Deux Yeux maléfiques

Instead of your usual trilogy or anthology, TWO EVIL EYES is two hour-long Edgar Allan Poe adaptations written for the screen and directed by two top horror directors. "The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar" (by George A. Romero) concerns a money-hungry wife (Adrienne Barbeau) and a greedy doctor (Ramy Zada) who team up to kill off the elderly husband Ernest (Bingo O'Malley) for his money. They unwisely use hypnotism to lure the victim to catatonia, which also allows Ernest to return from the dead and seek revenge. The storyline is too cliché in this outing and it's pretty dull despite an excellent lead performance from Barbeau and good (though sparsely used) Tom Savini make up FX. "The Black Cat" (by Dario Argento) is the reason to watch the movie. Harvey Keitel is typically good as Roderick Usher, an alcoholic crime photographer who makes a living publishing mondo photographs. His book ("Metropolitan Horrors") stirs up lots of controversy. The horror angle is added by a sinister black cat that constantly pops up in Usher's life and starts to drive him mad. Mixing elements from several Poe stories, Argento's flair for visual style and color schemes, loads of clever Poe reference (including nods to his "Pit and the Pendulum" and "Premature Burial") and lots of surprises, "The Black Cat" manages to be both entertaining and disturbing. Tom Savini also did FX for the segment (and appears). Pino Dinaggio did music for both.

It's always tricky to evaluate a filmmaker when at work on a film that is in an in-between realm of short and feature. Actually, by technical ruling (or what would be considered by most festivals), it is feature-length with each segment. But I found Two Evil Eyes an underrated effort, after reading many mixed reviews (many leaning to the lesser side for especially Romero's film, and some faint praise for Argento's). The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar and The Black Cat are not the tippy-toppest best for either filmmaker, and for Romero it's a strange kind of quasi-conventional experiment while Argento stays in somewhat familiar territory. Each has its own strengths, own weaknesses, and it's a fine little treat.

'Valdemar': This starts with the veneer of what comes in the range of something like a cross between daytime Soap and a 40s melodrama. A woman (Adrienne Barbeau) married Mr. Valdemar late in life, and as he's about to die (and soon does) she stands to collect a load of money with her cuckold- a smooth operating doctor who has a knack for hypnosis.

What unfolds after his death, and their cover-up in order to secure more funds, is something still like a 'living-dead' movie for the director, but more psychological in head-games and, to be sure, a faithfulness to the Poe source. It is a peculiar feat to adjust to in seeing Romero, at least in the first half hour, directing more like an old pro of the studio era than with his trademark panache in editing and shocks.

This time he brings on the dread in a gradual fashion, built on guilt and paranoia, and then as Valdemar is in that freezer, a Gothic form of psychosis: two people stuck with a body, and a voice, they can't get rid of and become absorbed with. I liked it a lot- maybe more than I should have from what I read (the 'Soap' argument against it I read before, though Romero does try to give his actors more to work with than any hack would)- as it preys on the fear of death as not a final measure, with one last wicked kick in the nuts with that bed scene. Top shelf Romero? Not quite, but it's still oddly gripping, like a polished piece of clichés giving way to a wild head game of "old-school" horror.

8/10 'Black Cat': Argento's dip in the Poe pool goes to the lengths that he as a director always goes to: elaborate-to-the-Italian-horror degree style in camera and deranged horror, and even bits of dark horror that almost make Poe seem tame. I can't say how much this is tied into Poe more than I can Valdemar, but try as I might I couldn't see this as being totally peak Argento either, despite (or almost in spite of) everything he has going for it. Like Valdemar, it's about someone not coping with life after death; a photographer (Keitel) into the macabre, with a (color me shocked Argento) violinist girlfriend, has a black cat, whom the photographer strangles while taking some provocative photos. She knows he's behind it, but he can't stop himself- he needs another cat- just like the old cat- which will meet some grisly consequences.

Keitel's always game for something like this part, which plays like his Bad Lieutenant gone Grand Guignol, which makes for one of the best pleasures of the project. He doesn't have a whole lot of range in the role, but it's a fun one for him, chewing on the meat that Argento throws out for him scene after scene. Argento, meanwhile, even for *him* overdoes it with the horror music in certain scenes, and dares to go to too much excess with the symbolism of the white spots on the cat. But it's totally a wonder to see that dream sequence, where Keitel is in the midst of a medieval Pagan sacrifice, with a sharp cut-away in the most violent bit.

And I loved the pleasure that Argento takes in enlivening Poe's macabre with his own, with the violence extending from mania into the visual. I had my complaints at times, but it's hard to not throw up one's hands with Argento and say "why carp!" when he's unabashed in his passions of mostly constant camera movement (tracking, cranes, close-ups, pans, you-name-it) and illogical steps in plot (i.e. why Keitel's character would even put out a book with cat deaths knowing his girlfriend might see them, let alone so soon).

8/10 Bottom line, fans of the directors should check out the films, and decide for themselves how they do. It's two tall tales of curses and death, derangement and the surreal, and it's a concoction worth at least one viewing.

This teaming of DAWN OF THE DEAD collaborators George Romero and Dario Argento and horror maestro Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most underrated horror movies in recent memory.

TWO EVIL EYES received minimal theatrical distribution in the USA (where most people wouldn't know a good horror movie if they tripped over it), and went practically straight to video, where it didn't do too impressively either. This was undoubtedly due to some scathing reviews that labelled this movie as abysmal, boring and pointless.

I, on the other hand, think TWO EVIL EYES is a great movie. True Romero fans will see the director's brilliance at work in "The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar". Romero steers clear of blood and guts (which is why most "fans" were disappointed by it) and instead creates a macabre atmosphere, and gives the piece the look and feel of an EC or Warren horror comic, complete with campy dialogue and over-the-top performances. Pick up a copy of TALES FROM THE CRYPT or CREEPY and compare it to Romero's segment.

You'll see how perfectly Romero captures the flavor of a bygone era in illustrated horror. When the mesmerized Valdemar wails "Jessica", you can almost see the wavy dialogue bubble appear next to his head. It's as worthy a tribute to such publications as the Romero-Stephen King masterpiece, CREEPSHOW. Romero takes liberties with Poe's story, but keeps the feeling of irony and sardonic wit that makes Poe's work so rich. It's a great little movie from one of the true masters of the genre, though, unfortunately, it's his best work to date since DAY OF THE DEAD.

I may be one of the only defenders of this movie who likes Romero's part better than Argento's. This is because Romero keeps Poe's spirit alive throughout his segment. Argento simply takes one basic story ("The Black Cat"), adding elements from a few other Poe stories (including "Berenice" and "Pit and the Pendulum") and uses them as a clothesline for his own twisted and bizarre nightmare fantasies. There's nothing wrong with that, but I think he fails to capture the feel of Poe, which I thought was the point of the movie (which was his idea). At any rate, it's very good Argento. His camera constantly swoops and creeps along the corridors of the house in which the story takes place, and he creates some genuinely disturbing imagery. He also gets an excellent performance from Harvey Keitel, who brings a cruelty and maliciousness to his character most actors would not dare attempt.

Overall, TWO EVIL EYES is an entertaining movie for horror fans who enjoy more than just blood and guts, and are patient enough to let a story take its time developing. Give it another chance.

Two Evil Eyes is a collaboration by two horror masters; George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead), and Dario Argento (Suspiria). Special effects are also provided by the top name in horror movies of the period, Tom Savini. To top it off, both stories are based on works by Edgar Allan Poe, arguably one of the largest influences on works of horror, well... ever. And the efforts of these great names quite lives up to expectations. In fact, it may succeed them if you are aware of the decline in the quality of output by both of these directors around this time period. Romero's next film after Two Evil Eyes was the appalling King adaptation The Dark Half, and Argento's the lukewarm Trauma. So if one is knowledgeable of this it would be nothing but natural to approach this film tentatively. Fortunately, your fears will be calmed. The first half is titled The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar, and is based on the Poe short story of the same name. Romero's adaptation is a fun and concise update. The storyline is engaging, easy to follow, well acted, well shot. I wouldn't say that it's going to blow your mind but it's certainly enjoyable. Argento's effort, as would be expected, was somewhat more complicated. In terms of quality, plot, and appearance. The Black Cat is, mainly, based on the well known Poe story of the same name. It also incorporates nods to other works by the author and the main character's last name is Usher. The story is somewhat muddled and confusing, but that really comes with the territory when Argento is concerned. There are also a few questionable set choices but overall I really found the second half very enjoyable as well. Overall I really think that Two Evil Eyes is a pretty damn enjoyable selection and probably more even than I've made it sound. It's better than its place in the filmographies of the respective directors would suggest as well.

These two tales of horror are inspired by the work of Edgar Allan Poe. The Two Tales are titled "The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar" and "The Black Cat". "The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar" is written and directed by George A. Romero (Bruiser, The Dark Half). "The Black Cat" is directed by Dario Argento (The Stendhal Syndrome, Trauma).

"The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar". The story is about a conniving wife (Adrienne Barbeau) and her lover (Ramy Zada) use a hypnotic trance to embezzle a fortune from her dying husband (Bingo O'Malley). His wife and her lover are receiving surprises messages from the behind the grave, when her husband died unexpectedly.

"The Black Cat". The story is about a talented but unfocused photographer (Harvey Keitel) is driven into madness, when his girlfriend's (Madeleine Potter) new pet. This man is driven to brutal acts of crimes and murder.

Romero's take on "The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar" is a mix of high camp, heavy handed and some real silliness but what it makes it watchable is the good performances by the three leads:Barbeau, Zada and O'Malley. E.G. Marshall has a small role. Romero's wife:Christine Forrest and Tom Atkins appears in Cameos.

Argento's take on "The Black Cat" is near perfect. Harvey Keitel gives a powerful performance and this one hour film is a study of obsession. The only fault is the shortcoming conclusion. This story has a good cast like Sally Kirkland, Martin Balsam, John Amos and Kim Hunter. This is One of Argento's best works as a director. Written by the director and Franco Ferrini (Demons).

Blue Underground did an excellent job of doing an newly transferred from an original vault negative on this two-disc set. Also the sound is been remastered to Dolby Digital 5.1 EX Surround Sound (Also in DTS 6.1 ES Surround Sound). The DVD has the original theatrical trailer, poster & still gallery and talent bios. The film features grisly terrific make-up effects by Tom Savini and great music score by Pino Donaggio (Carrie, Dressed to Kill, The Howling). Disc two has an entertaining featurette with interviews by Romero, Argento, Savini and vintage interview with an young 14 year-old Asia Argento. Second Disc also has 12 minute featurette with Savini about the F/X work, other Savini featurette showing parts of his house back in the late 1980's and an outtake from "Document of the Dead" with interview with actress Barbeau.

This independent production was briefly released into theaters in the U.S but become a wild horror hit in Europe. This is a Cult Film. I would really love to see Dario Argento's take on "The Black Cat" as a full length two hour film. Imagine what would Argento could have done with that. George A. Romero's "The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar" rates (*** ½/*****). and Dario Argento's "The Black Cat" rates (**** ½/*****). Both films rates together (****/*****). Do not miss this forgotten horror stories done by Two Talented Directors.