DVD Collectors Online

The Perfume of the Lady in Black, a review by Danae Cassandra

The Perfume of the Lady in Black (Il profumo della signora in nero)
Year of Release: 1974
Directed By: Francesco Barilli
Starring: Mimsy Farmer, Maurizio Bonuglia, Mario Scaccia, Jho Jhenkins, Nike Arrighi
Genre: Horror, Suspense/Thriller, Giallo

Overview:
Director Francesco Barilli's hallucinatory giallo horror-thriller stars Mimsy Farmer who portrays Sylvia, a chemist who begins to suffer from strange visions; a mysterious woman in black applying perfume in a mirror appears to her and strangers follow her everywhere she goes. Barilli's psychological investigation into the workings of the mind becomes apparent when it is revealed that as a child, Sylvia committed a horrible crime. The slow progression from successful scientist to a woman on the verge of insanity shows an in-depth look at the intricacies of the haunted mind. This is a remarkable film, weaving reality, fantasy and memory into an almost seamless fabric.

My Thoughts:
This is my first giallo, and it bodes well for my enjoyment of the genre. There is some gore at the end of the film, but for the most part this is psychological horror. This was a beautiful film with a genuinely foreboding, ever-deepening, aura of palpable dread. The viewer knows there's something wrong here, and even the most mundane objects become talismans of fear. I thought Mimsy Farmer did a great job as Sylvia, and found her descent into madness to be very believable. If none of the other actors are as good, they still each convey a level of suspicion about them. Everything conspires to keep the viewer wondering what is real, and what is in Sylvia's mind. Unsettling, uneasy, and and disturbing. Recommended.

Watched For: Scavenger Hunt #18, Hoop-tober 3.0

Bechdel Test: Pass
Mako Mori Test: Pass

Overall: 3.75/5

(From Horror/Halloween 2016 Challenge on October 1st, 2016)

Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles, a review by addicted2dvd

Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994/United States) IMDb |Wikipedia |Trailer | Warner Home Video Director: Neil Jordan Writing: Anne Rice (Screenwriter), Anne Rice (Original Material By) Length: 123 min. Rating: Rated R : Vampire Violence and Gore and Sexuality Video: Widescreen 1.78:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Spanish: Dolby Digital: Mono, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

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Stars:
Brad Pitt as Louis
Christian Slater as Malloy
Virginia McCollam as Whore on Waterfront
John McConnell as Gambler
Tom Cruise as Lestat
Mike Seelig as Pimp

Plot:
The undead are among us and livelier than ever when Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and a talented group of youngbloods star in this spellbinding screen adaptation of Anne Rice's bestseller.

Cruise stylishly plays the supremely evil and charismatic vampire Lestat. Pitt is Louis, lured by Lestat into the immortality of the damned. Stephen Rea, Antonio Banderas, Christian Slater and Kirsten Dunst co-star. Hypnotically directed by Neil Jordan from a screenplay by Rice, Interview with the Vampire offers enough thrills, shocks and fiendish fun to last a lifetime - and beyond.

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Audio Commentary
• Feature Trailers
• Featurettes
• Introduction by Anne Rice, Neil Jordon and Antonio Banderas

My daughter has been reading the books this film is based on. As we were on the phone last night she was telling me about how much she enjoyed the book. Talking about parts of the book and such... putting me in the mood for the movie. While out running errands today I see the blu-ray sitting on the shelf at one of the stores. I just couldn't help myself but to pick it up!

It has been years since I saw this one... so long in fact that I forgot just how much I enjoy this movie. I personally find this one more interesting then I do horrific. It gives you a view into vampirism from the vampire's point of view. A very interesting take indeed. I enjoyed every minute of it.. the 2 hours it lasted just flew by as I watched... definitely a sign of a good movie. If by any chance you never seen this one before... I highly recommend it!



(From What Movies I Been Watching on May 30th, 2014)

NCIS Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

1. BURY YOUR DEAD
The shocking truth to a major secret is revealed with an explosive and deadly conclusion in the final showdown between the NCIS team and an elusive arms dealer.

My Thoughts:
This is a great start to the fifth season. It makes you think we are about to lose one of our main characters again. I really enjoyed every minute of it. So much so that I instantly watched it a second time with the commentary on. The commentary is with Michael Weatherly (Tony) with... and this was a fun surprise... his mother.

My Rating:

2. FAMILY
A startling discovery in an autopsy of a murdered Petty Officer leads Ducky and the NCIS team to search for a missing child. Meanwhile,Tony's feelings for Jeanne become more pronounced.

My Thoughts:
This is kind of an average episode. The main storyline really felt no more then a filler episode. Though I did like the side story of how Tony is handling loosing his girlfriend.

My Rating:

3. EX-FILE
While Investigating the murder of a Marine captain, Gibbs comes face to face with his past when a witness in the case turns out to be his ex-wife.

My Thoughts:
Not a bad episode... but I have definitely seen better. We once again have Colonel Mann in this episode. Which is really fun since we also have one of Gibbs ex-wives.

My Rating:

4. IDENTITY CRISIS
The NCIS team uncovers a web of criminal intrigue after Ducky determines that an unidentified cadaver is a career felon with unmistakable ties to a criminal mastermind.

My Thoughts:
This is a good episode. But definitely just a standard filler episode. No long running storylines really worked on or anything like that.

My Rating:

(From NCIS Marathon on December 28th, 2009)