awaiting a DVD release), much of Lindberg’s work remasticates the recurring fantasy of an innocent with a mature, voluptuous body, falling prey to the carnal predations of others, whether they be fatherly, brotherly, underworldly or with- drawn, nerdy kidnappers. This one, directed by Gustav Wiklund, has the benefit of one of Lindberg’s more reaching performances and an inventive structure that keeps pulling the rug out from under its audience. There is also an uproari- ous half-reel of subversion as Lena and Jan (who at one point actually open a can of ants for a snack) go to the movies, where we are treated to 3m 21s of RKO’s TARZAN TRI- UMPHS (1943) with Johnny Weiss- muller—which Synapse indulges with a menu chapter of its own! The anamorphic 1.66:1 trans- fer is attractive and sharp, with naturalistic color levels and some minor scratching. The mono au- dio is acceptable, and the English subtitles are removable. The ex- tras include “Overexposed” (17m), an interview with Wiklund with additional input from Lind- berg; it includes some interest- ing anecdotes, such as Wiklund’s recollection of mistakenly turning down an offer from Roger Cor- man at Cannes to acquire the film and direct two more for the then-fledgling New World Pic- tures. Also present are both tracks from Christina Lindberg’s one and only venture as a re- cording artist (understandable), a stills gallery, and the original Swedish trailer (1m 54s).
HAND OF THE ASSASSIN
El Rostro del asesino “The Face of the Assassin” 1966, Sinister Cinema, $16.95, 83m 43s, DVD-R By John Charles
Sinister Cinema’s catalog in- cludes a plethora of vintage Old Dark House thrillers; here is one
8
A remote spa is the setting for mystery and murder in HAND OF THE ASSASSIN, a Spanish throwback to the old dark house movies of the ’30s.
you may have missed, a Spanish variation on the formula from the mid-’60s. Business is dire at a countryside spa and the middle- aged owner (THE BANG-BANG KID’s José María Caffarel) and his comely young wife (Katia Loritz) are at each other’s throats. A heavy storm and accompanying flood result in several travelers (including Germán Cobos, Perla Cristál, Jorge Rigaud, and be- loved spaghetti western bandito Fernando Sancho) getting stranded at the resort. An acci- dentally upended briefcase re- veals a multitude of seemingly ill-gotten cash and the possessor is soon face-down with a knife in his back. In addition to the feud- ing proprietors (who want the money for different reasons), the list of suspects includes an ex- con, a former army officer, a shifty salesman, a junkie, and a bifocalled professor who trolls the garden looking for tarantulas. Solid craftsmanship puts this familiar mystery/thriller storyline across. Director Pedro Lazaga (MURDER MANSION)
and cinematographer Victor Monreal consistently deliver some very nicely composed and lit set- ups (the discovery of one body seems directly inspired by Mario Bava’s BLOOD AND BLACK LACE, though the killings here are not graphic or parcelled out in the same way), and the Mon- astery of Piedra and surrounding grounds provide a properly moody backdrop, even if it doesn’t convince as the intended location (the unexplained bub- bling and smoking vats in the basement are some local spa treatment, evidently!).
Sinister’s 16mm source ma- terial is worn and mildly cropped, but the major issue with the in- terlaced image is the slightly spoiled Eastman Color. Some sequences are now left with a light red or purple tinge, and im- portant moments which utilize deeply hued lighting are also compromised. The dubbed au- dio is adequate, with the usual line-up of voice artists heard in many an Italian production from this period.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84
