It has been a long time in coming, but I finally watched Barbazul and it is another mind blower.
This is a stunning take on Bluebeard and Jac Avila does an excellent job as the suave and outgoing ladies man that happen to have a need to kill women by strangling them. His performance in this film is absolutely wonderful and I know many an actor that should watch and take lessons from him.
The movie starts with Barbazul (Avila) meeting Soledad, played by lovely Mila Joya and proposing marriage and then taking her to his plantation. She knows he has been married before but doesn't think much of it. He leaves for a while and he gives her the keys to the plantation on the stipulation that she will not enter a certain room.
She does and she finds a diary and starts reading about the other women he has killed. The movie gives us a good chance to see what the women are like in his life and there are nothing but excellent touches all through the film.
The entire cast is very well versed in what they do and Amy's direction is right on the mark. The scenery and especially the music are highlights. I love the score to this film..it really adds to what is going on without being overbearing.
The ending of the film is a good twist and will take you back to the good old days of Giallo filmmaking. This is Amy's second directing job, and if this is any indication we have a lot of good movies still coming from her. The cast, as usual is the stock company made up of Avila, Joya, Hesketh herself as a very sexy victim of Barbazul, and Roberto Lopez L as "Walter".
I have to take a few lines here and say that the character of Walter is a good a character as I have seen in a film in a very long time. He plays the Butler of Barbazul and calmly helps him clean up the dead bodies and bury them. He is always peeking around corners and making sure all is well for his master. He is both creepy and touching at the same time. His part in the ending of the film is sly and witty.
The deaths of each of the women was interesting and seem to always be a bit different. Amy's character of Jane is whipped before she is strangled and buried alive and the demise of Soledad is very unpleasant and hard to watch, but that is what makes Amy such a damn good director. She and the cast pulled it off flawlessly.
I could go on all day with my thoughts on this film, but if you like Giallo and great mystery films I cannot see why you wouldn't like this. One of the best films I have seen so far this year and easily one of the best releases of 2013!! I am just sorry it has taken me so long to finally see the film.
Nice review. I agree, it's a very cool movie and the butler guy kind of steals the show. But you must check out their new one, Dead But Dreaming. An absolutely mesmerizing film. The music was done by the same guy (Brad Cantor) and is even more powerful.
ReplyDeleteI fully intend to check it out as soon as I can. Thanks for the comment.
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