The Beyond Review
Some people describe this as Fulci’s best movie but, it is therefore safe to say that if this film won’t draw you in, then none of them will. It is a zombie picture of sorts, whilst not in the full on traditional sense (but also don’t expect the word “SENSE” to be used in an understandable fashion either).
The film opens, perhaps in its strongest scene, with a black and white sequence in centuries old Louisiana. Some men are boating towards a large house with the intent of sending the occupant to the morgue on the grounds of being a warlock. The black and white helps to cover over some of the dated effects, but the atmospherics built up along with the extreme violence do keep the film in good stead for today’s audiences.
The film then shifts to modern day and things get a bit supernatural. We are treated to a flimsy premise for a few characters running around to solve a mystery. In between we are given death scenes for minor characters as they are killed off in a variety of gruesome ways. There is even a scene with a blind girl whose death is ripped right out of Suspiria.
Fulci’s work may have dated more than say the likes of Romero but he did push the boundaries of imagination and taste in a time that could not have been easy to do so. Hence getting much of his work banned and/or cut by censors. Still without these restrictions in place they also may not have had half the following they do now. The notoriety was probably the means to the end.
This release (thanks to those giants at Arrow Video) comes with plenty of extra bonus material. Interviews, commentaries, Q&A sessions – all of which are now becoming commonplace from Arrow Video. Hell, you can even watch the pre-credits in colour if you wish!
Fulci fans will want to get their mitts on this as soon as possible!
Steven Hurst