Dance Macabre [Blu-ray]

You have to love Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger and Urban Legends). This is a rather unusual role for him. I would give away the ending of this movie, but there's no need. You can tell how it's going to end in the first ten minutes. So this is not the best movie of the genre. It's probably the exact opposite. But I gave it three stars. Why? Though I'm still trying to figure this out, I liked the death scenes. There were some moments of sheer terror. If you are a slasher movie virgin, you might think this is a creative movie. However, if you love slasher movies and have seen "all of them," you might want this movie. The R-rating is for sexual content, nudity, gore violence and I don't remember about the language. For the price Amazon has, it's worth the risk.

Just had to have all 12 versions of Phantom of the Opera. They are all similar yet quite different. I rate this in the middle.

Completely pedestrian 'psycho on the loose' film that is further marred by an actor playing a double role... but the actor in question has such a unique facial structure that he is recognizable even trhough the heavy make-up. As such, one of the film's 'revelations' is instead an irritant. Worse, the lead actress isn't really much of an actress.'Dance Macabre' stars Robert Englund and a bunch of young dancers. A St. Petersburg ballet academy has just opened its doors to dancers from the West and girls have flocked to it in the hopes of studying under a legendary Russian dancer. But then the girls start to vanish, and then they start to turn up dead. Who's the killer?Actually, unless you're 11 years old and this is the first movie of this type you've ever seen, the 'who' is obvious from the outset. As is the 'why.' And with those out of the way, there's not really any other reason to watch this film...

A doleful fable that one must hope will be the sole example of a Ballet Slasher genre, this socio-cultural hybrid is additionally not unique in any other fashion, with a result that ennui will be the fate of those viewers who may see it, although taking into account the somewhat tarnished reputation of director Greydon Clark, their numbers should probably be few. Although featured player Robert Englund has stated that this affair is not a sequel or otherwise related to the version of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1989) in which he stars, its producers, 21st Century, have hired Clark to utilize elements from such a hypothetical undertaking, with St. Petersburg, Russia, as setting and with a familiar theme of serial homicide included in the blend. Englund is Anthony Wagner, a renowned American choreographer who, along with his former lover, Svetlana, manages a ballet academy in St. Petersburg, his partner now referred to as "Madame", and confined to a wheelchair following a long past motorcycle collision upon which she and the now deeply facially scarred Anthony were riding. When a young American dancer, Jessica (Michelle Zeitlin) is enrolled by her father (Clark) at the facility, Wagner immediately expresses his amazement at her resemblance to the young Svetlana, a likeness not apparent to a rational viewer. From among the academy attendees, one fortunate woman will be selected to perform with the "St. Petersburg Ballet Russe" and as the most skilled aspirants are being slaughtered by various means and in rapid succession, it becomes apparent that Jessica will make the cut, this not being the only predictable element within a flabbily constructed screenplay. There are problems here with continuity, substandard makeup effects for this essay in Grand Guignol are risible, dubbing, synching and other post-production processing are shabbily accomplished, the photography is hyperfiltered, red plainly being the colour of choice, and the direction, script and scoring are dullish throughout. The much maligned Clark also directs another low budget film with its setting in picturesque St. Petersburg, and in which there is much to like, RUSSIAN HOLIDAY (a.k.a. Russian Roulette), but in that movie he benefits from an abler cast, paced by Susan Blakely.

Great

Danse macabre sortie en 1964 avec Barbara Steele, Georges Rivière et Margarete Robsahm nous conte l'histoire d'un journaliste faisant le pari de passer la nuit du 1er novembre (fête des morts) dans le château de Lord Blackwood.Jusqu'à ce jour, nul n'est sorti vivant de la demeure après y avoir passé cette fameuse nuit.Alan Foster (Georges Rivière) s'y rend donc accompagné d'Edgard Poe et de Lord Blackwood.Au bout de quelques temps, il rencontre deux femmes: Elisabeth Blackwood (Barbara Steele) et Julia (Margarete Robsahm). Le cauchemard commence.Cette magnifique production italienne est gothique, angoissante et envoutante à souhait.Ce film est également une très belle histoire d'amour impossible entre Alan et Elisabeth.Pour moi, c'est véritablement l'un des chefs-d'oeuvre du cinéma fantastique transalpin.Antonio Margheriti ( La vierge de Nuremberg, La sorcière sanglante mais aussi le western Et le vent apporta la violence) signe ici sans doute l'un de ses meilleurs films.La qualité du DVD est bonne malgré en fond sonore un certain bourdonnement qui n'est pas trop génant.En bonus, on trouve une interview du journaliste Gérard Lenne consacré au contexte des années 60.Innutile de dire que je conseille très vivement "Danse macabre".Adanson Marco.

"La Danse macabre" est sans doute l'un des films phares de la belle époque du fantastique italien. L'un des meilleurs films de Barbara Steele. Le Noir et Blanc sert admirablement cette histoire fort macabre. C'est finalement une très belle histoire d'amour qui transcende le temps et l'espace. Seul la mort pourra réunir ces deux âmes (Barbara Steele et Georges Rivière) en détresse. Les images finales sont très belles. Une pure merveille au même titre que "Le masque du démon" de Mario Bava. Un film que les vrais cinéphiles savoureront avec plaisir. A voir et à revoir !