(2001/ITALY)
AKA-LIDRIS CUADRADE DI TRE, SQUARE ROOT OF 3
REVIEW BY-STEVE GENIER DIRECTED BY-LORENZO BIANCHINI CAST-ALEX NAZZI, MASSIMILIANO PIVIDORE and TOMAS MARCUZZI. SOURCE-CENTRO ESPRESSIONI CINEMATOGRAFICHE (PAL REGION 0 DVD/ 2005)
(2001/ITALY)
AKA-LIDRIS CUADRADE DI TRE, SQUARE ROOT OF 3
REVIEW BY-STEVE GENIER DIRECTED BY-LORENZO BIANCHINI CAST-ALEX NAZZI, MASSIMILIANO PIVIDORE and TOMAS MARCUZZI. SOURCE-CENTRO ESPRESSIONI CINEMATOGRAFICHE (PAL REGION 0 DVD/ 2005)
It’s amazing how every once in awhile there comes a film that really holds an everlasting feeling on you. One that really tweaks all the human responses, one that comes literally from out of no where. After searching the web high and low, this low budget offering from Italian director Lorenzo Bianchini simply had no exposure in the English speaking world. Of course that doesn’t mean that there hasn’t been those who have seen it and wrote pieces about it in some manner or other, but none that I could find. Filmed in the native Italian tongue of Friulian, a rarely spoken dialect from Italy’s Northeast. Of course there are other parts in that region that share this spoken word. Anyhow, that is only but one aspect of this film that really grabbed me. We all know the long and rich history of Italian cinema and namely their horror films of the past and that in recent years their struggle to regain some of the popularity they thieved through the 60's on up to the 80's.
There have only been a hand full of horror film’s since then that have really turned a few heads. Much like the first time we experienced the likes of Dario Argento and his recreation of the giallo with his first offering THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE, has a film from this region really gathered my attention and liking for a director of this stature. Lorenzo Bianchini has done such. Though RADICE QUADRATA DI TRE first hit the scene back in 2001, it wasn’t until now that it was offered on DVD with English subtitles that I was able to experience the full effect of this film. This being his second film, though his first full length feature. The first being a short film called I DINCJ DE LUNE (FANGS OF THE MOON), a 39 minutes adventure into the tale of a small town plagued by a werewolf, one that has stocked the peasants for the past 100 years. Bianchini’s abilities are in full bloom with this short film, something that only gets better with RADICE QUADRATA DI TRE. An Argento flavored vision with the subtle touch of Pupi Avati's earlier works.
A film where three school friends are going to flunk yet another major test, one that will set them all back another year. In order to avoid this, they device a plan to break into the school after hours, find their exams and replace them with forged ones. Their first attempt harvests only the beginning of a long a very strange experience for each of them. After splitting up in the school, they later hook back up only to find out that one of them has at least in their minds left already. Leaving them behind, something that rings all too weird to them. The next day that weird feeling is brought to fruitution as they is no signs of him anywhere. His mother has had to call the police in to find out what is wrong. That night, the two remaining friends decide to go back to the school to finish off the job they set out to do the night before.
Hoping that their friend will show up in the process. As they get back into the school, they are immediately stocked by what they think is the school janitor. As time goes by after being chased through the halls of the school, they soon learn that there is something much more evil unveiling itself before their very eyes. Their pursuit to get out of the school finds them only making their way into the depths of the school basement, a catacomb of concrete hallways that seem to run them in circle. In the process they begin to lost their very sense of reality and slip into a world of occultish darkness. Steeped blood red with sacrifice and impending doom, their only hope of escape is to regain their sanity, as the outside world looks on their only hint is that the three boys are missing and maybe dead.
There is simply no doubt in my mind that Lorenzo Bianchini knows all about building a product with passion and complete heart. This shows in every aspect of this RADICE QUADRATA DI TRE. His vision is almost flawless, giving you the viewer a piece of the total mayhem and confusion the three boys are experiencing. This is related through his style of camera work, transitions and his ability to tweak total fear their imagery. Expanding on his camera techniques a little, one’s that employ some very effective lens trickery to slowing the film’s speed and more. It’s like throwing three people who are clustrophobic into a dark 4x4 room, sheer terror at it’s best. Story wise, the plot is simple and this is where an early Argento comparison is due. His style kicks in a does all the talking, as you like the characters are through in a world of complete madness never really explaining the realities of it all. As it doesn’t matter, by then you are completely enthraled with this director’s vision. One that is complete and utterly fascinating, one that is a total throw back to the horror basics, tweaking the human emotions. No fancy special effects here, just good old fashioned tactics, one’s that are only of nightmarish stature. This is what a really haunted house should be like, a total mis-direction of doomed proportions. Remember folks, go into this film with a humble way of thinking, this is a small budget cult offering, one that will quickly gain your respect with it’s total pay-off.
Each of the characters in this film are all very convinces as well, under Bianchini’s guidance they are able to heighten the effect of the overall film to absolute disarray. Even the news broadcasts given throughout the film give you that sense of urgence and utter reality. I simply can’t say enough as to how much I was effected by this film’s look, feel and emotion factors. It has been a long time since I’ve thoroughly enjoyed a horror film of this stature and to believe this was just hiding under my nose. There are several examples of fine Italian horror or thriller films that have come out since 2000, but this one surely takes the lead in ever department so far.
The Italian DVD release of RADICE QUADRATA DI TRE is equally as good as the feature itself. Of course the feature is the main attraction, there are several other goodies available on this disc as well. Beginning with the offering of Bianchini’s first film, I DINCJ DE LUNE (FANGS OF THE MOON) complete with English and Italian subtitles, remember like the feature was filmed in the Friulian language. There is also a trailer for what seems to be Bianchini’s second feature, CUSTODES BESTIAE (2003), one that certainly warrants a viewing given the subject matter of the trailer. There are also outtakes and behind the scenes material as well. Look, if you are a fan of both indie offering and of Italian genre cinema, this is certainly a must for you. Bianchini has since directed yet another thriller by the name of FILM SPORCO (2005).
You can purchase this from X-Ploited Cinema
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