* Dario Argento has often been called "the Italian Hitchcock." |
 Cemetary Man is an interesting item from director Dario Argento's* disciple Michele Soavi, who here seems to have at last come into his own. The story concerns a cemetery caretaker, Francesco Dellamorte, and his troubles  both comic and nightmarishkeeping the dead in their graves. Soavi's direction succeeds in style without self-indulgence, lending an appropriately surreal edge to the oft-bizarre proceedings. He's helped immeasurably by the performances, most notably that of Rupert Everett in the title role. The film falters in the script which, with its loose ends and episodic structure, quickly becomes a nightmare in itself.
|
 * Rupert Everett exemplifies the stereotype of the "stuffy Brit." |
 Cemetary Man is based on the Italian horror comic strip, Dylan Dog. The character of Francesco Dellamorte was originally conceived with English actor Rupert Everett* in mind, leaving the filmmakers in something of a fix in terms of casting. Thankfully, their concerns were unfounded as Everett turns in his first (and so far only) truly memorable performance. You won't soon forget his shuffling, impotent, Dellamortean oddly sympathetic misanthrope who tires of splitting recently re-animated skulls. His inevitable descent into madness is both convincing and disturbing. Equally fine is French singer Francois Hadji Lazaro's work as Gnagi, Dellamorte's half-witted assistant. His short and stocky appearance makes a fine contrast to Everett's tall and thin gravedigger.
|
|
* The whole thing calls to mind the structureless, sloppy plotting of Argento's recent films, most notably his Black Cat segment of Two Evil Eyes (which also features a misanthropic character losing his mind). |
 And here is where the otherwise top-notch production's crucial flaws appear. Much like Argento, screenwriter Gianni Romoli insists on throwing everything and the kitchen sink into the mix: romance, horror, gore, surrealism, black humor and even some heavy philosophizing about (what else?) death. The script doesn't present a storyline as much as a series of often disconnected episodes.* Needless to say, the results are wildly unevensometimes funny as in the events leading up to Dellamorte's attempt to castrate himselfsometimes merely silly as when a severed head chases after Gnagi. And what of the unfathomable ending? I won't ruin the surprise. After all, concerning events unfolding in the last five minutes of the movie, your guess is as good as mine. (They had to put an end to it all somehow, I reckon.)
|
|
* Argento trademarks pop up throughout both films hysterical music, fluid though self-indulgent camerawork, "creative" deaths. |
 Director Michele Soavi certainly has an impressive history within the Italian horror film industry. His first film, Stage Fright (1986), was produced by Joe D'Amato. Earlier, he acted in Lucio Fulci's legendary zombiefest, City of The Living Dead (aka Gates of Hell, 1980). In 1985, he directed a documentary on the films of his mentor, Dario Argento (Dario Argento's World of Horror). It's no surprise that Argento would go on to produce and co-author Soavi's next two films, The Church (1988), and The Sect (aka Devil's Daughter, 1991), films which reflect the maestro's influence perhaps a bit too clearly.* With 1994's Dellamorte Dellamore (just recently given a stateside release, uncut, though lamely re-titled Cemetery Man), Soavi seems to have developed a style of his own, one that in years to come may be every bit as distinctive as Argento's. Even though the Italian film industry has produced enough George Romero-inspired Zombiefests to fill a graveyard, Soavi here manages to keep the walking-dead antics fresh. He wisely avoids Argento's swirling camera movements, as well as Fulci's extreme gore (though rest assured, there is plenty of the red stuff on display here). Instead, Soavi opts for a subtle, toned down approach that gives the horrors a surreal, even darkly romantic, edgean edge lacking in his mentors' work.
|
|
|
 Cemetery Man (aka Dellamorte Dellamore) October Films, 100 minutes Director: Michele Soavi Producer: Tilde Corsi, Gianni Romoli, Michele Soavi Screenplay: Gianni Romoli Cinematographer: Mauro Marchetti Editor: Franco Fraticelli Cast: Rupert Everett, Francois Hadji Lazaro, Anna Falchi, Stefano Masciarelli, Mickey Knox
|
|
Select another review! |
|
