We
open up with a mysterious motorcyclist pursuing a muscle car on a curvy
highway. The driver looks arrogant and doesn’t seem to want to let the
biker pass him. They both soon stop to pick up a beautiful hitchhiker.
She chooses the car for obvious reasons but Captain Arragonto
immediately gets a case of the happy hands on her bare leg, which she
removes. Soon, at a rest stop, we meet the cyclist; Fred and the
beautiful hitchhiker, Laura. He approaches her and she invites him to
sit. She explains that she may have chosen poorly and decides to try
riding with him.
Awe
the seventies; everyone was so much more free spirited. After a brief
confrontation with Mr. Porter (the arrogant would be rapist), the couple
head out on the open road. They stop off at a pub for some food. While
looking at a map they decide to drive on in spite of the approaching
darkness and rolling fog.
After
getting lost in the fog, the new couple tries to flag down a passing
Rolls Royce. The car almost runs Fred over and certainly doesn’t bother
to stop. They catch a glimpse of the license plate before it disappears
into the fog.
The
set up is quite complicated. Though we are following the couple on the
motorcycle we are introduced to an older couple with ties to a financial
plot, a rich woman with a traumatic past and of course Mr. Porter.
They
all eventually find their way to the mansion, where truths are
revealed, past explored and people turn up dead. Is it the reincarnated
witch, the zombies in the grave yard, one of the wandering group or
their kind hostess?
Miss
Clinton, the owner of the mansion gives several conflicting stories and
has the prerequisite old portrait on the wall that resembles her
greatly but supposedly is not her. She opens her doors to the travellers
and invites them into her madness…or gets lost in theirs.
So
how are the characters? They are an eclectic bunch to say the least.
Fred (the motorcyclist) as played by Andres Resino is a rouge charmer. A
nice enough guy, but with an edge and a self assuredness.
Anna
Lisa Nardi is drop dead gorgeous as Laura the hitchhiker. She is fun
and comes off as believable even when she says cheesy lines like “I
going with you, I trust you” after five minutes…like I said, awe the
seventies.
Analia
Gade as Elsa the heiress is given the most back-story which may through
you until the end. She plays it on the edge better than any actress
I’ve seen from the era except maybe Leslie Anne Warren.
Mr.
Porter, the resident jerk, is played by Francisco Fantasia (really!) I
can’t ever imagine him doing anything else. Genre fav Evelyn Stewart is
fun and sometimes frightening as Miss Clinton, who may be a vampire and a
witch (!) she seems to savor every line and brings an understated
sensuality to her bedroom scenes with Analia Gade
Finally
the Tremont’s. They have their own issues as the older couple who
arrive by happenstance. Mr. Tremont is kind of the straight man in this
whole ordeal and does well though actor Eduardo Fajardo is used to more
active roles. Yelena Samarina is good as Mrs. Tremont lending a
believable vulnerability to this wacky tale.
The
set design is atmospheric in an Old Dark House kind of way and the
score is dynamic. I love a good, creepy foggy cemetery and this film
does not disappoint. Likewise with the mansion, it is homey and warm and
cold and spooky all at the same time. The scenery is pleasant and
really set the road picture mood before turning that on its ear.
The
plot is front heavy with back story and you may get lost if you’re not
paying attention. Even if you do get lost you’ll be caught up at the
end. There are hangings, burning bodies and even people shot! Creepy
dead people floating through the halls and appearing in bed with you
like a scene out of The Haunted Mansion!
This
is a hard film to talk about because of how it’s put together but I
hope you will be intrigued enough to check this one out. You can get it
pretty cheap from Amazon or if you really want to treat yourself, order a
beautiful widescreen copy subtitled in English from one of the
collector sites specializing in rare and out of print horror.
Murder
Mansion came out in 1972 from an Italian/Spanish co production deal and
directed by Francisco Lara Polop. It is often referred to as a Scooby
doo mystery and I don’t want to say why but that sentiment is not
totally without merit. It is a witch’s cauldron of horror themes, part
Haunted house, mystery, Giallo, and supernatural thriller, this film is
not gonna change cinema, but it is a fun time at the movies.
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