Super Bitch DVD Review

Massimo Dallamano's latest film to be re-released, Super Bitch, takes us down a different route to the previously reissued, The Night Child. Instead of religious horror, the cinematographer turned director takes us on a tale chock-full of espionage, blackmail and sexual depravity. It is likely to have its fans, but to a casual viewer, it's difficult to understand the point of Super Bitch.

Undercover police inspector Ivan Rassimov attempts to expose an escort agency that has been blackmailing high profile clients into smuggling drugs over the border.

 Super Bitch begins like a trashy James Bond film/Euro-Crime thriller opening with crime honcho, Mama (Patricia Hayes), in a ruined Middle-Eastern city arranging drug deals with a mysterious stranger. It's not long until this stranger is wiped out by a skulking undercover cop, Cliff (Rassimov) soon resulting in a high octane car chase. Super Bitch begins feeling focused, however, things then seem to take an unfocussed turn with the plot soon verging on softcore erotica meets crude comedy. It all simply feels a bit disjointed and unclear.
The title Super Bitch (used for the film's 1980s reissue, to cash in on Stephanie Beacham's fame as Sable Colby in Dynasty and The Colbys), does not feel hugely appropriate - it gives the impression Dallamano's film is like The Stud or The Bitch. The original Blue Movie Blackmail is probably a more fitting title.

Beacham does bring her traditional feisty sex appeal to the role and as ever is a complete pleasure to watch as Joanne, the escort sleeping with high profile clients. Ivan Rassimov brings a sense of sleazy gravitas to the role of Inspector Cliff, playing the part of the Dirty Harry-esque cop well. 

There is also a funky trumpet infused score from Riz Ortolani (that screams cult film), used to fit the ever shifting tone of Super Bitch. Cult film enthusiasts are likely to enjoy the madness and incoherency of this feature, as well as its trashy charm. Where else would you see a high profile politician dressed as a rabbit being fed carrots by a half naked Stephanie Beacham or Patricia Hayes driving a convertible filled with oddball Italians singing songs about her?

If in the mood for something madcap, and slightly different you could do a lot worse than Super Bitch. However, if you are look for a solid story and sense of focus, Super Bitch is one to miss.
As always, Arrow Video have restored the print to a stellar quality and included a selection of interesting special features, including short documentary, 'Bullets, Babes and Blood'.

Andrew McArthur 

★★1/2☆☆

Stars: Stephanie Beacham, Ivan Rassimov , Patricia Hayes
Director: Massimo Dallamano
Release: 29th October 2012
Certificate: 15 (UK)
Buy Super Bitch:DVD

The Night Child DVD Review

Chances are, The Night Child is not a title that most viewers will easily recognise. Fortunately, this little-known Italian horror from  1975 receives its UK DVD release from Arrow Video this month, much to the delight of many genre fans. Boasting chills similar to Don't Look Now, Who Saw Her Die? and Suspiria, The Night Child is not to be missed.

Massimo Dallamano (the renowned cinematographer of A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More) directs this tale of a documentary maker (played by Richard Johnson) exploring the world of Italian Satanic art for a BBC television program. After gifting his daughter (Nicoletta Elmi)  an ancient medallion, she simultaneously begins to develop violent tendencies - surely that has nothing to do with the fact that this medallion belonged to a notorious young murderess.

Dallamano is a master of crafting atmosphere and tension with The Night Child blurring the lines between the horror film and an art piece. Alongside Dallamano's brooding and utterly unsettling direction, this feature also boasts the stunning cinematography of Franco Delli Colli (The Last Man On Earth). With these two major creative talents involved, The Night Child guarantees some beautifully crafted set-pieces and some truly unique scares. 

Credit must go to Dallamano for not simply falling into the trap of writing a rehash of The Exorcist. The director fills the film with religious iconography, tailored to the atmospheric Italian setting, as well as the use of flashbacks showing the dark history of the medallion. Thankfully instead of relying on dated make-up effects (like we see in so many possession features), The Night Child leaves the work to the stellar acting talents of child star, Nicoletta Elmi (Who Saw Her Die?), who dominates the screen as the possessed young Emily. There are some real moments of cool Italian charm here - you would never see Linda Blair's Regan MacNeil smoking a cigarette and giving her nanny an icy stare, like we see Elmi do in The Night Child.

Staples of the genre do feature, some handled with a campy charm - mainly a scene stealing turn from Lila Kedrova as a tarot-card obsessed confidant of Johnson's character.  For all the avid croquet fans reading (queue tumbleweed), you are unlikely to want to play by a cliffside after witnessing the fate of one of Emily's victims. This scene in-particular is one of the standouts of The Night Child, showing Emily's nanny sent tumbling down the cliff into a barren river is likely to send a shiver down your spine. Other moments, including one sequence which looks like an early version of The Omen glass sheet decapitation scene, helpfully remind us that The Night Child is a film way ahead of its time. 

Once again, this feature has been lovingly restored by Arrow Video, with stellar picture quality and an insightful  short documentary on the Italian possession film.

The Night Child is a stunning piece of Italian horror. Dallamano's visually rich direction and unique scares show that this is by no means a cheap imitation of The Exorcist - in my opinion it is equally as enjoyable.

Andrew McArthur 

★★★★☆

Stars: Richard Johnson, Nicoletta Elmi , Lisa Kedrova
Director: Massimo Dallamano
DVD Release: 25th October 2012
Certificate: 15 (UK)