Haeckel's Tale (2006)

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

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

"Haeckel's Tale" takes place in the XIX century, which contributes to the dark and gloomy atmosphere, but the story itself is very slow and without tension, and twist is unsatisfying. It left me with the impression of a dark fairy tale more than horror. Film culminates in one of the most bizarre sex scene I've ever seen and, if for nothing else, it's worth watching this episode. Trust me, you won't forget it any time soon.6/10

Originally slated for George Romero's directorial whims--Haeckel's Tale--Based on a short story by Clive Barker--is a gruesome take revolving around necrophilia, necromancy, and of course Ernst Haeckel (Derek Cecil.) The film journey begins by showing a man desperately in love with his deceased wife. So much so, that he pursues an old woman evidently capable of raising the dead. However, he finds that his request is not as easy as he'd hoped for and must entertain the tale of Haeckel, as orated by the old hag, before he makes a final decision about his lady six feet under.The rationality of medicine & science drive Ernst Haeckel on his quest to prove reanimation is possible without God. That in fact, God is completely unnecessary in such matters. Needless to say, his pious peers are less than impressed when he sets a corpse on fire in his laboratory during a Dr. Frankenstein type experiment gone terribly amiss. Later on, Haeckel meets with the great necromancer: Montesquino. A sideshow act to some. Ernst thinks he's a charlatan, but is convinced otherwise via the help of his own senses and clamoring from the Wolfram's who let him stay at their house while en route to see his sick father. Which is another reason for Ernst's interest in necromancy... Not to mention his interest in Elise (Who the hell wouldn't be?) Anyhow, Elise is established as a necrophiliac who humps her dead husband in the graveyard surrounded by wandering corpses who join in on the orgy orchestrated by Montesquino. A ritual Haeckel & Mr. Wolfram will eventually partake in. After all, it's all about sex & death in the bloodied necropolis.This is a cool film. From the excellent script, acting, costumes, photography...it's got everything you could want, really. Most of all it feels authentic. And oh yeah, the end is pretty creepy...Mr. McNaughton, you've done well! I will definitely look into your oeuvre now, sir.Leela Savasta! You're stunning... I want to see the remake of Black Christmas now. Heh.

George A. Romero was originally meant to direct this episode of Masters of Horror and I really think he should have. The undead is his area of expertise and I think this episode would have been one of the best if he had been behind the camera. Unfortunately he dropped out and was replaced by John McNaughton, who I thought would be able to direct a rather disturbing little movie (as he did the controversial horror Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer). Unfortunately this episode was quite boring up until the final 20 or so minutes where it gets quite interesting and weird. But the first 40 minutes are quite boring with not a lot happening although I never completely lost interest. It was rather disappointing that this episode never reached its full potential as the plot was extremely interesting.2/5.

Masters of Horror: John McNaughton: Haeckel's Tale: 7 out of 10: Can one justify seeing a rather pedestrian one hour episode simply because a gorgeous woman has one of the most bizarre and erotic sex scenes near the films "climax"? I'm certainly going to try.First the pedestrian stuff. This is an historical horror movie, all horse drawn carriages and talk of electricity. It's nice for a change of pace and is well done here.The films main character is that old chestnut "a man of science". He is trying to replicate Victor Frankenstein's experiments and is instead setting corpses on fire. The movie takes a very unexpected turn as he is summoned to his dying father and precedes on a leisurely peregrination kind of like that the gay character takes in As Good As It Gets.On his jaunt he runs into a Necromancer that raise people from the dead for a fee who is very well played by Coen favorite Jon Polito (A cheap talented Danny DeVito). Man of science is curious but disparages the hocus pocus mystical explanation of the necromancers skills.The movie continues to meander much like the main character until he ends up at the house of a weird old man and his too young and beautiful wife. This is where my patience with the film paid off.Leela Savasta made such an impression on me I immediately want to see the rest of her films… both of them. Heck I want to buy an office block in Vancouver. (She sells Canadian real estate as well as acting and modeling). Yes I turned from bemused viewer to gushing fan boy almost immediately.So in conclusion movie is decent albeit slow and Savasta will make a man leave his wife and travel a continent and buy a small affordable Canadian strip mall. Or at the very least see that new Black Christmas remake.