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Paganini Horror (Limited Edition, Blu-ray + CD Combo)
Paganini Horror
PAGANINI HORROR - Limited Edition - The '80s Italian shocker now on DVD & Blu-ray for the first time ever in America!
Only 3,000 units with a Bonus CD soundtrack!
From producer Fabrizio De Angelis (ZOMBIE, THE BEYOND, KILLER CROCODILE), writer/director Luigi Cozzi (CONTAMINATION, STARCRASH) and co-writer/star Daria Nicolodi (DEEP RED, TENEBRAE) comes one of the most hard-to-find shockers from Italian Horror's greatest decade. When an all-girl rock band records an unpublished song by Niccolò Paganini - the 19th century composer said to have sold his soul to the Devil - they will unleash a skintight spandex nightmare of extreme violins, cheesy power ballads, SUSPIRIA-influenced lighting and outlandish Satanic havoc that QuietCool calls "Serious fun… it drips with as much love as it does with blood and gore." Jasmine Maimone (DEMONS), Pascal Perciano (VOICES FROM BEYOND) and the legendary Donald Pleasence co-star in this "Kooky, stylish and definitely recommended flick" (DVDExotica.com), now transferred in 2k from the original negative. SPECIAL FEATURES: Read More
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I recently picked up Paganini Horror on Bluray, on Severin. This is the first time the movie was made available in America on high definition (taken from a recent 2k film transfer) and it's one of those rare Italian horror films that I've never seen. Plus, for the first 3,000 copies, you get the official movie soundtrack by Vince Tempera. The soundtrack also features two terrific pop songs written for the movie, “Stay the Night” and “The Winds of Time”… which sounds a bit like Scandal/Patty Smyth.
After watching the movie, I can see why it was never a popular title here - it is simply not a good movie. Even film director Luigi Cozzi hated the movie.
The story is about a female-led rock band in search of inspiration for their next hit song. Their drummer bought an unpublished score by composer Niccolò Paganini. In the film, Paganini was said to make a deal with the devil and sacrifice his wife and used her intestines as strings to his violin.
Shortly after using the new music in their new song, entitled "Paganini Horror", their singer, Kate suggested they film the new music video, with famed horror director Mark Singer, at the Casa di Sol.
It's at this house that the horror really begins. Apparently, Paganini, himself, used to live at the house and rose from his grave to murder each of the band members, one by one.
Of course, the rest of the band, including singer Kate, tries to leave the house, but there is this supernatural barrier that prevented the group from leaving the premises.
Eventually, everyone is killed, and you get this weird explanation at the end of the movie about how the house is cursed and that everyone that is attracted to the house is killed. It doesn't really explain why playing the unpublished Paganini music would bring back the killer (why that is even part of the story doesn't make much sense).
Part of the problem with the story was that it was originally green lit based simply on the film title and poster for the film (which was painted prior to the completed script). The script was rejected by producer Ugo Valenti, and had director Cozzi writing and re-writing the script until it became a mess.
The other film released for Halloween was another rarely seen American horror film called Nightwish. I rented this film on a VHS in the early 90s, after I've exhausted all the other horror films at the local video rental store.
At first, I didn't really "get" the film, and didn't really love it. Years went on, and while other horror films, such as Evil Dead, got re-issues on Laserdiscs, then DVD, then Bluray... no one bothered to go back and revisit Nightwish…. That is until recently when Unearthed Classics released it in HD finally!
It’s been years since I saw the VHS version, so seeing this in glorious high definition is like seeing the film for the first time. I have to say that re-watching the film, with older eyes, I really think this is a forgotten classic (especially if you love the horror movie genre).
If you’re on the fence about this film, you can stream the film for free if you’re an Amazon Prime member. If you decide to pick up the Bluray, the first run of the Bluray gets an alternative slip cover and a nice booklet. Also, you get an audio commentary with Paul White and Stephen Biro. To be honest, the commentary is one of the worst I’ve heard for a film. It’s not well-researched or offers any interesting insights in the film.
After watching the movie, I can see why it was never a popular title here - it is simply not a good movie. Even film director Luigi Cozzi hated the movie.
The story is about a female-led rock band in search of inspiration for their next hit song. Their drummer bought an unpublished score by composer Niccolò Paganini. In the film, Paganini was said to make a deal with the devil and sacrifice his wife and used her intestines as strings to his violin.
Shortly after using the new music in their new song, entitled "Paganini Horror", their singer, Kate suggested they film the new music video, with famed horror director Mark Singer, at the Casa di Sol.
It's at this house that the horror really begins. Apparently, Paganini, himself, used to live at the house and rose from his grave to murder each of the band members, one by one.
Of course, the rest of the band, including singer Kate, tries to leave the house, but there is this supernatural barrier that prevented the group from leaving the premises.
Eventually, everyone is killed, and you get this weird explanation at the end of the movie about how the house is cursed and that everyone that is attracted to the house is killed. It doesn't really explain why playing the unpublished Paganini music would bring back the killer (why that is even part of the story doesn't make much sense).
Part of the problem with the story was that it was originally green lit based simply on the film title and poster for the film (which was painted prior to the completed script). The script was rejected by producer Ugo Valenti, and had director Cozzi writing and re-writing the script until it became a mess.
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Nightwish
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At first, I didn't really "get" the film, and didn't really love it. Years went on, and while other horror films, such as Evil Dead, got re-issues on Laserdiscs, then DVD, then Bluray... no one bothered to go back and revisit Nightwish…. That is until recently when Unearthed Classics released it in HD finally!
It’s been years since I saw the VHS version, so seeing this in glorious high definition is like seeing the film for the first time. I have to say that re-watching the film, with older eyes, I really think this is a forgotten classic (especially if you love the horror movie genre).
If you’re on the fence about this film, you can stream the film for free if you’re an Amazon Prime member. If you decide to pick up the Bluray, the first run of the Bluray gets an alternative slip cover and a nice booklet. Also, you get an audio commentary with Paul White and Stephen Biro. To be honest, the commentary is one of the worst I’ve heard for a film. It’s not well-researched or offers any interesting insights in the film.
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