Jane Baker has the house to herself with her two children, Lucy and her younger brother. In secret, she sneaks off to meet her lover, who lives with his mother and blind brother. Lucy starts to wonder where her mother has really gone and begins snooping through her personal belongings. She finds a phone number, calls it, and reaches her mother at her lover’s home. Furious, her mother scolds her and tells her never to call there again.
Naturally, Lucy tries once more, but this time her mother ignores the call, choosing instead to engage in an intense lovemaking session. Displeased, Lucy tricks her little brother into the bathroom and drowns him. She then calls her mother and coldly informs her that he is dead. Jane panics, and her lover rushes to drive her home. In their hysteria, they crash, and a beam pierces the windshield, decapitating Jane’s lover.
This is just the opening fifteen minutes, but it’s here that the story truly becomes intriguing. And I won’t reveal any more than that. The film’s suspense lies in what you don’t know. It’s a story about madness, and as we all know, insane people can be far scarier than Satan himself—especially in the hands of Lamberto Bava. His films about disturbed individuals are among his best, particularly A Blade in the Dark. While Demons is also a great movie, these psychological thrillers of his are truly remarkable.
Italian horror is a genre of its own, and it’s not for everyone. You have to embrace the dubbed dialogue and accept that the actors won’t be winning any Oscars. But if you can do that, you’ll experience a true piece of film history—one you’ll come to love. This film is also Lamberto Bava’s directorial debut, released the same year his father, the legendary Italian horror director Mario Bava, passed away. Had he lived to see Macabre, I believe he would have been proud of his son, as the film shares many stylistic similarities with his father’s work.
The direction is excellent, atmospheric, and gripping. Surprisingly, the actors deliver a solid performance. My only real complaint is the music—much of it sounds like it was pulled straight from a softcore porn film, with its overly smooth saxophone melodies. However, Lamberto knows when to shift gears, bringing in eerie strings and morbid tones where it truly counts. In the end, the soundtrack works and complements the film well.
A great film for fans of giallo and suspense.
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