Tag Archives: movie reviews

movie, Reviews, Various

(movie) Witchhammer(1970) aka Kladivo na carodejnice

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Czech or Czechoslovakian cinematography is one of the mightiest in mid Europe, with so many great movies, directors and stories coming out through the history and decades of movie making. I ran into this one the other day, so it was time for me to see it. This movie, directed by Otakar Vavra, based on the novel by Vaclav Kaplicky is a daring and at moments disturbing ode to witch hunting histeria in black and white.

The story revolves around an inquisitor Boblig who is summoned to a town to investigate alleged witches and with time he becomes more and more obssessed with extermination and torturing of innocent women. Some of the noble town folks try to confront him and resist, but will it be enough to stop the overall madness? What I must say, that this movie left a remarkable impact on me. There is a lot of nudity and naked female bodies in this one for a time it was made, back behind the iron curtain and communism was still ruling this land. Acting is superb, madness and histeria is depicted with precision and there are couple of really disturbing and sad scenes in the movie, knowing how many women were persecuted, tortured and executed with no reason in the 1600s when this movie takes place. The ending is quite poetic but dark as is overall atmosphere and vibe of this movie jewel of Euro cinematography. Go see this one!

8/10

movie, Reviews, Various

(movie) The Sound Of Scars – Powerful Life Of Agony documentary!

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I love Life Of Agony since I first heard their debut album River Runs Red back in 1994 or 1995 when my friend made me a tape from a cd he bought after we watched their video for Through And Through on Headbangers Ball and being young hardcore and metal kids who adored New York Hardcore we loved it immediately. I totally relate to that album to this day, being an ode to fighting depression and losing that fight making your run to freedom through suicide when all hope is lost. Then came Ugly which was superb sophomore album and Soul Searching Sun. Life Of Agony was always to me like a kind of mix between NYHC and more doomy melodic Type O Negative sound with singer Keith Caputo(now Mina Caputo) having charisma and that distinct voice like no other singer in the genre has.

Keith left the band and they got that dude from Ugly Kid Joe as singer and it was a disaster, at least in my eyes. But, they got back together and released more superb albums to this day, being stronger and more confident than ever. Now, LOA documented all those years of blood, tears and heartbreak, but also hope in this excellent movie that I enjoyed so much. The movie centers on friendship and brotherhood of three main men, singer Mina Caputo, guitarist and Mina´s cousin Joey Z, also Alan Robert bassist. Movie goes about how they started the band and when they were kids, all the broken home hardships, violence, drug abuse and growing up in Brooklyn, NY. Band was formed, through years of success and hope, downfall, depression, suicidal thoughts, Keith becoming Mina and breaking free of his inner demons, death, love and regret. At times, some parts of the movie made my heart broken, tears wet, some made me smile and having hope and being inspired. Besides LOA members, drummer Veronica Bellino who fits perfectly to the band although younger than Mina, Joey and Alan is featured in the movie, like some contemporaries and friends too, for example Billy Graziadei(Billybio, Biohazard, Powerflo), Doyle(Misfits, Doyle) and other people from the scene. This is inspiring movie and I recommend it to all fans and those who are not but will maybe become.

10/10

Columns, Reviews, Various

(movie) Belzebuth is an undiscovered horror jewel

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I didn´t watch Belzebuth(2017) for quite some time because I thought that it is some possession Exorcist clone or something. Boy, I was wrong. This one is brutal! Tired and traumatized police inspector Ritter (excellent Joaquin Cosio) investigates the school massacre which looks pretty clear to solve in the beginning. He discovers that there is something totally different and sinister underneath and that nothing is as it seems, especially when priest Vasilio Canetti (Tobin Bell) mixes in his work and they begin desperate race with time.

Now, everything in this movie is just right. Story, acting led by Cosio and legendary Tobin Bell (Jigsaw of Saw movies fame, eh?), dark, dark story with almost no happy ending in sight, sadness, atmosphere, melancholy, topped with brutal death scenes that spare no one not even babies. There is a twist at the end of the movie which was not unpredictable and a little bit clicheed but the movie is done so good, that everything is forgiven. If you love horror, you will love Belzebuth.

8,5/10