The Antichrist (1978)

Highly Overrated But Still Good

A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

More exorcist style rip offs from Alberto De Martino, director of hilarious Kirk-Douglas-In-The-Buff Omen rip off "Holocaust 2000" and so-so haunted house film "The Blancheville Monster". This time, he's in Rome detailing the demonic possession of a paralysed woman who falls prey to a past life where she was a witch. And yes, this is the film where our lead lady performs a bit of 'spice island' on a goat.After a cacophonous beginning in a Roman church with loads of screaming, yelling, and screaming, our girl (and rich father Mel Ferrer) decide that religion ain't gonna cure no duff legs, and the girl heads back to her plush Roman home, only to find an obscene religious card belonging to a guy who previously took a header off a wall (this bit will make you do a double take). Crestfallen that God isn't helping her, she goes to see her Uncle, Cardinal Arthur Kennedy, and they indulge in a bit of theological banter.At the same time this girl (her name Ipolita or something) starts having flashbacks to a past life, where she is persecuted for being a witch and worshipping Satan etc. A psychologist turns up to help her and undertakes regressive hypnotherapy in order to find out what's going down. I'm getting bored writing the plot of this one which should give you an indication of the pace of this film.There's a couple of good sequences, like the bit in the catacombs and some trippy persecution scenes, and if you take the goat bit away from that flashback bit then I would say that bit was alright, it's a good looking film (cinematography by Joe "pubes" D'Amato), and has an Ennio Morricone soundtrack, but it's an Alberto De Martino film, so it kind of takes its own time, and is kind of okay, like any film I've seen of his (four in total I think). It's your standard possession film with some obscenity thrown in for good measure. Arthur Kennedy was good, however Not sure why the Italians spent so much time and energy on exploitation films like this, or indeed Women in prison films or cannibal films or films like The Beast in Heat. They were so much better at Gialli, crime films, or zombie films. The Antichrist is a film you'll watch just for the sake of getting it out of the road on your list of Italian films to watch.What would be good, however, would be to have the ability to float about like that - Imagine floating into your work on a Monday. The japes!

This filthy and spooky movie , a wildly popular ¨Exorcist¨ imitation , concerns about Hipolita (Carla Gravina), she's a invalid young with unsettling problems from his mother died for a car crash in an accident along with her father (Mel Ferrer) and then she resulted paralyzed . She only has understanding for his brother (Remo Girone) . Her mental problems and intervention a doctor (Umberto Orsini) lead to an act of possession by an ancestor framed as a witch by the Inquisition . Eventually she's deeply possessed and starts seducing a young and other local men only to murder them . Hipolita becomes possessed and a strange exorcism seems to be the only solution to stop the craziness and heal the young invalid . An exorcism carried out by a Father exorcist (George Colouris) results to be the mean to save her but the events go awry . This exploitation picture displays eerie horror , witchcraft , grisly killings , bestiality , satanism and lots of blood and gore . Most often films made to cash in on another hugely box-office ¨The Exorcist¨ tend to be inferior to the template but I have to say, as far as rip-offs of the Freidkin's classic go, ¨The Antichrist¨ is on the better end of the spectrum . Large cast with American actors working in Italy , such as Arthur Kennedy , Mel Ferrer , and George Colouris . Revolting , scary scenes and nasty images take place on orgy scenes with goat included . Packs luxurious scenarios with a lush corridor plenty of sculptures and careful cinematography showing glamorous sets by known Joe DÁmato , though cheesy special effects on the levitation scenes . Creepy and adequate to terror musical score composed by Ennio Morricone and conducted by Bruno Nicolai . The motion picture was regularly directed by Alberto De Martino . He's an Italian craftsman , working from the 60s in all kind of genres and B movies . As he directed Peplum (Secret seven , Spartan gladiators , Invincible gladiator , Valley of stone men) , Spaghetti Western (Django shoots first , Providence , Charge of seven cavalry) , Warlike (Dirty heroes) , European spy genre (OK Connery , Operation Lady Chaplin) , and Terror (Miami Golem , Horror , Holocaust 2000) , among others. Rating : acceptable and passable , though sometimes embarrassing .

I remember seeing this movie when I worked at one of my local video stores back in 1998. The description of the movie on the box was rather hilarious as it is obviously bashing itself by saying "Move over Linda Blair". Yes, this is one of the many rip-offs of the famous Friedkin directed film "The Excorcist". Now, just because it was a blatant rip-off does not mean that it wasn't a decent film.First of all, this movie has a very good and creepy soundtrack done by Ennio Morricone. If it weren't for the soundtrack this movie would not have been very good. Second, one of the leading stars in the movie is the infamous Mel Ferrer who has been in many Italian horror flicks in the later part of his acting career. Third, the atmosphere of this movie is actually very well done. It was done well enough to keep your interest high.Unfortuanitly, the down parts of the movie are when the lead actress who gets possessed starts talking just like Linda Blair in "The Excorcist" and she also starts vomiting green crap all over the place just like in "The Excorcist". But if you are a fan of this genre of film making than you can overlook these blatant rip-offs. All in all, I liked this movie. It is nothing great but still enjoyable and worth watching. 7\10 stars

The Tempter is a great cheesy devil flick; it rates right up there with The Eerie Midnight Horror Show and House of Exorcism ! Cheesy effect, but some great shock value ! The mix of out of work American actors, funky clothes, and some great gross out effects make this one worthwhile. Most of the Italian Horror flicks of the time were cheesy, but worth some great laughs. There are some great creepy and blasphemous scenes in this flick, including some nudity and crazy stuff! A lot of these flicks were very melodramatic and I think added to the movie. Some great visuals and interesting symbolism make this movie a great one to throw on at parties and yuk it up! Highly recommended !