Lucio Fulci, Revisited....

I have always been a big fan of Italian horror flicks... being the 80s baby that I am. Dario Argento is and always will be one of my favorite directors ever (for his early work, most of his newer stuff is shit!) but my second fave has to be Lucio Fulci. The Beyond, House by the Cemetery, The New York Ripper, Zombie... all classics!Fulci has a very unique style to his films, and that is often conveyed in the AWESOME posters that accompanied his movies to the theaters. They are super rich color-wise and full of key components from the films, and I can't help but assume that Fulci was very involved in the constructing of the posters. My favorite movie theater in NYC, Nighthawk Cinema in Brooklyn, will be hosting a live screening of the Fulci classic 'The Beyond' tonight (tickets still available... get em here) and they have posted a full gallery of Fulci movie posters over at their blog. You can see the full gallery here, and check out my faves after the jump. Long live Fulci.... that dude sure knew how to make a horror movie!!!

Check Out The Italian Horror Film Invasion On Netflix Instant Streaming!!!

It's October, aka Spook Season... so what better way to spend it then watching horror films? I am a huge fan of Netflix Instant Streaming, and they have tons of wonderful horror titles ready for your viewing pleassure at the click of a button. Today I am going to focus on one of my favorite sub-genres of horror films, Italian horror movies. Italian horror is an acquired taste. The movies are usually in English (or dubbed in English) and tend to be a bit gore orientated. Though not as popular as their American counterparts, Italian horror films make up some of the best in the genre. I am a particular fan of late 70's/80's Italian horror, particularly the work of Dario Argento. He is my second favorite film director behind Kubrick. Not just horror director, all kinds of movies. The guys is amazing. Ask any true horror fan, and they will tell you that Italian horror is a must watch.

First up, lets take a look at Argento's films that Netflix Instant has to offer. His seminal classic, Suspiria (1977), is unreal and a must watch amongst all film fans. The colors, the scenery... wow, just wow. Also,  catch Opera (1987), Two Evil Eyes (1990), and his two contributions to the great Masters of Horror TV series entitled Jennifer (2006) & Pelts (2006). Also, check out The Church (1989), which was written and produced by Argento. The rest of his titles are available on traditional mailing Netflix. I reccomend Tenebre (1982), Inferno (1980) and Phenomena (1985) if you are going to add any to your mailing que. 

Next, we got Mario Bava.You can start with the all time great analogy film Black Sabbath (1963), which features 3 nerve tingling tales narrated by horror icon Boris Karloff. Next, check out Hatchet for the Honeymoon (1988), Shock (1977) & Panet of the Vampires (1965). If you are going to get any Bava flicks in the mail, try the all time classics Black Sunday (1960) & Blood and Black Lace (1963). Most people say that Bava was 20 years ahead of the curve in the slasher genre, and Blood and Black Lace is often sited as such an example.

Finally, we get Lucio Fulci. Fulci is a very gifted filmmaker, but unfortunately his best works are not available for instant streaming. City of the Living Dead (1980) and The New York Ripper (1982) are. If you are a serious horror fan then order The Beyond (1981), House by the Cemetary (1981), The Black Cat (1981), and Zombi 3 (1988) by mail. Trust me, you will not be disappointed.

Hope you enjoy the great 3 Italian Horror directors and all their films. Expand your horizons and check some of these titles out if you truly love horror cinema. At this time of year, its good to get some new scares. Happy viewings!!!