The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave (1972)

To me, this movie is perfection.

How sad is this?

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

So last night I watched THE NIGHT EVELYN CAME OUT OF THE GRAVESTRENGTHS : Great title, movie poster, and the plot synopsis on IMDb are what hooked me. cinema photography is well done and the music is absolutely perfect. It begins with young beautiful women being seduced to a castle where the main protagonist has them undress and put on thigh high black boots before whipping them.. unfortunately from this point the plot takes a wrong turn into Scooby-doo town.WEAKNESSES: I know it is standard for 99% of Italian movies for this time period but the dubbing even when done well is still lacking. Dubbing is a sad substitute for true dialog spoken during a scene. It was even standard procedure to dub the native Italian spoken during film production. lame. The plot was seriously lifted straight from a Scooby-Doo cartoon.No good kills. a Scissor stab, Snake bite, and rock to head = boring.The story ruined it for me. 3 Stars ***- one for the eye candy, one for the music, and one for the cinema photography

Adding to the incredible amount of horror films released during the first few years of the 1970's, this giallo features Anthony Steffen as Lord Alan Cunningham, who spends the early part of this looking distraught whilst sporting the most magnificent clothes (my genuine favourite is velvety suede burgundy suit). The death of his wife Evelyn had lead to a breakdown for the Lord, and subsequent incarceration at a mental institution. Now the aristocrat is intent on luring other eager young red-heads to his expansive, crumbling mansion (his chat-up method includes grabbing them by the hair to check whether or not they are wearing a wig) for his own fetishistic games, often including the wearing of exotic thigh-length leather boots.It's all a little ponderous for the most part. One girl follows the pattern of seduction and murder, and then the plot moves onto exactly the same scenario for the next. Only when he marries Gladys (Marina Malfatti) do things become less repetitive. Cunningham's homes and grounds (the film is set in England) is a jaw-dropping location. Alan fears his mental problems may be returning when he begins to see visions of his dead wife. His cousin Farley (Umberto Raho) reveals Alan was convinced Evelyn had a lover prior to her death.As Alan once again deteriorates, deaths begin to occur (including a briefly gory incident featuring foxes nibbling on various innards) This is a solid, a rather than spectacular, giallo film with lots of well-constructed twists (especially the final one). Occasionally, the villainy verges on pantomime levels of subtlety.

Crazed wealthy English lord Alan Cunningham (well played by Anthony Steffen) frequents swanky clubs for beautiful redheaded women to take back to his remote castle in order to satisfy his deviant sexual practices. Alan meets, falls for, and decides to immediately marry the lovely Gladys (a charming portrayal by the fetching Marina Malfatti), who he hopes will pacify his troubled mind. However, there are other forces at work to drive him insane. Director Emilio Miraglia does a bang-up job of creating and maintaining a genuinely creepy atmosphere while milking the twists and turns in the tricky plot for all they're worth. Moreover, the full-on warped perversity gives the picture an extra sizzling kinky charge and the marvelous abundance of gorgeous gals aren't the least bit abashed about baring their fine bodies. The ravishing Erika Blanc positively burns up the screen as sexy stripper Susie; her coffin nightclub act is a real doozy. The luscious Maria Teresa Tofano likewise makes a strong foxy impression as brash prostitute Polly. Despite all the depraved goings-on, director Miraglia somehow manages to add an element of posh elegance to the tawdry proceedings. Kudos are also in order for the sound acting by the capable cast, with especially stand-out work from Giacomo Rossi-Stuart as concerned family physician Dr. Richard Timberlane and Enzo Tarascio as Alan's obsequious playboy cousin George Harriman. Gastone Di Giovanni's widescreen cinematography gives the picture a cool stylish look. Bruno Nicolai's groovy throbbing score hits the swinging spot. A total sleazy treat.

At times incoherent, this Italian Gothic horror piece has a wealthy aristocrat (Steffen) suffering from a psychotic in-balance that causes him to lure pretty red-heads and lookalikes of his deceased wife Evelyn to his dilapidated castle, for S&M and more. His doctor (Rossi-Stuart) is concerned about his condition and recommends he find a new wife - which he does in Malfatti, but things quickly deteriorate between the newlyweds when "Evelyn" appears to rise from her crypt.Disjointed in parts with hokey special effects and poorly contrived plot set-ups, it's often described as "giallo", but I'd disagree with that definition being applied. Gothic horror perhaps, but the essence of giallo (everyday man witnesses an apparent crime, assumes amateur detective role, becomes the target of the killer) isn't present. The cast is reasonably proficient, although the dubbing is atrocious.Not as violent or sadistic as I'd read, the scene in which the pet foxes "dine-in" on one of the scheming relatives isn't nearly as brutal as reputed (it's also very difficult to discern what's happening by virtue of the poor lighting). Atmospheric at times, the suspense never holds you for very long before it's back to the awfully dubbed dialogue and somewhat puerile haunted castle effects (endless mist, storms, creaking boards and cobwebs). There's a twist ending which partially redeems the movie, but it's too little too late and leaves a gaping plot hole in its explanation that won't go unnoticed.