Seems to me that after Diabolik, most of Bava’s films became kinda psychedelic and started to lean less into the plot and more into the surfaces, which is really up my alley. This one is off because it is the only Bava film actually character focused (the protagonist is actually a character this time) but still he chooses to dwell in the architecture and horror of it. This one is also very psychologic, and the terror comes from questioning what is real and what isn’t. It is very similiar to The Whip and the Body in both that aspect and its single castle location that works very well for the vibes. I do think the film is at its best in that dress room, which is immaculately designed, while it loses some of its focus when outside. The best scene though is easily the Hitchcockian scene when the police show up at John’s house immediately after he kills his wife, it’s so intense - it may be Mario’s tensest scene from his entire career, so that’s definitely something.
Seems to me that after Diabolik, most of Bava’s films became kinda psychedelic and started to lean less into the plot and more into the surfaces, which is really up my alley. This one is off because it is the only Bava film actually character focused (the protagonist is actually a character this time) but still he chooses to dwell in the architecture and horror of it. This one is also very psychologic, and the terror comes from questioning what is real and what isn’t. It is very similiar to The Whip and the Body in both that aspect and its single castle location that works very well for the vibes. I do think the film is at its best in that dress room, which is immaculately designed, while it loses some of its focus when outside. The best scene though is easily the Hitchcockian scene when the police show up at John’s house immediately after he kills his wife, it’s so intense - it may be Mario’s tensest scene from his entire career, so that’s definitely something.
