Customer Reviews

The Antichrist

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Forget the derviative plot (why do so many of you who claim to love Italian horror make a point out of criticzing its cannon as derviative? It is a given). This movie is a triumph of color cinematography (by notorius Italian Porn Director Joe A'Amato, no less), blue screen imaging, grotesque sex, and well-informed blasphemy. While "L'Antichristo" is an "Exorcist" clone, it has its truly original elements, and a stronger Roman Catholic flavor than William Peter Blatty's creations. THIS IS NO HACK JOB!! Alberto De Martino made a technicolor beauty to rival and presage"Suspiria" in the annals of Italian horror.

Carla Gravina's possessed Hippolita is, at different turns, campily repulsive and sexy. Gravina plays her part straight faced and hard bodied.

As for shock, Gravina's repressed memory of her past life's conversion to a "Daughter of Satan" is the most grotesque and disturbing mockery of Catholic ritual committed to film.

In "L'Antichristo," the traditional characteristics of possession are treated less as symptoms, and more as combat techniques. Head spinning becomes a form of murder, and vomit becomes a missile weapon.

As for visuals, you have to see the eerie and out of proportion scene where Hippolita levitates out of a window!!

There are scarier "Exorcist" clones than "L'Antichristo," but none more masterful and visually stunning. I have a friend of a friend of a friend who somehow wrangled an advance copy of this DVD, and, after years of hearing about this movie being essential Italian horror, I'm glad for the sneak preview.

There is not much in the way of extras on this disc, except for a 10-minute interview with De Martino and score composer Ennio Morricone (who scored "Exorcist 2," as well), a stills gallery, and a spare American trailer. Though few, I loved the extras.

A must for monster movie geeks everywhere. Thank you Anchor Bay; you'll have my money next Tuesday.

In the city of Rome, a troubled young woman named Ippolita loses all her faith in God and others when nothing seems to be able to cure her paralysis and her father's attentions shift to another. A doctor brought in to help cure her apparently psychological affliction begins to experiment with hypnosis, opening a door to a past life that would be better left closed. All Hell breaks loose, quite literally, when Ippolita decides to let Satan into her life again and soon finds herself the devil's tool for bringing about his victory on Earth.

"The Antichrist", also known as "The Tempter", is a flawed but surprisingly good little Italian horror film. No doubt, a fair portion of the film (the latter part) is an "Exorcist" wannabe, but everything that leads up to the big exorcism is really quite different and interesting. And, yes, there's a big orgy scene during a Satanic ceremony at one point, and yes, it does involve Ippolita tasting the business end of a goat, but that part is more implied than anything. Now, as for the "rip-off" exorcism aspect (though I don't see why we should only have one film involving an exorcism and call all others "rip-offs"), yeah, some of the effects are laughable and it doesn't have the scares of the classic Linda Blair film (and Carla Gravina is no hottie-hot-hottie Linda Blair), but it still works for the story being presented and has its own, lighter brand of creepiness. I did find it rather amusing how the characters of the film constantly sent mixed messages about what they believed in, in regards to supernatural vs. science, as well as claiming things like psychic phenomenon to be established scientific facts, but on the whole this movie is successful as what it should be, a piece of entertainment. It is entertaining throughout, and the story is engaging.

"The Antichrist", which also stars Mel Ferrer and Arthur Kennedy, is available here from Anchor Bay in a nice enhanced widescreen. Bonus features include a TV spot, a poster and still gallery, and "Raising Hell", which is an interview with the film's director, Alberto De Martino. Composer Ennio Morricone also takes part. If you're a fan of horror in general, this is well worth owning if you aren't the type to call everything a rip-off or be turned off by a few cheesy effects. Don't expect too much, but it is entertaining at least.

This is pretty scary, well that's what I thought. Not as good as THe Omen or The Exorcist, or even Rosemary's Baby, but it is definately worth a look. Watch it alone in the dark for the ultimate fright.

An implied scene of a woman licking out the business end of a goat, if that don't make you wanna see this movie then maybe seeing Alida Valli (EYES WITHOUT A FACE, SUSPIRIA) get a face full of high powered vomit will.

Obviously made to cash in on THE EXORCIST bandwagon I found it to be just as good as THE EXORCIST despite its cheesy special effects. Then again I never cared for THE EXORCIST.

Cripple Ippolita (and she's as pretty as her name) goes to a hypnotist for help with her leg problem but instead uncovers past life memories of being part of a Satan worshiping cult that also finds goats sexy. Before you can say "inverted cross" Ippolita has made love to an invisible demon, seduced her androgynous brother, attacked some priests, floated around the room, violently re-arranged the furniture, cussed loudly, broke the neck of a Leif Garrett look-alike, screamed a lot, grabbed her crotch even more and ate the head of a toad.

Much better than I ever expected it to be, I'd watch THE ANTICHRIST again and that's saying a lot. I was also very interested in the wild 70's interiors. Check it out.

THE ANTICHRIST sounds a lot scarier / controversial than it actually is. Sure, there's the goat-butt scene of ickiness, but that's short and (blessedly!) shown from a distance. Then, there is the infamous "Jesus woody" picture that I also could have done without. The rest is sort of a cross between BLACK SUNDAY, and THE EXORCIST (green puke, potty-mouth and all). The last 20 minutes are fun to watch, loaded w/ overwrought histrionics and an extremely high cheeeze factor. THE ANTICHRIST belongs on any horror shelf, right next to LISA AND THE DEVIL...

Anchor Bay produced this classic spin-off of The Exorcist. This is actually one of Anchor Bay's better movies. The worst Anchor Bay movie that I have seen so far is "The Church". The AntiChrist features good actors with a good storyline. Don't miss this one! Demonic possession, cults, secret plots, suicides, and murders make this a 5 star b movie.

The lead actress in "Antichrist" looks a little bit like Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby. The film is slow at first, until the erotic dream/incubus sequence, which is rather weak, and not particularly erotic. A body double was obviously used for the nude scenes, and it cheapens the film. The film had good potential, and manages to be creepy in scenes, but towards the end, you can tell where entire scenes were stolen from the American blockbuster. Too much cussing,levitating and green pea soup, not enough actual originality, like "Alucarda" had. All in all, a good piece of Italian Giallo to own if you love the genre, but just another in a long line of rip offs.

this is still a very scary movie and I'd recomend it to fans of The Exorcist, Prince of Darkness, The Seventh Sign, The Omen, and Rosemary's Baby. If you happen to see at a Blockbuster or Best Buy, I'd suggest buting it. It is very good, and criminally underated.

I found this movie quite entertaining, but it is far from perfect. I bought the DVD because Alida Valli is in it, and I am a fan of hers. There are some really disturbing scenes like the first one with all those fanatics and desperate people begging the Virgin for a solution to their problems. But there are also some that are truly hilarious (and not in a good way), as the special effects employed seem so ridiculous and dated. If you like films about exorcisms, then I'd recommend you start with The Exorcist, and if you still want more, you might give this one a try.

This movie is very underated... why?,... because of the huge shadow of The Exorcist. It's actually not a spin-off, It's just that in the late 70's and early 80's, the demonic and withcraft theme was so attractive and strong enough to create a period in the movie bussiness, just as slasher movies, dissaster movies, etc., for example Alucarda, Evil Dead, etc.

What makes this film different is the shocking visual elements, specialy the ones about religion and withcraft. The infamous goat-orgy scene, the blasphemous image of Christ, the constant sexual references, etc. The Exorcist it's a masterpiece... but this movie is an artisan work, like an expressionist painting, where you can see the imperfections, realizing that this imperfections are the ones that make it so perfect.

If you think that "Scream" it's a horror movie, if you think that Lucio Fulcci it's a gangster in "Goodfellas", if you expect to see the devil in person designed by Dreamworks, and want to see devilish CGI images, you're gonna hate this film. But, If you're a horror fan... A TRUE HORROR FAN, then you already have this DVD, or you've heard of it.

This movie it's not The Exorcist (the greatest horror movie of all time). It's different,... and great.