Product Details

• Actors: José Calvo, Irina Demick, Tony Isbert, Camille Keaton, Paul Muller
• Directors: Riccardo Freda
• Format: Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: Unrated
• Studio: Dark Sky Films
• DVD Release Date: January 29, 2008
• Run Time: 87 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000MGBSOE
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #55,055 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Tragic Ceremony" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

From the twisted mind of Ricardo Freda first Maestro of Italian Gothic Horror! Ducking out of a summer storm four hippies (led by Camille Keaton star of I Spit on Your Grave) take refuge in the seemingly abandoned Villa Alexander unaware that their hosts (Twitch of the Death Nerve's Luigi Pistilli and Thunderball's Luciana Paluzzi) are staging a satanic sacrifice. When the ceremony ends in a blood-soaked orgy of violence the hippies flee the villa only to find themselves accused of committing a Manson-style massacre. (In Italian with English subtitles)Special Features:Trailer Camille s European Adventures featurette with Camille KeatonSystem Requirements:Running time: 87 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR/SLASHER UPC: 030306812892 Manufacturer No: DVD8128

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The pearl necklace, a dune buggy & hippies. Enter: Tragic Ceremony, August 3, 2009

By	The Straw Man "J.E. Hoppock" (Aloof October on April's Birthday) - See all my reviews

This is one interesting little piece of cinema. Made in 1972 (I believe) "Tragic Ceremony" is quite a disturbing film. The movie is about four young adults in the 1970s or as they were formerly labeled "hippies". The lone female of group is Camille Keaton of the cult classic "I Spit on Your Grave".

The movie opens with the quartet on rather large sailboat enjoying a lovely summer afternoon. Then these four young adults end up riding around in a dune buggy that just can't seem to hold a tank of gas. As soon as an ominous rain storm comes (aren't all rain storms ominous in these types of movies?) our youngsters take shelter in an old mansion.

Once in the mansion, Camille Keaton's character Jane is separated from the boys, via the dubious proprietors. The fellows are given their own area to dwell in, since the proprietors are being so kind to let these "kids" spend the night out of the rain. However, after a while these fellows feel something isn't right and search for Jane. Once they find Jane they detect she is part of a "Tragic Ceremony", hence the title of the film. Well I don't want to give the entire plot of this movie away, albeit it isn't the most complete story in the world and my description thus far as been paraphrased. Not to mention my omission of the McGuffin that is the pearl necklace.

This movie appears that it would be a standard Giallo (Italian mystery/thriller), yet "Tragic Ceremony" is a gothic horror movie at its best. I must confess that some of the angles, lighting and situations in this movie were very eerie and creepy. The scene where Jane is walking down a staircase with only candlelight guiding her was a very spooky occurrence. Even when the movie was over, I was mulling over what I had witnessed.

In contrast, there were some parts that I found rather, dare I say humorous. Aspects of the "Tragic Ceremony" were sort of funny. Things like body parts and large quantities of blood flying around induced and enticed my warped sense of humor. Nevertheless, this gave the movie much charm.

Dark Sky has done a good job bringing this movie to DVD. The picture is clear, as is the sound. However, it must be appreciated that this is an Italian horror movie. Therefore, the original dialect has been left. What does that mean? It translates that this movie must be watched with English subtitles. There is no dubbing in this movie. So unless you understand Italian, the subtitles are your only way to watch this film. I have watched my fair share of subtitled films and watching this flick with subtitles didn't bother me. Again, it added charm to the film.

The DVD also features the trailer/preview for "Tragic Ceremony", which I suggest watching AFTER you watch the movie. The trailer/preview pretty much shows all the best parts of the film while it simultaneously gives much of the story away. There is also an interview with Camille Keaton that was done rather recently. She speaks about some of her acting history and shares some stories about her days making movies. I found this to be really interesting and I must confess that Ms. Keaton is still a very attractive woman.

So if you are in the mood for an obscure and uncanny foreign horror film that is saturated with 70s ethos, then do yourself a favor and watch "Tragic Ceremony".

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Italian Cult Gothic Horror , May 21, 2008

By	Bartok Kinski "A casual stroll through the lu... (Prague) - See all my reviews

This somehow odd film from Italian Cult Gothic Horror director Freda ("Dr. Hichcock") is almost unknown. Made a year after his rough Giallo "L'Iguana Dalla Lingua di Fuoco" the title suggests yet another Giallo. But, in fact, this film is not a Giallo at all - but a Gothic horror story about a cursed pearl necklace and a strange Satan's Cult which gets confronted by a hippie quartet on a day out. The story sounds unique.

Made on a very low budget, Freda made more than the best out of it and created a strange movie with all the classic Gothic elements, and also boosts a handful of astonishing gore effects that echo the rude sequences of his Giallo a year before.

The cast is lead by Camille Keaton of "I Spit on Your Grave" fame, while Luigi Pistilli delivers another neat performance as the leader of the strange Cult. The soundtrack is composed by Stelvio Cipriani and is cool as usual. A film worth looking for despite its rarity.

5 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hidden treasure, July 23, 2008

By	Mr. Lars Helmstein "pirate lover" (Paris - France) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"Tragic Ceremony" is a little known film by Riccardo Freda (the title doesn't even appear in recent filmographies of the director). This edition on DVD has allowed me to discover a genuine masterpiece of a great italian director.