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Review
by
Troy Howarth
Film:8
DVD:8
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| Martine
(Isabelle Goguey) goes to work at a nursing home inhabited by
strange residents and even stranger staff; it soon becomes apparent
that although they are all vegetarians, they do indeed have a
taste for fresh meat... |
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This
genuinely creepy zombie movie is one of the few successful contributions
the French have made to that subgenre. Jean Rollin's specialty
was always lesbian vampire films, though his Living
Dead Girl (1982) is one of his most celebrated pictures.
Compared to the director's Zombie
Lake (1981), however, this film by director Raphael Delpard
is a revelation. It probably helps that the film doesn't offer
the usual style of zombie mayhem —
in place of the shuffling, mindless zombies looking for human
flesh, here we have a group of eccentric elderly people who use
blood and human organs to prolong their existence. |
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Of
director Raphael Delpard, little is known. He seems to have entered
the film industry as an actor in the late 1960s, and it is in
that capacity that he seems to have found the most work; he made
his directorial debut with the obscure comedy Ca
va pas le tete (1978). Night of Death!
is his second film as a director, and though the film revealed
him to be well suited to the genre, only one of his four films
as a director (Clash, 1984) seems
to have been in a similar vein. Delpard's style evokes that of
Rollin, but it never seems crassly imitative. The pace is slow
and deliberate, but the film is, on the whole, far less elliptical
and will arguably prove more accessible to viewers who find it
difficult to relate to Rollin's aesthetic. There is also far less
emphasis on sex and sexuality than in the average Rollin picture,
though there is some nudity tossed in for good measure. Ultimately,
one regrets that Delpard didn't mine the genre further, as Night
of Death! is a singularly memorable one-off experience. |
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The
cast performs admirably. Leading lady Isabelle Goguey is particularly
effective as the requisite naive damsel in distress. Not only
is Goguey strikingly beautiful, she also proves able to portray
the character's growing paranoia. Martine begins her journey as
a wide eyed naif anxious to get over a nasty breakup with her
boyfriend —
she warms to the eccentric residents and shows genuine concern
for them, but over time she comes to realize that there is something
seriously wrong. Betty Beckers is also excellent as the nursing
home's stern administrator. |
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Visually
the film is pleasing, even if Marcel Combes' cinematography is
sometimes too bright for its own good. Delpard reveals a good
eye for compositions, and the scenes of the zombies stalking down
the hall to claim their latest victim are eerie enough. Gorehounds
will also be pleased to hear that Delpard doesn't skimp on the
red stuff, though it doesn't come in nearly the same volume as
in, say, a Lucio Fulci zombie film of the same period. The special
effects work are generally effective, as well. |
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Atmospheric
and inventive, Night of Death!
is a fine example of a European zombie movie.
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| Synapse
brings this obscure title to DVD for the first time in America,
looking and sounding just fine. The 1.66/16x9 transfer is crisp
and clean, with minimal print damage on display. Colors are accurately
rendered, and the print appears to be fully uncut. The mono French
soundtrack (with optional English subs) is also pleasing, doing
ample justice to the minimal but effective music score. There
are no extras, alas, but it's still wonderful to see this little-known
gem treated to such a fine transfer. 11/29/09 |
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