Kiss Me, Kill Me (1969)

Bore me.

Unlike most Italian horror movies of the seventies which were notorious for some of their almost incomprehensible plot lines, this movie has a plot you could connect with the dots. This is not necessarilly saying a bad thing, but in this film's case, a simplistic plot of a lesbian witch trying to control a young woman via a doll and a cursed camera needed some bolstering through either some inspired acting or some kickbutt special effects. Sadly the dearth of both is painfully obvious in this film. To give Corrado Farina his due, however, his witch movie anticipated Argento's brilliant Suspiria by more than five years. Some of the same elements are in this film: creepy dream sequences, almost psychedelic flashbacks (and flashforwards!) and some inspired lighting in Baba Yaga's house. Isabelle De Funes is passable as Valentina, a player who is played by someone more expert-the lesbian witch, Baba Yaga. Lose the close-ups on her doe eyes, and keep her clothes on and I have to wonder how magnetic she still wouldn't have been. The hero, Arno, is so stereotypically macho that you will pray for his death half-way through the movie. The witch, played by Caroll Baker, could have stood for more fleshing out. Surely, keeping a dominatrix doll, cursing a camera, and concealing a gateway to hell on the first floor of your home begs a little insight into some motivation! Much of this problem may be due to the editing of the version I saw, which may have rendered parts of the film nearly nonsensical; like, for instance, why Baba Yaga is even bothering to waste her time on Valentina at all-it isn't for sexual reasons. The strengths of the movie are in Corrado Farina's frenzied direction. His blend of dream sequences, flashbacks and flashforwards (not to mention a very catchy title sequence!) Is the true reason to ride this movie out until the end. May 19, 2003

A creepily atmospheric Italian horror film

Italian horror movies invariably seem to have a special look, sound, and feeling of baroque creepiness that make them successful. I'm not so sure that Kiss Me, Kill Me (aka Baba Yaga, aka The Devil Witch aka Black Magic) is really that great of a movie, but its dark atmosphere makes it satisfyingly effective. Based to some degree on a dark comic strip, the movie's noticeably surreal quality is greatly enhanced by a haunting musical score as well as the use of grainy black and white pictures of events unfolding at certain critical times. Isabelle De Funes plays Valentina Rosselli, a photographer living in Milan. On her way home one night, she encounters a very strange lady who calls herself Baba Yaga (played by Carroll Baker). This stranger tells Valentina their meeting was predestined, and she quickly insinuates herself into the life of our protagonist. Baba Yaga, we quickly learn, is some type of witch, and she certainly looks the part in costume as well as appearance; her pasty complexion and almost-white eyebrows standing out in contrast to her red lipstick-coated mouth does make quite an impression. Valentina tries to go about her work, which involves photographing semi-nude women, but Baba Yaga gradually puts her under her spell. She has strange dreams; quite unusual things begin to happen when she takes pictures with a camera that Baba Yaga has fondled; a strange doll Baba Yaga gives her begins to seem like something more than a normal doll. The tension and suspense is carried along quite nicely throughout, but the conclusion falls a little short of making this film an unqualified success.

This is a movie best suited for adults because it does contain a fair bit of nudity, but the sex, violence, and gore is actually rather limited. Gory and erotic are not words I would use to characterize this film at all. In fact, there is essentially no blood to speak of, and the one scene of violence is not as extreme as it might first appear. Kiss Me, Kill Me generates its horror from the atmosphere it creates, and in this endeavor it is largely successful. In one very nice scene, Valentina watches an old silent movie about a golem, but the golem connection to the doll Valentina is given may be lost on some viewers lacking a foundation in old-fashioned horror. Still, though, the doll in and of itself is creepy enough to be effective. If you don't have an interest in horror at all, there is a good chance you won't enjoy Kiss Me, Kill Me. For horror aficionados, the movie stands ready to help meet your daily requirement of creepiness, but your rations of blood and gore must be obtained elsewhere. April 10, 2003

Good erotic witch tale

A somewhat strange offering that is based on folklore and erotic Italian comic books, Kiss Me, Kill Me is a first rate film set in modern Milan.

Baba Yaga (played wonderfully by Caroll Baker) is a witch who tries to seduce and control a beautiful photographer, Isabelle De Funès (Valentina Rosselli). There is a love interest for Isabelle, Arno Treves (George Eastman), who also acts as a hero in the appropriate parts. Also involved is a doll that seems to sometimes be human, and who happens to be clad in leather and ready made for bondage and s&m sessions.

Isabelle meets Baba Yaga one evening on the street and is invited to Baba Yaga's house sometime. She takes her up on the offer and discovers in the house a hole in the floor that seems to have no bottom. Baba Yaga gives Isabelle a doll that she says will protect her. Baba has also fondled a camera belonging to Isabelle which then seems to cause bad things to happen whenever someone is photographed with it.

Throughout the movie Isabelle has dreams that are filled with eroticism and violence. A lot of these dreams are shown in very grainy film or as a set of grainy stills. Pretty effective camerawork all through the movie and the sets, acting and dialogue are better than average. The are a lot of [body parts] in the movie and also a whipping scene. Very little blood and no gore.

The dvd version released by Diamond Entertainment is bottom of the barrel, but the price is cheap enough at [money] that it makes buying the movie worth it. I read at one review website that the movie would be released in early 2003 by synapse films with a few minutes of added footage and hopefully a better transfer, but they do not mention it at the synapse website. I'm glad I own it and I would definitely recommend this as an interesting addition to any horror dvd collection October 18, 2002

Great Italian tale of witchery

A somewhat strange offering that is based on folklore and erotic Italian comic books, Kiss Me, Kill Me is a first rate film set in modern Milan.

Baba Yaga (played wonderfully by Caroll Baker) is a witch who tries to seduce and control a beautiful photographer, Isabelle De Funès (Valentina Rosselli). There is a love interest for Isabelle, Arno Treves (George Eastman), who also acts as a hero in the appropriate parts. Also involved is a doll that seems to sometimes be human, and who happens to be clad in leather and ready made for bondage and s&m sessions.

Isabelle meets Baba Yaga one evening on the street and is invited to Baba Yaga's house sometime. She takes her up on the offer and discovers in the house a hole in the floor that seems to have no bottom. Baba Yaga gives Isabelle a doll that she says will protect her. Baba has also fondled a camera belonging to Isabelle which then seems to cause bad things to happen whenever someone is photographed with it.

Throughout the movie Isabelle has dreams that are filled with eroticism and violence. A lot of these dreams are shown in very grainy film or as a set of grainy stills. Pretty effective camerawork all through the movie and the sets, acting and dialogue are better than average. The are a lot of breasts and behinds in the movie and also a whipping scene. Very little blood and no gore.

The dvd version released by Diamond Entertainment is bottom of the barrel, but the price is cheap enough at [X] that it makes buying the movie worth it. I read at one review website that the movie would be released in early 2003 by synapse films with a few minutes of added footage and hopefully a better transfer, but they do not mention it at the synapse website. I'm glad I own it and I would definitely recommend this as an interesting addition to any horror dvd collection. October 12, 2002

Just do not buy this

This is hardly a priceless advice, since this DVD seems to be out of print. However, I suggest not buying this edition and go for the deluxe edition by Blue UndergroundBaba Yaga. Just so you know, this film is actually Corrado Farina's cult "Baba Yaga". I've seen this copy and you shouldn't trust it, as it's literally mistake-packed edition. Umberto Lenzi has NOTHING to do with this film, the aspect ratio is not respected (the film is horribly maimed by pan&scan). The Blue Underground edition features juicy extras such as the never-before-seen scenes originally cut from Italian censorship, plus about 10 minutes of stuff cut prior to first release (featuring Italian popstar Franco Battiato!) a lenghty interview with Farina himself, a vintage documentary by Farina on Guido Crepax (the author of the comic book on which the film is based) and even an easter egg with Tinto Brass. And the screen ratio is respected. September 20, 2002

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