What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Hatchet for the Honeymoon (1970)

A magnificently mad tale from Mario Bava about John Harrington, the wealthy owner of a modelling agency whose mother was murdered when he was a child. Alas in Bluebeard fashion, Harrington is also a madman who enjoys hacking up his models in their wedding gowns with his trusty hatchet. He does this as each time he kills, his mothers murderer's features become a little clearer in his mind. Naturally he murders his annoying wife who unbeknown to him comes back as a ghost who every one can see but him.

The story is ludicrous but Bava makes it something a bit special with his use of colour which adds great effect to the horror themes. In fact Bava's directing is flawless, his camera flourishes giving the film real style especially in the kill sequences. There is also a brilliantly constructed scene where Harrington seems on the brink of breakdown amid a room full of dummies wearing wedding gowns. Bava's camera techniques make this a genuinely disorientating experience for both Harrington and the viewer.

Hatchet for the Honeymoon perhaps isn't one of Bava's finest films but this compelling effort is definitely near the top of the second tier. - Recommended.

The UK Anchor Bay disc also has a 60 minute documentary - Mario Bava: Master of the Macabre - hosted by Mark Kermode which features interviews with Bava's son Lamberto, regular Bava producer Alfredo Leone, directors Tim Burton, John Carpenter and Joe Dante and UK critics Kim Newman and Allan Bryce among others. It's an enjoyable piece on his life and career and although it doesn't go into great detail about all his films, the interviewees talk at length about Black Sunday, Black Sabbath, The Evil Eye, A Bay of Blood (With Sean S Cunningham), Planet of the Vampires, Baron Blood and Lisa and the Devil.

Some will learn nothing, others will learn a lot. I was especially interested in Samuel Z. Arkoff's accounts of how he tried to get Bava to work for him at American International. Oddly there are a lot of clips from major movies influenced by Bava such as Friday the 13th part 2, Sleepy Hollow and Alien which general special feature docs don't tend to get access to.

On the whole an hour on Bava clearly is not enough but Master of the Macabre is still a fascinating and entertaining watch.

As far as i am aware this documentary is only available on the UK Anchor Bay dvd and the Italian Black Sunday disc.

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Great review, Dem.

Hatchet is actually my favourite Bava film.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by bizarre_eye@Cult Labs

Great review, Dem.

Hatchet is actually my favourite Bava film.

Thanks B_E.

I've grown to like it over the years. Last night was my third viewing and oddly the first time i noticed the excellent documentary on the disc.

[R-T-C Tim]

Wrapping up this MacLean series for now with Bear Island. Written and directed by Don Sharp and part of what was intended to be a long series of MacLean films, this is a surprisingly loose adaptation of the writer's last 'good' novel. The core idea is similar but the rest of the story is a complete change.

Fortunately the resulting film is rather enjoyable, a classic adventure story with some good acting from the strong cast which includes Donald Sutherland, Christopher Lee, Richard Widmark and Lloyd Bridges as well as Vanessa Redgrave affecting a bizarre Norweigan accent.

Don Sharp's direction is beautiful with some scenic Canadian locations and a minimum of studio work. A match for Carpenter's The Thing in its capture of a real arctic setting.

The Sony DVD is a little grainy and with some speckling but in full OAR and seems to be uncut (the UK VHS release was inexplicably missing some ten minutes).

Bear Island full review including pictures.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Nice review Tim.

My favourite film based on Maclean's work is Where Eagles Dare. Always has been and always will be.

I visited the castle and cable car locations at Werfen and Ebensee in Austria a couple of years back.

[Make Them Die Slowly]

WE STILL KILL THE OLD WAY. A post code gang fronted by Danny Boy Hatchard playing possibly one of the most vile and loathsome characters to grace a film in many a year get a caining from Ian Ogilvy and his firm of old time geezer gangsters. I really liked this mix of old school gentlemen villains cleaning the streets of scrum as it fed into the reptilian, reactionary part of my brain that I normally keep caged. Nicky Henson has a cameo role as a ex bent copper but sadly the director didn't end the film with him shooting Hatchard whilst Ogilvy screamed "You've taken him away from me". Overall an enjoyable film even if the first third is unrelenting grim before much needed and natural humour is injected in to it as the old firm gather together. St Daniel of Dyer's daughter, Dani is in it too for good measure. Recommended for the fiver I paid for it in Morrisons.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Make Them Die Slowly

. St Daniel of Dyer's daughter, Dani is in it too for good measure.

He named his daughter Dani?

[Nordicdusk]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

He named his daughter Dani?

I think someone wanted a son

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by nordicdusk

I think someone wanted a son

Could he think no further than his own name?

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

He named his daughter Dani?

A quick Google search reveals he has two daughters: Dani and Sunnie plus, a son, Arty, with his long-time girlfriend Joanne Mas – a man of fine taste!