Gothico Fantastico – Film Boxset Review

By Sarah Morgan

With a title like Gothico Fantastico, how can any self-respecting horror fan resist this lavish boxset?

Well, if they’re like me, they can’t. And if you think that spooky Italian cinema (or giallo, as it’s often called) starts and ends with Mario Bava, Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci, then you really should give it a look because it could prove rather educational.

The quartet of films it contains were clearly inspired by the gothic chillers being made around the same time – the 1960s – by Hammer in the UK and Roger Corman in the US, as well as the success of Bava’s Black Sunday and Black Sabbath.

All four are shot in atmospheric black and white, which looks fantastic on screen thanks to impressive 2K restorations.

At the centre of Lady Morgan’s Vengeance is a whole heap of gaslighting, as the evil Sir Harold Morgan (no relation, I hasten to add) attempts to drive his new wife to an early grave with help from his somewhat sinister servants.

Sadly, it was the final film in the horror genre for director Massimo Pupillo, who wanted to prove himself via other subjects; his only subsequent production was Django Kills Slowly, which is a shame because he shows a lot of promise.

“Super stuff”

Edgar Allan Poe fans will recognise several references to his stories in Alberto De Martino’s The Blancheville Monster (which was also released under the uninspiring title of ‘Horror’ in its home country). It focuses on a young woman who returns to her family estate, only to find that everything has changed – and that her father supposedly wants to kill her so that a family curse can be lifted.

The Third Eye features a fine performance from Italian cinema legend Franco Nero, who is bone-achingly handsome as Mino, an aristocrat and part-time taxidermist who’s driven insane by his domineering mother and the death of his fiancee in a car accident. Imagine Alfred Hitchcock at his most twisted with a hint of necrophilia thrown in for good measure and you get the idea.

Last but by no means least is the rather more experimental and avant-garde The Witch, aka Strange Obsession, which stars British actor Richard Johnson as Sergio, a restless and aimless historian who accepts a job cataloguing the library of a mysterious old woman.

However, his growing obsession with her daughter threatens his grasp on sanity. Look out too for Gian Maria Volonte, who’s best known for his roles in A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More, in a supporting role.

This is super stuff, and even without its wonderful title, it’s a must for horror fans, particularly as each disc is also packed full of special features.