What is Fulci's masterpiece? City Of The Living Dead? Zombie? Don't Torture A Duckling? The House By The Cemetery? Conquest? Okay, probably not Conquest. Does he have more than one masterpiece?
Yup, I'd say there's more than one and I'd agree with all the ones you mention (apart from Conquest of course.. still need to see that) and add The Beyond too.
But if pressed to pick just one it's gotta be The House by the Cemetery, mainly as it is, to my sensibilities, pretty much the perfect horror film. Gory, nightmarish, strange, funny and sometimes sad (there's probably other things I'm forgetting), the House has it all!
The usually lesser-loved House... is just a tiny bit too silly for me with its Freudstein monster (which is also reason enough for me to love it at the same time, of course), but I'd go with Zombie (for what it is, it's a masterpiece in zombie exploitation cinema) and City Of The Living Dead for its insane structure and look which is both somehow trashy and arty, and its disturbing Lovecraftian feel. And maggots.
Excellent answers everyone! Predictably, I'll go with The House By The Cemetery. I must say that our last viewing of City Of The Living Dead on bluray makes it a more difficult call than it was. Fulci has a run from the 70's to the mid 80's that is as strong as anyone's. I'd say it rivals Argento's and Carpenter's similarly timed runs.
I'm sure The Beyond DVD looked fantastic when it was released. But if you slot it in between the excellent Blue Underground blurays of City and House, I find it leaves much to be desired. A bluray release stateside of The Beyond is something I could get behind.
Grindhouse Releasing has announced that they will be putting it out on blu-ray stateside in the next year or two, along with the rest of their back catalog (Cat in the Brain, Cannibal Ferox, Pieces, etc.)
But, I've had Arrow's UK blu-ray in my possession for the past few years, and that one sure looks pretty enough to me. Plus, I saw it screened in 35mm at the New Beverly a couple years ago, and it doesn't get any rawer than that. What an experience that was. I'd wager that The Beyond is his best aesthetically speaking, as well as his most chilling trippy narrative.
I'd say a viewing of a third generation vhs dub at the New Beverly would be amazing. As far as narrative I think The Beyond is his most straightforward of the Gates Of Hell trilogy.
The House By The Cemetery. That's my opinion today. It might change tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteYup, I'd say there's more than one and I'd agree with all the ones you mention (apart from Conquest of course.. still need to see that) and add The Beyond too.
ReplyDeleteBut if pressed to pick just one it's gotta be The House by the Cemetery, mainly as it is, to my sensibilities, pretty much the perfect horror film. Gory, nightmarish, strange, funny and sometimes sad (there's probably other things I'm forgetting), the House has it all!
The usually lesser-loved House... is just a tiny bit too silly for me with its Freudstein monster (which is also reason enough for me to love it at the same time, of course), but I'd go with Zombie (for what it is, it's a masterpiece in zombie exploitation cinema) and City Of The Living Dead for its insane structure and look which is both somehow trashy and arty, and its disturbing Lovecraftian feel. And maggots.
ReplyDelete-MLP
That's a great encapsulation of City my friend!
DeleteFor me, it will always be HBTC but his masterpiece(s) are many. Don't Torture a Duckling, Seven Notes in Black, City of the Living Dead, etc.
ReplyDeleteThe New Gladiators. You left that out. Embarrassing.
DeleteIn the house.. any day!
ReplyDelete(although the rest of the 1972-1982 classics are very very very close)
/R. Geiger
Excellent answers everyone! Predictably, I'll go with The House By The Cemetery. I must say that our last viewing of City Of The Living Dead on bluray makes it a more difficult call than it was. Fulci has a run from the 70's to the mid 80's that is as strong as anyone's. I'd say it rivals Argento's and Carpenter's similarly timed runs.
ReplyDeleteThe Beyond by a lot.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure The Beyond DVD looked fantastic when it was released. But if you slot it in between the excellent Blue Underground blurays of City and House, I find it leaves much to be desired. A bluray release stateside of The Beyond is something I could get behind.
DeleteGrindhouse Releasing has announced that they will be putting it out on blu-ray stateside in the next year or two, along with the rest of their back catalog (Cat in the Brain, Cannibal Ferox, Pieces, etc.)
DeleteBut, I've had Arrow's UK blu-ray in my possession for the past few years, and that one sure looks pretty enough to me. Plus, I saw it screened in 35mm at the New Beverly a couple years ago, and it doesn't get any rawer than that. What an experience that was. I'd wager that The Beyond is his best aesthetically speaking, as well as his most chilling trippy narrative.
I'd say a viewing of a third generation vhs dub at the New Beverly would be amazing. As far as narrative I think The Beyond is his most straightforward of the Gates Of Hell trilogy.
ReplyDeleteI won't win any awards for originality, but I'd have to go with The Beyond.
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing wrong with that! I'd gone along with you even if you'd said Conquest.
Delete