I love Lenzi's gialli offerings, or at least the one's I have experiences! I still need to see KNIFE OF ICE and A QUIET PLACE TO KILL. SPASMO and EYEBALL are some of my more favorite gialli viewings. Two very stylish yet, odd in nature but still very effective in the payoff!
It's been a long time since I first seen his SO SWEET... SO PERVERSE (1969), was that not just recently issued on DVD again??
I absolutely loved Freda's brilliant I VAMPRI! Now, what was the deal with Bava being uncredited for with this again? I know he had something to do with the overall direction, but what's the full story on that again?
Any opinions about this more recent giallo? I've heard some bad things but when I found it dirt cheap on eBay, I couldn't resist the temptation of picking it up. Figured I need to give some of the more recent horrer/thriller stuff a chance too. Still waiting for it to arrive and I'm not quite sure what to expect of it but at least it has a pretty good cast that includes famous transsexual Eva Robins from TENEBRAE (1982) and the good-looking Elisabetta Rocchietti, who has been cropping up in a lot of horror stuff like THE THREE FACES OF TERROR (2004), DO YOU LIKE HITCHCOCK? (2005) and THE LAST HOUSE IN THE WOODS (2006). Not to mention supporting roles by Florinda Bolkan and Franco Nero! Anyone here seen it?
Interesting looking film out of Italy with Irish/Spanish co-financiers. Directed by Italian SFX man Stefano Bessoni.
In the 1600s, long before the invention of photography, a scientist named Girolamo Fumagalli was obsessed with the idea of reproducing images. He discovered that by killing a victim and removing the victim's eyeballs, it was possible to reproduce on paper the last image imprinted on that person's retinas. He named this technique 'thanatography'. Today, the same kind of gruesome ritual and abominable crime recurs within the walls of an international school of cinema. -imdb.com
Also stars the daughter of Charlie Chapman, Geraldine Chaplin as well as her daughter Oona.
Well, it seems this is yet another Argento flick that is taking a beating in the review department. Even die hard fans are not too pleased with this outing. Anyhow, the PAL R2 DVD is now out via a Polish company that found it important to force the Polish subs!
Looks like this will be getting a UK release first via Arrow Films! I still haven't seen this, it was on my radar during last year's Midnight Madness during the Toronto Film Fest. The disc will be released March 15th..
I'd love to grab this, but for now I'm holding off on the Blu-Ray player for now, too unstable industry right now. Plus, the multi-region player are way too expensive!
(UK/1984 ) Review By-Johan Melle Directed by David Maloney. Cast: Tusse Silberg, David Beames, Susan Gilmore, Edita Brychta, Trevor Baxter, Ann Todd, Christopher Scoular, John Abineri Written by Michael J. Bird. Source: NRK dvd (Norway, PAL Regio
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(UK/1984 ) Review By-Johan Melle Directed by David Maloney. Cast: Tusse Silberg, David Beames, Susan Gilmore, Edita Brychta, Trevor Baxter, Ann Todd, Christopher Scoular, John Abineri Written by Michael J. Bird. Source: NRK dvd (Norway, PAL Region 2, 280 minutes)
Now here’s an interesting little BBC mystery-thriller series. Penned by popular British suspense television writer Michael J. Bird, MAELSTROM stood out from other contemporary mystery thrillers by setting its twistful plot amidst the beautiful fjords of Norway.
The action opens in London, though; with attractive account executive Catherine Durrell (Tusse Silberg) finding herself without a job as she is let go by the advertising agency she works for. Fortunately, Catherine’s luck soon turns for the better as she is summoned to a solicitor’s office. Much to her surprise, she learns that recently deceased Norwegian industrialist-millionaire Hjalmar Jordahl has left her a large tract of property (including two houses and a fish factory) in Ålesund, Norway. Only one problem: Catherine has never heard of - let alone met - Mr. Jordahl, and cannot understand why he has left her this inheritance.
Intrigued and with nothing better to do as she no longer has a job, Catherine decides to travel to Ålesund to check out her inheritance and try to discover why it was left to her. She meets with Hjalmar Jordahl’s two beautiful daughters, Ingrid (Edita Brychta) and Anna Marie (Susan Gilmore), who greet her with kindness and hospitality. Unable to shed any light on the mystery, Ingrid and Anna Marie nevertheless maintain that their father must have had a good reason for putting Catherine in his will.
Quickly making friends with the two sisters, Catherine decides to stay in Ålesund for a little while as she tries to sell the fish factory she inherited. It quickly transpires, though, that all is not as it should be. One of the houses she has inherited - located on a small isolated island - is the very house in which Mr. Jordahl’s wife committed suicide many years ago, and no one has lived there since. A strange room in the attic is locked and Catherine gets an uneasy feeling of someone else being present in the house.
Additionally, Catherine finds local journalist Anders Bjørnson (David Beams) snooping about. He’s trying to look into the circumstances of Hjalmar Jordahl’s death as he is convinced that Jordahl was actually murdered. Catherine shrugs off his suspicions but is forced to reconsider as she soon encounters strange incidents in the island house; creepy porcelain dolls that keep getting moved around, quick glances of a mysterious white-clad woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to the late Mrs. Jordahl, and even an attempts on Catherine’s life.
Originally a six-part TV mini series running close to five hours, MAELSTROM debuted on British television in 1985 and became a big success throughout Europe. The series was particularly popular in Norway, where most of the location shooting was done. The appeal of a foreign production set in Norway made sure most Norwegians sat glued to their TV screens (it also helped that at the time, only a single TV channel existed in Norway – the national broadcasting channel, NRK). But the viewers were also enthralled by the complicated mystery and many were creeped out and scared by images such as the eerie porcelain dolls. Indeed, it was because of massive demands from numerous Norwegian MAELSTROM fans who were scared senseless by it back in the 1980s, that NRK finally decided to issue the series on dvd in 2006. The question that remains, however, is how well the series has aged…
Well… it’s obvious from the start that MAELSTROM is a product of its time. This is certainly evident in its slow pacing - building up the suspense and unfolding the mystery plot very gradually. It’s also hard to understand why so many who saw it in the 1980s remember it as frightening and nightmare-inducing, because it really isn’t very scary at all. That’s not so say that it’s not worth watching, though, because it certainly is! It’s just that it’s always good to know what you’re really in for, and those expecting this to be a gory, relentless horror-thriller ride are likely to be disappointed.
What you instead will find is a carefully plotted and highly engaging little mystery thriller. Even if the actual thriller aspects take some time before they kick in, the plot is filled from the get go with compelling mysteries that maintain the viewer’s interest. The plot about Catherine’s legacy and the questions surrounding it makes for a good central puzzle, and further mysterious happenings, such as Hjalmar Jordahl’s family welcoming Catherine - a complete stranger - with opens arms as a fellow heir simply because Jordahl must have had “a good reason”, helps underplay the feeling of something strange going on beneath the idyllic facade of picturesque small-town Norway. Suspicion of murder makes thing even more interesting but the most important plot drive is the eerily isolated island house with a locked room in the attic and a giant collection of porcelain dolls. Of course, one can only get there by boat - cue several scenes of Catherine going over to the island alone to investigate, and this allows for some atmospheric and suspenseful scenes.
Another great asset is the Norwegian scenery, which looks splendid and makes good use of the beautiful nature surroundings. The island with the house looks effectively isolated and makes for a suitably creepy location. Of course, only the outdoor scenes were filmed in Norway. The interior scenes were done in a studio in England, and it is in these scenes that MAELSTROM suffers the most. Poor production values, cheap panel walls and flat camerawork make us painfully aware that we are watching actors in a studio set. This completely ruins any illusion of reality and is especially frustrating in scenes where one goes from beautiful outdoor locations in one shot to shoddy-looking studio sets in the next as the characters venture off inside the house. Complimenting the very fake-looking interiors are a couple of absolutely ghastly 1980s outfits. A squared yellow shirt worn by Catherine is particularly hideous but unlike the unconvincing sets, this is more likely to boost the audience’s enjoyment factor.
There’s also a share of pacing problems. Of course, one should hardly expect anything else from a near five hour mini series but the problem is not so much that the mystery unfolds slowly. On the contrary, the slow build-up arguably works to MAELSTROM’s advantage. Several unnecessary padding scenes over various luncheons, however, do not. Certain things are also needlessly repeated for no apparent reason other than to serve as a sort of re-cap for those who may have missed an episode. Of course, this was probably not too noticeable when one watched the series on television over several evenings but it is far more annoying when one watches it all in one on dvd.
As far as acting goes, this is a bit of a mixed bag, with performances ranging from excellent to merely serviceable. Swedish-born actress Tusse Silberg makes a likeable portrayal of Catherine. There are times when she comes across a little stiff but she has good chemistry with co-star David Beams, and does possess a very charming smile. Beams, as the reporter and Catherine’s eventual love interest, makes a confident and slightly humorous hero of sorts, and acquits himself nicely. The most impressive performance, however, comes from the wonderful Susan Gilmore, who shows great range here as the smart, sympathetic Anna Marie. A considerably less impressive performance is delivered by Edita Brychta as the other sister, Ingrid. Though absolutely gorgeous to look at, Brychta is a bit out of her depth here. Trying to portray a character that is both emotionally unstable and a bit mysterious, she instead frequently comes across rather blank-faced. David Beams, as Brychta’s husband, looks as arch-typically British as humanly possible and is thus completely unconvincing as a Norwegian. Fortunately, there are some old pros onboard to provide better work. Veteran film and theater actress Ann Todd (also the ex-wife of renowned director David Lean) is marvelous and highly convincing as Astrid Linderman, the elderly arthritis-suffering great-aunt who knows more than she lets on, and Trevor Baxter is impeccable as the family doctor who appears to share some of Todd’s secrets.
In spite of some problems here and there, MAELSTROM is nevertheless a very agreeable series that is both compelling and interesting - managing to sustain interest in its intricate mysteries throughout its long running time. It all comes together very nicely in a bravura climax during Midsummer’s Eve. It’s a highly impressive and gripping finale - both thrilling and sad at the same time. It’s also the only sequence to feature some impressive interior filming, so it’s a real shame that they couldn’t put as much effort into the rest of the studio scenes.
The Norwegian dvd release from NRK presents the film in a 2 disc edition with three episodes on each disc. NRK have been releasing a number of interesting Norwegian television productions lately but without really putting much effort into them. Unfortunately, their release of MAELSTROM is no exception. The picture is presented in its correct fullscreen ratio but there seems to have been made no effort in cleaning it up. It has the quality a decent, old vhs - nothing more, nothing less. This means that it’s perfectly watchable but not at all what one would expect from a dvd. Colors are OK - perhaps a tad too bright in spots. There is lots of grain and the colors go all over the place in very dark spots. It’s all rather unspectacular. Same with the English mono track, which is accompanied by optional Norwegian subtitles. There’s nothing to say really. The dialogue is clear and audible and the score sounds OK but that’s it. This is nothing to brag about. Extras are absolutely non-existant.
Ultimately, the slow pacing and poor interior work may put some viewers off but those who know how to appreciate a slow, careful build-up and who like intriguing, well-plotted mysteries will find plenty to enjoy in MAELSTROM. The score, scenery and several of the actors help make it a decent effort but, sadly, the actual dvd presentation is disappointing. It’s basically a rush-job with no effort put into it at all. Still, it is perfectly watchable and because there is no other dvd around, this is the way to go if you want to see this series.
MAELSTROM
Now here’s an interesting little BBC mystery-thriller series. Penned by popular British suspense television writer Michael J. Bird, MAELSTROM stood out from other contemporary mystery thrillers by setting its twistful plot amidst the beautiful fjords of Norway. 
some time before they kick in, the plot is filled from the get go with compelling mysteries that maintain the viewer’s interest. The plot about Catherine’s legacy and the questions surrounding it makes for a good central puzzle, and further mysterious happenings, such as Hjalmar Jordahl’s family welcoming Catherine - a complete stranger - with opens arms as a fellow heir simply because Jordahl must have had “a good reason”, helps underplay the feeling of something strange going on beneath the idyllic facade of picturesque small-town Norway. Suspicion of murder makes thing even more interesting but the most important plot drive is the eerily isolated island house with a locked room in the attic and a giant collection of porcelain dolls. Of course, one can only get there by boat - cue several scenes of Catherine going over to the island alone to investigate, and this allows for some atmospheric and suspenseful scenes. 
In spite of some problems here and there, MAELSTROM is nevertheless a very agreeable series that is both compelling and interesting - managing to sustain interest in its intricate mysteries throughout its long running time. It all comes together very nicely in a bravura climax during Midsummer’s Eve. It’s a highly impressive and gripping finale - both thrilling and sad at the same time. It’s also the only sequence to feature some impressive interior filming, so it’s a real shame that they couldn’t put as much effort into the rest of the studio scenes. 
