of witchcraft. While at a public execution a kind hearted woman named Maria (Rona De Ricci) speaks out against the inquisition & it's methods, straight away she is accused of being a witch & carted off to be tortured while her baker boyfriend Antonio (Jonathan Fuller) is left for dead. When he comes round he bribes a castle guard named Gomez (Stephen Lee, no not the British snooker player...) to let him in as he tries to rescue Maria, unfortunately Antonio is caught himself & he too is tortured. Is there any way Antonio & Maria can escape the horrors of the Spanish Inqusition & save themselves...

Directed by Stuart Gordon (my on screen digital TV guide claimed it was directed by someone called Stuart Corman!) & based on the story by Edgar Allan Poe this is a pretty good period horror flick. Poe's story had already been turned into a film by Roger Corman as he directed Pit and the Pendulum (1961) staring Vincent Price although this 90's version has next to nothing in common with Corman's flick other than the title & even that was changed to The Inquisitor for it's US DVD release, the script by Dennis Paoli is pretty good here, the character's are better than one would expect with Henriksen obviously having fun playing the part of Torquemada as he's a character with some depth even if not a particularly likable one although I'm not sure about that silly hair-cut. The dialogue is OK & it moves along at a reasonable pace but I couldn't help thinking there wasn't much to it, I mean two people are accused of witchcraft & they get tortured by the Spanish Inquisition who abuse their own power & that's about it, there's a small sub-plot about the pope wanting to end the torture of the Inqusition but this is quickly forgotten & comes to nothing. I didn't like the ambiguous nature of the witches either, I mean were they real witches or not? Why the secrecy? So there you have it, if this sounds exciting to you or you like watching people getting tortured then The Pit and the Pendulum is the film for you, as for me I liked it but mostly because of Hendriksen & it's torture scenes. I know, I'm sick.

Director Gordon does alright, the Italian castle locations look nice enough I suppose but I couldn't help but feel it was all a little flat & bland. There's certainly no real style or visual flair here that Gordon showed in his earlier films, there's a pretty nasty down beat atmosphere running through the film & it certainly isn't a feel good flick as there are no happy endings on show. Don't expect a fact based history lesson either I doubt there's much fact here apart from the Spanish inquisition themselves. While there are plenty of torture scenes The Pit and the Pendulum surprisingly isn't that graphic, there's some blood splatter, someone is impaled on spikes, a rat is sliced in half, people are burned at the stake & various scenes of torture which aren't particularly intense. There's some full frontal nudity as well if that's your thing.

With a supposed budget of about $2,000,000 this looks nice enough if a little forgettable, it's reasonably well made with better than average production values & decent period detail although most of it takes place in the same room. The acting is pretty good even if a potentially great cast is wasted, Oliver Reed, Jeffrey Combs, Stephen Lee & Tom Towles are somewhat underused.

The Pit and the Pendulum is a fine horror film, it's not the most complex or absorbing film ever but for some exploitative nudity & torture it delivers & frankly you can't argue with exploitative nudity & torture. I liked it, I just wish it had been a bit more graphic & the story was a bit meatier. Still a good effort though.


I think Rona da Ricci (Maria) is one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen. If anyone has any pictures, information or her phone number, I'd be very interested...

This is a horrifically dark adaptation of Edgar Allen Poe's story, set in the oppressively religious society of Spain at the time of the Inquisition. The film is well-written, although a few things don't quite sit right with me. Firstly, the comic relief character is a bit vacuous. (At least, I think he was supposed to be funny...) Secondly, there is reference to the Roman Catholic Church trying to stop the Grand Inquisitor from murdering innocent people in the name of God. I somehow doubt that the organization that instigated and perpetuated these massacres over the centuries, in whatever manifestation worked for the time and place, would turn so vehemently against it at any stage, let alone against a wing of it's own organization. I think it was something of a cop-out on the part of the creators of this film. Apart from this, however, the film is enthralling, intriguing and predominately well-acted (though the male lead leaves something to be desired). Also, the cinematography deserves a mention.

Not for everyone, but if you have a strong stomach, it's definitely worth a look.


The Grand Inquisitor, Torquemada(Lance Henriksen), known for his public executions and torturous methods of those he and his foot-soldiers deem heretics and witches, is overcome with lust when he gazes upon the naked body of baker Antonio's(Jonathan Fuller)lovely wife Maria(the stunning beauty Rona De Ricci)on trial for being a witch after halting the never-ending whipping of a boy child in front of a crowd of people. The film shows Torquemada's battle with his desire for Maria and how Antonio will try to save her, which will not be an easy task.

I think the main success of this film is Lance Henriksen's powerful performance as the sadistic, psychotic Inquisitor. While his chosen men, Gomez(Stephen Lee)and Dr. Huesos(William J Norris)bask in the joy of making others suffer, Don Carlos(Tom Towles)drunk with the role of captain riding his horse with great pride, and Francisco(Jeffrey Combs, who looks like a bookish accountant tending to his recorded testimonies of sin and acknowledgments of witchcraft as if he were an IRS agent seeking debts owed by clients)logging the accused, very business-like, with little remorse, Torquemada is completely serious in his role as executioner and judge wielding his power as if he were the mighty hand of God striking down anyone he so chooses. Henriksen's always intense and frighteningly believable..I do feel that he best represents what kind of monster those Inquisitors were like during this horrible time in history. While we often watch as his victims suffer, thanks to director Stuart Gordon and screenwriter Dennis Paoli, those who mistreat get their comeuppance in the end. It's fun watching Torquemada fall prey to his own madness, guilt, hypocrisy & buried iniquities which surface and confront him in a fantastically realized climax.

Frances Bay steals every scene she's in as accused and imprisoned witch Esmeralda, who befriends Maria and gets revenge on hecklers and executioners when she's set at the the stake to burn with the use of gunpowder. Mark Margolis ably portrays the abused torturer Mendoza, a puppet Torquemada(..and his goons)uses to do his dirty work(..he has these nasty Christ-like wounds on his hands which Torquemada gave to him as punishment as a reminder of what can happen when you "sin"). Stuart Gordon's wife, Carolyn Purdy-Gordon(..as an ancestor of one Torquemada deems a heretic as his torturer whips the skeletal remains of an unearthed corpse!) gets you-know-what again(..he likes to murder his wife on film in devious ways)and it's quite a grisly fate..she is strangled by a rope over the back of an executioner as her child watches helplessly. Oliver Reed has a very memorable cameo as a visiting Cardinal, with quite the taste for drink, who brings orders from the Pope for Torquemada to end his violent methods, meeting a horrifying end(..yep, the dependable wall entombment).

I also loved the preposterous, but ingenious, way one escapes the swinging razor-sharp pendulum which closes in to his body thanks to rats. That pit of spikes, underneath a trap door where the poor victim lies as the pendulum swings, is also put to good use.And, I think that Gordon utilizes Rona De Ricci's beauty and innocence quite well..she's certainly a sympathetic figure we root for as it seems her fate is doomed because of the trap Torquemada has placed her in. But, this is Henriksen's movie..he's a force of nature and Gordon ideally shoots him in sinister ways. You do not want this man pointing you out of a crowd for the possibility of consorting with the DEVIL, that's for sure.


Set during the Spanish Inquisition, this take on the Poe story features Grand Inquisitor Torquemada (Lance Henriksen in a marvelously intense performance) engaging in various acts of torture to get citizens to confess to witchcraft. He targets young baker Antonio (Jonathan Fuller) and his wife Maria (the amazingly alluring Rona De Ricci, who looks great in and out of clothes), only to find himself lusting after her. He then proceeds to torture her, concluding that his lust can only be the result of her "bewitching" him.

Putting aside anachronisms such as the lack of accents and the rather modern way much of the dialog is delivered, this is a solid effort from veteran genre director Gordon. It looks fantastic, with impressive sets and costumes. In his ever enjoyable fashion, Gordon spices it up with plenty of violence and his great touch for black humor. Granted, the broader comedy relief (courtesy of Torquemadas' clownish associates played amusingly by Jeffrey Combs, Stephen Lee, and William J. Norris) I could have done without, but overall the film is commendably as intense as Henriksens' central performance. It's very striking, involving (De Ricci not only is very attractive, she really gets to the heart of her impassioned character), and lavish, with a typically fine music score by Richard Band.

The strong supporting cast contributes equally vivid turns; Frances Bay, Tom Towles, Mark Margolis are all excellent as well. Gordons' actress wife Carolyn turns up, and as usual, there's a graphic demise in store for her. Oliver Reed pops up about halfway through the movie in a nice cameo as a Cardinal.

It's a great Full Moon production and a film that any fan of Gordons' "Re-Animator" or "From Beyond" ought to see.

8/10


The Roman Catholic Church has begun to turn away from the Inquisition, finding its methods and motives more than just a little bit suspect. But the Grand Inquisitor of Spain (Lance Henriksen) has other plans... he is his own authority, allegedly guided by God Himself. A baker and his wife end up on the wrong side of the law -- his law -- when they protest an execution and she is accused of witchcraft.

Lance Henriksen has a bad habit of appearing in many low budget horror films, so much so that any credibility he gained as Bishop from "Aliens" or Frank Black from "Millenium" is overshadowed by his constant self-degradation. Did we really need so many Pumpkinhead films? But "Pit and the Pendulum" is one of those films I remember fondly from my childhood and even today feel carries on well as a timeless classic.

Unlike other Full Moon films, this one has a steady plot and interesting characters -- and a decent cast. Mark Margolis shows up and Jeffrey Combs has a relatively small, but crucial, role to play. (Combs, like Henriksen, has sold out in recent years.... but his very presence makes a film better.) There's excessive -- but not gratuitous -- nudity, bloody torture devices (but not to the point of exploitation like "Saw", just for entertainment). This is a fun film in the vein of, say, the original "Troll" (but not "Troll 2").

I can understand wanting to avoid this film, but I think you'd be making a mistake. It's hard to find films that are this much fun today. Blending horror and pure enjoyment isn't impossible, but it seems to be a dying art. Make this one a must-see on your list.


Another memorable horror movie straight from master Stuart Gordon.The characters are cool,the acting is really good.Features a nice amount of blood and torture and a little bit of nudity.I love especially the sequence when one guy is cut in half by a huge pendulum.Great music score too and Rona de Ricci,who plays Maria is a beautiful woman.To sum up,this film is not scary at all,but absolutely worth watching.


This is Lance Henriksen's best performance to date, and he's done some amazing work (but some horrible movies, but what of it?). He's hypnotically possessed as the Grand Inquisitor Tourquemada (sp?) who falls for the "beautiful, virginal, ...innocent..., etc" helpless women who is only trying to help her husband. She really is nothing more than a pretty cipher willing to undress onscreen, but it gives Lance a chance to show off his tortured, sexual side. It's quite a doozy, his performance, and he should get the recognition he deserves. One aside: Lance looks good bald, doesn't he?


This movie was not what I expected. I expected more suspence and alot more acting in order to keep me interested in the film. This movie takes place in the early 14th century when the Spanish Inquisition was at it's peak. A bald headed man that plays the part of a priest tries citizens of all kinds of wrongdoing against the Bible when he himself is not so innocent. He falls in love with a bakers wife and makes sure in his own way that she does not tell anyone of his true identity. His associates follow along with with him as they try to gain power and fame themselves using public exicutions and torture. This movie is slow and at times boring. The actors are no name actors played by people who can't act. Other than the brief special appearance by Oliver Reed who for the small role that he played as Cardinal he could have done a better job of speaking the fake Spanish accent. There are better versions of this film..... watch Vincent Price's version before you get bored with this one.