Mathis_Vogel

An early example of Italian sci-fi, Wild,Wild Planet could have been a lot more fun had the story dealt with less abstract issues. What ultimately prevents one from enjoying this film full-on is Tony Russell in the lead who just can't elevate his primitive character saddled with lousy dialogue above the average 'good guy action hero' level. Some awful costume design and occasionally too-predictable sound design don't help things, either. Massimo Serato acquits himself well as a mad scientist, too bad his character is absent throughout the middle section the film. Very nice to see Umberto Raho in a supporting role, not to mention the rising star Franco Nero. There are lots and lots of obvious yet still amazing miniature shots some of which are integrated into the rest of the footage with commendable ingenuity. Margheriti saves the pyrotechnics display for the grand finale.

Watch Wild Wild Planet for the cinematography, sporadic and drawn-out fisticuffs and amusing futuristic designs. It's all a bit boring but worth a look for Margheriti enthusiasts.

'The Rape of the Vampire' is split up into two parts. While the first segment is rather linear and 'normal', with super-expressive, daring camera angles, the second part, "La Reine Des Vampires" is a lot more confusing, while exhibiting the same level of visual excellence and dreamlike, naive atmosphere. The story is very fragmented and it's hard to follow the ever-multiplying characters. I find films like Franco's 'Succubus' or Jodorowsky's 'Holy Mountain' to be slow and pretentious, but I didn't have have any problem with the similarly haphazard and unstructured 'The Rape of the Vampire' doesn't feel artificial because it's got its heart in the right place, which can be said about majority of Rollin's films. He may not have professional actors, but he nevertheless gets them to deliver emotional performances and create moving, if not realistic, characters. The acting may be unpolished, but Rollin has a gift for drama which he displays more consistently then the other Eurotica directors(Franco, D'Amato) with whom he often gets bundled as a sexploitation director. The story is a mess, but a poetic one, and images are arresting. In terms of cinematography 'The Rape of the Vampire' is more more adventurous than director's more popular films 'Fascination' and 'La Morte Vivante'. I have the warmest feelings for this very brave film and will be re-watching it again.

"Troubled" was the first Jason Impey picture I've seen and it remains one of his more unusual and interesting works for me. Impey is doing for Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire what George Romero did for Pittsburgh back in the day – constantly shooting low-budget pictures that are recognisably set in the region. Freddy Salmon is one of the more complex and memorable characters you'll find in the Impey oeuvre. Director himself appears in the role of a seemingly unstoppable antagonist who is chasing Freddy in his nightmares. Among the film's weaknesses is the pacing, a problem plaguing 90 percent of indie films. It's very hard to make a coherent narrative film of any length all by yourself and it's a mission to make a feature. If you appreciate independent digital product, you may find "Troubled" of interest. It's a stab at character-driven drama in the vein of Cassavetes' 'Shadows' and Dogme films from a young director known mainly on the sexy trash horror market. I prefer "Troubled" to his later, more technically polished films because it is touching and as close to "personal cinema" as this exploitation prodigy has gotten so far.