Byleth: The Demon of Incest

Aug 21

I have just got to see Byleth for only the 2nd time, a few years after the first viewing and i was pleasantly surprised how much i enjoyed it.

Italian gothic type horror starring Mark Damon and Claudia Gravy, well worth finding out.

I was slightly disappointed with the abrupt ending and a couple of times there appeared to be little flashback scenes will no explanation as to why and who the women were supposed to be.

On the whole pretty decent.

7.5 out of 10.

A rather slight but beguiling film that defies categorisation. It doesn't have much truck with a coherent narrative flow either but then it is the malformed or only partly successfully realised films that so often seem to capture the attention of the more jaded cinema viewer. Incest is, I guess, the big ingredient here and the reason why the film has slipped out of availability, but it is linked up with demonic possession too. Oh and rather a lot of naked flesh and erotic goings on. These scenes are well shot and the girls all seem attractive, in fact they also look rather similar to each other, intentionally, I assume, and all but one seems to have red hair. Indeed the outdoor scenes are also attractive and so even when the 'plot' is coming a little unstuck, there is always something beautiful or strange to look at. Decidedly odd at times, this is that little bit different and if there is little blood in the killings we certainly get startling facial close-ups and giallo like wide eyed deaths.

This strange cult oddity has been all but forgotten since its release in 1972, and I'm not really surprised at that - as while it certainly is a film with some merit, it's also really bizarre and I have no idea who the target audience might be. The name of the title is a demon, who apparently also happens to be the king of hell and who can curse a man to live in incest. Lionello is a man who has been punished by the demon and thus lusts after his own sister; which is not good news for her husband Giordano. If I had to liken this film to other films I've seen, I'd put it in with the likes of Valerie and Her Weekend of Wonders and The Reincarnation of Isabel as all these films are low on plots but high on weird goings on that don't always make a great deal of sense. This film does not benefit from a constantly intriguing narrative but there is usually just about enough going on to ensure that the film doesn't become boring. Director Leopoldo Savona creates a good style for the film and it does look very nice indeed. The film benefits from a handful of beautiful women who don't seem to mind taking their clothes off, which is also nice and care is taken with the locations also. It soon becomes apparent that the plot is not really all that important; but it is at least worthwhile and the script does bother to tie things up at the end. Overall, this is a decent if strange watch and while I wouldn't recommend anyone goes out of their way to find it; it is at least worth seeing.

A young man possessed by the demon spirit of incest since he was a boy is morbidly in love with his sister.Toss in some female victims,all killed naked with a three-points blade and the fact that this was the first time incest themes were documented in an Italian horror film this way and you have sleazy winner.So I finally watched X-Rated Cult DVD of "Byleth" and I must say that I enjoyed this Gothic mood piece.Strange and atmospheric little horror film that is beautifully shot and has a great score.There is plenty of atmosphere until the climax,which is a big disappointment.Plenty of soft-core sex and full-frontal nudity kept me constantly interested.7 out of 10.

Hunting after OOP and rare horrors I fell on this one. But I had to be sure that it had some subs because it's an Italian movie. A lot of copies are available but most of them are in Italian without subs. But you really need those subs to understand the movie. The only label that has it with subs is the X Rated Kult release. I know, you pay a lot more than the price for a copy but what you'll get is a uncut version with English subs and a real nice hard box with beautiful art. The only problem I have is were to catalogue this flick. There is no real horror in it, there is almost 1 minute of blood in it and that part is just filled with some blood drops. Further on it's all about demons but when the demon appears it has a human face. Really something to say, this is crap but somehow the movie doesn't fail to keep you attracted to the end. It's a bit weird, I wont spoil it to tell that it's all about incest between brother and sister. From there on things got worser. It really never frightens or deliver you the shivers but somehow it got me. It wouldn't be Italian without a lot of nudity included. Not being a real Giallo freak, wouldn't say this one is, this one got my attention; it's out there and just like the demon Byleth, you will have to search the net to find the X Rated version, for the moment it is still available but be aware with X Rated, once it becomes OOP the prices go up and up...