Customer Reviews

Malatesta's Carnival of Blood

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

You haven't seen anything quite like this before. Highly recommended for those who like their horror tinged with a little bit of camp. A product of the seventies, Malatesta's Carnival of Blood mixes trippy art direction and camera work with a truly ghoulish storyline. An odd assortment of spooky characters, including one played by Herve de Villechaize (of Fantasy Island fame), inhabits an old carnival with some dark secrets. The cinematography, obscure lighting, and an intense soundtrack contribute to the hypnotic, edgy feel of the movie. This is a real cult classic, weird, spooky and entertaining. As a plus, this DVD edition is very nicely designed and packaged, and features some amusingly grisly outtakes.

How can anyone be so low on this movie? This 70's drive-in flick is a gem that easily earns its place in horror film history. With wide angle views and a moody color palette, this film achieves an original feel that to me borders on modern art. The atmosphere is oppressive and dreamlike and the accompanying experimental soundtrack manages to reinforce the spookiness of the picture. Admittedly, there is a shortage of gore, but if you take a look at the outtakes, you wont be disappointed. (My guess is they cut some of it out to achieve a 70's R rating.) At times the story is hard to follow but MCOB was fascinating enough to hold my attention. Also, while Herve Villechaize does make limited appearances, his stature along with his thick french accent add to the bizarre nature of what I'd say is essential viewing for horror film fans.

Based in a carnival inhabited by ghouls, freaks and cannibals. A "normal" family moves to town and the question throughout is 'will they make it out in time?'

GENIUS bottom of the barrel cinema that marches to the beat of its own drummer. WHAT is going on in this movie...I dunno...but it sure was fun.

Home alone . . . late at night . . . I'll just pop in this new DVD featuring Herve de Villechaize . . . (ten minutes later) Quick, under the covers! Lots of blood! LOOK at that guy! If you want the rush of your childhood trips to the local carnival with its quirky music, rank smells and inexplicable drafts that slide across the back of your neck, then this is the flick for you. Get the popcorn and your comforter but leave a light on somewhere.

A strange 70s horror title that I'd never heard of, "Malatesta's Carnival of Blood" is an ultra-low budget movie that makes the most of its cheesy sets. The carnival setting is perfect for such a weird story, and the film benefits from some clever ideas, like the zombies in the basement watching silent movies. Although the movie is cheap, cheap, cheap, it's still well worth seeing for the atmosphere and its unique trippy film making style. You won't see anything like this again!

This low, low-budget film was shot on location at Willow Grove Park in the early 1970's. The park was once a grand amusement park just outside Philadelphia. During its heyday, the park was a thriving landmark and was the summer home of John Phillip Susa. By the time this movie was shot at the park, it was a moribund façade of its former glory. This just adds to the creepiness of the atmosphere of this film. I grew up in Willow Grove. The park was a large part of my childhood. I watched the film recognizing images of my feckless youth flicker by my eyes. If you grew up in the area and fondly remember Willow Grove Park, do your self a favor and seek out this film. It will give you a rush of memories. The park is now longer there. It is now a shopping mall that bears its name.

I purchased this DVD for a long-time friend who was an extra - one of a number of zombie-ghouls - during the making of the film (~1973). Before sending it to my friend I watched it, since I'd never seen the finished product. Watching it was actually quite difficult, but not because of horror or gore, which was more often implied, and the "special effects" caused little reaction. It was difficult to get through because the film has very little discernible plot, an almost complete lack of continuity, and extremely limited productions value/s. Herve V. hardly appears in the film at all (I'm not complaining), but additional screen time for/by him would not, could not have improved the overall result. The friend for whom I purchased the DVD was amused to receive it, but doubted he would actually watch it, recalling the reaction of someone else who attended the "premiere", when the director, crew, cast, and invited friends were mingling in the lobby after the screening. Apparently no one had much to say, and the awkward near silence was broken by one viewer who asked the director the best-distilled response I can think of to this work: "Why?"

I'm also a fan of low-budget, and B-flick flops, but this baby just didn't do anything for me. I was intrigued with the whole concept; a lost 70's thriller with little Herv, and some reviews praising this like it's a jewel of a flick. The story is just too incoherant for me. I couldn't wait to pop it out of the player, and get it to my used dvd guy. Hey, I respect anyone who likes it, but unfortunately for me, I found this to be unwatchable.

Yeesh; I cannot believe I spent $20 on this DVD. When I initially read about MCOB, it sounded promising in a Something Weird Video kinda way; after all, I love myself some Blood Freak; The Sinful Dwarf; Satan's Children etc. With Herve Villechaize and thought to be lost for 30 years? Sign me up! But after watching it, I dunno why anybody particularly cares that it was lost. Doesn't make (much) sense, is lacking in plot, is lacking in gore (very important particularly if you've got the word BLOOD in the title no?!), Herve's in it for two minutes or something, has the very common 70s problem of bad lighting... Look people, not having a plot or a very poorly-organized one DOES NOT make a movie "surreal" or any other big college word like that. It just means it's not good, OK? The best I can say for this movie is that it has a very proto-House Of 1000 Corpses vibe to it and that Mr. Blood reminds me a bit of Bob Newhart and/ or Kelsey Grammar but that's about it.