Two Evil Eyes

[rilocay]

http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/225255


Argento & Romero can't be a bad mix, but seeing as i havnt heard fo this before hand, im here to ask is it any good, have you seen it, what you thought, etc. Shed some light on it for me as i want to check out as much Argento work as i can.

thanks.

[42ndStreetFreak]

Well...they can certainly not be a very good mix.

Romero's is like a PG-13 TV show episode and lacks anything remotley cinematic.
Argento's is far better, but the short time he has and with U.S cinema mainstream sensibilities to cater to it's only average fare.

It killed Argento's already wobbly resolve to work in America again and you can see why.

Romero is simply on auto pilot (AND...if you have seen the extended version of the "Document of the Dead" documentary where they meet up with Romero years later on the set of this film, you will see just how bored he looks at the whole enterprise). and it's certainly a long way from the glory days.
Not a complete drop into the crapper like latter day John Carpenter atrocities, but very, very much a let down.

[spacemonkey]

Damn...Im actually waiting for this film in the mail....I ordered it through columbia house and it should be here any day now.

It certainly cant be all that bad...Ive read some positive reviews, but now that I remember a lot of them say that its not their best work.

Still Im incredibly curious about this film.

[blacksnake]

Two Evil Eyes, is a film with two different movies in it each by a different director and each based on a story by Edgar Allan Poe, but modernized. The first story is The Facts In The Case Of Mr. Valdemar, which is directed by horror director George A Romero. It is about Jessica Valdemar, who is married to an older man named Ernest Valdemar. Ernest, is at their home in bed and dying and Jessica, is having an affair with Dr. Robert Hoffman, who is taking care of Ernest, and also knows a lot about hypnosis and puts Ernest under hypnosis so he will sign away all his money to Jessica. Ernest eventually dies and Jessica, knows that the suspicious man at the law office will suspect something so they hide him in the freezer and will act like he is still alive for another few weeks. Ernest, was still in hypnosis when he died and now he is stuck in his mind and before enterting the afterlife. Ernest, can talk through his mind to Robert, and Jessica, and soon leaves the freezer so he can go back to normal and go to the afterlife. The next story is The Black Cat (not in any way related to the 1934 cult film of the same name with Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, which is based on the story The Black Cat, by Edgar Allan Poe), directed by horror director Dario Argento. The story is about a photographer named Roderick Usher, who has his girlfriend Annabel, living with him. Roderick, mostly takes crime photos and Annabel, is a music teacher. One day a black cat is in their home and Annabel, wants to keep it. Roderick, does not like the cat much and soon photographs himself killing it and puts it in his new photography book. Annabel, does not know where the cat is but suspects that Roderick, has killed it and threatens to leave him until he kills her and builds a new wall in his house and hides her behind it. Roderick, now has to make it seem like she left him but friends and neighbours are getting suspicious and even though Roderick, thought it was dead, the black cat keeps on returning. Both directors like Edgar Allan Poe very much (especially Dario Argento) and thsi is their ode to him. Both stories are very interesting and play out well and are very entertaining. We have good direction from both directors as well as good screenplays, some good performances from the actors even if it does seem like they are overacting at times, good original music, good cinematography, good set decoration and special makeup effects. This film reminds me of the stories you would see on the Tales From The Crypt television show from the 80's with it's unique horror stories and the director's ways of portraying them. Two Evil Eyes, is an entertaining and fun horror movie that was ignored when it came to theaters in October of 1991 and only brought in a couple thousand dollars to the box office when it was made for nine million dollars. I'm sure horror fans and fans of the two horror directors will discover and enjoy this film on video and DVD.

[spacemonkey]

Hey Blacksnake, cool review thanks for the info. Im glad not everybody thinks this one is shit.

Question: do you believe in paragraphs dude? They are easier on the eyes. :D

[countchocula]

Romero's half is average. It's as generic as can be, but the cast is solid and the gory final shot is a keeper. I abhorred Argento's half. The man is an acquired taste, and I just can't get into his body of work.

[blacksnake]

spacemonkey thanks for the good words about my review. Sorry about the paragraph thing though.

[rilocay]

Thancks everyone for their input. If i see it at the vid store ill check it out. Thanks.