The Antichrist (1974)
Alberto De Martino's film is far better than those that say it's merely an Exorcist knock off would have you believe. Certainly it was clearly inspired by Friedkin's classic opus but there's more going for it than merely an Exorcist clone Italian style.
The film is held together by a terrific performance by Carla Gravina who seemingly has visions of a past life. Visions which showcase some deliciously decadent scenes of Satanic ritual. Think Norman J. Warren's 1976 film Satan's Slave for reference, with a horned beast impregnating Gravina on an alter of sacrifice as hordes of hooded followers salivate on.
There may be a few stretches in this two hour film where not a lot happens but it's difficult for the mind to wander as alongside Gravina, who i say once more is excellent, there are more than watchable performances from Hollywood stalwarts Mel Ferrer, Arthur Kennedy and George Coulouris as well as Italian genre cinema ladies Anita Strindberg and Alida Valli.
De Martino gives us some fantastic location filming in Rome, including the Vatican (Maybe) as Arthur Kennedy's Cardinal becomes aware of the possible possession before allowing a full on exorcism of Gravina to go ahead. The finale takes place in the streets and avenues approaching the Colosseum and then finally inside the great monument of Rome's ancient past for what i consider an excellent climactic final showdown.
Whilst The Antichrist will never trouble the likes of The Exorcist or The Omen nor recent movies such as The Pope's Exorcist in the higher echelons of Religious horror it remains a worthy take on the subject in it's own right.
StudioCanal's new restoration looks stunning. The reds of the Vatican and blue's of the Roman night sky a delight for the eyes.
As a footnote - Now i know where the movie sample that opens the title track of Belphegor's Conjuring the Dead album comes from. |