Blu-ray Review - The Visitor (1979)

Genre:
Horror, Sci-fi
Distributor:
Arrow Video
BD Release Date:
6th October 2014(UK)
Rating: 15
Director:
Giulio Paradisi
Cast:
franco nero, john huston,Mel Ferrer, Glenn Ford, Lance Henriksen,
buy:The Visitor [Dual Format Blu-ray + DVD] The Visitor is the kind of the film that defies being criticised—however, I’ll try. It’s a complete mindfuck of a film: it started out trying to be rip-off of The Exorcist but it became something more bizarre, and Franco Nero (The original Django) plays Jesus Christ. It came out in 1979 and didn’t make a dent, but has recently been re-released in theatres and on Blu-Ray/DVD.

Basically, John Huston plays a Polish exorcist (seriously…) who is sent by Jesus to help a young girl, Katie, to control her powers for the good of humanity. However, there are demonic powers that want to control the world by hiring Raymond Armstead (Lance Henrikson), who can seduce the girl’s mother so that she can give birth to some offspring who will have special powers as well.

It falls within the great genre known as “the failed art-film.” The king of this genre was Roger Corman, and sometimes he did end up making an art film. This film, however, doesn’t quite work. It’s full of symbolism and some quite striking images, especially the opening, but it makes little sense. It’s still a enjoyable watch. The film’s director, Giulio Paradisi, worked for Fellini, and it certainly shows, but lacks any of Fellini’s knack for filmmaking and ability to create some kind of coherence within the madness.

The film has a bizarre cast of cult actors, and the then up and coming Lance Henrikson. John Huston does his normal American accent despite the fact his character is Polish. Shelley Winters plays a sinister maid; Sam Peckinpah shows up as the girl’s ex-husband and is dubbed, probably because he was too drunk to remember his lines properly. It also has Glenn Ford as a random detective just thrown into the story for no real reason.

The film transfer looks surprisingly good considering its obscurity, it’s still grainy and has some marks, but better than this film should have ever looked. The film’s features are quite good, they include an amusing interview with Henrikson and a short interview with the cinematographer. The highlight, however, is a fantastic interview with the American writer on the film, Lou Comici, who explains what is going on as best as he can, and why it’s so incoherent. The director only had ideas for scenes, which changed all the time, and was fired and re-hired during the production.

★★½

Ian Schultz