twist of fait accomplis

Kill, Baby... Kill!, 1966 (aka Operazione Paura, and many other titles) [ ADD ]
Director: Mario Bava
Availability: Medium (available on a crappy DVD from VCI)

When you have a director that worked his way up through the ranks like Bava did, you have a director that truly knows the ins-and-outs of making a movie. Considering his success as a cinematographer and his early directorial success, it's no wonder that Kill, Baby... Kill! is such a kick ass gothic horror flick.

In this one, a small town is terrorized by the spirit of a young girl that was killed there a number of years earlier. The legend has it that if you see the girl, you are her next victim. Those who are unlucky enough to set their eyes on her are eventually stripped of their will and driven to impale themselves on sharp objects. An investigator and a coroner have doubts about the legends and set out to solve the string of murders, only to find out the legends are all too true. Bava, as always, creates some stunning imagery and makes very effective use of music and simple sounds (a child's laugh). This movie apparently was a huge inspiration for Fellini, Scorcese, and any number of other directors. It's easy to see why.

The VCI DVD is a washed-out transfer and is full-screen, but it's the only thing available at this point. I'm sure that it will eventually get the full treatment it deserves, but for now, the VCI disc is all we have. However, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) showed a colorful widescreen version of Kill, Baby... Kill! this weekend as part of their Friday Night Bava series that ran throughout October. Perhaps they'll show it again.