This is an old movie and probably doesn't hold up well for younger audiences, but it still deserves credit for it's weird atmosphere/ideas, especially on such a low budget. Scares in the best way, by tapping into dark psychological fears. Anyone can throw something at you on a screen to make you jump or show a decapitation in all it's grue in close-up, but this one takes it's time and works its way under your skin, trying to push you into the same state of madness as all the characters in it are taken to. And unlike horror movies of today, the lead characters are vulnerable and human, not smart-assed and invincible.
Along the way you get one of Pino Donaggio's best scores ever, an over-wrought swirl of strings and sighing women that perfectly compliments his other scores of the era (Carrie, Pirannah, Dressed To Kill, The Howling and Body Double). There are, of course, mannequins, Tanja Roberts with dark hair in a tube top with big boobs, Chuck Conners wearing masks and talking like Harvey Fierstein(he did such a good job I didn't believe it wasn't two people!), an almost unwatchable suffocation scene and enough warped moments to give you nightmares for awhile.
The DVD is a surprisingly stunning transfer with an OK commentary track by the director, who's other films didn't impress me much. This is a one of a kind flick. "My brother doesn't want her to see meee...do you know why?...do YOU know why? (singing) He's afraid she'll beee attracted to meee...heh heh hehhhh..."
Along the way you get one of Pino Donaggio's best scores ever, an over-wrought swirl of strings and sighing women that perfectly compliments his other scores of the era (Carrie, Pirannah, Dressed To Kill, The Howling and Body Double). There are, of course, mannequins, Tanja Roberts with dark hair in a tube top with big boobs, Chuck Conners wearing masks and talking like Harvey Fierstein(he did such a good job I didn't believe it wasn't two people!), an almost unwatchable suffocation scene and enough warped moments to give you nightmares for awhile.
The DVD is a surprisingly stunning transfer with an OK commentary track by the director, who's other films didn't impress me much. This is a one of a kind flick. "My brother doesn't want her to see meee...do you know why?...do YOU know why? (singing) He's afraid she'll beee attracted to meee...heh heh hehhhh..."