Poe X 3

 

 (imdb)

SPIRITS OF THE DEAD-1968-3 tales loosely based on stories by the legendary Edgar Allen Poe by 3 different directors. 

The first is "Metzengerstein" by Roger Vadim, about a cruel countess (Jane Fonda) whose life of debauchery is changed by the death of her mysterious cousin (Peter Fonda) and a wild horse he owned. "William Wilson" by Louis Malle is about a psychotic man (Alain Delon) plagued by another man who has the same name. He plays cards with a woman (Bridgitte Bardot) and wins by cheating. To pay her debt, he whips her but the other Wilson exposes him. They have a duel; both end up dying. "Toby Dammit" by Federico Fellini is about a burnout film star (Terence Stamp) who agrees to be in an Italian movie because the producers promise to give him a Ferrari in lieu of payment. It seems to be a plot by the devil, in the guise of a sinister little girl, to get his head. 

Strange trilogy that could have been better. Despite the three directors, it's missing something. Originally, Orson Welles and/or Luis Bunel were supposed to direct a segment. When AIP released it in the US it had opening narration by Vincent Price.

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Huh?

 

 (indb)

BLACK MOON-1975-In the future Lily (Cathryn Harrison), a young woman, travels around the countryside in a land ravaged by a war between men and women. After seeing a unicorn, she follows a woman riding a horse and encounters some naked children playing with a pig. She enters a house where a piglet is in a highchair. After drinking a glass of milk, she's almost strangled by a bed ridden woman (Therese Giehse) who afterwards gives a description of Lily in a radio transmission (“She has a punk nose”). Later the woman seems to strangle herself to death and Lily meets the opera singing gardener (Joe Dallesandro) named Brother Lily. He and Sister Lily (Alexandra Stuart) seem to be in charge of the children. It ends with Lily getting ready to breast feed the unicorn. 

If you like movies that seem to make no sense but might be some kind of allegorical puzzle with fantasy and horror aspects, you might enjoy it. 

French director/writer Louis Malle filmed much of it on his own estate with Sven Nykrist as the cinematographer (he shot most of Igamar Bergman's films). Star Harrison (1959-2018) was the daughter of Noel Harrison and granddaughter of Rex Harrison.

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