Aenigma (1987)

Basically a melding of Carrie (1976) and Patrick (1978), Aenigma follows the cliche 80's horror 'prank gone wrong' device. Co-written by Lucio Fulci and collaborator Giorgio Mariuzzo (The Beyond, The House by the Cemetery), it's surprising to see such an uninspired plot. After being put into a coma by her classmates, Kathy possesses the beautiful Eva (Lara Lamberti), purely for debauchery and revenge. The story works on a B-movie level as the most interesting scenes are reserved for the bullies being punished in creative, creepy-crawly ways. Not one to fill in every detail and to create a light air of mystery, Fulci leaves certain aspects of the story unexplained. Derivative but not a complete throwaway, Aenigma is a lesser-known film worth another look.

2 snail hordes out of 5

The Black Cat (1981)

We see a very different film from Lucio Fulci this time with this loosely based Poe adaptation. Known for his gore, the director instead creates a restrained vision. The violence is mainly isolated to bloody cat scratches. As opposed to his other works around this time (The Gates of Hell, The Beyond, The House by the Cemetery), the editing is quick to cut away from human destruction and its remains. The only menace is of the dark tormentor; its unusual prowess and resourcefulness to kill. Unfortunately, the creature fails to instill much fear. We are treated to tight gazes from the cast (Patrick Magee, Mimsy Farmer, David Warbeck), and the sauntering POV of the cat. Pino Donaggio's exceptional score works well, giving the titular feline a brooding yet whimsical nature while heightening tension in climactic scenes. Underrated, The Black Cat is only lesser in Fulci's trademark style.

3 Exorcist beds out of 5

The House by the Cemetery (1981)

The House by the Cemetery is the final film in Lucio Fulci's unofficial Gates of Hell trilogy. Besides being filmed only a few years apart, the trio's kindred link is underground evils disrupting the living. In this case it's the mad Doctor Freudstein, an undead and homicidal surgeon bent on immortality. Cemetery is also the weakest of the three; containing a number of plot inconsistencies which render the film near incoherent. It's yet another vehicle for Fulci's penchant for gory mayhem. This seems to be the only component driving the cult status. Albeit the SFX are marginally better. At least the blood is more realistic. It does well maintain a level of suspenseful atmosphere up until the effective climax, but too many unresolved plot threads cast a fog over the entire film. 

2½ Bobs out of 5

The Beyond (1981)

aka 7 Doors of Death

Considered by many to be horror maestro Lucio Fulci's masterpiece, Beyond follows the doomed history of a Louisiana mansion said to be built over one of the seven gates of Hell. After inheriting the estate, Lysa (Catriona MacColl) unsuccessfully attempts to revive it into a bed & breakfast, thwarted at every turn by the forces of darkness. Best known for its considerable gore and while there are plenty of shocking and effective sequences, the SFX are obviously limited as, in some cases, the blood flows like Kool-Aid and the skin rips like wax. Despite a lack of budget, the imagery is unmistakably haunting. The film owes much to Fabio Frizzi's beautiful and other-worldly score which speaks to something apocryphal. I found myself humming the melodies far past the end credits, and I would say the film wouldn't be half as great without them. I'll admit The Beyond hasn't aged well, but it still holds up as one of Fulci's greatest horror films.

4 impossible basements out of 5 

The Gates of Hell (1980)

aka City of the Living Dead

Director Lucio Fulci collaborates with prolific horror screenwriter Dardano Sacchetti for this supernatural gore-fest. The H.P. Lovecraft-inspired tale centers around the desecrated town of Dunwich. The film has a surreal quality emphasized by its downright repulsive and enigmatic occurrences. Devious and deadly acts spontaneously appear and disappear on screen. Ranging from leaping fireballs, the rotting dead and one maggot-filled gust of wind. The SFX are sound and rarely overstep their limitations. An effective atmosphere is well sustained with the help of meticulous scenes of human destruction and another of Fabio Frizzi's masterful scores. Faults occur in revealing plot holes and an anticlimactic conclusion. The film feels incomplete, but if seen as style over substance, it's a surreal thriller sure to appease the gore hounds.

3½ regurgitations out of 5