The Beyond

Lucio Fulci’s greatest film is a class of it’s own in the world of horror cinema. Inspired by Lovecraft, Dawn of the Dead and just terror overall, it is a masterpiece of how mood and atmosphere can be united and create perfection. The story deals with a woman named Liza (like the singer) who receives an inheritance of an old hotel in New Orleans. This hotel, however, is also the place where a man named Schveidt was lynched for supposedly practicing witchcraft. Or making bad paintings, I’m not that sure. So, just as she reopens the hotel, weird things start happening, and people start dying in horrible, painful ways. Before you can even know what the hell is going on, the dead rise from their graves and a diabolical new dimension starts slipping into our world, this being the title’s meaning.

As I said, this is a masterpiece. The actors in this film are very good. Catriona MacColl is beautiful and carries the film well, and David Warbeck plays a pretty good badass. The secondary roles are cool too, especially that of the weird-looking plumber Joe, and Arthur, played by Gianpaolo Saccarola. There’s also a “blink and you’ll miss her” role by Veronica Lazar, also known as Mater Tenebrarum from Argento’s Inferno. I’ve seen this guy in many other films and always reminded me of an even creepier version of Peter Lorre. But of course, this movie is all about mood, atmosphere, and GORE!!! The blood in this movie flows like rivers, from the first eye-gauging to the hospital zombie massacre. The highlight, of course, is the young girl who gets shot from close range and half her head is blown off. No matter how many times I see it, it always makes me cheer.

Also worth noting is the great soundtrack by Fabio Frizzi, who’s music matches the visuals perfectly. I always play the soundtrack when I want to chill and relax, read old fanzines. If you want to see a movie that perfectly balances gore and terror, this is the one.